Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Aug: Senior BJP leader Ravindra Jugran has expressed deep concern over the massive loss of life and property caused by the recent disaster in Dharali, Sukhitop, and Harsil in Uttarkashi district. He has accused the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department of gross negligence and irresponsible conduct.
Jugran alleged that the department has now become a “Scam Management Department” rather than a Disaster Management Department. He stated that he will soon submit a detailed report to the Chief Minister on alleged corruption and scams worth crores of rupees in the department, including all his previous complaints on which no action has yet been taken.
Jugran referred to recent newspaper reports claiming that a year ago, the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing had sent a report to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, warning that artificial lakes had formed in the upper regions of Dharali and Harsil, which could cause a major disaster at any time.
He expressed surprise that instead of acting on the report, the authority issued an official statement denying having received any such warning from IIRS.
Jugran said that had a geological survey and on-ground inspection been conducted promptly, much of the loss could have been prevented. He also reminded that, in 2019, following a petition by Ajay Gautam, the Nainital High Court had directed the Disaster Management Department to conduct regular surveys of the Gangotri glacier and surrounding areas. However, the department failed to comply with these court orders.
He further alleged that the department’s GIS lab has been without experienced personnel for the past five years, leaving Uttarakhand’s GIS data outdated. As a result, no comparative analysis between old and new satellite imagery could be conducted.
Jugran has demanded that all officials in the Disaster Management Department and Authority who ignored the IIRS warning be immediately identified, and that punitive action, including criminal cases, be initiated against them for the loss of life and property caused by their negligence and inaction.
