Experts to be roped in for undertaking in-depth study of landslides in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: Experts from the Geological Survey of India, IIT Ropar and Wadia Institute of Seismology will be roped in for an in-depth study of landslides in Himachal Pradesh, officials said on Tuesday.

In the ongoing monsoon season, 111 people died in 165 landslides between June 24 and September 11, according to state emergency operation centre data.

There are 17,120 landslide-prone sites in the state and 675 of these are near critical infrastructure and habitations, the data showed.

Expressing concern over the landslides, the officials said the study would examine the reason behind land subsidence at nearly 200 places where there is no construction.

Experts from the Geological Survey of India, Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar and Wadia Institute of Seismology will be roped in for an in-depth study of landslides in the state, Principal Secretary (revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma told PTI.

Meanwhile, a committee constituted last month to study the causes of landslides in Shimla city said in its report that water saturation in soil, construction on drains and loose strata led to the collapse of buildings, according to officials.

Principal Scientific Officer, Himachal Pradesh Council for Science Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE), S S Randhawa had told PTI last month that over-burdening of the hills due to construction coupled with saturation of soil and seepage seemed to be responsible for the landslides in Shimla city.

Randhawa, who is also the coordinator of the committee set up to study the causes of landslides, said there was virtually no summer season and the rainy season followed the winter snow, which aggravated the situation as there was no break for moisture in the soil to dry.

As many as 27 people died in three major landslides in Shimla city in August -- at the Shiv temple in Summer Hill (20), in Fagli (5) and Krishnanagar (2).