Handwara, Oct, 24: Residents living behind the under-construction associated Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara have expressed serious concern over recurring land erosion near their residential houses, fearing that further soil slippage could endanger their homes and families.
The residents said repeated erosion has left their concrete houses vulnerable, creating anxiety among families, particularly with winter approaching. They have urged the district administration and the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division Handwara to expedite protective measures and ensure round-the-clock work to prevent further erosion.
Acknowledging the residents' concerns, the administration and the R&B Division have been working to address the situation. However, the residents stressed that the pace of work must be intensified to ensure their houses are secured before heavy rainfall and snowfall increase the risk of landslides.
Speaking to Headlines Today, the Executive Engineer, R&B Division Handwara, said that men and machinery had been continuously engaged for the past 15 days in the construction of a concrete protective boundary wall to control soil erosion along the vulnerable stretch.
He said work at the construction site had been suspended to prioritise immediate safety measures, adding that all available men and machinery had been deployed to complete the protective work at the earliest.
“Our first priority is to safeguard the families and their residential houses. We have been working round the clock for the past 15 days, and I assure the residents that every possible effort is being made to secure their homes,” the Executive Engineer said.
He acknowledged that the affected stretch was extensive and that the height of the eroded slope posed a significant engineering challenge.
He appealed to residents to cooperate with the department, explaining that the protective work was being carried out according to engineering requirements to ensure a lasting solution.
The Executive Engineer further assured the residents that he would personally supervise the work along with his team around the clock until the protective measures on the affected stretch were completed.
“These families are like my own brothers and sisters. Their safety is our foremost concern, and we are committed to protecting their residential houses at any cost,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents have appealed to Deputy Commissioner Kupwara to ensure close monitoring of the work and direct the concerned departments to complete the protective measures without delay.
With winter approaching, the affected families hope that the ongoing efforts will provide lasting relief and protect their homes from further land erosion and potential landslides.
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