Krishna Kumar Tamang, PhD
The
devastating landslide of Jure in Sindhupalchok district of Nepal on August 2,
2014 caused incalculable loss of properties and human lives. It was not the
first incident of its kind for the past history of the site 60 years ago had
mass landslide swept inhabitants and its land1. Natural disasters regardless of
geographic boundaries are beyond human control, however, mitigation of their impacts
cannot be ruled out. For the lack of compliance to required safety measures and
adoption of standard means despite pre information of incurring calamities
namely human errors there occur disasters. Ironically, in absence of notice and
information beforehand of imminent calamities there are the occurrences of
disasters. Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and the Indian
sub-continents are worth mention for instances where they occur annually as if
normal phenomenon. River side valleys of the Nile, Hwang Ho, Yang-tse Kiang and
Brahmaputra have had their ill fates of nature in the past. Nevertheless either
the under estimation of befalling disasters or the over speculation of
preparedness as well the inadequacy of mechanism efficiency against the nature
born disasters humans have long been suffering to indefinite extent. The
natural disasters of landslide, avalanche, earthquake, tsunami and cyclone
alike have created ample grounds for the imperative need of more meticulous
scientific and technological inventions. The inadequacy and inefficiency of
hi-tech alone would not suffice that demand human innovative initiations and
enthusiasm for scientific analytical research and data study.
Balefi, a locality in the same district had a landslide in 1982. The very site
had in few years gap a flood in 1987. Similarly another site of Larcha 5
kilometers from Tatopani had a landslide in 1996. This scribe deputed at the
Border Post of Larcha in 1994 had the experience of grim fear for falling of
the boulder on the post about 50 meters atop the cliff. In a bid to shift the
post to elsewhere papers were processed then and as it was destined in the year
1996 there was the havoc of flood and landslide. To utter surprise the denizens
around still do not leave from there.
The latest trend of world disasters show like that of Abi Barik a Afghan
village in north east hilly region a severe landslide on May 2, 2014 officially
declaring near 300 casualties and still around 500 feared dead. Likewise on
August 20, 2014 Hiroshima of Japan had torrential pouring rain in single night
near to a whole month causing mass destruction of lives and properties. It was
due to the heavy rainfall within 24 hours measuring 240 millimeters normally of
a month. It had earlier witnessed 15 years ago the landslide of that gravity.
Despite the constraints of mastering over the nature and natural phenomenon the
worldwide national and international endeavors towards mitigation of
implications and the subjectivities of natural disasters go unabated. The truth
of disaster causation cannot be ruled out either for the human negligence in
terms of infrastructure and construction works. Expertise of concern
disciplines opine Kathmandu city centered bridges of Thapathali and Sinamangal
had their pillars ill fated plunge due to excavation of sand and gravel beneath
the roots. The destruction of greenery, mass urbanization caused underground
watertable lowering and developing holes in the Ozon level for excess of carbon
like reasons worsen the issue of warming earth from the northern hemisphere of
Antarctic iceberg to melting snow clad Himalayas to the worst. The Himalayas
covered atop of snow seen by the first Everest mountaineers Edmund Hillary and
Tenzing Sherpa in 1953 have been bygone with patched snow naked rocks of today
that make aghast and feel sad any nature lover. In the last 50 years the
shrinking of Himalayas in the Everest has made it go 590 feet up and since 1992
the temperature7 heightened 10 F.
The occurrence of earthquake in Pakistan and landslide in Nepal around the same
time would be hard to take for mere coincidence. The ambassador of China to
Nepal expressed his condolence and willingness of providing technical
assistance in reviving the transportation damaged in the disaster and informed
easing the proceeds of alternate route from Kerung(China) to Kathmandu plying
merchandise vehicles.
Indian teams with three helicopters were on alert position to move for
additional rescue and relief at Gorakhpur the adjacent city to Nepal. Nepal
Army had undertaken the job of clearing the water blockade of Sunkoshi River
though for technical assistance a ministerial decision was taken at the
initiative of the president of Nepal Central Disaster Rescue Committee and the
Home Minister. The Indian technical team for assistance had aerial view of the
land slide site prior to any request made on behalf of Nepal.
