Urban land use and geohazards in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India: the need for geotechnical intervention and geoethical policies in urban disaster resilience programmes in a changing climate

Abstract

Abstract The capital city, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, India, is exposed to multiple geohazards as it is located both in a region which experiences extreme physical phenomena due to changing climate, and in the tectonically active Eastern Himalaya. The geohazards in Itanagar include landslides, flash floods, soil erosion and earthquakes. Due to rapid and haphazard growth in urban land use, the city’ residents have been increasingly exposed to these geohazards over the past two decades. The high decadal growth rate of just over 111% shown in the 1991–2001 censuses has introduced many challenges with respect to the capital city's development planning, and geoscientists are warning of land suitability and stability in terms of rock types, soil, slope, geomorphology and groundwater conditions in their scientific communications. The present condition of the city has raised issues of immediate concern related to effective hazard management. The vulnerability of existing urban land use to landslides, flash floods and soil erosion is increasing steadily, and Itanagar needs to become a disaster-resilient hill city. Experts agree there is therefore a need for appropriate engineering geology intervention as well as the development of geoethical policies in sustainable development planning of the city, which could be achieved by using a strategic urban plan through community participation and awareness generation under the Itanagar Urban Disaster Risk Reduction (UDRR) programme.