Experts begin preliminary assessment of earth crack
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, June 15 2017:
Out of the three hazardously formed water bodies due to the earth fissure at Kalikhola in Kangpokpi district, two breached yesterday following the torrential rainfall bringing down land and soil to J Songtun river which ultimately caused the flood like situation at Kalapahar yesterday.
Water from the two praters flowed down to J Songtun river and swept away large stretches of the river bank in Makuli village side.
The swept away stretch of the river bank is expected to slide down further and affect more paddy fields.
The flood like situation yesterday also led to 11 families abandoning their houses at Kalapahar.
They have taken shelter at the temporary relief camp at Kalapahar Govt.High School.
Meanwhile, a team of experts from NDMA, GSI, CRRI, CWC, BRO and IMD today visited Kalikhola and Makuli village and conducted preliminary assessment at the earth crack site.
The team comprising of Vivek Tripathi, Director, CMDD (ERNE), CWC, Delhi; Dr Pankaj Gupta, Principal Scientist, CRRI, Delhi; Dr Ravindra Singh, Consultant (Landslide and Avalanche), NDMA; Dr K Jayabalan, Dy Director General, Mission-IVA, CHQ and Sh Niroj K Sarkar, Director (Monitoring V), PSS Division, CHQ and was led by Dr CD Singh, Superintending Geologist, GSI, NER.
The team walked around the sunk stretch of Kalikhola and conducted preliminary assessment the whole day including assessment at Makuli in the afternoon.
Speaking to media persons, the team leader Dr CD Singh, said that the local people should not allow water stagnation in the higher reaches.
Sh Niroj K Sarkar said that a report will be submitted to the authority concerned and the authority will act accordingly while expressing hope that the exact reason may be ascertained in the assessment.
However Sarkar added that the preliminary assessment may recommend further studies which could possibly be taken by various agencies in-cluding Geological Survey of India.
The team also said that the earth fissure is beyond then- expectation.