DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i05.016

Pages: 1060-1075

Darjeeling, the ‘Queen of the Hills’ has been suffering from landslide and seismic activities almost each year. Tourism industry is one of the principal modes of economic development of the area which is going to be hampered due to these uncontrolled natural calamities. The main aim and objective of the study is to recommend some sustainable measures to rescue the ‘Queen of the Hills’ from the calamities and to secure its economic development. The study is done on the basis of direct field observations and studying references. After studying the Genomics and Geophysical aspects of the district, it has been seen that the problems are basically related to the effects of thrusts, faults, avalanches, slope instability, sub-surface rainfall, hampered vegetation cover, population pressure and their unruly behaviors on the hilly terrain i.e. contractions of unplanned reservoirs, unplanned settlement, unplanned road constructions, vehicle pressures etc. The measures which are taken till today are not sufficient enough to rescue the district from vulnerability and thus all in vain. Along with some general mitigation measures newly innovated measures related to settlement patterns, road construction, warnings manners of landslides are to be introduced. Some suggested measures will help to control the vulnerability and enhance the development of tourism industry as well as the economic development of the local people.