Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Sep: An expert team has been sent to conduct a scientific survey of Saraswati Tal in Chamoli and Kedartal in Uttarkashi to strengthen disaster preparedness and reduce risks from glacial lakes. The team was flagged off by Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, while Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Disaster Management Minister Madan Kaushik extended their best wishes for the mission.
The survey will assess the current condition of the lakes, water levels, changes in size, surrounding terrain and potential risk zones. The CM said that timely warning to vulnerable areas is crucial and modern sensors, water‑level measuring devices and communication systems will be ensured to enable swift action in case of emergencies. Disaster Management Minister Madan Kaushik stated that the protective and risk‑reduction measures are being implemented, including identification of safe evacuation routes, communication networks and strengthening of relief and rescue systems. Suman informed that 13 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand have been categorised as sensitive, of which four have already been surveyed, and the present mission will cover Saraswati Tal at 5,700 metres and Kedartal at 4,750 metres. The survey involves experts from multiple institutions and agencies, aiming at a comprehensive scientific assessment of risks and downstream impacts.
The survey involves experts from multiple institutions and agencies including Rohit Kumar and Nikhil Punia from USDMA, Vishal and Deepak Bhatt from ULMMC, Shekh Nawaz Ali, Shubhjeet Ghosh and Prakash Ranjan Jena from BSIP Lucknow, Pinky Bist, Swapnil Bist and Shivyaank Singh Negi from Wadia Institute, Shiv Shankar Yadav and Shivanand Mandaraha from NIH Roorkee, Nitesh Khetwal and Sandeep Singh from SDRF, Sachin Kumar and Manish Kumar from NDRF, Mahendra and Manoj Singh from Chamoli, Shardul Gusain and Narendra Singh Rawat from Uttarkashi.
