Shimla, Aug 3
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said in the state assembly on Tuesday that a team of geologists were requisitioned to ascertain the reason that caused the massive landslide on July 30 in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
Replying to a call attention motion brought under rule 136 by Congress member of Shilai Harashvardhan Chauhan after the question hour on the second day of monsoon session Thakur said that mishap occurred at Badwas near Kamrau, subdvision of Paonta reported massive landslide at 1204 hrs on July 30, blocked Paonta Sahib Shillai Gumma Hatkoti Road NH-707.
The 103 km long, NH-707 was developed by the Union ministry of Road and Highway Transport by the National Highway Authority. Chief Minister said that 50 meter long portion ofPaonta Sahib Shillai Gumma Hatkoti Road (Rd 0/0 to 105/00) near Badwas Tehsil Kamrau district Sirmaur was completely cave- in on the valley side. It was so unprecedented and horrific that it became viral on social media and U-tube.
It was a matter of fortune that no vehicle was on the portion of road and no loss of life occurred in the incident. The traffic has been diverted to other alternate route – 46 km long via Kaffota-Jakhna-Mashu Cheog -Jong Paul raod via Uttarakhand.
A team of Tehri hydro project have been requisitioned to study geology and cause of mishap. Thakur said that extremely heavy rainfall has wreaked the havoc as three natural disasters have occurred in afew days. First Shappur area of Kangra, then Batsari in Kinnuar and Udaipur subdivision of Lahaul Spiti district of the state took heavy loss of life and property.
Earlier raising this call attention motion Congress member Chauhan said that natural disaster are manmade and responsible for massive devastation during this monsoon season as it was taking heavy toll of lives and property.
” The boulders and landslides are rolling on the national highway frequently due to unscientific mining poor alignment of highway projects and damping of muck on the valley side in violation of dumping sites. Showing concerns over the state of affairs’ Member said that NHAI are not aware of dumping sites.
Acquisition of land was being done without studying or following the feasibility report of the fragile strata of the rock in mega road projects. Members blamed revenue and officers of the national highway authority for conducting mutation for these project in a hush-hush manner.
Damming sites should not be allowed on those place where it choke the river and rivulets causing devastation and bringing flash flood.
