Highway blocked for five hours following pre-monsoon showers
Highway blocked for five hours following pre-monsoon showers
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, June 28
The tall claims of preparations for the rainy seas by the administration lay exposed as the highway from Champawat to Tanakpur remained closed for over five hours due to accumulation of water following first spell of pre-monsoon showers last evening. It rained 96 mm blocking the highway on Thursday.
“Not only the all weather road was hit by landslides at several portions like Swala and Sukhidhang but the plain portion of Champawat district also felt the fury of pre- monsoon rains following flooding of Kirora and Batnagad rivulets in Tanakpur sub- division disrupting vehicular traffic on the road leading to famous Purnagiri temple,” said Prakash Punera, a journalist based in Tanakpur.
“We could open the NH in short time as we were fully prepared and the men and machines were already been deputed at 2 highly sensitive spots of the national highway,” said Saurab Aswal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and incharge of District Disaster Management Office in Champawat.
According to Aswal, over 50 JCB’s and other essential equipments have been deputed at places prone to landslides of district on the highway.
Following pre-monsoon showers , the water level of the main rivers like, Saryu, Kali and Ramganga is on the rise.
” We have completed all the preparations to tackle monsoon fury in the form of landslides and water logging in the district as over 70 JCB’s and Pokland machines have been deputed at all landslide sensitive places of district,” said Bhupendra Singh Mahar, District Disaster Management Officer in Pithoragarh.
According to Mahar, teams of National Disaster Relief force (NDRF) have been deputed in Dharchula and Munsiyari sub-divisions while SDRF teams have taken over at pithoragarh.
Meanwhile, a high alert has been sounded in the villagers situated near banks of Kali river in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts as the reservoir of Dhauliganga power station in Dharchula is to be cleaned of debris on June 29 and 30.”We have asked all concerned SDMs, SSB officers and BRO engineers to co-operate and not let villagers go near river during the flushing operation,” said Reena Joshi, District Magistrate, Pithoragarh.
