Doda, Feb 3: With a number of houses and buildings developing cracks due to land sinking over the last few days in Thathri area of Doda, a Geological Survey of India team will conduct a study of the underlying factors of cracks developed in the houses in Jammu and Kashmir.
Nineteen families were evacuated after their homes developed cracks at a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, officials said on Friday.
Meanwhile, taking to social media, Union Minister Jatender Singh has informed that a relief camp has been set up for the residents of the affected houses in the valley.
It is pertinent to mention that recently, houses in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath developed cracks and the Uttarakhand government declared Joshimath’s all nine municipal wards as “landslide-subsidence zone” under the disaster management act and began the evacuation of residents from these areas but now the people in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda have also started to witness cracks in their residences.
According to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Thathri, Athar Amin Zargar, the cracks had started appearing in a house in December last year and have now started to aggravate.
“Cracks were reported in a house in December in the Doda district. Till yesterday, six buildings developed cracks, but now these cracks have started to increase and the area can be seen sinking as several structures in the area have developed cracks,” SDM Thathri, Athar Amin Zargar said.
He further mentioned that the administration has been working to constitute a team to assess the situation. He said, “A preliminary assessment was done last night and a Geologist of National Highway also came here in the night and in the morning. They will submit their assessment report by this evening.”
“The DM has spoken to the Director of Geology Mining and they too are constituting a proper team for the assessment of the situation to find the actual reasons behind it.
Attempts are being made to save the area, but it has sunk. It would be difficult to save it. The government is trying to find a solution so that the damage does not reach other nearby areas,” the Thathri SDM added.
The authorities also declared unsafe a mosque and a religious school for girls at Nai Basti village in Thathri, 35 kilometres from Doda town along the Kishtwar-Batote National Highway.
A few structures in the village started developing cracks a couple of days ago but the situation was exacerbated by a landslide on Thursday with the number of buildings damaged reaching 21.
“We have shifted 19 affected families to a safer location after their houses were rendered unsafe. We are observing the situation and taking steps as per need to ensure their safety,” Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Thathri) Athar Amin Zargar told PTI.
The deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police visited the spot and assured all help to the affected families, he said.
Zargar, however, refused to compare the situation to that in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath — the gateway to famous pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib — that is facing a major challenge due to land subsidence.
“Comparing the situation in Nai Basti with the sinking town of Joshimath will be an exaggeration. We are faced with a problem of landslide and geologists from Chenab Valley power projects and National Highways Authority of India have already inspected the site,” Zargar said.
While some families have shifted to a temporary shelter set up by the district administration, many others have returned to their ancestral homes.
“We are making all necessary arrangements, including food and electricity, at the campsite,” Zargar said.
Zahida Begum, whose family was shifted to a temporary site, said they lived in the village for 15 years and were surprised to notice cracks in concrete houses.
“There is panic among 50-plus households in the village. Majority of the structures developed cracks after Thursday’s landslide,” she said, demanding proper rehabilitation for the affected families.
Farooq Ahmad, another local resident, said 117 members of 19 families of policemen, ex-servicemen, defence personnel and labourers were relocated.
Nai Basti was developed about two decades ago and there was no such problem, he said.
“We request the NGOs and philanthropists to come forward and provide assistance to the affected people,” Ahmad added.
–(With inputs from PTI)
