MAINS 2016
GS1
12.5 marks
The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides. Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Discuss why the Himalayas are landslide-prone and suggest mitigation measures.
DiscussExplain the different sides of the issue, use evidence, and finish with a balanced view.
Demand-wise check
- 1Natural causes: young fold mountains, active tectonics and earthquakes, steep slopes, weak fractured rocks, heavy monsoon rain and cloudbursts, glacial melt≈35 words
- 2Human causes: road cutting, hydropower tunnels, deforestation, unplanned construction, blasting≈35 words
- 3Mitigation: hazard zonation, early warning, slope stabilisation, drainage, bio-engineering, carrying-capacity based construction, regulation of projects≈35 words
- 4Examples: Kedarnath 2013, Chamoli 2021, Joshimath subsidence 2023≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
VulnerabilityNatural causesHuman causes with examplesStructural and non-structural measuresConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Only natural causes, ignoring development pressures
- Generic disaster-management points without landslide specifics
Draw this
- Cross-section of a hill slope showing road cut, drainage and retaining wall
Value addition
- ReportISRO's Landslide Atlas of India (2023) ranked Rudraprayag district highest in landslide exposure.NRSC-ISRO, 2023
- CommitteeM.C. Mishra Committee (1976) warned Joshimath sits on old landslide debris and advised limits on construction.Mishra Committee, 1976
- GuidelineNDMA Guidelines on Landslides and Snow Avalanches (2009) recommend hazard zonation mapping.NDMA, 2009
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 9 minutes, then get it checked.