Uttarakhand Orders Scientific Disaster Shield for Himalayas; Glacier Lake Sensors, Earthquake Sirens to Be Installed Fast
An MoU signed with IIT Roorkee on February 26, 2026 is helping strengthen alert dissemination and system maintenance
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan on Monday ordered the fast-tracked installation of advanced monitoring systems for vulnerable glacier lakes, earthquakes and landslide-prone zones, asking scientific agencies to move quickly from assessment to on-ground deployment.
Reviewing progress under the National Glacier Lake Outburst Risk Reduction Programme, National Earthquake Risk Reduction Programme, Earthquake Early Warning System and Landslide Mitigation projects, the Chief Secretary directed all departments to submit strict timelines and ensure timely completion of works.
Vasundhara Lake to Get Advanced Early Warning Equipment
During the glacier lake review, officials informed that Vasundhara Lake is being developed as a pilot site where:
- early warning sensors,
- automated monitoring systems,
- and real-time surveillance equipment
will be installed soon.
The model will later be replicated at other sensitive glacier lakes across Uttarakhand.
Chief Secretary Bardhan directed the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology to submit a detailed 2026-27 and 2027-28 implementation roadmap, including structural mitigation measures such as lake level reduction and controlled water release.
169 Earthquake Sensors, 112 Sirens Already Installed
Secretary Disaster Management Vinod Kumar Suman informed that Uttarakhand has already installed:
- 169 seismic sensors
- 112 warning sirens
under the Earthquake Early Warning System.
An MoU signed with IIT Roorkee on February 26, 2026 is helping strengthen alert dissemination and system maintenance.
Under the National Earthquake Risk Reduction Programme, the state also plans to deploy:
- 500 strong motion sensors, and
- 526 additional warning sirens.
The Chief Secretary directed that the warning dissemination system be made faster, accurate and more effective.
48 Vulnerable Debris Flow Sites Identified
Officials also informed that 48 debris flow and landslide vulnerable sites have been identified in:
- Chamoli,
- Uttarkashi, and
- Pithoragarh districts.
These have been classified into high, medium and low-risk categories for priority preventive action.
The Chief Secretary asked technical agencies to carry out surveys, monitoring and mitigation works at these locations on priority.
The review signals Uttarakhand’s major push toward building a technology-driven disaster preparedness network amid rising concerns over glacier bursts, earthquakes and landslides in the Himalayan region.
