Wrong to link Joshimath’s situation with NTPC tunnel: Tapovan project chief

“It is wrong to link the situation in Joshimath with NTPC Tunnel Since it is being made with the help of tunnel boring machine. Out of 12 km long tunnel, 8.5 km is being done by tunnel boring and the rest will be done by blasting. The head of the Tapovan project, Rajendra Prasad Ahirwar said, the tunnel does not pass through Joshimath.

Recently, Hindustan Times reported that the Center has ruled out a link between the Joshimath submergence crisis and NTPC’s 520 MW Tapovan Vishnugarh hydroelectric project. The power ministry said the NTPC tunnel does not pass under the city, attributing the ‘sinking’ to natural causes and increased construction activities.

However, a section of local people, activists, geologists and environmental experts believe that NTPC’s tunnel is responsible for the condition of Joshimath.

Many Joshimath Residents and activists have been calling on the National Thermal Power Corporation to cease its activities in the area, alleging that one of its projects contributed to the subsidence in the area.

From several small and big shops in main markets to residential properties, vehicles and billboards, posters bearing the slogan “NTPC Go Back” have come up all around the town in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district over the past few days.

Locals allege that digging of a 12-km-long tunnel for the 520 MW Tapovan Vishnugarh hydroelectric project deepened the subsidence in the area.

Suraj Kapruwan, a hotel management graduate and local businessman, said, “We have always felt that NTPC, which is operating here, is largely responsible for the damage. They are building a tunnel, their machine is stuck.”

The Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS) on Monday demanded scrapping of the 520 MW Tapovan-Vishnugarh project developed by NTPC.

Activist Atul Sati believes that there could be many reasons for making the area fragile, adding that the current subsidence in Joshimath can be attributed to the blasting done for the project.

JBSS president Sati said, “The main reason behind this situation where the existence of Joshimath is in question is the Tapovan Vishnugarh project and the NTPC company behind this project.”

He said, “The L&T company was initially constructing the tunnel for NTPC, but had to leave because they were not satisfied with the way the corporation was working. The central government should take the matter into its own hands and stop the Joshimath collapse.” should be declared a national calamity.”

Experts are also of the opinion that the power project is a cause for concern.

According to a 2010 paper compiled by geologists MPS Bisht and Piyush Rautela, titled ‘Disaster looms over Joshimath’, the Tapovan Vishnugarh hydroelectric project is a major concern and its tunneling “through a geologically fragile area below Joshimath”. Is.

“There are previous reports that tunnels belonging to the Tapovan Vishnugad project pierced a large aquifer (underground water storage) in 2009, which led to the discharge of 60-70 million liters of water per day,” said Kusala Rajendran, seismologist and professor Center for Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.