Assam: Unplanned earth-cutting triggers massive landslide in Guwahati's Kharghuli; no casualties
Guwahati, July 19
A massive landslide struck the Kharghuli area of Guwahati on Sunday after boulders and debris rolled down a hillside, blocking a road and prompting authorities to launch clearance operations. No casualties have been reported.
Efforts are underway to remove the boulders and debris from the affected road and restore normal movement in the area, a senior official said.
Speaking about the incident, District Project Officer (DPO) at the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kaustubh Talukdar, said the landslide was caused by illegal and unscientific earth-cutting despite restrictions imposed by the district administration.
"The incident happened because of unplanned and unscientific earth cutting and development activities. The District Administration, DC Sir from the District Disaster Management Authority, had issued a blanket order for hilly areas and the low-lying areas and banned earth-cutting from May to October," he said.
Talukdar said carrying out construction or earth-cutting in hilly areas despite the ban is illegal and added that the authorities are taking steps to reduce the risk in the affected area.
"Despite this, even after that, if someone does such construction in the mountains, that is considered to be illegal. Soil Conservation Department is also there. They have assessed the vulnerability of this thing. They are doing some temporary precautionary measures for the eroded soil, and some technical improvements will be done today or tomorrow," he added.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring state Nagaland, heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides in Mon district, leaving at least eight people dead and 12 others injured, according to district authorities.
Deputy Commissioner of Mon district, Wennyei Konyak, told ANI over the phone that the worst-hit areas were Mon town and Tizit, where continuous rainfall since the early hours of Sunday triggered landslides at multiple locations. He said search and rescue operations were being carried out jointly by the SDRF, NDRF, police, Assam Rifles and residents.
"Eight people have died in the landslide incidents triggered by incessant heavy rainfall that occurred in multiple locations in Mon district. The most affected areas are Mon town and Tizit. The heavy rainfall started at around 1 am, and we received information about landslide incidents at around 6-7 am. SDRF, police, Assam Rifles, NDRF teams and locals are engaged in search and rescue operations. So far, we have recovered 4 bodies, including three females and a male, from the debris. 12 others were injured. Search and rescue operations are underway in multiple locations," Wennyei Konyak said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is so sad and completely avoidable. The ban from May to October is there for a reason - monsoon season makes hills extremely vulnerable. People think they can get away with cutting earth for their building projects, and then nature strikes back. The DDMA and Soil Conservation Department should be more proactive. Praying for those affected in Nagaland. 🙏
Classic case of development without foresight. We keep blaming climate change but the real culprit is our disregard for scientific planning. Kharghuli area has seen so much construction in the last decade. The authorities should make public the list of violators and impose heavy fines. Also, RIP to the eight souls lost in Mon district. This should be a wake-up call.
While I appreciate the DDMA's efforts to clear the debris and take precautionary measures, I feel the ban alone is not enough. We need a comprehensive plan for hill areas - proper drainage systems, retaining walls, and reforestation of vulnerable slopes. The monsoon is going to continue for months, and more such incidents are likely unless we act now.
It's heartbreaking to see the loss in Nagaland - eight lives gone just like that. And here in Guwahati we were lucky. But luck won't save us forever. The real question is: who's giving permission for these earth-cutting activities? Is it just individual builders or are there larger forces at play? The administration needs to investigate and hold someone accountable.
I live near Kharghuli and this is not the first time we've had such scares. Every
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