Govt to relocate families from Uttarkashi after Varunaavat landslide

Due to the continuous landslides from Varunaavat mountain in the middle of Uttarkashi city of Uttarakhand, the district administration has proposed a plan to displace the families living in the buffer zone, it has been said to be necessary for long-term security measures.

Visuals from the area have shown the sensitivity of the region due to the landslide.

Uttarkashi DM Dr Meharban Singh Bisht says, "There was a landslide here in 2003, after which comprehensive treatments were done. Now, after 2003, the landslide has occurred on a different point and it has created a little damage to the area. Due to continues rainfall in Uttarkashi, the rocks and debris that occurred from the landslide come down along with rainwater.

Some people stay nearby so what we have taken as a precautionary measure to shift them, till the monsoon season gets over. We have made arrangements for those families to stay."

He further said, "As soon as the landslide occurred at a point in Varunaavat, we made a technical team at the district level which surveyed about the region. We sent the reports to the administration, after which we asked for an advanced technical team. They have sent a team which includes experts and senior officials from various departments.

They will monitor the situation. We hope that some reasonable measures will be taken after that."

In the year 2003, when a massive landslide occurred from Varunaavat mountain, about 70 thousand cubic meters of debris spread in the city. After that, for the treatment of the landslide area, the area from Tambakhani to Gofiara in its depth was declared a buffer zone, declaring it sensitive.

At that time, any kind of construction was banned in this zone, but due to lack of monitoring, construction work continued here, due to which multi-storey constructions came up here. Now after the landslide again from Varunaavat mountain, the district administration has proposed a plan for displacement of families.