Four places have been identified for settling the Joshimath disaster victims. Pipalkoti and Gauchar are mainly included in these. But geologists are asking to look at the studies and research reports here before settling people in these places. Why so ? Let us tell you.
Srinagar: After the horrific disaster in Joshimath, the government and the administration have started working on the rehabilitation plan along with relief rescue. A plan is being prepared to relocate the people to another place in Joshimath. Gauchar and Pipalkoti have been selected in the new places. But the big thing is that scientists are not considering these two places as safe either. Scientists have given many arguments behind this.
Pipalkoti is settled on the debris: Preparations are being made to settle the Joshimath disaster victims in Pipalkoti. But in the view of geologists, Pipalkoti city is built on the water debris brought from the glacier. This land is divided into four levels. Here too, the problem of landslide can increase due to increase in the pressure on the ground from above and below. Settlement should be done here only after studying the past events including geological and geotechnical survey. Geologists believe so.
There are four layers of debris in Pipalkoti: Between 1986 and 1999, MPS Bisht, former director of USEC (Uttarakhand Space Applications Center) and Geological Professor of HNB Garhwal Central University, studied the landslide affected areas from Pipalkoti to Tapovan. He told that the Peepalkoti area is situated on top of the water debris that came with the glacier. Its topography is soliflexion low. That is, due to the flow of water and debris, the land is divided into four layers. Such land keeps on sliding by gravity due to upper and lower pressure. The MCT (Main Central Thrust) also passes through this region.
Need to re-study Pipalkoti: Professor MPS Bisht told that Pipalkoti has been inhabited by many people for a long time. Now there is talk of rehabilitating the disaster affected people of Joshimath. Before this all aspects should be studied thoroughly. Gaderas (mountain streams) flow at both ends of Pipalkoti. These weeds do a lot of damage during the monsoon season. Due to increase in human activity and construction work, the pressure on the land will increase. Wherever debris accumulates in the shield, if its cohesive force (hold with the earth inside the ground) is weak, the ground will slide down. Due to this, the problem of landslide will come to the fore. Due to which a situation like Joshimath can arise again.
