Slip after slight rain - Worry over monsoon woes

A land slide hit the NH 31 at Sevoke due to one millimeter of rainfall caused by a cyclonic disturbance last night. The landslide hit the road at 4.30 a.m. this morning and the debris formed four foot hump and it spreads over 15 m. between Coronation Bridge and the Sevokeshwari Kalimandir. The communication with Sikkim, Kalimpong and Dooars had been cut out from Siliguri due to this over seven hours.

The General Reserve Engineering Force of the Border Roads Organization could clear the debris only after noon, following which the piled up traffic could move again. Dynamite was kept as a standby, but not used. Raju, a driver said that he had been standing there on the road since 6 in the morning. He also told us that when they reach on the spot the road was covered with boulders, dust, stone and loose earth. There was no way to cross the road. The waiting vehicles stretched 4 km on either side of the rubble by the time the road was finally cleared.

According to the Mr. Subir Sarkar, in-charge of the North Bengal University’s weather station, the slip is only a pointer to the extent of environmental degradation the Himalayas was facing. `Except rainfall there could have been some other reasons which need to be studied,` said Mr. Sarkar. To avoid this phenomenon we have to gauge the damage. There was only three points on the way to Kalimpong but now the whole stretch are vulnerable and a well thought infrastructure is the need of the hour and if it is not happened then the things will only worsen.

Latest Travel News