Study Holds Illegal Construction, Mining Responsible For Disaster In Himachal Pradesh

Kullu: Rampant illegal construction and illegal sand mining have emerged as two major causes of the unprecedented rail related disasters experienced by Himachal Pradesh in 2023 and 2025. But the question remains who will fix the accountability for these acts.

A latest report by Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment has once again underlined that if proper action is not taken against illegal construction and illegal mining, its consequences can be serious. The Institute has also studied five nullahs (drains) of Kullu district that have been receiving heavy rainfall for some time leading to the flooding of Beas River and the devastation in Himachal Pradesh and also the plains.

This report has been submitted to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as well as the Himachal Pradesh government. The flooding of these drains caused havoc during the British period as well, calling for their detailed study. The experts at the Institute say the water from Fojal, Sarvari, Kasol, Hurla and Mohal nullahs gets absorbed in the Beas and the latter’s flooding wreaks havoc right from Manali to Punjab.

The study on these nullahs from 2014 to 2025 has been done in collaboration with UK's Cumbria University, Delhi University and Himachal Pradesh University. An expert at the Institute, Dr. Kesar Chand, said, "These drains are causing the most loss of life and property. In the rainy season, the water level of the Beas River increases due to them causing destruction even in the plains. In the coming days, the Institute will study the Aleu, Haripur, Manalsu, Badagraan and Chhaki nullahs that have become very sensitive in the Manali area and are now causing destruction."

It was disclosed that the British officials had surveyed the five drains of Kullu. In the latest study data was analysed from 1835 to 2020 and almost 200-year-old records available at the British Library in London were also consulted along with other research reports and literature. The study revealed that the British officers used to maintain a diary pertaining to the data of these drains.

Data on weather was procured from the Naggar Fold Station as well as Indian Agricultural Research Institute's regional station at Katrain. The study has revealed that from 1990 to 2020, the number of floods in these drains has increased by 68%.

It further points out that in 175 years (1846-2020), 128 incidents of flooding have occurred at 59 places in Kullu district. The prevalence of floods due to heavy rains and cloudbursts in Kullu is 55%. The number of floods during monsoon (June to September) is 87% higher.

Manali based environmentalist Kishan Lal said, "In the race for development, construction is being done on the banks of rivers and along the mountains. While wrong cutting of mountains is causing landslides, unscientific dumping is causing floods in the Beas River. This year also, over 22 districts of Punjab were hit by floods and most of the water was from the floods in various areas of Himachal Pradesh. Both the states had to suffer losses. The government will have to think seriously about this."

The study has suggested embankment of the five nullahs of Kullu that are causing maximum damage. It has also called for prohibiting construction and mining on the banks of these nullahs. Banjar based environmentalist Ajit Singh Rathore disclosed, "The issue of embankment of the Beas River was raised in 2002, but the issue remains unresolved. Every time a detailed project report (DPR), irregularities are found. Due to this, the embankment of the Beas River from Palchan to Aut has not started yet."

He said the state and central governments will have to take this issue seriously. If the embankment of Beas had been done on time, then the state would not have to suffer losses worth thousands of crores, he added.

Convener of Himalayan Environment Policy Campaign, Guman Singh, while calling for a ban on illegal construction underlined, "When our team visited the flood-affected areas in 2023, it was found that the main reason for the damage caused was illegal mining as it is being done unscientifically at many places. Apart from this, the debris of the mountains is also being dumped on the banks of the rivers and streams in an illegal manner."