Shimla: The people of Himachal Pradesh, in the midst of profound weather vagaries, are trying to balm their wounds by themselves as no tangible aid is coming from any quarter to address the frequent incidents.
The forest division Dalhousie, one of the most renowned tourism destinations in the state, came out with a quick fix solution.
Averting torrential rain-related tragedies and reducing losses caused by flash floods and rainfury could help mitigate the impact of such incidents on fertile lands and soil.
The mitigation measures not only sound effective but are also easy, affordable, and within the reach of citizens; they also enrich the environment and ecology if they are planned systematically.
Divisional Forest Officer, Dalhousie Rajneesh Mahajan said that on the initiative of the department under Forest Zone Bhatiat, 2500 cuttings of Vadah (Salix) were planted on Monday.
He said with the assistance of the public, including young students, they provided their cooperation for effective prevention of heavy landslides or to avert soil erosion and damage caused by torrential rain around Motla village and water drains in the forest division.
He said that as an effective and easily available solution, around 2500 cuttings of Vadah (solix) plants are planted, which not only grow quickly but also bind the soils on the hillslopes.
“A number of plants and grass varieties are available there, with a state horticulture and forest extension centre also being provided to protect top soil, which could stop perennial losses to a great extent if not completely stopped,” he claimed.
Rajneesh Mahajan said that they are motivating the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, local residents,and school students to plant more and more trees and told them that species like bamboo, rosewood, bamboo, etc. are considered more effective for the prevention of landslides. Such species should be planted in moist areas so that landslides and flash floods can be prevented.
Such a type of plantation may prevent vulnerable places of dumping and the sidewalls of fields and farms from caving in the rainy season. There are a number of varieties of Grass used as folders that quickly grow in the poor soils and flash flood-prone areas. This could provide not only fodder to feed the cattle but also contain the wild animals so they do not infest the crops.
He said that at the times when top fertile soil, which took more than two decades to form one-inch layers, was washed and became vulnerable to human activities like minimization, construction of more roads, dumping and choking of drains, and Naullah by unscentific disposal of non-biodegradable garbage.
There are many varieties of plants and trees that could grow with high speed and immediately prove effective in stopping soil erosion.
Tree varieties naturally grow in landslide-prone areas, but active participation from people can increase plantations.
