SaveTheHills activities: July 2022

Awareness programs
Raising awareness about Landslide Hazards and other related issues has been one of our most important roles and we have held or participated in hundreds of seminars and workshops at a variety of platforms from the grassroots to national programs.
In July 2022 we participated in two such programs: the Ban Mahotsav program held in Kalimpong Town Hall by the West Bengal Govt Department of Forests and the other organized by Anugyalaya DDSSS in a small village school in Pubung, Gorubathan block, Kalimpong district.

 

Pubung, on the other hand is a remote village in Pokhriabong GP, In Kalimpong district. There
Shreya and I participated in awareness program with some 30 odd school children and villagers in a small wooden village school and talked about rainfall patterns, importance of data keeping and community action during disasters. We distributed
a. Landslide Reporting Forms
b. A checklist in Nepali for action prior to heavy rain or major storms
c. A documentary film on Landslides (dubbed in Nepali) made for primary school children by ISRO and SaveTheHills
d. 5 large silpaulin (plastic) sheets for use by the community in case of evacuation during landslides

Landslide Early Warning project with IIT Delhi at a landslide prone location in Kalimpong
The DST has funded a landslide early warning project with IIT Delhi for monitoring landslides in Kalimpong.The project will implement a pilot prototype for a non-intrusive opto-electronic method of detecting and warning people about a landslide. This is expected to be a significant method of warning and alerting people about an impending landslide.

• The project site is around Dumsi Pakha, a densely populated landslide prone area in Kalimpong Municipality  where the opto –electronic sensors would be installed and monitors would be placed on the opposite hillside.
•  The project which would be operational before the monsoons of 2023 is led by Prof Subrat Kar of the Dept of Electrical Engg, IIT Delhi and will last for 2yrs.
  

SaveTheHills, a Kalimpong based NGO is the local partner.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

 

One day's rain (25/26Aug2014)

All rainfall figures quoted above are from IMetD except for Kalimpong and Darjeeling (which are from STH rain gauges)
In Kalimpong, the precipitation was heaviest in thundershowers between 1.00am to approx 2.15am on 26Aug2014.
As is evident from the rainfall data, the heaviest rainfall took place along the plains of the Dooars with the mountainous regions actually receiving much less rain as such no major landslides were reported.
For more on the rainfall read here.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH Activities : 07 and 10July2014

While realizing full well that awareness programs alone are NOT enough, STH remains committed to making people aware of the severe landslide problem in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya and also the totally callous way we are treating our mountains, which will surely lead to devastating consequences in the future.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling.

A rundown of STH activities in Aug2010

1. The PR Pradhan Merit Awards, is a huge day long annual event organized by the Scottish Universities Mission Institution (S.U.M.I)  Alumni Association at the Town Hall in Kalimpong. This year the school had chosen "Preserving the Environment for the future" as its theme. STH participated with a power point presentation of the landslide problem in Kalimpong - the talk was entitled "The Mountains are talking but are we listening?"

2. On 13Aug2010, STH took part in a phone-in session regarding landslide hazards in the district organized by Himalaya Darpan, the largest selling Nepali daily in this region.
3. STH is well on its way along with DECU of ISRO, Ahmedabad towards making a documentary on landslides (see here)
4. Abstract as well as full length papers have been submitted for the 2nd World Congress on Disaster Management at Hyderabad in late Oct 2010 - the topic is " Landslide problem in Kalimpong and the need for a comprehensive, long term solution". The Congress is being organized by this society.

Praful Rao

On the anvil...

Projects on hand with SaveTheHills (STH) :-

1. 07Aug2010 (PR Pradhan Merit Awards in Kalimpong Town Hall).
The P.R Pradhan Merit Award is a huge, day long annual event in Kalimpong in  which approx 500 students from all the schools of Kalimpong and many eminent persons of the town attend. It is organized Scottish Universities Mission Institution (S.U.M.I) school Alumni Association to felicitate deserving students.
This year the event has chosen "ENVIRONMENT" as its theme and STH will be giving an insight into the landslide situation around Kalimpong during the ceremonies.

2. Documentary film on "Landslide Hazards" with DECU, ISRO, Ahmedabad and NDMA.
DECU, has been asked by NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) to produce a documentary film on landslide hazards targeting students between the age group of 12-16yrs.
STH is proud to be associated with this venture and we are working closely with DECU towards this end. The film should be ready by Dec2010.

