One year after the Dharchula disaster, Uttarakhand has restored roads, revived livelihoods, and invested over ₹33 crore in rehabilitation, infrastructure rebuilding, and long-term disaster resilience across affected regions.
A year after disastrous flooding and landslides wreaked havoc in the lives of thousands of people in the Dharchula area and other neighboring places in Uttarakhand, signs of recovery are increasingly becoming more evident. The site that was characterized by destroyed homes, broken roads, and destroyed farms is slowly turning into one of recovery and resilience due to sustained rehabilitation efforts by the state government.
Devastation to Recovery
The flood, caused by continuous heavy rains on August 5, last year, resulted in widespread damage to various places in Dharchula and other adjacent places. Countless households suffered major damages to their homes, businesses, agricultural land, fruit plantations, and livestock. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, rehabilitation in the affected areas such as Dharchula, Harsil, and Bhatwari has improved tremendously within the year.
Prioritised relief and rehabilitation by Government
According to the Uttarakhand Government, efforts for relief and rehabilitation commenced straight away following the disaster under the guidance of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The senior officers were instructed to arrange immediate rescue services, distribution of relief material, repair of damaged infrastructure, and provide support to the affected families. Besides emergency response, the government was involved in rebuilding of the community via a recovery programme.
Allocation of ₹33 Crore for Recovery
In the past one year, the government has allotted more than ₹33 crore for rehabilitation and recovery activities. Out of which, more than ₹16 crore were spent in rebuilding projects related to agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, power, tourism, rural development, public works, and food supply sectors. Apart from this, the affected families got more than ₹17 crore under different relief and compensation programmes.
Livelihood and Infrastructure Development
Great emphasis was placed on the regeneration of livelihoods. The farmers were provided with seeds, plants, and agricultural assistance while orchards were paid compensation for any damage done to their plantations. Livestock keepers were also assisted in resuming their animal husbandry activities. At the same time, roads, drinking water supplies, electricity and other infrastructures were developed by the government to improve connectivity.
Constructing a Better Future
Apart from rebuilding, efforts are being made towards flood mitigation and riverbank development to mitigate the effects of any future disasters. Tourist activities have also started again creating new job avenues. The revival of Dharchula not only demonstrates the resilience of the locals but also the commitment of the state in rebuilding disaster-resilient mountain regions.