Lok Sabha Question No. 342 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Impact of Avalanches
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *342

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2025/ CHAITRA 4, 1947 (SAKA)

IMPACT OF AVALANCHES

†*342.     SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the impact of frequent avalanches in the Himalayan regions;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  implement  any  new  policy  to promote the use of modern technologies such as advanced drones and helicopters for rescue operations; and
- (c) whether the Government is taking any special steps to strengthen the early warning system for natural disasters like avalanches?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. *342 FOR ANSWER IN LOK SABHA ON 25.03.2025

(a) to (c): The Government is aware of the hazard of avalanches in the Himalayan  regions,  which  poses  significant  risks  to  human  lives  and property.  Avalanches  are  a  recurring  natural  phenomenon/disaster  in high-altitude  areas  such  as  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Himachal  Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.

The  Government  effectively  deploys  technologies  for  improved  early warning and forecasting of Avalanches in the hazardous zones. Defence Research  and  Development  Organization  (DRDO)  is  a  national  level agency for avalanche forecasting and is involved in the daily Operational Avalanche  Forecasting  for  Defence  users.  Defence  Geoinformatics Research  Establishment  (DGRE),  Chandigarh  under  DRDO  is  also  the nodal agency for studying and developing avalanche mitigation technologies. The methodologies include aerial reconnaissance/ ground surveys, which are further used as an input to prepare avalanche hazard maps. Regular operational avalanche warning is issued by DGRE to the Army and civilian population in the snow bound regions of north-west Himalayas.    Additionally,  the  Indian  Meteorological  Department  (IMD) supplies six-hourly weather updates to enhance situational awareness.

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## L.S.S.Q.NO. *342 FOR 25.03.2025

Automated weather stations and Doppler radars have been installed in vulnerable regions to improve forecasting capabilities.

DGRE has installed 72 Snow Meteorological Observatories. Further, 45 Automated Weather Stations (AWS) are operational, 100 (AWS)  are under testing  and  203  (AWS)  are  under  installation. The  data  is  regularly received from snow observatories at 3 hour intervals and at 1 hour interval from AWS at DGRE. This output and the expert opinion is used to draw avalanche forecast for different areas at least 24 hour in advance. DGRE has  also  developed  its  own  Avalanche  map  indicating  locations  of potential avalanche sites located all over the Himalayas and is being used by Troops for their safe mobility in snow bound area. Engineering solutions are also being provided as per the user's requirements.

DGRE  has  developed  following  technologies  for  accurate  avalanche predictions to safeguard lives in snow bound regions of Himalaya:

- i. AI and ML (Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning) based avalanche forecast.
- ii. Increased Automatic Weather Station (AWS) network and surface observatories for snow bound areas.
- iii. Avalanche Engineering Control structures.

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## L.S.S.Q.NO. *342 FOR 25.03.2025

- iv. Avalanche Early Warning Radars.
- v. Common Alert Protocol (CAP) compliant online APP for avalanche warning dissemination.
- vi. Forecast dissemination using satellite based communication for last mile.
- vii. Multi scale material properties simulation.
- viii. Process based 3D -Snowpack Modelling for stability of slope.
- ix. Light weight rigid structure for avalanche defence.
- x. InSAR based landslide warning technology.

As informed by DGRE, in a first in India, Avalanche monitoring radar has been installed in North Sikkim. The system can detect avalanches within three seconds of trigger.

National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), under the Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) provides the high resolution weather forecasts from their global, regional and ensemble prediction systems to DGRE on daily  basis.  DGRE  uses  NCMRWF  model  output  to  drive  their mountain weather model and Avalanche forecast model. In addition during the winter season, NCMRWF shares the coupled model's snow forecasts with DGRE. These snow and total precipitation forecasts are very useful for possible Avalanche fore casting at DGRE's end.

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## L.S.S.Q.NO. *342 FOR 25.03.2025

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has released guidelines on Management of Landslides & Snow Avalanches in June 2009 to advise states  on  its  response,  preparedness  and  mitigation  strategies.  These guidelines have measures to reduce the impact of snow avalanches and early warning.

Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) based Integrated Alert System' has been initiated  with  an  outlay  of  Rs.  454.65  Crore,  for  dissemination  of  geo targeted early warnings/alerts related to disasters to the citizens of India for all 36 States/UTs using various disseminating medium like SMS, Costal Sirens,  Cell  broadcast,  Internet  (RSS  feed  &  Browser  Notification), Satellite  Receiver  of  GAGAN  &  NavIC  etc.,  through  integration  of  all alerting agencies, [IMD, Central Water Commission (CWC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), DGRE, Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Forest Survey of India (FSI)].

Besides early warning and preparedness, the Government deploy advanced technologies for rescue operations in avalanche-affected areas. These  technologies  such  as  Drone-Based  Intelligent  Buried  Object Detection  System  and  timely  deployment  of  Helicopters  enable  rapid

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## L.S.S.Q.NO. *342 FOR 25.03.2025

response  and  efficient  evacuation  during  emergencies.  Similarly,  the establishment of Disaster Management Control Rooms at the state and district levels ensures round-the-clock monitoring and coordination during rescue operations during Avalanche.

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