3. 26-29Oct2010 (2nd World Congress on Disaster Management, Hyderabad).
Times of Disaster Management (TODM), is the only magazine in India entirely devoted to Disaster Management and STH has been featured in the magazine earlier (see here). The magazine forms a part of DMICS, (Disaster Management, Infrastructure and Control Society), a Hyderabad based organization which is hosting the 2nd World Congress on Disaster Management in OCT2010.
STH will be participating in this event.

4. 01- 02Nov2010 (First Indian Landslide Congress, Lucknow).
I am glad to state that 77 hi-resolution photographs of landslides in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalayas have already been dispatched by us (and received) to the organizers of the event for a photo-exhibition. Further details are here

5. Article in Book on "Darjeeling Himalaya - people and environment".
Prof Mamata Desai, is an eminent scientist who is head of Dept of Ecology, Physical and Human Resources, Netaji Institute of Asian Studies in Kolkata.
She is editing a book tentatively titled "Darjeeling Himalaya - people and environment". STH will be contributing an article on the landslide scenario in Darjeeling.


Praful Rao

Hemkar moves on...

I am deeply saddened to announce the demise of one of the youngest (34yrs) members of the STH family.
Hemkar passed away on 30Jul2010 after battling a malignant tumor in the brain for many months.
He was the most computer and internet savvy person in STH as well as a good photographer and we will miss him dearly.

Praful Rao

Busy days..third week of Jul2010

The past few days have been busy.
Heavy showers at least two small landslides within Kalimpong town and we were also involved with several awareness camps including a large one at Pedong (Kalimpong) where the Pedong Protection Committee had invited us to talk on landslides on 25Jul2010.

Praful Rao

Meeting with (CNI) Church of North India (Disaster Management Cell) - 17July2010

STH held a meeting with members of the newly formed Disaster Management Cell of the Church of North India (McFarlane Memorial Church), Kalimpong at the DISHA centre on 17Jul2010. After giving them a detailed run down of the landslide situation, rainfall statistics etc it was decided that STH would work together with CNI on a series of awareness camps around Kalimpong town intially - targeting the most vulnerable and populated areas first. Thereafter these camps would be carried out in the outlying areas of the subdivision.

Praful Rao

STH Activities : Working with students ,03Jul2010

From the vantage point of location, what was achieved in a 30 min talk, I am sure 20 classroom lectures would have never have done.
It was possible for the 170 children to see at least 3 major landslide zones on the eastern face of Kalimpong town and also observe the cause of the slides viz the tremendous developmental activity which is taking place on the Kalimpong ridge line.
Like in all other towns of the district, urbanization at the crest is taking place at a frenetic pace, leading to a huge increase in the volumes of surface run-off (rain) water. This eventually finds its way into the natural drains or jhoras which are incapable of handling both the volume and velocity of water - resulting in uncontrolled erosion and scouring. Right now this is taking place in rural areas and at the base of the hills but unfortunately the slides are creeping upwards towards the densely populated urban areas.

Praful Rao

My grateful thanks to the St Augustine School Alumni Association for enabling us to do what is one of STH's primary roles - sensitizing the student community.

Milestones : Jun2010

1. 03Jun2010 : A meeting with H.E. Shri MK Narayanan, Governor of W. Bengal and Hon. M.P Shri Jaswant  Singh in Darjeeling.

7 members of STH met and apprised the Governor of W Bengal and the M.P of Darjeeling district on the prevailing landslide situation in the district and the need for a holistic, long term strategy to manage and mitigate the hazard.
In addition Mr Zion Lepcha of CHIBO village (a very vulnerable area in the vicinity of Kalimpong town) spoke on behalf of the villagers and submitted a petition to the dignitaries.

2. Completion of Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) work at CHIBO/PASHYOR villages.
STH had commenced CBDRM work in the above landslide prone villages in Jan2010 (see here). I am glad to state that we could :-

•  Sensitize the villagers about the landslide problem in their area and prepare them to live with the hazard in a more informed way.
• Train some 11 people in first aid and also provide them some basic first aid equipment (see here).
• Provide them with some basic rescue equipment in the 2nd week of Jun2010.
• Establish a rudimentary SMS based early warning system in the village.
  

3. Featured on Dave's Landslide Blog.
Dr David Petley's (Univ of Durham, UK) landslide blog is an authoritative documentation of landslides occurring all over the world and is read by almost all people working on landslide hazards . 
I am glad to state that STH has again featured on the blog here (see para 6).

