Geologists should do surveys in parts of Uttarakhand: Ramesh Pokhriyal

Former Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Thursday urged for a survey by geologists in the parts of Uttarakhand, prone to natural disasters.

Speaking over the continuous land subsidence in Uttarakhand's Joshimath, the former Union Minister said, "Uttarakhand is still very young. There should be geological surveys of many areas like Joshimath, Pithoragarh, and Uttarkashi which are prone to natural disasters. The government should worry about those places."

Earlier in the day, in the wake of the news of land subsidence in Joshimath and cracks developing in many houses in the town, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said necessary actions would be taken to save the people of the district.

CM Dhami would be visiting Joshimath soon to take stock of the situation and initiate necessary actions. The statement comes in the backdrop of reports of huge cracks that have appeared in the houses of the area due to land subsidence which is known as the vertical sinking of land in an area.

"I will be visiting Joshimath in a few days and initiate steps to handle the situation. All the reports will be monitored and all the required steps will be taken. I have had a word with the Municipal Corporation chairman Shailendra Pawar to monitor the condition in the district," said CM Pushkar Singh Dhami told ANI.

Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar said huge cracks have appeared in the houses due to leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward.

The Chamoli district administration on Thursday asked Hindustan Construction Company Ltd (HCC) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to be prepared to shelter the affected families migrating from Uttarakhand's Joshimath due to land subsidence.

HCC and NTPC each have been directed to build 2,000 prefabricated houses -- a shelter for families migrating from Joshimath.