Villagers want safety wall, rivulet channelisation

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, August 11

Concerned about their safety during the rainy season, when water enters their houses and shops every year, residents of Patlikuhl in Kullu district have demanded erection of a safety wall alongside the Beas and channelisation of Badgran rivulet.

A recent cloudburst in the area has led to an alarming increase in the water level of the rivulet. The water entered shops and several houses, resulting in loss of property and other damages. 

The residents of Patlikuhl rued that they had been facing flood threat from the Bagran nullah and the river during the monsoon for the past many years. The water level of the river during this time of the year increases drastically, sometimes forcing them to shift to safer places. 

Similarly, the water of the nullah coming from the upper side enters the Patlikuhl bazaar, causing losses every year. 

“For the past two years, we have been urging the state government to construct a safety wall alongside the Beas and channelise the Bargran rivulet, which will be a huge relief for us. However, nothing has been done,” said Mool Raj, a resident of Patlikuhl. 

Residents said following a cloudburst a few days ago, water level in the Badran rose drastically. At the time of the incident, a majority of people were in deep sleep. “We are thankful to the police, which raised an early alert and urged people to move to safer places. It saved our lives”, villagers said. 

“Despite repeated requests to the state government, nothing has been done to find a solution to the problem. Annoyed with poor response of the state government, people of Patlikuhl village recently staged a protest against the state government and demanded that the needful be done at the earliest”, residents pointed out.

Ramesh Kumar, Sunil Kumar and a few other villagers said, “We are hopeful that the government will construct safety wall alongside the river and channelise the water flow of the Badgran nullah to protect the residents of area from the flood threat.” 

Similarly, residents of Katagla village in the Manikaran valley are also demanding the channelisation of the local rivulet, which is a potential threat during the rainy season every year. The flood water of the rivulet has entered the residential area of Katagla village in the past several times and damaged houses, property and agricultural land.