Rapid urbanisation & riverside encroachment recipe for disaster

This year, monsoon has caused widespread loss of life and property in Himachal Pradesh. Over 220 persons have lost their lives in different mishaps, many buildings have collapsed and landslides have damaged 500 national and state highways in the state.

Experts attribute the loss of life and property to rapid urbanisation, unplanned construction and riverside encroachment. The increasing concretisation of surface and poor drainage have also contributed to the risks of inundation and land

subsidence. Structures and buildings are being build in an haphazard manner all over the state, causing an adverse effect on the groundwater recharge process.

During heavy rainfall, water does not percolate into the earth. As a result, rainwater runs off into rivers and tributaries, leading to an immediate increase in water level. The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department has laid down norms for the construction of buildings in the state, such as a complete ban on construction on the banks rivers and rivulets, besides a ban on high-rise buildings. However, the norms have not been adhered to in the state in the past several years, making the matter worse.

Today, while many structures built on hill slopes and river banks are at the risk due to land subsidence, several buildings have already collapsed. Even cities like Shimla and Dharamsala are not safe.

Vijay Thakur, who had retired as Executive Engineer from the state Public Works Department, had been advocating preservation of ancient water resources. He said urbanisation, coupled with exploitation of water sources, had contributed to flooding and soil erosion.

He added that during the dry season, excessive water is drawn from ground to meet the demand of a large population. As a result, it creates a vacuum in the soil. “Most cities in the state do not have proper groundwater recharge systems. When water enters vacuum in the event of a heavy rainfall, it causes soil erosion,” he added.

Additionally, many ancient sites that were functioning as recharge centres earlier were now covered with concrete structures, preventing water infiltration. An increase in such activities has led to disastrous consequences for the entire state, Vijay Thakur added. He said the government should allow only three-story buildings in the state.

The experts suggest a proper design of sewers and drainage system with sufficient discharge capacity, besides a check on the riverside encroachments and the narrowing of waterways. The TCP rules should be implemented in right earnest instead of waiting for orders from courts or National Green Tribunal, they added. The government should come out with stringent TCP laws if it wants to save the state.

They said river training works should be carried out to mitigate potential impact of flooding and land subsidence on adjacent lands. Above all, urbanisation should be carried out in a planned manner so that it allows rainwater to infiltrate into the soil.