Residents seek rehabilitation as land subsidence plagues Lahaul village

Residents of Lindur village in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti are facing an escalating land subsidence crisis, prompting them to demand urgent rehabilitation to safer locations. The situation has become increasingly perilous as 14 houses had developed significant cracks, rendering them uninhabitable. The subsidence has not only threatened the residential area, but has also impacted the agricultural land, causing substantial damage to the livelihoods of local farmers.

Relief camps set up

• Villagers have expressed fears as large fissures continue to appear in fields, triggering landslides that further exacerbate the instability in the region.
• The residents, citing safety concerns, have been vocal about the necessity of relocating to a safer area.
• In response to the alarming situation, the district administration has set up temporary relief camps to provide shelter to the affected villagers.
• Recently, Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana visited the village to assess the crisis.

Villagers have expressed fears as large fissures continue to appear in fields, triggering landslides that further exacerbate the instability in the region. The residents, citing safety concerns, have been vocal about the necessity of relocating to a safer area where they could rebuild their lives without the constant threat of land collapse.

Hira Lal Rashpa, one of the affected villagers, stated, “We have been seeking rehabilitation to another place because this area has become unsafe for living. The situation is worsening every day due to land subsidence.”

In response to the alarming situation, the district administration has set up temporary relief camps to provide shelter to the affected villagers in case of any emergency.

Recently, Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana visited the village to assess the crisis. Talking to The Tribune, she said, “A long-term solution seems to be the rehabilitation of villagers to a safe place. I have raised this issue with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and urged him to pursue this case with the Central Government.”

She emphasised the need for a memorandum from the local panchayat to be submitted to the state government to facilitate the rehabilitation process and secure the necessary clearances from the Central authorities.