One difference between floods and landslides

Compared to the huge numbers, affected by floods each year in this part of the world, those affected by landslides appear to be miniscule. Perhaps that is why landslides were not even recognized by the Govt of West Bengal till recently as a natural disaster!
Undoubtedly both floods and landslides are terrible.
The critical difference is that after the water recedes in flood affected areas, people can return to their homes and land...ie the land is intact.

In landslides...

land vanishes.

And so in my meanderings this time, I looked at the worried faces of so many- mainly farmers who had lost precious land to landslides. To the best of my knowledge the govt gives some compensation for loss/damage of houses and life (no matter how meagre) but there is no provision for compensating loss of land.

So what do all these people do?

Placed below is data obtained from "Anugyalaya" of Darjeeling Diocese Social Service Society on land loss in the monsoons thus far in 2007 in Kalimpong subdivision.

Nimbong Pabringtar GP

Ghanti dara Village 10acres

Paila Line Village 5-6acres

Puma Khop Village 1acre

Seokbir Yoke GP

Beech Gaon Village 4acres

Chuikim Village 10acres

Gitdabling GP

Pakang village 40acres

Lower Dubling village 25acres

Upper Dubling village 8acres

Pochok village 3acres

Yangmakum GP

Panbu village 6acres

Yang village 4acres

Kafer-Kankebung GP

Munthum village 5acres

Mamring-Sittong GP

Lower Turuk village 4acres

Praful Rao