Uttarakhand avalanche: Activists link disaster to administrative negligence-OxBig News Network

NEW DELHI: Social activists have blamed “administrative negligence” for the death of eight workers in an avalanche that struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Mana, Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, last week.
They argue that the tragedy could have been averted if authorities had acted on a prior snowslide warning. Additionally, they attribute the increasing frequency of avalanches to unchecked construction in vulnerable areas, news agency PTI reported.
Social worker and Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti convener, Atul Sati said “administrative negligence” led to the death of the eight workers. “There was an avalanche warning and authorities should have acted on time.”
He added that the government’s advisory for tourists in skiing destination Auli was an attempt to divert people’s attention from the state’s negligence.
The Chandigarh-based Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) issued an avalanche warning for a 24-hour period at 5 pm on February 27 for places located above the height of 2,400 metres such as Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts of Uttarakhand.
The avalanche hit the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Chamoli between 5.30 am and 6 am on February 28, trapping 54 workers. While 46 of them were rescued alive, eight were found dead.
The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE), based in Chandigarh, issued an avalanche warning at 5 PM on February 27 for high-altitude locations above 2,400 meters, including Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts.
Despite this alert, the avalanche hit the BRO camp between 5.30 – 6 am on February 28 leaving 54 workers trapped and 8 of them dead.
Dehradun weather office also issued a yellow alert for February 27, two days in advance, predicting isolated heavy rain and snowfall in locations at 3,500 metres and above. However, the State Emergency Operations Centre alerted the concerned district magistrates when the avalanche had already hit the camp.
“When there was a warning and the authorities were aware that such a large number of workers were in Mana, why weren’t they advised to move to safety?” asked another social activist.
Over the last four years, two dwelling units of BRO workers have been destroyed by avalanches in the Chamoli district alone. An avalanche in April 2021 destroyed a settlement of workers in Niti Valley adjoining the Indo-Tibet border, killing as many labourers.
This is not the first such incident. Over the past four years, avalanches have twice destroyed BRO workers’ camps in Chamoli. In April 2021, an avalanche in Niti Valley destroyed a workers’ settlement near the Indo-Tibet border, killing several laborers.
Renowned geologist and expert on weather movements in the Kedar Valley, MPS Bisht attributes these frequent landslides to the construction in the avalanche-prone areas. “Disasters are the result of this.”
He also said the entire area is vulnerable to avalanches that keep coming from the Nar Parvat.
Social activist Mangala Kothiyal echoed these concerns, highlighting past tragedies. “On April 22-23, 2021, a BRO camp at Rimkhim in the Niti Valley area was hit by an avalanche, killing eight labourers. This time, it was the Mana Valley’s turn. The victims once again were BRO workers. We are not learning lessons from our past experiences,” she said.
Avalanches occur more during winters in the valleys of the upper Himalayan region where Badrinath and Mana are situated, but they can occur in any season in the snow-clad mountains.
Avalanches are common in the upper Himalayas, particularly in winter, however they can occur in any season in the snow clad mountains.
While the army and paramilitary forces as well as mountaineers follow strict safety protocols, civilian workers remain exposed. An example is an army camp near the accident site in Badrinath, which is evacuated during winter to avoid avalanches.
Mana village head, Pitambar Molfa said, “Earlier, even the labourers used to leave their container houses during winters to live in relatively safe houses in Badrinathpuri. It did not happen this time as authorities felt there was not enough snow in the area yet.”
“The avalanche should serve as a wake-up call. Permission to go to these areas should be given only when it is absolutely necessary. When the weather department issues an alert, people living in these areas should be alerted,” he said.