Himachal :Highway dumping raises environmental concerns

Absence of earmarked ,designated dumping site for four - lane highway being constructed between Nagchala and Manali, has raised serious environmental concerns. Furthermore ,it has raised a question on the functioning of the National Highway authority of India. To get approval for any construction project, it is mandatory to have proper site disposal of the muck and debris ,however the NHA has not created any dumping site. The construction of the stretch of four -lane is around 110kms will also have construction of tunnels.

Four - lane Joint Action Committee(JAC) president Brigadier Khushal Thakur(Retd) said that the absence of proper designated landfill to dump the debris has come to light in the recent meeting held in Mandi with the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to resolve the issues of the four -lane affected families. To dispose the debris there is no official designated dumping site created by NHA which has raised doubts on the clearance the four - laning project.

The recent flooding in the Beas river is the impinge of the haphazard muck and debris dumping in the Beas river that led to devastation on 23 September during heavy rain blamed the Samiti. It also effected electricity generation in the Larji project due to sliting ,shutting down of drinking water scheme to Mandi town,besides debris flooding into the fields of the farmers.