IIT Mandi to Conduct Urgent Survey of vunerable Tarna Hills
The District Administration of Mandi has requested the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi to conduct an urgent survey of Tarna Hills, which have shown signs of vulnerability during the ongoing monsoon season.
The hills, situated at an altitude of 300 feet above sea level, are home to a dense population and are renowned for their historic Hindu shrines built in the Nagari architectural style. However, the hills have recently experienced sinking ground and structural damages to homes, raising concerns about their stability.
The Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Arindam Chaudhary, has written to the Registrar of IIT Mandi, requesting that a team of experts be dispatched to the hills to conduct a thorough survey. The survey will assess the stability of the hills, identify the factors that are causing the vulnerability, and recommend measures to mitigate the risks.
The Administration is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the people and heritage of Tarna Hills. The IIT Mandi survey is an important step in this effort.
The survey is expected to be completed within the next two weeks. The Administration will then review the recommendations and take the necessary action to safeguard the hills.
Himachal Pradesh government should:
1) Ban all construction activities for a period of 6 months till a geological assessment of the area is done.
2) Regulate tourist inflow by instituting permits for a period of 3 years so that the hills get a chance to rejuvenate.
3) Massive afforestation by utilising the NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, MANREGA workers on all government land.
4) Ruthlessly bulldoze all construction which is in violation of the rules
5) Do a drone survey of all areas every 6 months and if any illegal construction/mining etc are detected then book the Panchayat, Government employees responsible for checking illegal construction/mining under non bailable laws.