Cracks detected in houses in Jamrani dam project area, DM orders investigation

The Nainital district administration has decided to install a seismograph to monitor seismic activity and determine the cause of the cracks

Published on: Apr 30, 2025, 21:12:04 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Haldwani: The Nainital district administration in Uttarakhand has constituted a committee to investigate the cracks appeared in some houses within the impact zone of the Jamrani Dam Project in Haldwani and decided to install a seismograph to monitor seismic activity and determine the cause of the cracks, officials said on Wednesday.

A team of officials and geologists visiting the Jamrani Dam project area in Nainital on Wednesday.

Officials said district magistrate Vandana (who goes by her first name) has taken swift action following reports of cracks appearing in several houses in the Khatikhan area and has constituted a committee to investigate the matter.

A team of officials and geologists confirmed the presence of cracks after an inspection in the area on Wednesday. The district administration has also directed the Jamrani Dam Project to halt any blasting operations in its site and to begin construction of a protective security wall for the nearby village.

A team led by sub-district magistrate (SDM) Nainital Nawazish Khaliq conducted a site inspection of the affected area, where seven houses are situated. Khaliq said geologist Kamini Bisht conducted an assessment of the damage. “She recommended the immediate installation of a seismograph to monitor seismic activity and determine the cause of the cracks. It has been decided that the device will be installed by Friday”.

“Until the seismograph is operational, all blasting activities in the vicinity have been suspended”, he added.

He said project Manager Himanshu Pant of the Jamrani Dam Project has been formally instructed to halt any such operations and begin the construction of a protective security wall for the village.

The inspection team, which included several departmental officers, emphasised the importance of safety measures and continuous monitoring to prevent further structural damage in the area.

The Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is expected to provide 170 MLD (million litres per day) drinking water for the estimated population of Haldwani and border areas till the year 2051. It will also provide water for irrigation for about 57,000 hectares of agricultural land in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

In March this year, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was informed in a meeting that a target has been set to complete the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project by March 2029. The estimated cost of this project is ₹3,638 crore, out of which ₹678 crore has been spent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

Home/Cities/Dehradun News/Cracks Detected In Houses In Jamrani Dam Project Area, DM Orders Investigation