The Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre team has made a number of visits to analyse the persisting problem of landslides in Mansa Devi hills. A specialised investigation team from Delhi had also visited Haridwar way back in April 2011 but no treatment has been started in the past few years. As per the scientists, a major part of the mountain range has become hollow from within which is posing a major threat to the population residing nearby. It demands immediate permanent treatment say the environmentalists.
Notably, a population of nearly 50,000 residing in Nai Basti, Bhimgoda, railway tunnel, Mansa Devi hill slide Jogiamandi is under threat from the land slide prone area in Bilwaparvat range of Shivalik hills housing temple of Mansa Devi. The investigative reports submitted earlier by mining department, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and IIT Roorkee have also reviewed and presented to the chief secretary of Uttarakhand.
Every year the district administration assures that some substantial steps shall be taken before the advent of monsoon season lest the residents have to risk their lives. Analysing the type of soil in the Mansa Devi hill region, District Magistrate of Haridwar, Deepak Rawat said, “We surveyed the seven kilometre stretch of Mansa devi hill region recently. The mountain range is quite vulnerable to landslides.
The soil is varied type and would definitely require special mode of treatment.”
The seven kilometre stretch of hill by pass road is not open to traffic even after spending ofRs 4crore on the maintenance of the road during Kumbh Mela. During fairs, traffic is generally diverted on this alternate route.
The district officials say that they are serious about the landslide problem in the monsoon season and the threat to the residents on the hill slopes.
The survey has been conducted as it is very much in the policy of the district administration to solve the problem. The PWD officials can tell the exact situation when the construction will start said the District Magistrate.