E-Paper
‘Sinking Shimla village’: District administration seeks geological assessment
The residents have urged the administration to conduct a detailed soil and geological assessment and put in place an effective engineering and drainage solution as the area, for over two years, has been witnessing subsidence of land which gets aggravated in monsoon
Days after cracks appear in houses in Shakrala village on the outskirts of Shimla town, district administration seeks a detailed geological assessment.
Deputy commissioner (DC) of Shimla Anupam Kashyap said the administration had sought an assessment from the Geological Survey of India (GSI), besides approaching the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the civil engineering department of Himachal Pradesh University for expert opinion.
Hindustan Times on August 14, had reported that owing to land subsidence, residents of Shakrala village on the outskirts of Shimla live in fear as around 150 houses in the area have developed cracks, raising safety concerns and leading many residents to consider relocation.
The residents have urged the administration to conduct a detailed soil and geological assessment and put in place an effective engineering and drainage solution as the area, for over two years, has been witnessing subsidence of land which gets aggravated in monsoon.
Senior officials in the district administration pointed out that the subsidence is a big issue. The officials pointed out that if subsidence has started, it is a much more serious concern because it suggests that there could be geological activity beneath the ground or that some activity has triggered such a process. A senior official in the district administration requesting anonymity said that there is a need for comprehensive geological and hazard mapping of Shimla.
The DC, while speaking to HT on Friday, said geological conditions, groundwater-related factors and long-term deposition could potentially contribute to such developments, adding that similar instances involving cracks in roads and houses had been examined in the past.
“Some cracks have been reported in houses and they are also visible in the surrounding area. Officials of the district administration visited the spot and observed such cracks. Since any such development needs to be investigated on a wider scale, we have requested a team from the GSI to visit the area,” Kashyap said.
He said the administration was also examining the issue in coordination with the SDMA and other expert agencies. “We will take up the matter with all concerned departments according to their respective responsibilities and make every possible effort to ensure that the area does not suffer any damage,” he said.
Kashyap said that SDMs and tehsildars in the affected areas had been directed to remain vigilant and closely monitor the situation. “Our priority is to ensure that there is no loss of life or property. The situation is being monitored and further action will be taken as soon as we receive recommendations from the expert agencies,” he said.
The DC said it would be premature to attribute the cracks to any particular activity, including ongoing infrastructure construction, until the expert assessment was completed.
“There is no clear-cut reference establishing one particular cause. Sometimes there may be a geological reason, and sometimes there may be other contributing factors. The possibility of construction-related activity also cannot simply be ruled out. We will proceed according to the guidance and recommendations received from the agencies,” Kashyap said.
