Threat to houses, geologist to study leakage in Chamba project tunnel

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 7

The Chamba district administration has asked the state geologist to study and submit a report on the threat posed to habitations at Jharauta village in Holi tribal area of the district due to a leakage in the tunnel of the Holi Bajoli power project.

Rehabilitate people living above tunnel

• Manshi Asher, an environment activist, says that the project management should rehabilitate people living above the tunnel. Their lands have not been acquired for the project as the tunnel is going below them
• However, their livelihood and habitations are threatened. The project management and the government must declare them as affected populations and give them complete rehabilitation pack for relocation of their houses and livelihood

Jharauta villagers have been living in the fear of landslide after a leakage in the underground tunnel of the 180 MW Holi-Bajoli project in Chamba district was reported. They have alleged that a landslide occurred in their area and damaged some houses when the tunnel was tested by the power project authorities and a leakage was reported in it. The district administration had relocated people, whose houses were damaged.

However, around 25 families and 200 people in the village are still living in fear. They allege that the state government is not helping them. One landslide in the area can washout the entire village and the state government should take steps to either relocate them or assure them that their houses are in the safe zone, they add. The village is located above the tunnel of the project.

Chamba Deputy Commissioner DC Rana said that the leakage in the tunnel occurred in 2021 when it was tested. It led to a landslide that caused damage to four houses that were located on government land. The GMR project authorities had compensated the affected people. The district administration had also relocated them to a safer place, he said.

Asked about the threat posed to other houses in the village, Rana said the tunnel had been lying closed since the first leakage was reported. The project authorities were repairing it. However, the state geologist has been asked to submit a report on the expected threat to other houses in Jharauta village.

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