Geo-Climatic Vulnerabilities and Disaster Resilience: Strategies for Sustainable Infrastructure in Riverine and Hilly Terrains

Geo-Climatic Vulnerabilities and Disaster Resilience: Strategies for Sustainable Infrastructure In Riverine and Hilly Terrains In this new volatile global climate change scenarios where every other country is suffering from one or other form of geo-climatic changes including cloudburst, extinction of glaciers, uneven cyclonic patterns, landslide, glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), etc. India stand in a very vulnerable position to counter these changes. India as a developing nation it requires enormous infrastructural projects, power requirements with ultimately leads to a contribution to global warming which is directly linked with all kinds of geo-climatic changes. India is blessed with rivers and mountain areas, these acts as both blessing and as well as curse. The future depends on how we approach these resources for a sustainable development without changing the course of nature. India has a very large numbers of river system which includes Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Barak, Godavari etc. These accounts to a large number of the total geographical area of India.

Talking about Brahmaputra & Barak they serve as both ecological & economical backbone of Assam and nearby States. But these rivers accounts for a large no of flooding every year during monsoon and cause a huge number of losses both economically as well as loss of human life. These river system are poorly monitored even after each as every year floods. The dykes (Mothaori) are old and with time there tensile strength of holding large volume of water makes them even more weak, these dykes are also not maintained on a regular basis which further cause flash flood like situation. The Brahmaputra river is famous for its expansion during the monsoon season where it takes away large chunks of land & sediments along with it. These is one more cause of the destructive nature of Brahmaputra, ie; during the 1950 great Assam earthquake the riverbed of Brahmaputra rised up which also lead to the decrease in the water holding capacity during monsoon. These things can be minimized by a approach from both technological driven as well as a sustainable approach which includes help from top universities like the IITS which can help in assessment of the situation and provide a approach which can be utilized by the policy holders. It can also take help from ISROs satellite data, IMDs weather report which can further assess it more clearly and to a more wider field. These things include help from locals as well who were born and bought up in those areas for better ground level assessment. For the sustainable approach the wetland restorations, river bed drewling can be done, also we can introduce artificial wetlands on the nearby areas of the river system to accommodate more water during peak monsoon season and those places can act as a sponge during peak monsoon..

Coming to the hilly area India is surrounded by mountains on the Northern Side.. It acts as a natural barrier from harsh cold winters and enemies at the same time. India lies on a convergent plate boundary which is constantly moving towards each other which makes it one of the most seismologically active places on earth. The Himalayan area is under Zone V of Seismic index which makes its extremely Vulnerable to earthquakes. The Himalayas acts as a highly ecosensitive zone in which 2 of the biodiversity hotspots are in this region. But in the recent times the change in climate and increase in global temperature has lead to extremely unpredictable weather patterns in the hilly area reasons. Cloudburst is one of the most common activities in the hilly areas which cause almost 20% of the destruction starting from landslide, mud slide and floods in the plain areas. There were also reports of snowfall starting from September which is unusual and lack of snowfall during peak winter season. The geo-climatic changes not only cause disturbance to the local human population but it also cause destruction of flora & fauna. In the recent times hilly areas are suffering from a very dangerous situation ie; glacial lake outburst Flood (GLOF) which is recently seen in Nepal, Sikkim, Uttrakhand.

They bring a huge amount of mud, rocks, bolders which are really dangerous and it's sheer strength compared to normal flood is way higher. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with the help of local authorities like SDRF can help identify vulnerable GLOF sites and with the help of proximity sensors can, it can be monitored & with the help of ISROs satellite its vulnerability can be checked. India need's a early warning system where natural disasters can be predicted with multiagency task force working 24/7 with system like SACHET early warning system which can warn vulnerable peoples moments ahead of the disaster so that they can be moved or can reach to a safer place. In this highly volatile geo-climatic vulnerability the NDMA, SDRF, Civil defence & people should be trained and equiped with state of the art equipments as well as training because Prevention is better than cure always. India is a highly potencial country with vast amount of resources, men power and brains which can implement sustainable approach with technology as well as ethical thinking for nature. India as a nation is a rising example when India as a developing nation took the Pledge of Panchamitra during COP26 to reduce its carbon based emission and to achieve net zero emission by 2070. Institutions like UNFCCC, International Solar Alliance, UNDP goals plays a important role in this new world order.

Institutions like UNFCCC, International Solar Alliance, UNDP goals plays a important role in this new world order.