Man is acclimatized to the fury of the nature because he is helpless before its might when unleashed by the elements. Earthquakes, tsunami, wild fires, storms, avalanches, hurricanes, cyclone, tornados and tempests are the manifestations of this brute power of nature that claim life too violently and too quickly. Scientists and geologists give us the physical reason for these unpredictable changes. Yet despite all the destruction that these cause, man moves on to be part of the entire process.
We in the State of Jammu and Kashmir are faced with a recurring scenario that haunts us year after year and season after season. The State is located on the western fringes of the Himalayas comprising the Pir Panchal, Salkhala and Shivalak ranges and sub-ranges. According to geologists, these mountain ranges are younger in years and hence not so solid as to withstand the onslaught of elements or wanton intervention by human beings. The road from Jammu to Banihal meanders through kacha mountains that are highly vulnerable to the effect of heavy rains and snow. Particularly during the monsoons and the winter when we have heavy rains and snow alternatively, the entire belt of NH-1 and the arteries like Batote – Doda-Kishtwar road or Udhampur-Reasi road or Rajouri-Poonch road and Batote-Banihal road become highly vulnerable to landslides and slips that disrupt normal vehicular transport. Landslides are a common feature during the rainy season. When the road is blocked thousands of vehicles along the road and passengers get stranded for days at end. It becomes a matter of worry for the government and for the civilian population. More often, people perish in such conditions.
We may not be able to predict the vagaries of nature and the fury of elements when geographical changes are at work, but we need to think seriously whether we are becoming an instrument to aggravate violent physical changes all along the highways and mountainous road links in the State. We are repeatedly told that some interventions could become the cause for loosening of the earth of these young mountains and ridges that could lead to downslide of enormous mass of earth, stones and rocks called landslides. De-foresting and denying the slopes their green cover, absence of drains to save the soil from erosion, blasting of rocks and quarries to obtain constructional material like stones, pebbles, sand etc, tampering with rock formations to make tunnels, bridges or to widen the roads by cutting the earth are all having impact on the mountains through which roads are built. Movement of heavy vehicular traffic causes vibrations that could also be the reason for loosening of the earth. At many places such as from 14- to 135 kilometers of NH-1, the region is more prone to landslides owing to very loose formation of rocks.
The Jammu-Srinagar-Leh Highway is the lifeline of our State. We cannot afford its closure even for one hour. It is the feeder to the requirements of more than a crore of people and the entire economy of the state depends on it. Therefore we need to constantly take care that the link remains intact in all seasons and under all conditions. It calls for some urgent and serious measures. Foremost is that axing of the trees and spoliation of green cover over should be immediately forbidden with very harsh punishment for violation of this rule. Then there should be plantation on scientific basis meaning such trees should be densely planted as have deep roots and grip the soil fast. Trees of special specie will have to be identified and planted on regular basis. The green cover of the soil has to be maintained at any cost and with perfection. Quarries should not be allowed close to the Highway. It is just possible that the Forest Department may need creating a separate range for the National Highway exclusively.
Raising protective and supportive walls and bunds is also important. Border Roads organization is doing excellent job in trying to keep important and strategic road open the year round. But the construction of supporting walls and balustrades has to be undertaken as a major project to be completed over a period of time. It is hoped that the proposed tunnel from Chenani to Nashri now under construction will overcome the problem of landslides. But that should not minimize the importance of keeping the old highway open and in trim for use.
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