Field visit to Landslide affected areas of CHIBO-PASHYOR (Kalimpong) with PG students and Research Scholars of North Bengal University -15Feb2020

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district,
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya

Project LANDSLIP meeting in Darjeeling (19 - 21Feb2019)

With the completion of the project approx 2 years from now, we hope Darjeeling will have a working EW system for heavy rain and landslides at a regional level (rather than the many site specific sensor - based EW /landslide prediction models which have developed by IITs and Universities.)


23Feb2019 event : Visit to the Pashyor landslide in Kalimpong

 

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya

A day well spent (03Nov2017) : Field visit with Project 'LANDSLIP', at the CHIBO-PASHYOR landslide

Project 'LANDSLIP' was in Darjeeling in Jan2017 (see here).
I am glad that STH could meet them and Practical Action once again, this time in Kalimpong and spend the entire day with them. We started the day with a presentation on the landslide scenario on Kalimpong and more specifically the CHIBO- PASHYOR landslide and then carried out a field visit in this landslide area with local guides.
As stated by Dr George Adamson of the team, the project aims at developing landslide EW (early warning) methodology based on accurate prediction of heavy rainfall whereby mountain communities living in landslide prone areas could be alerted in time to take requisite measures to save lives.
The team had a strong presence of social scientists which is perhaps the right way to go, because strengthening community resilience and awareness is of utmost importance in any landslide disaster scenario.
LANDSLIP will be working in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya and the Nilgiris.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district,
Darjeeling- Sikkim Himalaya

From the Telegraph (05May2014) - North Bengal University to start Disaster Management Studies

NBU to offer disaster study

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Siliguri, May 4: North Bengal University will start a three-month certificate course in disaster management from the coming academic session following prods from governor M.K. Narayanan who highlighted the role the institution needed to play in the region prone to natural calamities. On April 25, the executive council — one of the highest decision making bodies at the NBU — approved a proposal of the department of lifelong learning and extension (to start the course at the university). “North Bengal’s geography is such that it is prone to natural calamities like landslides, earthquakes and floods. Honourable Governor M.K. Narayanan who is also the chancellor had asked the varsity to take necessary steps to start disaster management courses. We have initiated the process and the executive council at its last meeting on April 25 approved the proposal to start the course. In this way, we can prepare youths in the region to play a proactive role during natural calamities,” said vice-chancellor Somnath Ghosh. Narayanan had asked the varsity to focus on the study of disaster management at the 42nd convocation in April 2010. “The varsity is located in a region that is prone to natural calamities. Landslides are rampant in Darjeeling hills, floods in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar and earthquakes and cyclones hit this region frequently. In this kind of scenario, the varsity can play a vital role by establishing a Centre of Excellence for study of disaster management,” Narayanan had said. Full article is available here Comment by Praful Rao NBU did have a diploma course in Disaster Management earlier and STH has participated on a number of occasions in field visits/ workshops. We hope to do this again Praful Rao, Kalimpong, Dist Darjeeling