DEHRADUN: Jolted by the disaster in Dharali on August 5, Uttarakhand govt has ordered an immediate halt to all construction activities in “disaster-prone areas”. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has now announced that any govt or private construction for residential or commercial activity “along natural water sources, rivers and streams in the state” would be prohibited.The CM also called for “immediate identification of areas prone to landslides, avalanches and other natural disasters in hilly regions so that precautionary measures could be taken.” No new settlements or construction work would be permitted in sensitive areas, he said in fresh directions to administrative officials across Uttarakhand after a high-level meeting convened at his official residence here. Fix accountability on govt officers & employees, says U’khand CM Dhami ordered senior staff to prioritise disaster management and safety of citizens in the state. “Clear guidelines should be issued to all district officials, and regular monitoring of the implementation of these guidelines should be done,” CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said. Dhami told TOI: “There has to be some check on construction near rivers and in disaster-prone areas. Ours is a hill state and it is prone to natural calamities… We not only need to stop all such constructions in future but also fix accountability on govt officers and employees.”Over 70% of the state’s area is under forest, and authorities have already identified 54 landslide-prone spots along the Char Dham route. According to data from Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Department, a total of 3,667 concrete houses and temporary structures were completely destroyed in natural disasters from 2014 to 2024. During this period, 9,556 permanent structures and over 5,000 temporary structures across the state were partially damaged.