Unscientific Constructions Caused Himachal Disaster: CM Sukhvinder Singh (Image:twitter.com/SukhuSukhvinder/status)
“Faulty structural design and indiscriminate construction work” caused the disaster and destruction faced by the Northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh this week, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The death toll in the state due to excessive rains and landslides have already touched 70.
According to Chief Minister Sukhu, more than 1,000 homes were already damaged in landslides and flash floods following the heavy downpour.
He indicated the unscientific construction methods people follow to build houses, and blamed the poor drainage systems. “People believe they are draining the water without knowing that water is going nowhere but into the hills, making them fragile”, Indian Express quoted the Chief Minister as saying.
“Shimla is more than one and a half century old, and its drainage system was excellent. Now there are buildings in the nallas (runlets). The houses which are collapsing these days have not gone through the standards of structural engineering. The migrant architects (masons), whom I call ‘Bihari architects’, come here and construct floor on floor. We do not have local masons”, he added.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu serves as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 2022.
Tougher construction regulations will be implemented in the State in the future, Mr Sukhu hinted.
“National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) should go for more tunnelling instead of widening the roads, and its engineers need to cut the mountains more scientifically”, he said.
“Tunnels are the only viable and feasible way to tackle the vehicle pressure on this stretch. Britishers made over a hundred tunnels to establish rail links between Kalka and Shimla. Tunnels have been standing since then. Making tunnels is a very costly affair but NHAI should not bother about the costs”, he added.
Himachal Pradesh is witnessing severe issues of landslides, flooding, waterlogging, and destruction of roads, buildings, and crops due to heavy rains and land slides.
According to the State Disaster Response Force at least 70 people have died in the past three days and 13 are still missing. Excessive rain have blocked at least 700 roads across the state.
In the last 24 hours, over 1700 people were rescued and relocated to relief camps, reported the Indian Express.
Indian Army, Indian Air Force, National and State Disaster Response Forces are already deployed in affected areas for rescue operations.
Rebuilding the lost and tampered infrastructure is a “mountain-like” task, indicated Mr Sukhu. The total loss of infrastructure in Himachal in this monsoon season is more than Rs 10,000 crore, he added.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, member of Indian National Congress, is a 4-time and incumbent MLA from Nadaun Assembly Constituency of Himachal Pradesh. He was also the president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee from 2013 to 2019.
