Heavyrainsthat lashedUttarakhandlast week have led to four prominentriversin the state to alter their course, prompting the forest department to rope in IIT-Roorkee to conduct a study on the river channels and the impact of this change.<\/p>\n
An analysis by the forest department following devastating rains since October 17 found that swollen rivers in Kumaon -Kosi, Gaula, Nandhaur and Dabka – have changed their course. In some areas, they have started flowing towards human habitations while in others, the change has adversely affected works of the forest department such as mining and patrolling.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists said encroachments on riverbanks have compounded the problem. “The rivers have not changed their course or taken up new channels, they are simply flowing in their own space – the riverbed – which humans have encroached upon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"