The Tso Rolpa lake threatened bursting at the height of 4580 meters above sea
level in 1996. The global warming melt snow on the northern border of Dolkha
district causing mass flood wash human habitats. The then government resorted
to siphon technology as out let to prevent the water outburst. Fearing
accidental occurrence for the safety of Tamakoshi river-siders of Ramechhap,
Dolkha, and Sindhuli sirens, mikes and radios were used for issuing directives
to get safe heights.
There
exit across the globe various international agencies to address the aforesaid
kind of disasters. SAARC the South Asian Regional Cooperation Committee has New
Delhi, India based SDMC (SAARC Disaster Management Centre) in the premises of
National Agency of Disaster Management since October 2006. It has policies and
programs for launching awareness campaigns against disaster and educative
vocational training programmes. Likewise the United Nations has disaster
mitigation programs. The UNISDR established in 1999 from its headquarters at
Geneva, Switzerland accomplishes operations in Bangkok, Nairobi, Brussels,
Cairo and Latin America.
Concerning the natural disaster management by her virtue and deeds the Armed
Police Force cannot be inevitably excluded. The mandated tasks of Armed Police
Act 2001 govern the force to assist in natural disasters and outbreak of
epidemics. The excavation works to south-west face of Swoyambhu Sitapaila prior
to establishment of Armed Police Force in neighborhood had long before caused
the landscape to slide. A narrow passage made it more vulnerable to passersby
that crossed the APF premises. A quittance of the quarry and plantation of
trees around turned the once threat land safe and greenery. The APF Disaster
Management Training Centre established in 2011 at Kurintar of Dhading district
has produce of skilled personnel for rescue operations. The Centre at times
gets involved in awareness campaigns of disaster and rescue savoir faire.
Decision of erecting medium sized search and rescue teams in the Nepal Army and
the APF by the cabinet of ministry and social committee on 25 April 2014
ensures widened scope for the service. APF has recent policy adoption of tree
plantation around the unused premise of all its facilities. Equally APF has
regular participation in cleaning campaigns of Kathmandu Bagmati rivulet making
it eco-friendly. The Saptakoshi flood disaster in Sunsari district saw the APF
distribute rescue and relief works in 2009 and likewise the personnel of APF
donated their salary scale of 5 days amounting Rupees 18,871,593 including
relief aids of Aqua Boxes, medicines and food stuffs received form Rotary
International District 3192 Nepal to the Jure disaster victims.
State run FM radios on account of the safety sensitivity in the general
interest of public air awareness programs. Similarly APF has Samarpan Rastra ko
Lagi (Dedication to the Nation) Nepali program fortnightly telecast every
Thursday in the channels of Nepal Television, Channel Nepal, Nepal One
Television, Mountain Television and Himasikhar Television whereas vocational
and life saving practical educative radio programs are on air every Sunday on
100 Megahertz band. These programs have been beneficial to the disaster prone
site inhabitants.
Sans doubts to say thus initiatives and enthusiasm towards humanity, world
peace and conservation and promotion of environment by APF should make any
Nepali feel philanthropist.
15
December 2014
References:
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3http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/05/massive-landslide-buries-...4http://post.jagran.com/Landslides-hit-Japans-Hiroshima-killing-18-peo...
5http://www.cracked.com/article/141_6-natural-disasters-that-were-caused-by-human-stupidity/
6http://archives.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_detail...
7http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/05/15/mount-everest-ice-is-mel...
8http://earthquaketrack.com/quakes/2014-08-02-00-28-10-utc-4-1-35
9http://np.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2014/08/27/money/china-willing-to-help-landslide-victims/266739.html
10http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Indian+choppers+on+standby+for+help&NewsID=424431#sthash.wWHCcOjK.dpuf
11http://saarc-sdmc.nic.in/index.asp
12http://www.unisdr.org
Published in: Nepali version
Special Publication Bulletin 2015
APF Disaster Management Training
Center, Kurintar
http://www.hq.apf/includes/books/dmtc/index.html
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