You went to Joshimath to get a first-hand appraisal of the situation.

 

Dr Ravi Chopra, who heads the People's Institute in Dehradun, recently travelled to Joshimath to get a first-hand impression of the tragedy that has engulfed the town.

"Eight or nine scientific institutions including ISRO, the National Remote Sensing Centre and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology are working towards determining the cause of this tragedy. When identified, appropriate measures will be taken to ameliorate the situation," Dr Chopra tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Rashme Sehga.

IMAGE: A scientist from the G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Climate Change during a survey of the affected area in Sunil village in Joshimath. Photograph: ANI Photo

You went to Joshimath to get a first-hand appraisal of the situation.

There is a lot of anger against the NTPC and that is reflected in the anti-NTPC posters put up across the town asking NTPC to go back.

I visited the Dalit colony there. They were visibly angry. They had highlighted this problem way back in February 2021. but to little avail.

Red crosses had been put outside their homes. When I asked them what they signified. They said they did not know.

I felt officials were talking only to officials, not to the common people living there.