Dehradun: Six UPES students were safely rescued after getting stranded in a dense jungle near the Swarna River in the Thaan village area amid rain and darkness, in an operation that saw SDRF personnel trek nearly 6 km through difficult mountainous terrain in pitch darkness.
The rescue was a remarkable display of courage by the SDRF. But it has also exposed a serious question: why were students allowed to venture into a vulnerable mountain area when heavy-rain warnings were already in force and authorities were advising people to avoid unnecessary travel and outdoor activity?
Civil society members in Dehradun said the incident should serve as a wake-up call for UPES.
“The SDRF has once again shown extraordinary courage, but rescue should be the last line of defence, not a substitute for institutional safety.
UPES needs to tighten its loose ends and review its safety protocols, particularly during the monsoon, when Uttarakhand witnesses recurring disasters,” they said.
They questioned whether the university had assessed the weather warnings, monitored the students’ movement or put adequate safeguards in place before allowing such an outing.
“In a disaster-prone state, institutions cannot afford to treat weather advisories casually. A trek that begins as an adventure can quickly become a rescue emergency,” the civil society representatives said.
The six students were lucky to be brought out safely. But the episode raises a larger issue of institutional accountability.
The SDRF did its job. The question is whether UPES did its job before the students needed rescuing.
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