Rampur Bushahr (Shimla District), July 1
It is a lesson people living along the Sutlej did not learn and they have paid the price for it. The maximum loss to private property in the recent floods has been caused due to the callous attitude of the residents in this area, who kept on constructing houses along the banks of the Sutlej.

Despite having faced the flood fury in 2000, houses and shops were built in the danger zone all along the banks of the Sutlej.

Last Sunday when the water level rose it washed away several houses and shops (a count is still on) and also caused extensive damage. Water also entered the houses of people bringing with it silt. The water level had risen by 30 ft as the Sutlej was flowing at 37 ft from its bed.

At Neogli, near here, an entire row of shops has disappeared. The foundation of the building was a few feet away from the fast flowing Sutlej.

Now the district administration here is working overtime and says: “People will not be allowed to build anything within the danger zone”.

The Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Rampur Bushahr, Mr B K Rattan, told The Tribune: “People who have their homes on lands near the river will be allotted land in the upper areas and they will be asked to move out of the danger area.”

Located in a valley, Rampur Bushahr and its surrounding areas are always at the mercy of the Sutlej. The river is a torrent as it enters this area from the high reaches of Kinnaur. Any change in the water level poses a threat to the houses in this valley.

Officials said they were helpless as people wanted to build houses near the river. But now things are set to change as the locals also want all dangerous houses to be removed. Mrs Mohini Kumar, who survived the flood and now lives in a house located 100 ft above the river, says: ‘‘action is needed fast’’.

Located across the river from here are the hamlets of Brow and Jagatkhana —falling in Kullu District. But a virtual stone’s throw away, residents have been so callous that they have built houses right next to the spots where the property of their neighbours was washed away five years ago.

Shimla, July 1
Heavy rain triggered off numerous landslides in Shimla district which led to blockade of roads at various places.

Vehicular traffic was disrupted for some time at Kacchi Ghati, near here, this morning as the storm water brought a heap of muck to block the road. The Shimla-Basantpur-Rampur road was blocked by a landslide near Nauti Khad. The blockade was cleared by the evening.

Many local roads were also blocked. The debris dumped in nullhas found its way to roads as most of the culverts in the town have been choked. The road leading to the Annandale helipad was blocked at two places. The other road leading to the helipad from the police lines was also blocked by a landslip caused by the ongoing construction activity.