Mudslides and landslides cause heavy loss of property in Jadhun Gram Panchayat of Kumharsain Shimla

Giving a sleepless night resident of Jadhun Gram Panchayat of Kumharsain are in a panic as mudslide, landslides, and flash flood is rendering massive loss of property making many homeless and mudslides and landslides in front of many houses put the life of many other danger. One resident of Reog village Nand Lal Rajta said that the link road, number of apple orchards, houses, apple stores, cowsheds, and new orchards are affected by the mudslides. He said that many foot and retaining walls cave in but the fertile soil of orchards flows down in massive flash floods.

The water and mud have entered many houses and wooden and Kachha houses have collapsed. The footfall of a number of houses collapsed putting two to three wooden houses in danger. The apple orchards including the new plantation were buried under the mud and flash flood. The footpath and link roads cut off the entire Panchayat from the mainstream. The uprooting of apple-laden trees and deodar render heavy loss to the property. 

He said that on Thursday morning two huge landslides occurred in the Panchayats which have buried many orchards, funeral houses, and roads. People came out of their houses and they sounded alarms by whistling and creating alerts to the families living downstream to rush away from their houses to safer places.  Many families have been shifted to safer places by the local people. The people are already grief-stricken due to the death of two youths recently in the Gram Panchayat.

The incessant monsoon rainfall played havoc as the entire Kumharsain subdivision had excess rainfall in the months of May and June. Since the water table has broken one and half months early the small rivulet and minor water sources are discharging fountains of water washing down the loose soil under it. The water from small Nalah and Road drains entered residential areas in the apple orchards virtually further giving sleepless nights to people as most of the houses and mudslides are in line of danger as the rainfall is expected to give any respite.

The orchard’s footfalls at most villages are caving in and uprooting apple-laden trees on the ground. The administration distributed Rs 10 thousand and a Tarpal to some of the affected last week but the rain has also taken new tolls on property in the Gram Panchayat. When contacted, Member of Assembly Kuldeep Rathore said that Jadhun and Katoon Gram Panchayat have suffered huge losses to property. He said that it is very difficult to visit the affected areas as all link roads including National Highway -5 are blocked. He said that he was informed by the villagers and a team of administration visited the spot. He said that the Government is with the affected family and efforts are being made to reach out to assess the loss caused in the Jadun and Takoon Gram Panchayat. 

Former MLA Rakesh Singha said that NH-5 is blocked near Shalaroo and it is very difficult to travel even three kilometers from the home. He said that a woman died under the Kumharsain subdivision in a village after a house fell down due to a landslide. Mr. Singha said that no village is safe from the loss of property. Moreover, all link roads are washed away, blocked by the uprooting of trees, mudslides, and retaining walls that have come down on the road. He said that due to high elevations, the waterfalls and revenues are unleashing fury and there is no end to the devastation. 

He said that it would take months for the administration to restore power, water supply, road, and transport. The entire subdivision was affected and the problem of people was further aggravated as there is an acute shortage of staff. He said that only three persons are posted against one Transformer distribution region and people would not be able to contact the administration as there is no power supply in many villages. He said that most of the Kaccha houses have been damaged and many Paccha houses are in danger due to the entering of flash floods and caving in of foot and retaining walls. Mr Singha said that he is constantly having phone calls from people for rescue and restoration but the administration with an insufficient workforce has very limited capacity to help people from weather vagaries.