MANDI: In a concerning development, unauthorised excavation is being carried out using JCBs along the Beas river near Binderawni, just 4 km from Mandi town on the Mandi-Pandoh highway, to remove material despite last year’s devastating floods in the region. Both the administration and the mining department appear to be oblivious to the situation.
Last year, the Beas river unleashed havoc, causing widespread destruction. Alarmingly, a similar scenario seems to be unfolding this year.
In Binderawni, debris and stone chips excavated from the four-lane highway tunnels were previously dumped along the riverbanks. This accumulation has since settled, serving as a natural flood barrier. Amid the ongoing monsoon rains, the Beas river’s water level is steadily rising.
Some individuals have brought JCBs to the site to dig out this debris, loading it onto trucks for sale. This has led to severe erosion along the riverbanks, creating a potential threat of altering the river’s natural course.
Just opposite to the site, the Jal Shakti Department’s pump house and storage tanks, which support irrigation and drinking water schemes, are at risk. These facilities were heavily damaged in last year’s monsoon and were only recently restored at considerable cost. They now face the danger of being targeted by the rising waters of the Beas River once again.
Despite repeated assurances of stringent disaster management and a ban on all types of unauthorised cutting, this perilous activity continues unchecked. The area falls under Ward No. 4 Nela of the Mandi Municipal Corporation, a zone frequently visited by administrative officials.
The apparent lack of awareness from both the administration and the mining department raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of local governance and disaster preparedness.
As the community braces for potential disaster, urgent action is required to halt these dangerous activities and protect lives and property from impending calamity.
