Changes in parts a Himalayan town (Kalimpong) in 17 years

 

The lower photograph (May 2026) appears considerably greener than the one taken in May 2009. This is most likely because the pre-monsoon season of 2009 may have been significantly drier than that of 2026, resulting in lesser undergrowth, vegetation and seasonal greenery across the slopes.

The 2009 image also shows more open terraced cultivation and a clearer patchwork of agricultural land use, whereas these features appear less distinct in the 2026 photograph.

This change may partly be seasonal. Maize is normally planted during May and a good crop cover in 2026 may have obscured some of the terraces visible in the earlier image. However, a more important long-term factor is likely, the gradual abandonment of farmland caused by migration of younger populations away from rural areas to places abroad or to Indian metros. Many former agricultural slopes may now be unmanaged undergrowth and vegetation, making terraced areas less visible than before.

Across Areas A, B, C and D, several important changes are evident:

• There has been a substantial increase in built structures and settlement density between 2009 and 2026.
• This expansion would necessarily require an increase in slope cutting and road construction.
• Much of this growth appears largely unplanned, increasing pressure on already fragile Himalayan slopes.
• Inadequate or poorly maintained drainage systems in such densely populated hillside areas significantly increase the risk of landslides and slope failures, especially during periods of intense rainfall.
• The spread of unmanaged vegetation may also create an increased fire hazard during dry summer months when vegetation dries out.

The one encouraging sign in the 2026 image is the apparent recovery around the Pashyor landslide area (E). Increased vegetation cover suggests partial recovery and some degree of surface stabilization. However, in the Himalayas, vegetation recovery does not always mean that a landslide has become fully stable, as deep-seated geological weakness and drainage-related instability may still persist beneath the surface.

Overall, the photographs document the transformation of the western face of  Kalimpong from a more semi-rural Himalayan settlement into a more populated and urbanized area over the past seventeen years. They also highlight the growing challenge of balancing development with ecological and geological stability in the fragile Himalayan environment.

Praful Rao
SaveTheHills
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744