In a proactive response to the increasing incidents of landslides and the subsequent loss of lives and property, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has made a groundbreaking announcement – the establishment of India's first State-level Landslides Monitoring & Study Institute. This move aims to tackle the pressing issue of landslides that have plagued various regions across the country.
An Urgent Call for Action
The genesis of this initiative can be traced back to BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, who fervently emphasized the need for proactive measures to prevent future disasters. Given the urgency of the situation and the frequency of landslides in areas like the Konkan belt, Fadnavis swiftly gave his approval for the creation of a specialized State-level institute dedicated to the study and monitoring of landslides in hilly regions. To kickstart this endeavor, Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis has directed the Disaster Management secretary to expedite the formation of a committee tasked with establishing India's first-ever State-level institute focused on landslides.
Visionary Leadership
Dr. Vijay Page, Director of the Bramha Research Foundation, emerges as a central figure in advocating for the institute's establishment. Driven by a tragic landslide incident in Karjat that claimed numerous lives, Dr. Page collaborated with Ashish Shelar to propose the creation of the "Sahyadri Institute Geoinformatics Research & Monitoring" (SIGRAM). This institute draws inspiration from the Government of India's Defense Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) and seeks to concentrate on the study and monitoring of landslide-prone regions in Maharashtra while developing effective strategies to mitigate this grave problem.
Climate Change and Statistics
A report in the Free Press Journal quoted Dr. Page who underscores the gravity of the issue at hand, noting, "The combination of increasing extreme rainfall events, deforestation, and the proliferation of human settlements in landslide-prone areas poses a severe threat to the lives and property of residents throughout the Western Ghats and Sahyadri region of Maharashtra." A 2020 study conducted by the Geological Survey of India identified 225 villages in Maharashtra as landslide-prone, with a staggering 74 such regions found within the boundaries of Mumbai city alone. These alarming statistics underscore the pressing need for a comprehensive assessment of the situation and the formulation of scientific strategies to address this ever-looming threat.
Gratitude and Action
Dr. Page expressed his gratitude to the Government of Maharashtra and Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis for recognizing the gravity of the situation and taking decisive action. The establishment of India's first State-level Landslides Monitoring & Study Institute marks a significant step forward in the country's efforts to safeguard its citizens and their property from the devastating impacts of landslides.
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