Ditch in Uttarakhand village due to torrential rains; over 50 families evacuated

Meanwhile, a zila panchayat representative from the area said all families of Dhapa village should be shifted out permanently and relocated. "The village is witnessing continuous landslides from the hills since July 16. We have requested the state government to shift the village to a safer place permanently," Member of Pithoragarh Zila Panchayat Jagat Singh Martolia said..

Fifty-three families of Dhapa village, around 30 km north of Munsiyari town in this district of Uttarakhand, were evacuated to safety after a huge ditch started to develop in the middle of the village, following torrential rains over the past few days. "The families have been shifted as a precautionary measure to nearby safe locations like Anganwadi centers, primary schools, and government buildings, where they are being taken care of by the district supply officer and revenue officials," Pithoragarh District Magistrate V K Jogdande said. With heavy fatalities caused by a cloudburst recently in Gaila Pattharkot and Tanga villages of the district, the administration is leaving nothing to chance.

Scared villagers began to leave the village even before the district administration swung into action, fearing imminent landslides and a gradual widening of the ditch. Meanwhile, a Zila panchayat representative from the area said all families of Dhapa village should be shifted out permanently and relocated.

"The village is witnessing continuous landslides from the hills since July 16. We have requested the state government to shift the village to a safer place permanently," Member of Pithoragarh Zila Panchayat Jagat Singh Martolia said.