The damage wreaked by the Rispana and Bindal rivers following record breaking rains in Dehradun is being attributed to nature whereas locals and even some public representatives point out that some ambitious politicians are responsible for exacerbating the damage by facilitating the establishment of unauthorised settlements on the banks of these two rivers.
This was starkly evident in the MDDA colony at Kedarpuram where more than 20 homes have been damaged because of a safety wall being constructed on the Rispana riverbed to protect a settlement on the opposite bank.
Kedarpuram resident RP Godiyal whose house was severely damaged, said that politicians are facilitating and protecting encroachment on the opposite bank of the Rispana which is the main cause for the damage to homes in the MDDA colony.
Another resident UD Semwal whose home has also been damaged said, "A politician has facilitated construction of a safety wall on the Rispana riverbed not on its banks. This has narrowed the channel of the river in this stretch which resulted in the water hitting our side with greater force. The safety walls constructed on our side last year and this year have already collapsed," he said blaming the politicians for abetting and protecting encroachments at the cost of legal constructions.
Another affected local US Dimri said that the safety wall on the other side of Rispana has narrowed the river's channel drastically to about 18 feet whereas about a decade ago this stretch was about 60 feet wide. Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli said that the political ambitions of some persons had proved costly to the city and its residents.
"I agree with the complaints of the people about politicians facilitating and protecting illegal settlements at the cost of legal constructions. The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun alone cannot handle this situation. The State Government will have to come forward and take action especially in the case of Rispana and Bindal rivers in order to resolve this problem," he stressed. Politicians have facilitated illegal settlements along the banks of the Rispana and Bindal in order to build their own vote banks. Though the settlements are unauthorised, their residents have power and water connections along with ration cards, facilitated through the influence of the politicians.