STH activities - with the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Program (component 'C' - W Bengal) team in Darjeeling district (25-27Jan2013)

W Bengal is one of the 6 states chosen as a part of a nation wide study by National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) to develop at long term strategies for disaster risk reduction.
7 members of  NCRMP (component 'C'), W. Bengal, team visited Darjeeling district between 25-27Jan2013 and STH was very much involved in organizing the teams field visits to  landslide affected villages of Balasun and Chibo-Pashyor and the conduct of their survey there. 4 young members from the STH were actively associated the  survey of landslide affected communities and it was a wonderful learning process for both the NCRMP team and us.
My thanks tof the team the entire NCRMP team and also to Fr Valentine of Anugyalaya and Mr Bharat Prakash Rai of FOSEP.

Praful Rao

Visit to Balasun and Paglajhora landslides - 10May2011

This week, we were lucky to have Dr A Chakrabarti (retd Professor of Geology, Presidency University, Kolkata) and Mr A Kundu (Jadavpur University, Kolkata), who were here for three days (09-11May2011) to document the history of  landslides in this area as a part of a Govt of W Bengal project.
Besides them STH also has Arhat Wakode, a 22yr old scholar from Jamshetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management, TISS, Mumbai who is interning with us for a period of two weeks.
After spending 09May2011 visiting the many landslide areas near Kalimpong and talking to affected people, we were in Kurseong on 10May2011 and visited the Balasun and Paglajhora landslides.
Despite having written about Balasun and Paglajhora landslides earlier I was shocked to see the sheer size of both these landslides; the adverse impact of which on the lives and economy affected people was very apparent. I therefore wonder how the media has only glossed over both disasters. I have uploaded large size photos to put both these in the correct perspective.

Praful Rao