Nine out of the 16 houses in Lindur village, situated in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district, have developed cracks due to land sinking. As a result, the village's approximately 70 residents find themselves compelled to sleep outdoors, driven by the fear that their homes may collapse. Additionally, their agricultural land has sustained damage due to the presence of fissures, which further compounds their concerns.
The origin of this subsidence remains unclear, prompting the villagers to request a comprehensive geological survey to determine the underlying cause.
Sarita, the Pradhan (village head) of Goharama Gram Panchayat, revealed, "Cracks were initially observed in the village's periphery around June and July. Subsequently, they have expanded and extended, posing a threat to the houses. In fact, nine of the 16 houses in the village now exhibit noticeable cracks, with four of them officially declared as unsafe."
One possible factor contributing to this situation is the seepage of water from the nearby Jahmala nullah, which experiences annual flooding. Nevertheless, the true cause can only be established through a geological survey conducted by the Geological Department. Accordingly, the authorities have been approached to initiate such a survey, as Sarita emphasized.
Although the affected villagers have been given the option to relocate to safer areas, no one has chosen to do so thus far. The Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul and Spiti, Rahul Kumar, assured that the situation is being managed, but the residents remain understandably apprehensive. The Tehsildar (revenue officer) has been instructed to provide immediate relief to the affected families.
Efforts have been made to address the issue by urging the government to undertake the canalization of the Jahmala nullah, with the aim of resolving the seepage issue that impacts multiple panchayats. Furthermore, the district administration has reached out to the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, to conduct a comprehensive study and propose potential solutions.
This situation brings to mind a similar occurrence earlier this year in Joshimath, a town in neighboring Uttarakhand. In that instance, substantial cracks appeared in numerous houses, fields, and roads, rendering the town uninhabitable and necessitating the relocation of a significant portion of its population to safer locations.
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