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Land subsidence: CBRI conducts fresh inspection of Joshimath
According to CBRI’s door-to-door condition assessment of 2,364 buildings from January 14 to January 27, 2023, of the 2364 buildings, 2,152 are residential
Roorkee-based central government agency Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) is conducting a fresh inspection of Joshimath to ascertain if there was any further aggravation in geological situation and implementation of recovery and reconstruction plan, a senior official said.
Dr Ajay Chourasia, chief scientist at CBRI, said, “After the Post-Disaster Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) last year, the government has sanctioned funds for Joshimath (for rehabilitation and recovery plan). It is high time to implement them. Our team is visiting the town to check if there is any further aggravation in geological instability and if any structures/buildings are left out of the high-risk category (to be rehabilitated). Zonation of land has also been done.
“For instance, if there is a safe or comparatively less damaged structure in a high-risk zone, that will also be removed. We can’t take a chance. We aim to reduce overloading on the substrata, which is the main culprit of the problem”, he added.
Also Read: Joshimath cracks likely due to constructions in spring zone, says report
A 15-member NDMA team along with experts from different agencies conducted Post-Disaster Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) in April last year. PDNA is an internationally accepted methodology for determining the physical damages, economic losses, and costs of meeting recovery needs after a natural disaster through a government-led process.
Meanwhile, disaster secretary Ranjit Sinha is likely to hold a meeting with the public on Saturday to inform them about the government’s approach for recovery and rehabilitation, people aware of developments said.
“It will be an attempt for confidence building in the community,” the official said.
A comment from the Chamoli district magistrate (DM) Himanshu Khurana on the matter is awaited and the copy will be updated whenever we receive the same.
According to CBRI’s door-to-door condition assessment of 2,364 buildings from January 14 to January 27, 2023, of the 2364 buildings, 2,152 are residential.
All the existing buildings were categorised under four heads — Black- partly collapsed (27 buildings), Red- severely damaged-unfit for living (445 buildings), Yellow- to be assessed further-needs major and medium level of retrofitting and Green- buildings without any damage-safe for living (931 buildings).
Of 931 structures in yellow category, 651 houses need major retrofitting interventions which would require 70% of current replacement cost per building and 280 houses need retrofitting which would require 30% of the current replacement cost per building. 749 houses have reported no damage.
The reports of nine Central government agencies and institutions released last September have shown how geological instability coupled with the rampant constructions (over 4,300 buildings) and higher traffic-induced vibrations contributed to the development of cracks and ground fissures in Joshimath which is located on ancient landslide material in Chamoli district.
