Uttarakhand: Selang village goes Joshimath means, say locals 

By PTI

SELANG: Selang, a village round 5 km from subsidence-hit Joshimath, is more likely to meet the same destiny as cracks and fissures have been showing in fields and a number of other homes for the previous few months.

Located on Badrinath National Highway (NH-58), residents of Selang mentioned they’re scared and the Joshimath disaster has solely deepened their fears.

The villagers maintain the development of NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel mission chargeable for their plight. Tunnels of the mission are constructed beneath the village.

A resort located alongside the NH close to the mouth of certainly one of these tunnels collapsed in July 2021 and petrol pump close by was additionally partially broken, Selang resident Vijendra Lal instructed PTI.

The homes situated close to the collapsed resort are additionally in danger, he mentioned.

“Nine NTPC tunnels are built underneath the village. A lot of explosives were used to construct the tunnels which has damaged the foundation of the village,” Lal claimed.

ALSO READ| Joshimath redux: Alarm bells in HP villages situated close to infra tasks

“A water discharge system is also being built 100 metres down the main settlement area in the village. A few metres from it towards the village cracks have begun to appear,” he mentioned, including that round 15 homes have “developed cracks”.

Selang village’s van panchayat sarpanch Shishupal Singh Bhandari mentioned the lifetime of residents has change into depressing because of the NTPC mission.

“Many applications were sent, but no action was taken,” Bhandari mentioned “The damage started about one decade ago when NTPC began digging its tunnels in the area. When people protested, NTPC got insurance of the houses done through a private company. But now when houses are developing cracks, it is running away from compensating the house owners,” he mentioned. Bhandari mentioned some individuals of the village who work within the NTPC mission preserve telling in regards to the blasting work performed continuously contained in the tunnels.

“If it goes on, the situation in the village will worsen,” he mentioned.

“The situation in Selang is not as bad as that in Joshimath, but if corrective action is not taken soon it may meet the same fate,” Mahila Mangal Dal president of the village Bhawani Devi mentioned.

SELANG: Selang, a village round 5 km from subsidence-hit Joshimath, is more likely to meet the same destiny as cracks and fissures have been showing in fields and a number of other homes for the previous few months.

Located on Badrinath National Highway (NH-58), residents of Selang mentioned they’re scared and the Joshimath disaster has solely deepened their fears.

The villagers maintain the development of NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel mission chargeable for their plight. Tunnels of the mission are constructed beneath the village.

A resort located alongside the NH close to the mouth of certainly one of these tunnels collapsed in July 2021 and petrol pump close by was additionally partially broken, Selang resident Vijendra Lal instructed PTI.

The homes situated close to the collapsed resort are additionally in danger, he mentioned.

“Nine NTPC tunnels are built underneath the village. A lot of explosives were used to construct the tunnels which has damaged the foundation of the village,” Lal claimed.

ALSO READ| Joshimath redux: Alarm bells in HP villages situated close to infra tasks

“A water discharge system is also being built 100 metres down the main settlement area in the village. A few metres from it towards the village cracks have begun to appear,” he mentioned, including that round 15 homes have “developed cracks”.

Selang village’s van panchayat sarpanch Shishupal Singh Bhandari mentioned the lifetime of residents has change into depressing because of the NTPC mission.

“Many applications were sent, but no action was taken,” Bhandari mentioned “The damage started about one decade ago when NTPC began digging its tunnels in the area. When people protested, NTPC got insurance of the houses done through a private company. But now when houses are developing cracks, it is running away from compensating the house owners,” he mentioned. Bhandari mentioned some individuals of the village who work within the NTPC mission preserve telling in regards to the blasting work performed continuously contained in the tunnels.

“If it goes on, the situation in the village will worsen,” he mentioned.

“The situation in Selang is not as bad as that in Joshimath, but if corrective action is not taken soon it may meet the same fate,” Mahila Mangal Dal president of the village Bhawani Devi mentioned.