Illegal hotels alter landscape of McLeodganj core area

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 22

A landslide yesterday damaged the outer wall of Gaden Choeling Tibetan Nunnery in McLeodganj. The landslide also blocked the footpath leading to the nunnery. The foot path was used by Tibetan nuns to go to the Dalai Lama temple.

Established in McLeodganj about four decades ago, it is the oldest nunnery in Dharamsala region. Sources said that illegal hotel buildings that have come uphill are now threatening the Tibetan nunnery. A multi-storey illegal hotel has come up uphill from the nunnery in the recent past. The authorities concerned have issued notices to the illegal hotel but nothing has been done to practical stop illegal constructions in the area.

None from the nunnery was willing to come forward and talk about the threat posed due to landslide and illegal buildings coming in the area. However, the sources said that the illegal hotels have totally changed the landscape in core area of McLeodganj in the last few years.

The core area of McLeodganj that had the hill overlooking the Dalai Lama temple comprised of a few British Era buildings, lush green deodar forest and footpaths to walk to the Dalai Lama temple. However, now most of trees are gone and multi-storey hotels have replaced them. Private hotel owners have even closed the footpaths that led to the Dalai Lama temple from core area of McLeodganj.

In the previous development plan of Dharamsala the core area was kept as non construction zone. However, despite that, a large number of constructions have come up in the area. After the Himachal High Court took cognizance of the illegal constructions in core area of McLeodganj most the hotels were given notice by pollution, town and country planning, tourism and Dharamsala Municipal Corporation.

The previous government owing to the fact that a large number of hoteliers were involved in raising illegal structures in core area of McLeodganj, amended the development plan of Dharamsala. Under the new plan constructions were allowed in core area of McLeodganj. However, the permission to allow constructions in core area came with riders that each hotel should have a parking area.

The experts say that the new development plan would be applicable to new buildings that come in the core area and old illegal structures cannot be regularised under new developmental plan.

Most of the hotels that have come up illegally in the core area are already facing action from various authorities. However, the real danger is that many unsafe structures pose threat to life of the people living there.

Kangra DC Rakesh Prajapati said that action would be taken against those raising illegal structures.

Non-construction zone

• In the previous development plan of Dharamsala, the core area was kept as non-construction zone
• However, despite that, a large number of constructions have come up in the area 
• After the Himachal High Court took cognizance of the illegal constructions in core area of McLeodganj most the hotels were given notice by pollution, town and country planning, tourism and Dharamsala Municipal Corporation