Uttarakhand : Nainital cracked tiffin top, deep and wide cracks lying around Dorothy’s seat
The existence of Dorothy’s seat at Tiffin Top, a very popular tourist spot in Nainital, is in danger. Very deep and wide cracks have occurred in the tiffin top area around it and small and big boulders keep falling down by breaking from here. Dorothy Seat will soon become history if it is not treated on a war footing immediately.
Situated at an altitude of 2290 meters from the south of Nainital, Tiffin Top attracts lakhs of tourists every year, including local citizens, to enjoy the best of natural views. This place is more popular among local residents than tourists.
It is a wonderful experience for trekking enthusiasts to go here through a wide path of light climbing at a distance of about five kilometers from the city. There is a bench on this peak which is called Dorothy’s seat. It is said that a woman named Dorothy used to sit here and paint the beautiful scenery of the city and the surroundings. From the Dorothy seat, the entire Nainital city just behind it, in the north direction, there is such a beautiful view of the Himalayan peaks that can mesmerize anyone.
The attractive view of hills and plains in all four directions visible from this place is the specialty of this place. The sad fact is that over the years there have been many cracks here. For a long time, this peak was slowly cracking. This year the cracks lying here have become increasingly deep and wide and boulders keep falling from here every day. Dinesh Suntha, who runs a tea snack shop in the area, says that going to Dorothy’s seat has become a danger because of the cracks.
Under these circumstances, the seat can crack at any time and a major accident can happen here. Still, people are going there taking the risk. Dinesh along with his four brothers Vimal, Mahesh and Umesh also earn their livelihood from this shop. Everyone is very worried about its serious condition. The Dorothy Seat in Tiffin Top was built by Colonel Kellett, a British Army officer, in memory of his artist wife, Dorothy Kellett. Dorothy died of septicemia on the ship while en route to England.
Millions of people reach this hugely popular tourist destination on foot and by horse every year. Most of the tourists who enjoy horse riding in Nainital come here. It is the biggest source of income for horse riders. But despite all the campaigns of Swachh Bharat, till date neither toilet has been built nor there is a system of drinking water. Dinesh Suntha said that many times in the last decade, the municipality and administration have announced to provide these facilities here but they could not be implemented.
There are deep cracks in the hill of Tiffin Top and the hill is cracking. The Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department has been directed to inspect it immediately and take remedial action. Funds and means will be made available soon for the protection of the hill. Area resident environmentalist Padmashree Anoop Sah will also be consulted for cleaning the drain located here and repairing the hill.
Dhiraj Singh Garbyal, District Magistrate Nainital
