Earth-moving machines buried, close shave for 3

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, May 25

Three excavators were buried under debris, while their operators had a providential escape in a landslide at Trilokpur on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH)-154 in the Jawali subdivision of Kangra district early this morning. Three Poclain excavators engaged by the road construction company for the NH widening were buried under the debris due to the alleged unscientific cutting of the hill.

Cracks have started emerging in the remaining portion of the hill after landslide hit a 30-metre stretch. According to Rohit Sharma, the local in-charge of the Bharat Construction Company, the safety engineer of the company heard a sound from the hill when the machines were at work. The engineer alerted the Poclain operators, who immediately moved away, leaving the excavators behind. No one was injured in the mishap.

The mountain cutting being undertaken by the construction company engaged by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on the road widening project from Bherkhud to Seuni has been allegedly posing a threat to several houses, a multi-storey building of a Tibetan monastery and the Government Senior Secondary School building in Trilokpur gram panchayat. On May 15, The Tribune had reported that residents were spending sleepless nights for the past over a month due to the fear of landslides. Durga Dass, pradhan of Trilokpur gram panchayat, said the panchayat had submitted a resolution to Union MinisterNitin Gadkari, Kangra DC, Jawali SDM and NHAI Project Director at Palampur, seeking their intervention into the “unscientific” cutting of the hill.

“The construction company has resorted to massive cutting of the hill without erecting any protection wall. After the fresh landslide, villagers fear for worst in the upcoming monsoon season,” he added.

Environmentalists Anil Sharma and Tarvi Sharma lamented the residents had raised their concerns before the construction company and government authorities time and again, but to no avail.

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