The villagers allege that the changed river flow has swept away agricultural land belonging to Dev and Nok Ram. A homestay owned by local resident Tullu is facing imminent threat as river waters continue to erode the surrounding area. “The river has completely changed direction after the structure in the riverbed came up. Earlier, the river flow was stable but now debris collects every monsoon and pushes water towards Jabal village,” says a local resident.
Fisheries Department officers say that the work was undertaken after obtaining permission along with a no objection certificate (NOC) from the local panchayat. However, the villagers argue that the approval does not justify altering the course of a free-flowing Himalayan river.
They allege that the design of the structure was fundamentally flawed. Over the past seven years, the structure has reportedly been repaired at least four times at the cost of crores of rupees. “This raises serious questions about whether the project is suffering from technical failure or repeated repairs have turned it into a financial burden involving public funds,” says a villager.
Environmental activists have also pointed out that the Tirthan river falls under protection linked to a 2007 High Court of Himachal Pradesh notification declaring it a free-flowing river where damming, channelling or walling activities are restricted.
Last year, an affected resident, Tullu, had obtained a stay order against further interventions yet the work was allegedly continuing. The villagers claim that repeated appeals for the construction of safety walls and taking protective measures have gone unanswered. With the monsoon season approaching, they fear further land loss and damage to homes and tourism infrastructure in the area and downstream.
Local community members have now demanded an independent technical and environmental audit of the project, accountability for alleged public funds wastage and immediate protective measures to safeguard vulnerable properties.
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