Natural disasters cannot be stopped. The flood in Dharali of Uttarkashi is the result of this attitude of nature. Such disasters will keep coming in Uttarakhand which is geographically and environmentally very sensitive. The need is to avoid them or to remain safe from their effects. This will be possible only when we build in harmony with nature by maintaining a standard distance from sensitive areas and rivers, ravines. Sadly, in our state, precaution before a disaster seems to be completely missing. The part of Dharali which has been destroyed by the flood was not only very close to Ksheer Ganga, but was also full of constructions of houses, hotels and homestays etc. If the constructions were far away, then perhaps there would have been no risk to life and property and the fierce form of nature would have passed from a distance. In the Kedarnath disaster also, unplanned construction had increased the risk to life and property. We did not wake up even then and now our mistake in the form of Dharali has again become the cause of great pain. If we look at the condition of Haridwar, Rishikesh, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Bhilangana or any other river areas, then everywhere we can see the story of the persistence of life on the brink of death.
The rule of 100 meters distance has been limited to 30 meters, but construction is increasing
The general rule of the building code is that construction on a slope of more than 30 degrees means increasing the risk. Despite this, not only constructions are being done on high slopes, but they are also being leveled and multi-storey buildings are being built. In the name of tourism development, in the insistence of river view, hotels, home stays and guest houses etc. are being built very close to the rivers. Earlier, the rule of the irrigation department was that no construction would be done within 100 meters of the main rivers. But, many cases reached the court and now there is talk of limiting it to 30 meters. However, the 30-metre rule is missing on the ground.
