Massive landslides on NH-707, Geologist team from Tehri hydro project requisitioned
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said in the state assembly on Tuesday that a team of geologists were requisitioned to study the cause of massive landslideoccured 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 hours on the second day of monsoon session Mr 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 Hatkotir Raod NH-707.
The NH-707 was developed by the union ministry of Road and Highway Transport by the National HighaywayAuthority as spread in 103 km length . Chief Minister said that 50 meter long portion of Paonta Sahib Shillai Gumma Hatkoti Road (Rd 0/0 to 105/00) near Badwas Tehsil Kamrau district Sirmaurwas 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 incidents .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. Mr Thakur said that extremely heavy rainfall has wreaked the havoc as three natural disasters have occurred at Shappur area of Kangra 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 Mr Chauhan said that natural disaster are manmade and responsible for massive devastation during this monsoon season as it was taking heavytoll 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 affaris Member said that NHAI are not aware of damping 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 by conducting mutation for these project in a hush-hush manner.