World Environment Week celebrations at St Philomena School, Kalimpong (10Jun2010)

The Pittsburgh University tour of landslide affected areas and Seminar on "Sustainability and Landslide Disaster Management" - 06/07May2010

SaveTheHills (STH) has interacted with people from the Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh University (USA) earlier ( see here).

On 06May2010, STH toured landslide affected areas of Kalimpong (CHIBO/PASHOR area and SINDEBUNG ) with 5 members of the Pittsburgh team. We showed them what is causing the landslides (a massive drainage problem) and the rate and scale at which destruction is taking place.

On 07May2010, we conducted the seminar on "Sustainability and Landslide Disaster Management" as per program and schedule. In addition to the line up of excellent resource persons, we did have two officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) attending the seminar.  I daresay the seminar was appreciated by one and all.

Spin offs from the seminar are :-

• NDMA rep Mr Nawal Prakash has said he would look into the possibility of conducting mock search and rescue exercises in the district. (Something which I am sure has never been done in the recent past at least in Darjeeling district).
• There is a possibility that a project to assess landslide hazards in Kalimpong town will be initiated by the Dept of Science and Technology.
• Lastly, there is a possibility that the Univ of Pittsburgh may provide us with automatic weather stations (AWS) which will go a long way as a capacity building measure. Also they may send their students here to carry out research on landslides.
  
  Praful Rao
  

Comment by Praful Rao

My deepest thanks to Mr Roshan Rai (our MC for the event) and all our esteemed resource persons for participating in the seminar and doing so voluntarily.

STH activities - Landslide Awareness Workshop with School Students (10APR2010)

S.U.M.I (Scottish University Mission Institutions) school is possibly the biggest and oldest school in Kalimpong with more than 3000students. On the invitation of the Principal, Mr NR PRadhan, STH conducted a 90min landslide awareness program with students from Class X and VI. The program included a quiz by STH Member Ms Aachal Tamang.

My thanks to the Principal and staff off SUMI for this opportunity.

Praful Rao

SaveTheHills Activities (17Mar2010) ... (3)

As we continue our Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) work in the rural sector (viz CHIBO- PASHYOR villages, our pilot project), today, we had a  meeting  with some young men and women at the village school.
We asked them to mark the vulnerable areas of their regions in printouts of  high resolution maps of the area which are now available. We will use their inputs to draw up a disaster management plan at the village level.

My thanks to Mr Yashwant Pradhan and Zion Lepcha of Chibo for organizing the many workshops in their area and also to Ranit Chatterjee, a young Disaster Management student from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai) who has been doing his internship with STH for 3 weeks now - his contribution and work with us has been invaluable.

Praful Rao

SaveTheHills Activities (10Mar2010) ... (2)

I am extremely glad to state this is the second consecutive year that STH has been invited for the Seminar at NEPA. The occasion always gives me an opportunity to interact with other people working in the field of Disaster Management and see the many demonstrations that are put up by the National Disaster Response Force and in Mar2010, an excellent demo given by the civil defense department of Meghalaya state.

Praful Rao

Working with Communities : Jungpana T.E (Kurseong) - 21Feb2010

Jungpana Tea Estate (T.E) is located 5 kilometers east of NH55 and is 12km from Kurseong town. Everything in the T.E has to be brought in from Kurseong and to do that they have to cross Changey khola (river)  which is the site of a huge landslide.
The situation gets worse during the monsoons, so two persons stand on the either side of the khola to watch if it is safe to cross since even if there is a little rainfall the stones start rolling down. This procedure becomes critical when carrying sick people to the hospital.
Jungpana T.E is surrounded by landslides from three sides; on the east are the Malu Taar slides, with Changey khola in the west and the Majuwa slides in the north. There are many small landslides all over the village and what is really alarming is that cracks have developed all over the village. Jaydeep Tamang a local resident observed "I don’t think my house will withstand this monsoons and we cannot do any thing unless the Tea Estate gives us the permission" he further added “nothing is going to happen unless the house is completely destroyed”
Houses damaged by the Cyclone AILA are still not repaired and many of the compensations claimed have not been received by the villagers.
The people who were present today were eager to learn about the risk management and they assured STH that they will impart the knowledge to other people who were not present in the program.
I urged the villagers to prepare a basic village level disaster management plan in order to face the monsoons in a better and look into the drainage system in the village to the extent possible

-report filed by
Bhushan Chhetri
STH Member,
Kurseong


Remarks by Praful Rao
It is wonderful to have a Bhushan, a young volunteer achieve all this with no help (except guidance from us) from any one. Kudos to him!!