Déjà vu , Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Heavy rainfall caused widespread destruction in North India, including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
• Over 40 deaths were reported in Jammu and Kashmir due to the heavy rains and floods.
• The Yamuna River surged in the national capital due to excessive rainfall.
• The intensity of the southwest monsoon has become increasingly erratic, leading to concentrated bursts of rain.

Detailed Insights:

• The erratic monsoon amplifies local erosion and destabilizes mountain slopes, increasing risks for settlements.
• Forest clearance and road-widening in Himalayan states without slope-safe engineering exacerbate the problem.
• Shrinking catchment areas increase the risk of slope failure and worsen flood loads downstream.
• Despite improved forecasting, early warning and evacuation systems remain underdeveloped.
• Climate-resilient infrastructure lags behind strategic road projects and urban expansion in unstable landscapes.
• Compensatory afforestation often fails to match the qualitative attributes of lost vegetation.
• A shift from reactive relief to proactive vulnerability reduction through sustainable infrastructure is needed.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Catchment Area: The area from which rainfall flows into a river, lake, or reservoir.
• Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Infrastructure designed and built to withstand the impacts of climate change.
• Compensatory Afforestation: The practice of planting trees to compensate for deforestation elsewhere.