Alarmed with the recent reports from Joshimath and in the backdrop of the Chamoli disaster earlier,
the executive committee of Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) has appealed to the Hon’ble Lt Governor Shri
Manoj Sinha to constitute and invite an Experts’ Committee to Ramban district at the earliest to
review adhoc execution of works being carried out on haphazard road and rail alignments that are
causing extensive damage to houses and agricultural lands of hundreds of residents of nearby villages,
besides forest lands in the district under NH 44 National Highway Widening Project and stated that a
man-made disaster, similar to the recent one in Joshimath in Uttrakhand, is staring into the face in
Ramban district as accelerated and unabated landslides and sinking agricultural and forest lands have
caused cracks in the walls of hundreds of houses, shops, commercial establishments and temples in
villages of Dalwas, Dharmond, Nashri, Kunfer, Peerah, Chanderkote, Karole, Nera, Seri etc.,
Shri Gulchain Singh Charak, Former minister and President DSS addressing a press conference along
with Executive Committee members of the DSS said that residents of Chanderkote -Ramban area have
been complaining of execution of Project works, not by the officially engaged company, but by the
unqualified contractors to whom the job has been outsourced by it. Even the alignments have been
made at several places out of political considerations for inclusion and exclusion of villages and not
based on technical study.
Shri Charak appealed to the Hon’ble LG Shri Manoj Sinha and the Hon’ble Highways and Transport
Minister of the Union Government Shri Nitin Gadkari to “constitute an appropriate and empowered
committee to have a detailed appraisal, unbiased supervision and monitoring of ongoing works to fix
responsibility for losses and to accelerate provision of due compensation/ relief and permanent
accommodation to adversely affected families. besides suggesting corrective measures”.
in Uttrakhand While conveying heartfelt sympathies with thousands of hapless residents of Joshimath
affected by widening cracks in their houses and agricultural fields and roads, house collapses, Shri
Charak hailed Government of India for readily constituting a Committee to conduct a rapid study of the
occurrence of land subsidence and its impact in the Joshimath region of Uttrakhand.
Shri Charak said that he had already written to the Hon’ble Lt Governor and Hon’ble Highways and
Transport Minister about the grim situation in Ramban district which had deprived hundreds of
residents of their livelihood and has repeatedly brought the issue to the notice of the concerned
district and divisional level authorities on several occasions, but little heed has been paid to our
concerns.
Shri Charak further said that huge debris (mulba) excavated with the use of heavy machinery and
explosives for ruthless cutting of earth along steep mountain slopes during the road widening
project is being thrown straightaway into River Chenab giving an open invitation to serious floods that
may occur due to blockade of the flow of waters in River Chenab. He pointed out that in Dalwas
village, houses were seen with the earth cut and removed from about 60 ft. vertically beneath the
foundations, while the retaining walls constructed were quite insufficient.
Shri Charak said that inadequate relief and compensation was provided to some affected families and
initially the District Development Commissioner, Ramban and Tehsildar Batote had provided some
temporary accommodation to affected families in government schools and the Company’s quarters at
Dalwas, but no soccour came later and no compensation was paid to them. There was an undue delay
in release of Compensation to other Land Owners (Zamindarans) whose land was acquired by the
government for link roads and other Road Construction during 2007 – 2010 under NABARD projects.
He added that the contributors of land had approached Revenue Authorities of Distt. Ramban many a
times for early release of pending dues, but the matter continues to be delayed on one pretext or the
other.
Shri Charak emphasised that if the slopes and fragile soils of the Shivaliks and Peer Panchal ranges of
the Himalayas and the hills of Jammu region are not taken care of properly and at the earliest, the
unplanned and ill executed road and railway line construction works through excessive use of
explosives and JCBs will continue to bring greater disasters.
Shri Charak stressed that regular landslides are leading to excessive loss of fuel, trade and hours of
journey and danger level of expected damages is on manifold increase.
The rampant deforestation in the name of clearing the road alignment is unchecked and rampant,
with no reforestation plans in sight, either by contracted agencies or the forest department. There
seems to be no ‘Relief and Disaster Management Policy’ to deal with any such foreseeable calamity.
Shri Charak further stated that though there is a pressing need to construct good roads, improve last
village connectivity, construct hydel-projects and other necessary infrastructure to meet the
requirements of ever increasing population, visitors, tourists’ traffic and development, but there is
also an urgent need to make proper plans and execute works properly to avert disasters.
Among others who participated in the conference included Prem Sagar Gupta, G A Khawaja, Col. Dr.
Virendra k. Sahi VrC, Gambhir Dev Singh, Chander Mohan Sharma.
