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Back to Current File Unplanned constructions blamed for landslides Dehradun: Environmentalists in Uttaranchal blame unplanned constructions for a spate of landslides that has hit the state in the last few weeks. Dr Arun Joshi, a noted environmentalist, accused the state government and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of carrying out ambitious projects without considering the fall-out on the ecosystem. "The main reason is that the entire planning of road development and settlement are very poor. It is like we have to make road but we don't keep track of where, on which hill it has to be constructed and what is the scale of blasting that can be carried out, and how much manual labour can be carried out there, all these crucial factors are neglected," Joshi said. Last week, the state was cut off from the rest of the country after heavy rains led to landslides in several areas.
Joshi expressed alarm over the high incidence of landslides in the past
few years and asked the government to review its plans. "We have to
keep in mind the area where the work is to be carried out. We arbitrarily
pick the settlement start making road anywhere, it is unfortunate that
it has not been protested. In last three-four years the rate at which
disasters have occurred it is a dangerous signal, and can be disastrous,"
he added. Landslides take toll of Uttaranchal business (Go to Top) Lambagad (Uuttaranchal): Business has been badly hit all along a crucial highway in Uttaranchal after authorities halted a popular pilgrimage following massive landslide in the upper reaches. Residents of Lambagad town, about 20 km ahead of Badrinath, have accused the state government of being too ill-equipped to carry out rescue and repair operations, which in turn has adversely affected their businesses during what they termed is the peak tourist season. "The
pilgrimage has been affected. The road is such that one cannot walk.
The livelihood of the locals from Badrinath to Rishikesh, which depends
on the flow of pilgrims, has been seriously hit. The state government
has stopped the pilgrimage for two months. This is wrong and they should
have come up with some other alternatives," Kuldeep Bhandari said. Bhandari's
anguished reaction comes in the wake of over 2,500 pilgrims being stranded
at Badrinath and at the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara after the area was hit
by a landslide earlier this week. The landslide claimed 18 lives, and
has brought vehicular traffic to a complete halt. However, the Border
Roads Organisation (BRO) maintains that the vital highway leading up
to Tibet border has been repaired at several places and with the arrival
of more earthmoving machinery, the balance repairs would pick momentum.
"We will try our best to complete our work as soon as possible. And
for that a lot of resources have already come. We will be inducting
more resources for a speedy work from different parts of the state.
Within three-four days the resources will double," said Colonel Anil
Joshi, a BRO commandant. |
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