‘Envantation, deforestation to blame landslides’

Pune: Excessive deforestation, cutting hillside for agricultural projects and developments combined with heavy rainfall has increased the fragility of Western Ghats, which leads to increased landslides in the Maharashtra and Konkan regions, senior geologists from the Indian Geological Survey (GSI).
Landslides recently, in Tatiye village in Raigad and Satara, who claimed more than 130 lives had once again forced the authorities to study the geological factors to find reasons behind landslides.
Experts suggest comprehensive investigations to these regions to identify ways to prevent landslides in the future.
Arvind Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General, GSI, Maharashtra Unit in Pune, told Toi, “Increasing encroachment on the natural hillside for agriculture or expansion of residence, deforestation and other anthropogenic reasons have added to the increase in frequency of landslides in recent decades, Especially in the Maharashtra and Konkan Barat region.
“” If we study the history of Pune, Satara, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, which is home to many fortresses from the Maratha Empire, we will not find references to massive landslides because of human habitat at the time It is only limited to designated places.
Location.
Forests are maintained such as ‘Sanctum Sanctorum’.
There is no disruption to the natural slope of the hills and water flow.
However, this has changed for decades.
Human habitats have increased rapidly in such places .
That is why we are now facing landslides in the region, “Kat A Sarkar Sekhar, former Deputy Director General (Central Region), GSI, who visited the region several times in the past.
Sarkar, who conducted a detailed investigation of Malin Longlide in 2014 at Pune, “in the Northeast, people have lived on the hill together.
Their understanding of the geographical aspects is much deeper.
However, in Maharashtra, we found a lack of knowledge in Between villagers living in hilly areas.
To overcome this problem, we need to create a basic awareness of geological changes and geographically developing / take on the hill for various reasons.
Only so they will make a conscious effort to move or shift to the location safer in the future.
“” More than 28,000 sqkm meters in Maharashtra Barat who are prone to landslides have been covered by GSI under the National Landslide Mapping program (NLSM) to classify the vulnerable areas in accordance with their potential to produce landslides.
In addition, inventory A comprehensive landslide covering more than 1,000 incidents has also been prepared.
From TOT AL air coverage, almost 5% of the area shows high potential to produce landslides, and more than 30% of additional areas indicate a moderate possibility of creation of landslides, “said three geologists from GSI.
According to Singh, someone needs to understand that the affected area does not need to be categorized as a high or moderate landslide vulnerability zone.
“This is because the influence of landslide activities can be felt in areas outside the zone like that but are on the runut track of landslide incidents.
Incident in the village of Jui (2005) in Raigad District, Malin (2014) in Pune District and recent incidents This in Tatiye in Raigad district is a leading example of these cases, “he added.
About recent improvement in landslide activities, Singh said that the old record and historic landslide was far from complete and usually only incidents that caused damage to the human population.
“As a result, it is difficult to establish a required relationship between incidents and trigger factors, especially rainfall,” he added after the recent landslide incident, GSI had sent two geological experts for the affected geological assessment.
“The team is currently in the field and collects field data needed to assess the causes of incidents and identify short-term steps immediately to reduce further risk.
There are plans to cover 15 villages in the first phase of work.
The conclusion of this study will be distributed with parties The district authorities are concerned, “Singh added.
Retired GSI Geologist Sudha Vaddadi, said, “The state government must establish a dedicated geological committee to review villages that are prone to landslides at least twice a year.
This exercise will certainly help each district administration to take action in advance.
At present, We only act after the incident.
Also, permission of geologists must be made mandatory before launching a development project in hilly or district regions.
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