Notice to stop laying underground cables - Mirik residents say 'shoddy' work a reason for slides

Cables along a road at Soureni, near Mirik. (Suman Tamang)

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, July 7: The district administration has issued a notice asking telecom service providers to stop laying underground cables in the hills till the monsoon is over.

Mirik residents have cited "shoddy" work by some firms as one of the primary reasons for landslides in the area.

Thirty-two people died in the July 1 landslides and Mirik was the worst-hit area.

Today, Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastava said: "We have asked the companies not to lay underground cables till the monsoon is over. We have also asked a company which was laying cables to stop the work immediately and clear the clogged drains."

Neelam Adhikari from Limbu Gaon, whose under-construction house was damaged in the slide, said: "The companies are continuously digging up roads. But the work is shoddy and water seeps in as the roads are not repaired properly. We strongly believe that underground cables could be a reason for the landslides."

Srivastava said officials had been asked to stop major constructions, if required, till the rains were over. "A GSI (Geological Survey of India) team will reach tomorrow to conduct a survey (on vulnerable zones). We have set up 49 relief camps where around 3,200 people are staying."

An administration report says there has been loss of property worth Rs 27 crore. "It doesn't include damage to bridges and roads," an official said.

HT, 8 Jul 2015: The Darjeeling district administration has ordered telephone and cellular companies to stop ongoing cable laying work on roads during the monsoon. It is believed that improper pits dug for laying cables had a major role to play in sparking landslides especially in Mirik area. Political parties along with public representatives, blaming the cable laying work for the devastation have demanded that further digging be stopped immediately.

Incessant rainfall on Tuesday resulted in multiple slides all over the Darjeeling Hills with the Kalimpong sub division and Mirik in the Kurseong sub division worst affected. As per official figures, 1,876 persons have been affected in the landslides. The death toll in the Darjeeling Hills stands at 32 with eight still missing.

The Darjeeling district administration held a review meeting in Darjeeling on Tuesday with political parties and public representatives to review the landslide situation along with relief and rescue operations.

“The optical fibre cable laying job has been done carelessly with stipulated norms not followed. Pits have been dug with the stipulated depth of the pits not followed. The pits have not been covered up which resulted in huge amount of water seeping in with heavy rains. The stagnant water found its own way out from the hillside resulting in the landslides,” said NB Khawas, Trinamool leader.

Incidentally, 4G inter net cables are being laid from Siliguri to Darjeeling. The route is via Mirik. “Indiscriminate digging of the hillside to construct new roads under various schemes and laying of fibre optic cables is the cause of the landslide. This has to be checked immediately,” said Trilok Dewan, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha MLA of Darjeeling.

Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastava said, “We have instructed telephone companies to stop laying cables till the monsoon is over. We have further instructed them that if their digging or laying of cables in any way affects drains they will have to immediately repair the drains.”

The companies could not be contacted for comments.

The DM said the concerned engineering departments have been instructed to oversee that the drains remain functional and to strengthen vulnerable spots.

“The block development officers along with the sub divisional officers have been instructed to access any heavy construction work being undertaken in their respective areas,” said Srivastava.

The meeting was attended by political parties including GJM, Trinamool, GNLF, CPI(M), AlGL and CPRM.

“We have asked the DM that priority has to be given to restoration of road communication so that vehicles start plying to affected remote areas in order to restore normalcy and so that relief material can reach the affected,” said Dewan.

He also stressed on rehabilitation as “people cannot stay in relief camps forever”. “Various housing schemes under the state government and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration should be explored to construct houses for the landslide victims,” suggested Khawas of the Trinamool. The Darjeeling MLA suggested a revision and update of the district disaster management plan. “A more professional approach needs to be adopted,” said Dewan.

“A GSI team is visiting the Hills on Wednesday. They will visit the affected areas. Based on their recommendations we will sit with different stakeholders including tea gardens and work out a relocation plan (if necessary) which will include acquisition of land for relocation purpose. At present there are 43 relief camps operational in the Hills catering to 3,200 affected persons. “While the major arterial thoroughfares of the Darjeeling Hills affected in the landslides have been restored and open to vehicular traffic, work is on to restore around four roads and bridges in remote parts of Kalimpong sub division,” added the DM.

Till July 20 there is a restriction on the plying of heavy vehicles on NH55 and the Rohini Road (connecting Darjeeling with Siliguri) except trucks carrying essential commodities. “Damages excluding damages to infrastructure including roads and bridges have been pegged at 27 crore. Repair of infrastructure will cost a substantial amount,” said Srivastava.

The district administration requested the political parties to make the public aware of the norms of assistance to be handed out by the state government and also requested feedback regarding relief work.