Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the setting up of India's first state-level Landslides Monitoring & Study Institute.
To address the growing incidents of landslides and prevent further loss of lives and property, Fadnavis on Saturday accepted the demand raised by MLA of BJP, Ashish Shelar, for the setting up of the institute with a view to prevent disasters in future. Fadnavis immediately agreed to set up such institute in view of the large number of landslides which take place in the Konkan belt and other areas. He instructed the Disaster Management secretary to expeditiously form a committee to start the process for setting up India's first state level specialised institute for study and monitoring of landslides in the hilly regions of state.
Dr. Vijay Page took up the initiative for setting up such institute
Dr.Vijay Page, Director Bramha Research Foundation, had taken the initiative for setting up such an institute. Recently, a large number of villagers were killed in a landslide in Karjat. He took up the issue with Shelar and suggested the setting up "Sahyadri Institute Geoinformatics Research & Monitoring" (SIGRAM) on lines of Govt of India's Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE), for study, monitoring of hilly, landslide prone regions of Maharashtra and evolve strategies to tackle the problem. Shelar, in turn, took up the matter with Fadnavis.
Speaking on this topic, Dr Vijay Page said, "Increasing extreme rainfall events, coupled with forest cover reduction, growing human settlements in landslide prone areas endanger life & property for lakhs of residents, across the Western Ghats, Sahyadri region of Maharashtra."
As per a 2020 study by Geological Survey of India 225 villages of Maharashtra are classified as landslide prone. In Mumbai city alone, 74 regions have been identified as landslide prone areas. There is an urgent need to assess the situation and devise scientific strategies to address this situation and we offered our subject expertise to the Government in this matter. I am thankful to the Government of Maharashtra and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Fadnavis for taking cognizance of the situation".
About Bramha Research Foundation
Bramha Research Foundation is a Mumbai based strategic research thinktank focused on key issues impacting India. Our work encompasses areas of international strategic affairs, Hi tech industrial development, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Defence indigenisation, Agriculture, Education, Water amongst others.
For further details, contact Dr.Vijay Page – director@bramharesearch.org +91-9324516410
