Shimla, Sep 11 (TIWN) Expressing concern over frequent landslides in the state, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday issued notice to the Central and state governments and the National Highway Authority of India on a plea for directions to authorities to take necessary steps to reduce the loss of life and property by lessening impact of disasters.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a petition of Namita Maniktala, treating it as a public interest litigation.  The petitioner said many parts of the state are prone to landslides, and residents and the tourists have a fundamental right to life and it is the duty of the state to take precautions to prevent these.  Maniktala said experts have recommended measures to prevent landslides, but the state and the NHAI authorities are not taking into account the suggestions while undertaking developmental projects, especially construction of highways involving large scale excavation of hills.  The petitioner prayed to direct the state to inform the court about the implementation of the measures suggested by the experts and to engage the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun to conduct a study on landslide vulnerable zones and suggest measures to prevent them.