Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, September 10
Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has set up a disaster research centre under its Campus to Community mission to study the causes of recurring cloudbursts, floods and landslides in the Himalayan region. The Himalayan Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (HIM-DR3) will focus on early warning systems, artificial intelligence-based monitoring and community outreach. The HPU has also signed agreements with Italy’s Padova University and Norway’s Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) to support the research.
Vice-Chancellor of the HPU Mahavir Singh told reporters that the frequency of cloudbursts and landslides had sharply increased in recent years, even in unexpected locations, posing a grave risk to the state. He said the university will hold an international workshop and implement its recommendations on the ground. Local elders will also be consulted, and a credit-based course will be introduced at schools and colleges to raise awareness among students.
HIM-DR3 Deputy Director Dr Mahesh Sharma said four districts — Shimla, Dharamshala, Kullu and Mandi — were being closely monitored. Data from the past decade on soil subsidence is being compiled to understand disaster patterns and future risks. Professor Sansar Raj Meena, a landslide scientist at Padova University, said advanced machine learning and satellite data will be used alongside community knowledge to improve preparedness and reduce vulnerability.
