Dehradun: Preparations are on to build special shelters for pilgrims and locals coming for Chardham Yatra to protect them from disasters. The State Disaster Management Department will get these shelters built through the World Bank funded U Prepare scheme. If this scheme proves to be effective, it will be implemented in other sensitive areas of the state as well. For this, 10 special shelters will be built in Chardham under a pilot project.
Disaster shelters will be built on the lines of Odisha
Shelters have been used in Odisha to provide immediate shelter to people stranded in disaster affected areas. Now Uttarakhand is also going to do the same experiment. The only difference is that in Odisha these shelters have been built to provide shelter to people affected by tsunami. Landslides, floods, earthquakes, cloud bursts, avalanches and land subsidence keep happening in Uttarakhand. These shelters will be built for people affected by these incidents. These will have all the facilities of food, living and treatment.
Work started under the scheme
The Disaster Management Department has started the process of selecting the organization for this work. Applications have been sought from the organization. The selected agency will give suggestions regarding consultation, design and operation of the multipurpose shelter. According to officials, these shelters will not be built too far from the road.
Work has been started on the plan to build shelters in Chardham. These shelters will be useful for both local residents and devotees in difficult times. The process of selecting the organization for consultation related to shelter construction has been started. It will also be considered how the shelter can be used apart from the pilgrimage. –Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation
