Dehradun: The Sahastradhara-Maldevta region of Dehradun is facing serious danger due to landslides caused by weak and brittle rocks. After the flood in the Bandal River valley in 2022, a joint research paper released by scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute), and Sikkim University has raised alarm over the growing risk in the region.
According to the scientists, the natural structure of the area is already fragile. The slopes are very steep, and the rocks are soft and easily break apart. These natural conditions are made worse by unplanned construction, illegal buildings, and lack of proper planning.
Reckless development and ignoring geological risks are creating a major threat
The scientists clearly mention in their research that reckless development and ignoring geological risks are creating a major threat in the region. The growing number of houses and hotels built near riverbanks is disturbing the natural flow of water. When heavy rains or cloudbursts happen, the blocked water turns into a strong flood, leading to destruction.
They call the Himalayan region a “laboratory of disasters”, where climate change, fragile terrain, and careless human activities are all coming together to create a recipe for frequent natural disasters.
The region lies on the Main Boundary Fault, an active fault line
A cloudburst hit Maldevta on August 20, 2022, causing huge damage. A research study by scientists Kalachand Sain, Manish Mehta, Vineet Kumar, and Vikram Gupta found that Maldevta is a very sensitive area. The region lies on the Main Boundary Fault, an active fault line. Their research was published in an international journal in March 2023.
Lessons from past disasters
The research also talks about the 2022 Maldevta disaster, which happened due to the same reasons. The Bandal River, which flows through the area, had already changed its path in 2020 and 2021 because of landslides. A huge amount of debris had fallen into the river during those years.
During the 2022 rains, this debris got mixed with the fast-flowing water, creating a heavy flow of mud, rocks, and water that rushed downstream and caused massive destruction. This kind of damage could have been avoided with better planning and early warnings.
Unplanned buildings are making things worse
The paper highlights the illegal and unscientific buildings being built right on the riverbanks. Some houses are so close that they are almost in the river itself. This stops the river’s natural path and creates a danger of water getting blocked and then suddenly released, which makes floods worse.
The scientists say that while we can’t stop natural disasters, we can reduce their impact through smart planning and safe construction. People must be told clearly not to build homes near rivers.
What needs to be done
To reduce the damage from future disasters, scientists have suggested some important steps:
1-Ban construction on riverbanks, especially on low-lying areas where floods hit the hardest.
2-Install Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in every risky area. These stations can give early warnings about rain or cloudbursts.
3-Make Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) compulsory before starting any development work.
4-Spread awareness among the local people so they understand the risks of building near rivers.
Since this area is a beautiful part of the Dehradun valley, the region’s natural beauty must be protected, but that can only happen if development is done responsibly and scientifically. Otherwise, the beautiful valleys of Dehradun could face more disasters in the coming years.