Innovative Soil Bioengineering Techniques Help Himachal Pradesh Combat Landslides and Flooding
In the wake of devastating floods and landslides in north India, the story of Nog village in Himachal Pradesh stands out as a beacon of resilience. While neighboring villages faced road closures and destruction, Nog was accessible within a week, thanks to an innovative approach: soil bioengineering.
Traditionally, concrete retaining walls were used to protect roads from hillside slopes, leaving them vulnerable to erosion during heavy rains. However, Nog implemented bioengineering techniques as part of the Prime Minister’s Village Roads Scheme, stabilizing exposed slopes with vegetation and organic materials.
The results were remarkable. The bioengineered slopes withstood the effects of the catastrophic floods, reducing damage and ensuring the safety of the community. This ecological engineering technique not only mitigated environmental hazards but also promoted landscape restoration and ecosystem resilience.
Experts emphasize the importance of proper planning and maintenance in soil bioengineering. By combining horticultural principles with engineering design, and selecting low-maintenance indigenous plants, bioengineered slopes can be both effective and visually appealing. Investments in bioengineering are seen as investments in safety and sustainability, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional structures.
As Himachal Pradesh faces future climatic uncertainties, soil bioengineering emerges as a lifeline to protect lives and livelihoods. By harnessing the natural properties of plants and their root systems, bioengineered slopes can reduce the risk of landslides, increase safety, and provide additional benefits such as carbon dioxide absorption and habitat creation.
In a world where climate change is increasingly impacting communities, innovative solutions like soil bioengineering offer hope for a more resilient future. As Kishori Lal, the sarpanch of Kothi Gehri village, reflects on the events of that fateful day, he sees a glimmer of hope in the green infrastructure that saved Nog village from devastation.
On 14 August 2023, heavy rainfall in north India triggered flash floods and landslides, devastating the region. Kishori Lal, the sarpanch of the Kothi Gehri village in Himachal Pradesh, recalls the events of that day, where homes were destroyed, roads were submerged, and vital links to the outside world were severed. In nearby Rewalsar, flooding led to water bodies bursting their banks, causing further destruction.
Amidst this chaos, the village of Nog in Bilaspur district stood out for its resilience. The road leading to Nog was accessible in less than a week, thanks to an innovative approach known as soil bioengineering. Traditional concrete retaining walls were replaced with bioengineering techniques that involved planting vegetation and incorporating organic materials to stabilize soil and enhance ecosystem resilience.
The success of the Nog bioengineering initiative led to the treatment of over 250 mountainous road stretches with the assistance of the World Bank. This ecological engineering technique harnesses the natural properties of plants and their root systems to mitigate environmental hazards and promote landscape restoration. By absorbing more water, bioengineered slopes can reduce runoff, erosion, and damage during heavy rains.
In Himachal Pradesh, soil bioengineering has involved the strategic use of vegetation and civil engineering elements to control erosion along roadways and reduce the risk of landslides. The initiative has not only improved road stability but also provided additional benefits such as carbon dioxide absorption, habitat creation for wildlife, increased ecosystem resilience, and livelihood sources for local communities.
While soil bioengineering has proven to be effective, proper planning and maintenance are crucial for its success. Contractors must prioritize vegetation growth and use horticultural and engineering design principles to ensure the structures protect plant communities as they mature. Supervisors should be appointed to oversee and maintain sites, and low-maintenance indigenous plants should be selected for their aesthetic, medicinal, and commercial value.
Investments in bioengineering are seen as investments in safety and sustainability, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional engineering structures. As Himachal Pradesh prepares for future climatic uncertainties, soil bioengineering emerges as a potential lifeline to protect lives and livelihoods in the face of natural disasters.
Overall, soil bioengineering has the potential to make roads more climate-resilient and mitigate the impact of extreme weather events, providing a sustainable solution to environmental hazards in vulnerable regions like Himachal Pradesh.