Uttarakhand: After Joshimath, cracks found in more than 50 houses in Karnaprayag

DEHRADUN: Cases of land submergence are increasing continuously in the hill towns of Uttarakhand. Residents here, who are already living in fear after Joshimath episode, are even more scared after reports of similar cases surfaced in Karnaprayag.  More than 50 houses in Karnaprayag have developed fissures. Incidents of ‘land sinking’ have also been reported here. A team of expert geologists, including Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha, conducted an in-depth survey of the affected areas of land submergence in Joshimath. Instructions have been given to deploy NDRF team in Joshimath.

During this time, the team conducted door-to-door survey in the affected areas of Manohar Bagh, Singdhar, JP, Marwari, Sunil Gaon, Vishnu Prayag, Ravigram, Gandhinagar etc. of Joshimath. He also visited Tapovan and took stock of the work being carried out in and out of the NTPC tunnel. With a population of nearly 50,000,  Karnaprayag is situated at an altitude of 860 metres above sea level while Joshimath is located at an altitude of 1,890 metres. Karnaprayag is situated at a distance of 80 km from Joshimath.

More than 50 families living in Bahugunanagar, CMP Band and upper part of Sabzi Mandi in Karnaprayag are also in panic. Here the cracks in the walls and courtyards of the houses and the hanging roof of the houses are telling the pain of the disaster. As many as 25 houses, including those of Pankaj Dimri, Umesh Raturi, BP Sati, Rakesh Khanduri, Harendra Bisht, Ravidutt Sati, Darwan Singh, Digambar Singh and Gabbar Singh, have developed cracks.

Centre forms panel

The Centre on Friday set up a panel to conduct ‘rapid study’ of land subsidence in Joshimath. The panel comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India and National Mission for Clean Ganga.