Rains continue in HP: Kinner Kailash yatra called off, 1 killed in landslide
POWER PROJECTS REMAIN SHUT
SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA : The Kinnaur district administration has called off the annual Kinner Kailash pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh, which commenced on August 1, after continuous rain caused flash flooding in nullahs and rivulets.
Sanjay Kapoor, a pilgrim from Muzzafarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, died of hypothermia near the cave.
Kinnaur deputy commissioner Anvinder Kumar said, “The pilgrim was not wearing warm clothes and died of cold. He was brought to the base camp by army jawans.”
Kinner Kailash shivlingam, one of the mythical abodes of Lord Shiva is a 79-foot vertical rock in the Kinner Kailash mountain range.
On a clear day, one can see the Shivlingam, which changes colour during the course of the day.
Meanwhile, around 100 pilgrims were stranded at Kangrang nullah en route Kinner Kailash. The pilgrims were evacuated with the help of army jawans and personnels of Indo Tibetan border police.
Powari village in Kinnaur district on Hindustan-tibet road at National Highway 5, was evacuated after gushing waters swept away five shops on Tuesday.
The district administration had ordered revenue officials to evacuate people living near the river bank.
“A team was sent to move out Power generation in the three major hydel power projects remained disrupted for the second consecutive day due to high silting in Sutlej river, on Wednesday.
The three main power projects 1,500-megawatt Nathpajhakri, 1,091-megawatt Karchamwangtoo and 412-megawatt Rampur hydro power plant had shut down its operation on Tuesday to prevent damage to machinery from silt.
people living in the village, especially those near the river bank,” said Prem Sarita, a revenue official.
“We ran out of the shop when I heard whistles of alarm as the river was in spate. Within seconds my shop was swept away,” said a shop owner, Pasang Lama. Meanwhile, the incessant rains in the Sutlej catchment area brought more silt in the river. Jindal Steel Work promoted Karcham-wangtoo power project that began generation on Tuesday morning shut down the operations at 11am following high silt-level.
The silt-level in the Sutlej river variated from 25,000 particles per million (ppm ) to 40,000 ppm which is higher than the permissible limit 5,000 ppm.
Rain also damaged a bridge on the national highway in Ribba, one of the biggest villages in Kinnaur district.
The administration has requisitioned engineers from Jindal Steel Works promoted Karcham-wangtoo power project to repair the damaged bridge.
MAN KILLED IN LANDSLIDE
The torrential rain in the state claimed a life on Tuesday, while damaging scores of roads and bridges.
A man was killed in a landslide at Dunali on Harsar-manimahesh Lake trek in Bharmour region.
The deceased was identified as Sanjeev Kumar, 25, resident of Chowbhia village in Bharmour sub-division.
Bharmour additional district magistrate PP Singh said the man was looking for a suitable place to set up a shop during Manimahesh Yatra that will begin in September. His body has been retrieved and family members were provided an immediate relief of Rs 10,000.
In another incident, a school principal was injured after his car was hit by a rolling boulder in Chuwari area of Chamba district.
The district administration has advised people to avoid venturing out of their houses during heavy rainfall.
Pilgrims have also been advised against taking the Manimahesh trek until the official pilgrimage begins. The yatra is scheduled to start on September 3 on Janmashtmi.
Meanwhile, remote Kugti Panchayat in Bharmour sub-division was cut off from rest of the district after a footbridge was washed away in a flash floods in the Lahal Nullah.
Around a dozen pilgrims who had gone to pay obeisance at Kartik Swami temple in Kugti were also stranded and have taken shelter in the village.
In Tissa area of the district, power supply to 35 panchayats was snapped for over 10 hours due to heavy rains while in remote Pangi region two link-roads were closed for traffic.