We want to conduct geophysical survey of Joshimath: Disaster Management department

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 15 : The Disaster Management department is aiming towards conducting the geophysical survey at 10 spots throughout the Joshimath to get better survey results.
"The drainage department has opened tender for drainage plan, and we will take note of where the work has reached," Ranjit Kumar Sinha, Secretary of Disaster Management said while addressing a press conference on Saturday.
"In the cabinet, it was decided that we will work towards the Toe Erosion. We were directed to get a timeline from the officials, and then start work towards shifting the people," he added.
He said four companies have bid for the drainage contract, and the company with the required technical capabilities will be shortlisted.
"Cracks do occur on the houses in hill areas. But, if huge cracks are coming up, then proper action must be taken. We have also directed the same to the authorities," he said.
Geologist Dr Sarkar also addressed the press conference and said that they want to carry out the geophysical survey in the whole of Joshimath.
"The geophysical survey has already started. The collected data will then go for interpretation. It will take some time, as soils have to dig and then sent to laboratories. We want this survey to take place at 10 spots in the whole of Joshimath so that we get better results," he added.
Joshimath, also known as Jyotirmath, is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in Uttarakhand. Located at the height of 6150 feet (1875 m), it is a gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails, and pilgrim centres like Badrinath.
Life in the hill town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand has been disrupted in the last few days as residents took to the streets to demand action for the cracks that have developed in their houses.
Earlier on Saturday, sources informed that several houses at Singhdhar in the Joshimath town of Uttarakhand collapsed in the midnight hours of January 2 and 3. However, no lives were lost in these incidents.
In view of the land subsidence incident in Joshimath, the state Cabinet on Friday approved an amount of Rs 45 crore as relief for the affected families.
The Cabinet also cleared a proposal to waive the electricity bill of all those affected for six months starting from November 2022, besides approving a proposal for providing employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to two members of each of the affected families.