Sinking town: Probe NTPC project, say experts as subsidence creates panic in Joshimath

Sinking town: Probe NTPC project, say experts as subsidence creates panic in Joshimath

Subject: Geography

Context:

• The extent to which the National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) Tapovan-Vishnugad hydropower project and Helang bypass are responsible for over 500 houses in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath town developing cracks must be investigated.

More in the news:

• Administration have asked the NTPC to prepare 2,000 prefabricated buildings to shift people whose houses have developed cracks.
• Earlier, the administration had closed the Joshimath to Auli ropeway, Asia’s largest.
• Tapovan is 15 km away from Joshimath. The tunnel ends at Selang, about 5 km from Joshimath.

Seismic zones of India:

• As per the seismic zoning map of the country, the total area is classified into four seismic zones.
• Zone V is seismically the most active region, while zone II is the least.
• Approximately, ~ 11% area of the country falls in zone V, ~18% in zone IV, ~ 30% in zone III and remaining in zone II.

Hydropower projects in India:

• Hydroelectricity means electricity generated by hydropower or from the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water.
• One of the most common forms of power generation since this form of energy neither produces any direct waste matter nor is subjected to exhaustion.
• The potential for hydro-electric potential in terms of installed capacity in India is estimated to be about 148,700 MW out of which a capacity of 42,783 MW (28.77%) has been developed so far and 13,616 MW (9.2 %) of capacity is under construction.

Below is a list of the Major Hydro Power Plants in India