KEYLONG/SHIMLA: The Sinking Selfie Point Threatens three Tribal Villages of Chandra Valley in Lahaul Valley as BRO Fails to Stabilize the Selfie Point on the Manali-Atal Tunnel-Keylong Highway. The villages in three Chandra Valley villages Face Imminent Danger as BRO Fails to Stabilize Selfie Point.
In a harrowing tale of neglect and impending disaster, three tribal villages in the serene Chandra Valley- Shurtang, Kewang, and Chokar, stand on the brink of disaster.
The tranquil beauty of their tribal hamlets is marred by the constant threat posed by the sinking of Selfie Point in the Lahaul-Spiti district, a menace that has loomed large for over a year now.
But the SDMA has to wake up from its slumber.
It all happened last year when the Chandra river changed its course near the Sissu village that inundated the fragile strata near the highway at Selfie Point.
Since then the entire 200x200 m stretch is sinking which in turn has destabilized the three villages located right on the higher slope
The peril extends beyond the picturesque landscape, as the sinking phenomenon directly endangers the commuters traveling along the vital Manali-Atal Tunnel-Keylong highway, just beyond the North portal.
Despite the efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), whose machineries tirelessly clear boulders and debris cascading from the 200-meter-long and 200-meter-highland, the safety of the villages remains precarious.
Over 200 villagers residing in this tribal belt endure sleepless nights. Their homes bear the signs of impending doom, cracks spider-webbing across the structures, threatening their very safety.
The fear is palpable. The BRO which maintains the national highway needs urgent action.
Amidst this crisis, a meeting convened at the sinking zone witnessed the convergence of over 700 concerned individuals, including the Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti and the Chief Engineer of BRO.
However, while assurances were given and promises made, a glaring absence remained – a concrete timeline for the commencement of stabilization efforts.
Anuradha Rana, the chairperson of Zila Parishad Lahaul-Spiti, minced no words as she expressed her frustration and disappointment at the lack of tangible progress.
"We are here for the problems, and this is our incident," she asserted, debunking any insinuations of political allegiance.
Her plea to the media was simple yet poignant – refrain from spreading misinformation and sensationalism, for the stakes are too high.
She was referring to the rumours that Rana was siding with BJP being spread by her opponents, who along with Anuradha are seeking Congress ticket from Lahaul-Spiti assembly seat, just to put her in bad light.
She said her priority is the problem being faced by people of three villages as cracks are appearing in the villages.
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated.
Lives hang in the balance, tethered to the whims of bureaucratic inertia and administrative apathy, rued the villagers.
As the fissures widen and the fragile strata sink, the fate of these villages hangs precariously in the balance.
