IIT Mandi to deploy 10 landslide monitoring systems in HP

The institute has signed an agreement with District Disaster Management Authority to work towards the development and deployment of several landslide monitoring and early warning systems. 

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kangra, have signed an agreement to work towards the development and deployment of several landslide monitoring and early warning systems. 

The objective is to work towards the development of Landslide Monitoring and Early Warning Systems (EWS) at certain sites. A total of 10 landslide monitoring and EWS will be developed and deployed. The sites will be selected on the basis of an analysis by Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), in confirmation with the district administration.  

Site locations will be confirmed based on on-site historical evidence, initiation of slides or falls and other locations as per satellite imaging, which shall be confirmed after site visits by representatives of both parties and further approval from the district administration. 

IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera said, “I am very happy to note that this project is a unique example of IIT Mandi mission to help address problems of Himachal Pradesh (landslides) while working with the DDMA Kangra.” 

The objective of the MoU is focused on manpower recruitment and finalisation of sites as per InSAR- based images for Landslide Monitoring and Early Warning Systems (EWS). For the first phase of the programme, IIT Mandi will be required to install two systems in the selected locations over the next three months starting from the day the project is initiated. 

In the second phase, IIT Mandi will be required to install four more systems before the setting in of monsoon season. “It (Landslide Monitoring and Early Warning Systems) will help to reduce the lives lost due to landslides. The early warning will also enable the DDMA to prepare better and be ready with mitigation,” said Kangra Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal. 

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