No new areas in Joshimath have developed cracks, Disaster Management secretary said on Sunday.
The Disaster Management authorities are monitoring the cracks which have seen a minor increase in Uttarakhand’s land subsidence hit town Joshimath in Chamoli district. Cracks have not developed in new areas but there is minor uptick in some places, Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha was quoted as saying on Sunday. There is a minor increase in cracks of approximately 1 mm but the agency is monitoring them, he added.
Meanwhile, the work of dismantling the damaged Hotel Malari Inn was underway in Joshimath on Sunday. The dismantling is happening after owners of the hotel sat in protest on Wednesday after receiving information of the dismantling. Several workers have been deployed for the smooth functioning of the dismantling process where authorities are trying to ensure that “there is minimum or no vibration inside the ground”.
Teams are conducting tests to find out if the development of cracks has any particular pattern. Areas being inspected include Auli Ropeway, Manohar Bagh, Shankaracharya Math, and JP Colony along. The authorities will take action after the tests so that there is no damage in the future.
NGRI Hyderabad is conducting a geophysical study of the affected area, studying the underground water channel. It will make a geophysical and hydrological map available which will be useful for the drainage plan and stabilisation plan of Joshimath, authorities said.
Meanwhile, families impacted by the land subsidence are being urgently shifted to safer places. Work of marking affected buildings is also on. Teams of geologists and experts are investigating the causes of the landslide. Teams from CBRI, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute, GSI, IIRS and NGRI are working in Joshimath.
The health department is on alert and has deployed 26 doctors on rotation basis along with two psychologists to treat affected people.
On Saturday, the famous Uttarakhand ropeway service that connects Joshimath to Auli was halted.
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(Inputs from ANI)
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