Himachal government is focusing on bio-engineering measures to deal with landslides: CM

Shimla, February 14: To deal with the increasing frequency of landslides in Himachal Pradesh, the state government is launching bio-engineering initiatives. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here today that a pilot project has been launched for cultivation of vetiver grass, which binds the soil strongly and prevents land erosion due to its deep and dense roots.

He said, Vetiver grass is widely used across the world for soil conservation especially in landslide-prone areas, highway embankments and river banks. Recognizing its potential, the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with Vetiver Foundation-Climate Resilience and Sustainability Initiatives (CRSI) Tamil Nadu has initiated this project to develop sustainable mitigation strategies to deal with landslides.

Under this initiative, the Authority has requested CRSI to provide vetiver nurseries so that adequate number of saplings are available before the monsoon season of 2025. CRSI has provided 1,000 vetiver grass saplings free of cost and these saplings have been planted in the nursery established at Berti in Solan district in collaboration with the Agriculture Department. The Chief Minister said that HPSDMA is closely monitoring the pilot project to ensure successful cultivation and supply of vetiver grass. Encouragingly, the initial results indicate high survival rate of the saplings, with clear signs of growth and adaptation to local conditions.

Vetiver grass, which can develop roots up to 3-4 meters deep, forms a strong network that binds the soil thereby reducing the risk of landslides. It slows down the flow of water by acting as a natural barrier and prevents soil erosion, especially on steep slopes. Vetiver grass acts like a wall when planted in rows. Its roots absorb excess water and reduce water retention in the soil, thereby reducing the chances of landslides. Compared to conventional solutions, vetiver provides a low cost, sustainable and low maintenance option for slope protection.

Sukhu said that the vulnerability of Himachal Pradesh’s steep and geologically young hills to landslides has been increasing in recent years due to various reasons. Due to heavy monsoon rains and seismic activity, the threat of landslides is constantly increasing in the state. To deal with this, the state government is making every effort to strengthen disaster management and protect people and infrastructure, especially during the rainy season, by adopting scientific and bio-engineering techniques.