MUGU: Gamgadhi, the district headquarters of Mugu, is at high risk of landslide and erosion since a local stream has been eroding the land on the slope below the district headquarters for few years.

According to the Shreenagar Village Development Committee (VDC), as many as 14 dozen physical infrastructures, including 13 dozen private houses, two private schools, buildings of the District Development Committee (DDC), the VDC and Nepal Telecom among others are at high risk of landslide.

The southern part of Gamgadhi has caved-in due to the erosion caused by the Hulum River, which flows some 200 metres down south of Gamdadhi. The land stretching from the DDC building to the Thapa Boarding in the locality has developed fissure 10 inches wide up to 400 metres in length.

Also, encroachment on the land from where the stream originates to the stretch of five kilometers downstream, wanton quarrying of the stone, sand and aggregates on either side of the stream, opening the road tract without evaluating its environmental impact among other factors led to the soil erosion.

Locals like Gyanendra Shahi bemoaned that the authority concerned were not paying any attention towards the potential risk of landslide and erosion. He grieved that neither the VDC nor the DDC have paid attention to prevent the landslide. "The disaster could hit anytime," expressed fearful Shahi.