Shimla: Former Deputy Mayor Shimla Tikender Singh Panwar today has shot off a scathing letter to the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh.
He has accused the state government and district administration of blatantly disregarding disaster risks by erecting the Winter Carnival stage directly over the Ridge Water Tank—a vulnerable structure over 140 years old.
Panwar has warned that if immediate corrective action isn’t taken, he will move the High Court with a contempt petition against the administration.
Panwar minced no words in his letter, pointing out the sheer recklessness of hosting public events on the Ridge Water Tank.
“This tank, constructed without cement and reliant on lime and mortar, is already marked as ‘very high vulnerable’ in the Hazard Vulnerability Risk Assessment (HVRA).
Cracks have started appearing over the decades, and its structural integrity is at risk. Despite multiple reminders from the High Court and state government orders, authorities continue to defy disaster mitigation norms,” he wrote.
Ridge as a Disaster Waiting to Happen
The Ridge Water Tank, with a storage capacity of 10 lakh gallons, is a ticking time bomb.
Its fragility has been well-documented by geological experts, who have flagged the entire northern slope of the Ridge as a “sinking zone.”
The HVRA categorically warns of earthquake-induced ground failures in the area, with subsidence already visible since 1971.
“The state government and district administration have turned the Ridge into a spectacle for optics, with political, social, and religious events taking precedence over public safety. This must stop,” Panwar said.
Defiance of Court Orders
Citing past interventions by the HP High Court, Panwar emphasized that a moratorium has been placed on any activity at the Ridge that could increase vulnerability.
A government order (GO) issued in 2007 further prohibits commercial use or construction within 100 meters of the Ridge Water Tank. “Yet, the authorities persist in violating these directives, mocking the very laws they are supposed to uphold,” he said.
Panwar also exposed the lack of structural validation for the event.
“Shockingly, the Deputy Commissioner of Shimla sought a structural safety certificate from the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) for this year’s Winter Carnival stage.
Neither could SJPNL issue such a certificate, nor was one provided. The stage is being erected illegally, with no legal sanction whatsoever,” he revealed.
Questioning the Government’s Credibility
“What’s the point of mock disaster drills when the state’s own institutions are the biggest violators of disaster mitigation norms?” Panwar asked, lambasting the administration’s double standards.
He also highlighted the Ridge Water Tank’s protection under the Heritage Act, Valley View Act, and Street Vendors Act, stressing that the ongoing violations were not only dangerous but also illegal.
Final Warning
Panwar has urged the Chief Secretary to immediately enforce the High Court orders and the 2007 by shifting the Winter Carnival stage away from the Ridge Water Tank’s ‘yellow markings.
’ “If the administration continues to flout disaster protocols and court orders, I will have no option but to file a contempt petition in the High Court,” he warned.
