Villagers facing threat from over flowing Kali river on Indo-Nepal border
Villagers facing threat from over flowing Kali river on Indo-Nepal border
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, July 13
A total of 18 families have been shifted to safe places after 2 houses were submerged into river Kali on July 12. The accident occured due to overflowing river Kali following incessant rains.
“The flashfloods were caused due to release of 300 cusecs of water from Chirqula Dam of Dhauliganga power project, cloudburst in Kalapani and deposition of heavy debris towards Nepal side of the river,” said Divesh Shashni, Sub_Divisional magistrate (SDM) of Dharchula.
The waters of the overflowing river entered into Indian side due to deposition of heavy debris on the Nepal side of the river.
According to local villagers, the presence of heavy debris on the Nepal side of river Kali, after landslide in Lasku Nullah of Nepal and cloud burst on September 9, 2022.” Despite several appeals from Indian administration, the Nepalese authorities did not shown any interest in removing that debris,” said Shalu Datal, a social worker in Dharchula.
Prem Ballabh Bhatt, whose house has fallen into danger zone, has said that a total of five residential houses have come in the danger zone and have been vacated.
“Untill a protection wall gets constructed on the river bank at Khotila, the cutting of soil towards the village will continue every year,” said Bhatt, who is living with his relatives after been shifted from there.
“Khotila is an extension of Ranthi village on the bank of river bank of Kali river. Mostly 300 tribal families from Vyans valley are settled there in the past half a century,” said Datal.
The villagers of Khotila said that due to landslides from Ghatkhola and flashfloods from last year, they have lost over 1.5 acres of cultivable land in Khotila.”If protection wall could not be constructed for safety of village, the existence of Khotila village would be finished in some years,” said Durga Datt Joshi, a resident of the village.
