The Center rejected allegations by environmentalists and geologists that tunneling associated with National Thermal Power Corporation’s 520 MW Tapovan Vishnugad hydroelectric project in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath town may have triggered land subsidence in the region.
In a letter to be sent to the Uttarakhand government, the Union Power Ministry said the NTPC tunnel does not pass under the city and that subsurface seepage erosion is occurring due to natural drainage, occasional heavy rainfall, periodic seismic activities and increased construction activities. be the main causes of the decline.
senior official in the power ministry on condition of anonymity said “The letter has not been sent yet. It is right that we have written a letter, but we are sharing it with the home ministry first and then we will share it with the Uttarakhand government”.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the tunnel is horizontally about 1.1 km from the outer boundary of Joshimath city and vertically about 1.1 km below ground level. The construction of the tunnel along this section was carried out using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), which does not cause any disturbance to the surrounding rock mass, the company said.
The letter said “Land subsidence in Joshimath is a very old problem… the construction of a tunnel in a rock mass at a depth of around 1 km has no impact on the surface, including flora and fauna. There are no signs of subsidence on the surface around the tunnel route”.
Local residents alleged that the NTPC project is the key reason for land subsidence in Joshimath due to its “continuous digging and underground blasting to excavate the tunnel”.
A senior environment ministry official confirmed the power ministry’s claim and said, “The (Joshimath) crisis has nothing to do with the NTPC hydro project.
Mallika Bhanot, a member of the Ganga Ahvaan says “We have absolutely no doubt that the NTPC tunneling has suddenly aggravated the landslide… The restoration work in the tunnel started after the Rishiganga flood… This (crisis) is definitely related to the restoration work”.
