PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Bageshwar
Kunwari village in Kapkot tehsil highlights how mountain landslides can block rivers and cause havoc. Debris, large boulders and trees are falling from a cracking hillside into the Shambhu river, creating an 800-meter-long artificial lake.
The lake is currently being drained, but the danger is far from over. The landslide area remains active, and if debris continues to fall from the hill, the lake’s size could increase, which might disrupt water drainage.
Worried over the development, an Irrigation department team arrived at the site and conducted a field inspection. During the inspection, debris was found accumulated approximately 250 meters downstream from the lake’s mouth. A drain, constructed by the department last year for water drainage, is currently helping to drain the lake’s water.
But there are concerns about how long this system will remain effective amid active landslides.
The inspection committee has identified the urgent need to remove the debris accumulated in the river. It has recommended the use of modern machinery along with human resources. The team members said that their objective is two-fold: to prevent the river’s flow from being obstructed and to prevent the lake’s expansion.
The committee recommended a detailed investigation by a specialist agency to provide a permanent solution to the landslide. A geological study is proposed to be conducted by expert institutions such as ULMMC Dehradun or THDC.
The executive engineer of the Irrigation department, Kapkot, G S Bisht stated that the team conducted a field inspection of the lake. “The inspection found debris deposits approximately 250 meters downstream from the lake’s mouth. Water is being drained from the lake, but the landslide area remains active,” he stated.
