Calcutta, July 17: As people in the Darjeeling hills started recovering from the shock of one of the worst landslide disasters in recent memory, the state government today announced that a map of the region would be prepared to identify the zones vulnerable to such disasters.

Announcing it in the Assembly today, urban development and municipal affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya said the Netaji Institute of Asian Studies has been asked to conduct a study in the different parts of the hill area and draw up the map.

No construction would be allowed in areas identified in the map as sensitive zones, he added.

GNLF legislator Shanta Chhetri had raised the issue earlier in the session and urged the government to look into the problem of landslides that caused huge losses and deaths in the Darjeeling hills.

She had expressed concern over the recent landslide in Mirik that buried alive 20 people and left many homeless.

The worst hit areas were Gayabari and Singbulee tea estates.

National Highway 55, popularly known as Hill Cart Road, too, was blocked by landslides at Thindaria, Kalamati and Rongtong.

Landslides also choked the Pankhabari road, the vital link between Siliguri and Kurseong, keeping it closed for three days. The Mirik road, the connector to Darjeeling, also remained inaccessible.

Some 100 families remained homeless.

Bhattacharya said the main reasons behind the landslide disasters were misuse of land, rapid construction, illegal building, movement of heavy goods vehicles and deforestation.

He said the government had taken a serious note of the matter and was taking necessary steps.

At this point, Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim intervened.

“We are non-technical persons and do not know the reasons for the landslides and how the damage could be prevented. It will be better to set up an expert committee to probe the matter,’’ Halim said.

Later speaking to the media, the Bhattacharya said many had built their houses in danger zones, violating construction norms. The Darjeeling town, he said, had virtually become a concrete jungle.

“I have told the municipality and Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to be more cautious about construction activities and take effective steps to stop illegal construction,’’ he said.

The minister said the municipalities of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong have been asked to follow the building rules strictly and take action against those who disobey the rules.

The GNLF legislator also demanded that the land and land reforms department be handed over to the DGHC.

“Though the department was supposed to be controlled by the DGHC, the state government has not yet transferred it. I request the minister concerned to complete the formalities and transfer the department,’’ Chhetri told the House.