Shimla, Sept. 8 -- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday asked the Centre to facilitate scientific and time-bound dredging of flood-affected river channels stressing that the removal of accumulated debris
and sand is crucial to reducing flood risks in the districts vulnerable to disasters.
Sukhu met Union minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi and raised his concern over increased risks of the natural disasters and flash floods.
He unfolded a state government plan to take-up scientific dredging of the rivers in flood-affected river areas.
The Chief Minister informed the minister that excessive rainfall, floods and flash floods lead to the accumulation of large quantities of debris, boulders, stones and sand in river channels.
This adversely affects their water-carrying capacity and increases the risk of flooding to human settlements, roads, bridges, forests and other critical infrastructure.
The scientific and time-bound dredging in such vulnerable areas is essential from the perspective of disaster risk reduction.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.