Debris of landslide-hit hotel threat to McLeodganj road

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, February 22

Construction debris of a private building lying on a steep slope on the McLeodganj-Dharamkot road is worrying the residents of Bhagsunag area of upper Dharamsala.

Vikas Nehria, a resident of Bhagsunag, said a private hotelier had started the construction of a hotel on the McLeodganj-Bhagsunag road last year. However, the building got damaged due to a landslide. The retaining wall constructed around the building has developed cracks. The debris of the damaged building was lying on a steep slope. “We fear that in monsoons the debris would come down and damage McLeodganj-Bhagsunag road and private buildings in the area,” he said.

Vikas said the residents of Bhagsunag have written to Dharamsala Municipal Corporation to get the debris removed but no action has been taken so far.

Suresh Kumar, another resident, said about 40 deodar trees on forest land have been damaged due to debris. The debris was changing the natural water course in the area, thus creating conditions conducive for a landslide, he said.

The residents of Bhagsunag said that they had submitted a complaint to the Forest Department also regarding damage to trees but no action had been taken.

New commissioner of the Dharamsala MC Anurag Chander Sharma, when asked, said that he would get the complaint of the residents of Bhagsunag examined.

The present case has once again brought to the fore the problem of unsafe buildings being constructed in Dharamsala region that may pose threat to the life of people. Dharamsala falls under zone 5 in terms of seismic activity. There has been demand from various quarters that the MC authorities should take geologists on board while approving the building designs in the area.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal said he had sought a report from the Dharamsala MC and the Town and Country Planning Department regarding unsafe buildings in the area. Though the authorities were asked to submit report within 10 days, it was still awaited, sources here said.

A geologist from Dharamsala, Sanjay Kumbhkarni, who had served in Geological Survey of India, said that the government and the district administration should urgently summon the Geological Survey of India (Earthquake Geology Division and Engineering Geology Division) and civil engineers from IITs and begin a site intensive assessment of the threats and mitigation in the upper Dharamsala region. The Union government should release funds for this research, setting up of a monitoring station and remedial measures.