Thousands remain cut off from main roads due to rain havoc in Pithoragarh
Thousands remain cut off from main roads due to rain havoc in Pithoragarh
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Oct 6
Following prolonged Monsoon rains this year, over 20000 population of 50 villages in Pithoragarh district has remained cut off from main roads as over 14 rural roads due to landslides are still closed since continuous rains are not letting the concerned road agencies to resume clearance work on these roads.
“Some of these village roads have been washed out at several portions due to heavy rains this monsoon, while others which were under construction got damaged severing the links with mani villages,” said Bhupendra Singh Mahar, District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO), Pithoragarh.
According to DDMO, the work to open these village roads is still on and the machinery needed for it has reached at the spots. The work to re-open these closed roads will be undertaken as soon as the rains stop.
The DDMO, quoting weather department, said that the monsoon rains that used to end by 20th of September traditionally, have prolonged this year, causing unnecessary delay in repairing the monsoon damages.
The DDMO said that most of the closed roads are situated in Munsiyari, Dharchula, Didihat Bin and Monakot blocks of Pithoragarh where the monsoon rains are still continuing.” We are a keeping strict vigil on work of opening these roads for trapped villagers,” he said.
The closed roads included, Munsiyari to Milam, Pangla to Jaykot, Munsiyari to Bui, Ailagar to Jumma, Rai to Modi, Dyora to Barmo, Hunera to Adichaura, Devisuna to Khetar Kanyal, Khumti Katojiya, Madkot to Bona, Baltir to Alkathal, and Baltir to Almiyagaon.
“Due to these closed roads the people living in interior villages of Bona, Tomik, Malla Bhanskot, Devisuna Pato and Kanojiya are facing difficulties for their sick, pregnant women and school students besides getting LPG cylinders and ration from their nearest markets to their homes.” We are facing this difficulty from last 2 months when the motor road that links our village with main road was closed due to heavy debris that fell from above on it and could not be cleared till date,”said Bala Singh, gram pradhan of Bui in Munsiyari block.
Laxmi Devi, a Block Development Committee (BDC) member from Pato village of Munsiyari said that her village has been cut off as the lone road that links her village to state highway has not yet been repaired since past two months. “We are compelled to take ration and LPG cylinder up to 3 km on our shoulders from nearest road head,” said Laxmi Devi.
