Terra Lines landslide-affected families allotted 4 marla plots

DHARAMSALA: The state government has provided reprieve to 13 families who had lost their houses in a massive landslide in Terra Lines about two years ago

Updated At : 07:14 AM Dec 18, 2015 IST

Debris of Army quarters that were swept away in a major landslide at Terra Lines village near Dharamsala town. A file photo

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 17

The state government has provided reprieve to 13 families who had lost their houses in a massive landslide in Terra Lines about two years ago.

The affected families, who had been temporarily housed in Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Government colony since they lost their houses, have been allotted land by the state government. They have been given four marla plots near in Kajlot panchayat near Kala Pull in Dharamsala.

Earlier, the state government had proposed land to the displaced families at Khaniara village. However, the sources here said that the Khaniara panchayat opposed the allotment of land on the plea that they had very limited common land. Whatever land was available was required for their own use. The affected families were then allotted land in Kajlot panchayat.

When contacted, the affected families were all praise for the Himachal government, especially Minister for Urban Development Sudhir Sharma who represents Dharamsala Assembly constituency.

NS Thapa, an ex-serviceman who lost his house in the landslide and is now residing in a temporary accommodation provided by the state government, said, “Whatever the state government and Sudhir Sharma have done for us was more than enough. We were immediately provided shelter in the government colony. Till date, we have been provided a financial grant of Rs 1.3 lakh.”

Sarita Kumari, a widow, said 13 families were displaced in the landslides. Two families, whose houses did not suffer much damage, have returned to their houses in Terra Lines. However, since the entire area has been declared unsafe, other families have decided against returning to their village, she said.

Terra Lines saw a massive landslide in Dharamsala region in which many army quarters collapsed. Residents of the entire village lost their houses. Though the state government has effectively redressed the problems of the people displaced due to the landslide, nothing has been done to prevent such incidents in future.

Construction was still taking place in the active sliding zones of Dharamsala. There was no sewerage system in McLeodganj and according to geologists the leaking septic tanks were increasing the vulnerability of the hill to landslides.