Encroachments shrink Beas tributaries

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 18

The two major tributaries of Beas — Bhiral river and Mol khud — that pass through Palampur are shrinking by the day due to the large scale constructions and encroachments on their riverbeds.

Most of these buildings and their retaining walls have come up without the prior approval of Palampur Municipal Corporation.

Despite being well versed with the situation, Palampur MC officials have turned a blind eye to the menace. No action has been initiated against the defaulters so far.

Illegal buildings are coming up with impunity on the riverbeds in the town and its adjoining areas. Owing to the rampant encroachments, the Bhiral khud has squeezed to 10-12 metres at many points. It seems as though neither the people of the area, nor the Kangra administration have learnt any lessons from the catastrophe that happened in the state last monsoon, when many buildings erected alongside water bodies were washed off in floods, resulting in hundreds losing their lives in Mandi, Shimla and Kullu districts.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced the enactment of a legislation to check the illegal construction on riverbeds. This promise, however, seems to have remained confined to files.

Properties erected on the riverbeds of Bhiral river and Mol khud include hotels and shopping complexes.

In many cases, the conspicuous encroachments have squeezed the width of the riverbeds significantly.

Information gathered by The Tribune from the office of local tehsildar revealed that the breadth of the rivers and rivulets had been duly specified in revenue records, and the riverbeds were either common lands or DC land.

The people encroaching upon such lands manage to construct buildings along the riverbeds because of their connivance with Revenue Department officials.

Due to the rampant corruption in the department, no official bothers to visit the spot or conduct demarcation of such lands and, therefore, encroachments on riverbeds are increasing by the day.

In many areas, the encroachers have not even spared the lands belonging to cremation grounds on the riverbeds of these water bodies.

As Kangra valley witnesses one of the heaviest monsoon seasons in the country, chances of these rivulets receiving flash floods remain very high.

Local environmentalists K B Ralhan and Subhash Sharma are of the opinion that there should be a ban on construction along the riverbeds, as announced by the CM. At least, bans should be imposed up to the areas where the riverbeds swell during monsoons, the environmentalists added.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Palampur