19 families shifted after houses develop cracks in Doda (Ld)

Jammu, Feb 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Nineteen families have been moved to safer places after their houses developed cracks at Nai Basti village in J&K's Doda district, officials said on Friday.

The officials said that several houses at Nai Basti village in the Thathri area of Doda district started developing cracks due to a land sink. The situation was accentuated by a landslide triggered by recent rains.

"Nineteen families have been moved to safer places so far. The land sink happened due to loosened rocks," said Abdul Qayoom, SSP, Doda.

Qayoom said a team of geologists and engineers have inspected the spot.

"A proper assessment has been made," he said.

Qayoom said that according to experts who studied the rocks at the site, the land there could not bear the load of the buildings.

"There are both new and old structures constructed in the area," he said.

Abdul Farooq, who is among those whose house has developed cracks, appealed to the administration to shift the affected people to a safer p.lace

"Some houses have been totally damaged due to the landslide. A mosque has also come under its impact," Farooq said.

The officials, however, refused to draw a comparison between Doda with the sinking town of Joshimath in Utrakhand that posed a major challenge and forced a large number of people to move after their houses developed cracks.

"The two cannot be compared. It is a very localised affair in Doda," Qayoom said.

"A geology and mining team from Jammu is arriving to give inputs as to how the situation can be stopped from aggravating," Sub-Divisional Magistrate Athar Amin Zargar told reporters.

Source: IANS