Impact of humans on landslides : 14th Mile landslides (Kalimpong) in 2002 and now (2015).

The 14th Mile landslides (top) or sinking zone is one of the oldest in Kalimpong and has been featured in this blog earlier
Placed above are 2 Google Earth images of the same landslide zone of 2002 and 2015.
Both are photos were taken in January and the areas numbered 1 and 2 show significant increase in human habitation in the intervening 13yr period between the two photos.
Site 3 shows the 14th Mile landslides which are much bigger in the 2015 image even though we have had deficient rainfall in Kalimpong for 3 consecutive years from 2013 ie we are seeing an increase in landslides even though there is a decrease in precipitation (rainfall data of this region for the last three years is documented month-wise elsewhere in this blog).
Without being overly simplistic, as human activity grows along mountain crests, surface run-off of rain water from paved areas sharply increases the torrents of water charging the mountain streams or jhoras, leading to higher levels of erosion and landslides.
Increasingly, human activity is therefore emerging as a major cause of landslides in the mountains and is undoubtedly the main trigger for all fatal landslides that have taken place in Darjeeling-Sikkim in the recent past.
While it is well within our reach to control these actions and mitigate the landslides, neither the community nor the government (includes politicians) are bothered.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dit Darjeeling

A farmer's nightmare - Gairi Gaon, Kalimpong (Jan2014)

On 19Jan2014, STH visited Gairi Gaon (Bong Gram Panchayat), which lies on the eastern face of the Kalimpong ridgeline, directly below densely populated portions of the town. Agriculture, which is the main source of income for people in this village has come under threat with the landslide problem in the area.
The root causes of the landslides appear to be : 

• The rapid urbanization of the area above 'Lower Bong' area leading to more surface run off and during the monsoon season the enormous amounts of rainfall causes the 'jhoras' to swell so much so that in the words of a local farmer Mr Santa Bahadur Rai " The earth trembles and I just can't sleep". 


• The presence of untrained 'jhoras' (streams) (Pasang and Gokulay Slide 1.) in the vicinity of the village. These streams and the 'Relli' river pull apart the hillside causing tremendous damage to the agricultural land (Slide 6.) The government has not initiated any form 'jhora' training programs in the area resulting in vast areas of land remaining fallow. 

Since help from the govt or any NGO seems implausible, the villagers themselves contributed to constructing a road constructed in 2012, prior to which the only way to get to the village was on foot.
Also, since there is no form of compensation given to farmers who have lost their land to a landslide by the government many people have lost there means of livelihood. The area surveyed by STH covers roughly about 73acres (Slide 2.) of which approx 37 acres have been affected in someway by landslide activity. The alarming rate of wear and tear and its effect on the land is clearly evident when we look at the local school which was renovated in 2012 and has already started developing cracks (Slides 4&5). 

The grave reality of the situation though is that all these landslides (other major landslide areas - Sindebung,Chibbo) are actually growing in size each year, slowly nibbling away at the land that surrounds them and unless some sort of mitigation work to stop or slow this process down is done, in the foreseeable future we risk the destabilization of the whole Kalimpong town itself.

Rohan Rao,
Secretary,
SaveTheHills.
Kalimpong

Contact : rohan.rao1313@gmail.com

From Sikkim today : 24Sep2012

Photo credits : Mr Wangchuk Dorjee
                    : Mr Chewang Lepcha


Praful Rao