Landslide disrupts traffic on road to McLeodganj

Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, July 19

Landslide caused allegedly due to illegal dumping of muck and heavy rains in the region blocked traffic on Khara Danda road to McLeodganj this morning. The landslide also caused damage to a house along the Khara Danda road.

Khara Danda road is a short route to McLeodganj from Dharamsala. The road is also used by the Dalai Lama to reach his residence in McLeodganj and also the only way to approach the offices of Tibetan government in exile.

Illegal dumping of muck generated from construction activities on McLeodganj hill is primary reason for landslides during monsoons. Last year muck deposited on McLeodganj hill flowed down and entered the houses downhill. Sanjay Rana, whose house was damaged last year, alleged that they are still running from pillar to post to get compensation for the damage to their house due to landslide.

At many places hotel owners have dumped muck along the road on forest land to create space for parking. However, this dumping is creating pressure on hill and can lead to landslide at any time and damage the road.

Heavy rains in Himachal have caused massive damage to public and private property in last two years.

Despite disasters occurring in the last two years the state government was not enforcing ban on construction in active sliding zones around Dharamsala. Construction of hotels and resorts was being carried rampantly in active sliding zones. At places, buildings have been constructed below unstable hill strata that poses danger to structures below.

A village near Dharamsala, Tillu, had fallen victim to landslides two years ago. About eight out of 25 houses in the village faced the threat of landslide. The residents of these houses were shifted to safer area as the administration feared that the entire hillside on which they were located might come down.

This was the third village in the vicinity of Dharamsala where the residents had to be shifted due to landslides in the last few years. Earlier, almost the entire population of Terra Line village had to be shifted due to massive landslide on Dharamsala McLeodganj road. Thereafter, people had to be shifted from Chola village above Indrunag area in Dharamsala.

Illegal dumping 

• Illegal dumping of muck generated from construction activities on McLeodganj hill is primary reason for landslides during monsoon. 
• Muck deposited on McLeodganj hill flowed down and entered the houses downhill last year.
• At many places hotel owners have dumped muck along the road on forest land to create space for parking. This dumping is creating pressure on hill and can lead to landslide.
• Despite disasters occurring in the last two years the state government was not enforcing ban on construction in active sliding zones around Dharamsala.