Kullu : Continuous heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has badly affected many lives here. Many ill fated people have lost their homes due to flash floods or land slides so far. Now, the same weather has turned life into a nightmare for villagers of Baagan, a beautiful village nested in the Lug Valley of Kullu district. Landslides and sinking land have destroyed homes, forcing families to take shelter in the local government school building. With the road facility completely wiped out, villagers now trek near about 3 KM uphill to reach their village.
Livelihoods in Peril, Earnings Perish
Just 4–5 kilometre’s from Kullu town, Baagan village once known for its scenic beauty is now under constant fear and threat. The road to the village has been washed away, leaving only a steep climb and uphill rough walking path of over an hour. Not a single house on the way remains unaffected, walls have developed huge cracks, pillars have been broken or damaged severely and some homes have been collapsed entirely. In Baagan Village, out of 120 houses, nearly 85 are in very bad condition. Not only houses have started perishing, huge cracks in land can be seen here and there in entire village.
Villagers, who spent their lifetime savings in building small houses now stand devastated and hopeless. Poor residents express helplessness, wondering where to go and what to do next. A local woman Yamuna Devi, whose husband works as a labourer while she weaves woollen pattu ( Kullvi attire) for a living, said, “We saved every penny to build a small house. Now its walls and pillars have started collapsing, which is a big shock for the poor people like, now we don’t know what to do, where to go and how to live.”
Elderly resident Ramki Devi broke down as she recalled that her family has lived in the village for generations. “Never in our dreams we ever thought that we would see such days in our lives. Perhaps, we are paying for our past deeds. I only pray this destruction stops here and our children remain safe. I don’t know, what kind of days now God will show me in my twilight years,” she suddenly started crying while talking.
Nature’s Wrath Leaves Deep Wounds
Adding to the misery, a massive boulder recently broke into two huge pieces and one slipped dangerously close to homes, terrifying the already distressed villagers. Although local officials, including the Tehsildar, have visited, but still no relief or assistance has been provided so far, villagers complaint. They are now demanding safe land to rebuild their homes.
The crisis is not limited to sinking land and landslides. A fast flowing swollen stream making its way through the fields has destroyed apple orchards in full bloom. For families, who toiled year-round in hopes of a good harvest, the sudden flooding has wiped out their only source of income. Villagers blame poor drainage system during road construction in nearby area for the disaster. They say that this nullah (stream) had never caused such damage in past. This damage is not caused by nullah, but done by the poor drainage system.
Political Voices and Local Faith
BJP leader Narottam Thakur visited the village and urged the administration to act swiftly, reminding that the central government has always supported disaster-hit communities. However, villagers remain skeptical, insisting immediate state action is crucial.
Meanwhile, some residents see the calamity as both divine will and human fault. The village deity (Deity Devta Ajay Pal) priest said that he got many signs during worship indicate divine protection, pointing out that a giant boulder got stuck mid-way because of the Divine protection, otherwise it could have destroyed the entire village completely.
Though, the damage already done cannot be undone, villagers say timely government intervention can still heal their wounds. Their lives need only safe shelter, some livestock’s and fields to cultivate on. But now nothing has been left there except the hope of help from administration and government.
Deputy Commissioner Kullu, Torul S. Raveesh, has underlined the need for a scientific mitigation model to deal with vulnerable zones in the district. “A mitigation model after a scientific study of such areas is required to determine whether stabilisation is possible or not. If not, then the only option is to shift affected families to safer places after securing Forest Conservation Act (FCA) clearance,” said Raveesh.
She added that similar cases had already been raised with the Central government in the aftermath of the 2023 disaster. Authorities, he noted, are working on both immediate relief and long-term solutions to ensure the safety of residents living in such disaster-prone areas.
A theater artist, a script writer and a TV anchor, news is something that grips Renuka. She lives in Kullu.
