In Context
oi-Madhuri Adnal
In Uttarakhand, disaster is never just a headline. For an Uttarakhandi, when the mountains give way, the impact reaches homes, livelihoods and everyday life. Roads disappear, businesses are disrupted and families are left wondering what comes next.
For Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the answer could not stop at rescue.
Uttarakhand’s Dhami Model emphasizes rehabilitation after disasters, committing over ₹33 crore for recovery in areas like Dharali and providing relief and long-term resettlement options during the Joshimath crisis.
When Dharali and Tharali were hit by devastating flash floods and debris flows a year ago, the immediate priority was to save lives and restore essential services. But the Dhami government’s response went beyond the emergency, focusing on what affected families would need to rebuild their lives.
That meant moving from relief to rehabilitation, restoring critical infrastructure and preparing vulnerable communities for what could come next.
That approach has come to define what the state government calls the Dhami Model of disaster management.
From Rescue To Rehabilitation
The first response was immediate. The SDRF, NDRF, Indian Army and local administration were mobilised for rescue and relief. Medical assistance and essential supplies were arranged, while restoration work began.
Dhami visited affected areas, met families and reviewed restoration work on the ground, with officials directed to avoid delays in compensation, infrastructure repair and essential services.
Across Dharali, Tharali, Harsil and Bhatwari, roads, electricity and drinking water systems had to be restored. Families whose homes and livelihoods were damaged also needed help to start again.
In the mountains, these are not minor repairs. A blocked road can cut off access to markets, schools and health services. A damaged irrigation channel can put an agricultural season at risk. A broken water or electricity line can disrupt an entire village.
Over the following year, the government says more than ₹33 crore has been committed towards relief, rehabilitation and development.
₹33 Crore Plus For Recovery
More than ₹16 crore has been invested through departments including Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Horticulture, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy, Tourism, Public Works and Food and Civil Supplies. Another ₹17 crore-plus has been provided directly to affected families under various relief measures.
The recovery has also focused on livelihoods.
The government says assistance has included compensation for damaged orchards, support for goat and sheep rearing, crop and sapling distribution and measures to restart agricultural activity.
For an Uttarakhandi family, rebuilding an orchard, replacing livestock or returning to farming is not just about restoring property. It is about restoring the income that comes with it.
Rebuilding With The Next Disaster In Mind
The government has also linked reconstruction with preparedness.
Uttarakhand has established what it describes as a proactive disaster management framework using technology, early warning systems, weather tracking platforms and regular monsoon review drills for timely alerts and operational readiness.
The focus is also on disaster-resilient mountain infrastructure, including landslide mitigation walls, riverbank protection and sustainable engineering, while strengthening the equipment and capacity of local first-responder teams across districts.
Flood protection works along riverbanks have also been accelerated, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.
For the Himalayan state, however, rebuilding comes with its own challenges. Slope stability, drainage, river behaviour and land-use pressure all matter when infrastructure is rebuilt. The government’s stated aim is therefore to avoid simply recreating the vulnerabilities that existed before the disaster.
Dhami has stressed that commitment while reviewing the recovery. “The Dharali disaster was not merely a challenge of rebuilding infrastructure; it was a responsibility to restore the lives and future of the affected families. From the very first day, our government has stood firmly with every affected family. Our commitment is to make the Bhagirathi Valley safer, stronger, and more prosperous than before. Rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts will continue with full dedication,” Dhami said.
A year on, the recovery has moved beyond emergency relief. Roads have been restored, fields and orchards are being revived, and affected families have received compensation and livelihood support.
Beyond Dharali
The same focus on protecting people and staying with them through recovery was visible in the Joshimath land subsidence crisis.
When the crisis escalated in late December 2022 and early January 2023, affected families were moved from unsafe homes into relief shelters in hotels, schools, guest houses and Gurdwaras. Joshimath was divided into Danger, Buffer and Completely Safe zones, while severely damaged structures, including Hotel Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View, were controlled-demolished to prevent further risk.
The government also provided ₹4,000 monthly rent support, a ₹1.5 lakh interim payment to affected families and waived electricity and water bills in the crisis zone. Construction on the NTPC Tapovan Vishnugad tunnel work and Helang-Marwari bypass was halted pending scientific assessment.
For long-term rehabilitation, families were given three options: financial compensation for damaged land and buildings, land of up to 75 sq m plus building compensation, or a government-built house on a safe plot. Similar provisions were made for affected businesses.
The rehabilitation effort was backed by agencies including GSI, NIH, WIHG, CSIR-CBRI and IIT Roorkee, which conducted scientific assessments of ground stability and water movement. A ₹1,658.17 crore Recovery and Reconstruction plan, supported by the MHA, NDMA, NDRF, SDRF and state budget, was approved for resettlement, slope stabilisation and drainage management.
The crisis was different from Dharali, but the principle remained the same: protect people first, provide immediate relief and then build a path towards long-term rehabilitation.
