Tunnelling most ecologically sound way for building roads: Himachal CM Sukhu
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has batted for tunneling as the best way of constructing roads in the hill state rather than indiscriminate cutting of mountains to improve connectivity.
Speaking at ET Politics Roundtable, Sukhu gave his first exhaustive interview which coincided with the first year anniversary of his government in HP. «Tunneling is the best proposal for improving road connectivity in the state. You should not think about costs when you are working in hill states or difficult terrain like the northeastern states.
There is a reason why the British built 103 tunnels between Kalka and Shimla. It preserves the balance of the area,» said Sukhu.
Speaking about the rains that hit the state and the resultant landslides, Sukhu said these are first signs of climate change.
«We have never seen such spells of rain in the state. Areas that never got rains like Spiti are getting rains. Earlier it would rain in July only but this year we got rains in April, then in July and several spells in August.
This is nothing but climate change. Landslides converted into mud slides and we saw roads and communication being cut off. 400 lives have been lost and 16,000 houses were destroyed.
We saw unprecedented damage to life and property,» Sukhu said.
As his government completes one year in office on December 11, Sukhu is looking at new revenue streams for the debt-ridden state. The government is examining how to legalise cannabis production in the state for medical use. «Cannabis grown in Himachal Pradesh is considered to be of very high quality.
