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COEP begins survey of landslide-prone areas in 34 merged villages
This comes in the wake of a major landslide following heavy rain in Taliye village, Raigad district that killed 53 villagers and left 31 still missing
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has appointed the College of Engineering of Pune (COEP), to survey the 34 villages merged into its limits for areas prone to landslides.
This comes in the wake of a major landslide following heavy rain in Taliye village, Raigad district that killed 53 villagers and left 31 still missing.
COEP has already begun work on the survey and a report will be submitted to the PMC in August.
Recently, the State government merged 23 villages with the PMC, and in 2017, 11 fringe villages were also made part of the corporation.
Yuvraj Deshmukh, superintendent engineer of the building permission and development department, said, “Against the backdrop of the Raigad landslide incident, we have taken the decision to survey landslide-prone areas in the merged villages. We have assigned the work to the COEP.”
“The corporation wants the survey to reveal unauthorised construction at the foothills, as well illegal constructions on the hills,” he added.
Professor B G Birajdar, applied mechanical department, COEP, said, “We have started work and it will be completed before next month.”
COEP will check the soil and slopes of hilly areas. It will categorise the areas as low, medium, and high risk. It will also suggest remedies to tackle the situation and take precautionary measures.
Second survey of landslide-prone areas
After a major landslike at Malin village in Ambegaon taluka of Pune district in 2014, PMC surveyed landslide prone-areas in Pune city. That survey was also done by the COEP.
Deshmukh said, “As per that report, we removed unauthorised constructions in Warje and carried out a strengthening process as recommended by the COEP. That report highlighted Warje and the Baner gaothan area. We took precautionary measures.”
According to the PMC disaster management department, there are six land- and mud-sliding areas in the city - Dukkar Khind (between Chandani chowk and Warje) and the new Katraj tunnel road are landslide-prone areas. Whereas Kelwadi (Kothrud), Warje hill and Parvati hill are mudslide-prone areas.
Landslides are caused by disturbances in the natural stability of a slope. It can happen after heavy rain, droughts, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Mudslides usually begin on steep slopes and can be triggered by natural disasters. Areas where wildfires or construction have destroyed vegetation on slopes are at high-risk of a landslide during and after heavy rains.
