Concrete mars skyline in picturesque Kinnaur (Letter from Himachal - With Images)

CHITKUL - Pretty wooden houses with slate rooftops are fast disappearing in Chitkul, a village close to the China border in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district. Multi-storeyed concrete structures are instead changing the skyline.

With felling of trees banned and wood prohibitively expensive, residents have been opting for concrete that is eclipsing the ethnic beauty of the pristine village located at an altitude of 3,450 metre (11,319 feet) above sea level. Chitkul is the last village connected by road in the area.

“We know the village is losing its unique identity, but we shouldn’t be blamed for this. The (state) government has banned the felling of trees and it’s too costly and tedious to procure wood from the government under the timber distribution system. So the villagers have no choice except opt for concrete structures,” shopkeeper Naresh Thakur told IANS.

“Wood is also not available for repair of the old houses,” he added.

Octogenarian Subhash Negi blamed “the outsiders” for introducing concrete pillars and lintel (concrete beams) in the village.

“A large number of local people have given their land on lease to outsiders to set up hotels and rest houses. Commercialisation is more responsible for marring the unique identity of this village like any other village in the state,” he said.

Chitkul, a picturesque spot with a backdrop of the majestic snow-clad Kinner Kailash peaks, has the gurgling Baspa river, a tributary of the Satluj, running alongside. Located some 250 km from state capital Shimla, it nestles amid virgin nature, with abundant wildlife and exquisite flora and fauna.

“It’s really shocking to see the landscape of this tiny village has almost changed in less than 10 years. These multi-storeyed buildings have changed its skyline,” said Abhijit Chatterjee, a tourist from Bangalore.

“Last time (in 2000) when we visited this place, we stayed in a snug wooden cottage amid the orchards. Now that guest house has been converted into concrete with all modern gadgets,” he said, showing pictures of his last visit.

His wife, Renu said: “Too many constructions have been marring Chitkul’s beauty. Most of the houses now have tin roofs rather than slate and wooden planks. We came here with a promise of holidaying in rural settings, but sadly the village has almost lost its ethnic look.”

There are a few wooden houses still existing but in dire need of repairs.

“It’s true the village is losing its unique identity, but we shouldn’t be entirely blamed for this. The government should check the mushrooming of hotels in and around the village; otherwise the tourists will stop coming here,” Subhash Negi, a resident, said.

He blamed the rise in commercialisation to improved road infrastructure and easy transport facility.

Chitkul, with a population of 650, remains cut off from the rest of the country for more than six months a year owing to heavy snowfall. The locals mainly cultivate potatoes that are one of the best in the country. It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)