Artificial lake near Parchhu bridge in Mandi sparks flood fear

An artificial lake has formed near the under-construction Parchhu Bridge in the Dharampur subdivision of Mandi district, raising alarm among residents of downstream villages. The water accumulation has already submerged the revered Gasiya Mata temple, a cremation ground and a Jal Shakti Department pump house. Officials and villagers fear that if the rain continues, the debris-filled water could sweep downstream, causing destruction from Shivdawala to Dharampur.

Advertisement

The incident is being attributed to the alleged illegal and excessive dumping of construction debris by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), particularly by contractor companies Gawar and Surya Construction. Locals claim that the debris blocked the natural flow of the Gasiya Khad stream, causing unexpected formation of artificial lake.

Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) from Dharampur and Sarkaghat rushed to the site for damage assessment. SDM Dharampur Joginder Patiyal confirmed the situation, assuring residents that water release from the lake has begun and there is no immediate threat to life or major property loss. “There is no need to panic. Our teams are systematically managing water release to minimise risk to downstream villages,” he said.

However, anger among the villagers is rising. Villagers and activists from the Himachal Kisan Sabha have accused the construction companies of gross negligence and called for immediate accountability. Former Zila Parishad member and CPM leader Bhupender Singh demanded urgent deployment of disaster management teams to remove the debris and safely drain the lake. He also called for the arrest of company officials and raised concerns about the quality and legality of the construction methods used for the collapsed bridge.

According to local leaders, including sabha president Rantaj Rana and other activists, the bridge was being constructed without proper approval for debris dumping, using an unscientific method of creating temporary supports by dumping rubble into the streambed. Despite multiple warnings and complaints submitted over the past year, no concrete action was taken by the local administration, NHAI, or quality monitoring agencies like LN Malviya Construction.

MLA Chander Shekhar and BJP leader Rajat Thakur have also expressed serious concerns and urged quick resolution. The issue has now become a flashpoint, with the Kisan Sabha planning a public protest at the site on June 25.

With mounting evidence of negligence and administrative inaction, the sabha is preparing to file a petition in the High Court, naming the construction companies, local authorities, and NHAI officials as respondents.

This incident has brought renewed focus on the environmental risks and regulatory failures associated with infrastructure projects in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region.