ADI KAILASH

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Context

• Over 180 Adi pilgrims were rescued when returning from the pilgrimage on their way to Adi Kailash and were route from Gunji to Dharchula base camp.
• They were stranded in the middle as landslide washed off a road stretch of length nearly 100 metres in Pithoragarh district.
• A medical team and a joint team of SDRF, SSB and police were sent to rescue them and to assure the well beings of pilgrims.

About Adi Kailash

• Adi Kailash is a holy mountain of Himalayan range located in the Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand.
• The route along the Sharda River at Gunji in Pithoragarh leads to Adi Kailash which is 38 km from Gunji.
• It is also known as Shiva Kailash, Chota (little) Kailash, Baba Kailash or Jonglingkong Peak.
• It has a height of 6321 Mts and is considered as a replica of Mount Kailash, which is the abode of Lord Shiva, goddess Parvati and their offspring Ganpati and Kartikey.
• It holds significance to Sanatana religion as it is considered sacred and hence a popular pilgrimage of Shiva devotees.
• According to mythological text, Puranas, it is believed to be the main stop of Shiva’s marriage.

Vulnerability of Uttrakhand to Landslides

• According to satellite data by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand are the most landslide-prone districts in the country.
• Uttarakhand also has 500 land slide prone zones in Alaknanda Valley.
• A study by Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) in Dehradun reaffirms the same. It says that 51% of Uttarakhand falls under 'high' and 'very high' landslide susceptible zones.

LandSlide

• Landslide, also called landslip, the movement of a mass of rock, debris, earth, or soil down a slope.
• Landslides, which are a type of mass wasting, are one of the major hydro-geological hazards that affect large parts of India besides the Himalayas, Western and Eastern Ghats. It affects around 15% of landmass.

Causes of Landslide

• There are three various causes of landslides, most of them are listed below -
• Natural causes like Earthquakes
• Excessive rainfall
• Melting of snow,
• Changes in water level of rivers, lakes and ground water
• Soil erosion
• Excessive and unregulated grazing
• Deforestation
• Dam, roads and other construction activities by humans

Landslide mitigation and prevention

• Hazards should be mitigated usually through precautionary means which are –
• Keeping a safe zone and restrict the residence, construction and other human activities in landslide prone areas.
• Installation of early warning systems and dissemination of information based on regular monitoring of rocks, soil and ground conditions.
• Modification of slope geometry and Reinforcing slope material.
• Installing structures such as poles, fence/retaining walls to minimize impact of landslide.
• Diverting debris pathways.

Sources: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/dehradun-news/over-180-adi-kailash-pilgrims-rescued-from-landslide-in-uttarakhand-by-joint-sdrf-ssb-and-revenue-police-team-101685713225477.html