The Indian Institute of Technology in Mandi (IIT-Mandi) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the District Disaster Management Authority of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India, to develop and deploy ten landslide monitoring and early warning systems (EWS).
The systems will be installed in certain regions based on satellite imaging through Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR)-based analysis and on-site visits. The project will help develop machine learning approaches to generate prediction-based warnings.
IIT-Mandi will be responsible for the deployment of the EWS, including monitoring movement and weather parameters at the deployment sites, and will generate alerts through text messages wherever possible. IIT-Mandi will also provide the staff, faculty, and lab resources for EWS research.
As per the MoU, all the deployed systems will be maintained for five years from the installation date, and any further maintenance will require funds. IIT-Mandi will install two systems in the selected locations over the next three months from the day the project is initiated.
IIT-Mandi will install four more systems in the next phase, preferably before the monsoon. The institute will also make site-specific system adjustments, including data, power, alerting requirements, and sensing parameters.
According to the MoU, the District Disaster Management Authority will provide the funds for the systems' development, deployment, and maintenance. They will protect the EWS against theft by securing them on the ground via concrete-based pedestals. The authorities will also provide relevant stakeholders who will receive the alerts corresponding to each location.
According to an official, the systems will help reduce the number of landslide fatalities and enable the District Disaster Management Authority to better prepare for emergencies.
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