Muck disposal damages water mills in Sirmaur

Ambika Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Solan, July 19

Three traditional water mills, locally called ‘gharats’, have been damaged due to reckless dumping of muck by a private company engaged in the widening of a section of the Paonta Sahib-Hatkoti National Highway at Haivena village in Sirmaur district.

These mills support the rural economy in Sirmaur district, where there are only a few means of livelihood are available. Besides, culverts have also been damaged due to the faulty muck disposal at Sataun village by company workers and the natural flow of water has been diverted towards arable fields. An artificial lake has also been created at the village, which has aggravated the problem.

The highway widening work began some months ago. Though sites for dumping muck were earmarked, the lack of proper disposal exposed the shoddy working of RG Buildwell Engineers Ltd.

At Khajiaar village in Kamrau tehsil, too, a potable water resource has been damaged, causing hardships to people. Locals apprised Paonta Sahib SDM Vivek Mahajan about the problem when he visited the area on Saturday last.

Taking a stern view of the matter, Mahajan directed RG Buildwell Engineers Ltd, which is engaged in widening a section of the highway, to lay culverts to make the windmills functional again.

Mahajan said, “The company unscientifically dumped muck at Haivena village. The muck flowed to the ‘gharats’ due to heavy rains and damaged them. The company staff has been directed to make them functional again and also extend immediate relief to the affected families”.

The company has also been directed to restore water supply and arrange water storage tanks, besides repairing the link roads in the affected villages. Measures like building crate wire structures and retaining walls at the dumping sites has also been suggested.

Notably, the 104-km stretch of the highway falling in Himachal is being widened to four lanes at a cost of Rs 1,351.62 crore. It is a Green National Highways Corridor Project that aims at enhancing the effectiveness of the transport network with cost and natural resource efficiency.

The World Bank has provided financial assistance for the project. Three companies are engaged in various sections of the highway.

Unscientific dumping

The work to widen the Paonta Sahib-Hatkoti Highway began some months ago. The sites for dumping muck were earmarked, but the lack of proper disposal by RG Buildwell Engineers Ltd exposed its shoddy working.