According to an initial assessment, the massive damage in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, during the recent nonstop rains was caused by the disposal of debris along vulnerable slopes, an unplanned drainage system, and the unscientific excavation of hills, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena said on Monday.
Shimla had 552.1 mm of rain in August of this year as opposed to 514.30 mm during the same month in 2022, according to Saxena, who presided over a meeting with the team assembled to assess the damage.
According to him, careful consideration should be given to well-designed construction with suitable drainage systems in order to lower the dangers associated with catastrophes, since poorly built structures and canal diversion caused by clogged drains caused the most damage. He said that the safe disposal of the building site waste should be a top priority.
The senior official said that in addition to adopting and rigorously enforcing the Model Building Rules in both urban and rural regions, there should be a complete study of the hill state’s disaster-prone areas.
The regulation of construction near rivulets, nullahs, and slopes with high gradients, as well as other measures connected to safe building construction in rural regions, were also covered in depth, according to a statement.