Land sinking continues in Ramban area; 60 families shifted to safer places

Ramban, Apr 26: Land sinking and subsidence continued in the Parnote area as 60 families were shifted to safer places by the administration on Friday.

The road connectivity between Sangaldan and Gool on the Ramban-Gool road also remained snapped for the second day due to land sinking and the subsidence of a road stretch passing through the area.

Officials said that due to the land sinking, around 60 families were shifted to safer places by the rescue teams of the Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local volunteers as four to five dozen houses suffered partial to full damages.

A 33KV power receiving station, and four 400-kv HT tower were also damaged due to the sinking of land.

Following the subsidence and sinking of land around a 3.5 km stretch in Kakrala Morh, Parnote, 5 km from Ramban on the Ramban-Gool road, at least 60 being shifted to safer places by the district administration Ramban on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ramban, Basheer-ul-Haq Choudhary along with district officers visited areas witnessing land sinking and subsidence.

The land sinking and subsidence has damaged 60 residential houses in Panchayat Parnote, A, since Thursday.

The houses are fully or partially damaged following which the authorities shifted them to safer places in the area.

Choudhary interacted with the affected families whose houses were damaged due to the sinking of land. Interacting with them, he assured them of every possible help from the district administration.

Choudhary directed the Tehsildar to process relief cases of the damaged houses on a war footing under the SDRF to assist victims in the shortest possible time.

He said that of the 50 houses at risk, about 30 had been damaged and affected families had been shifted to safer places besides providing tents, blankets, utensils, and other essential items.

Choudhary said experts from the Geological Survey of India would be called to visit Pernote to ascertain the reasons behind the sinking of land.

He said that restoration of essential services and road connectivity was the priority of the district administration besides ensuring immediate temporary provision of accommodation and ration for affected families.

Responding swiftly to the road blockage on the Ramban-Gool route at Pernote, the district administration has opened the Sumber-Digdole link road for light vehicles.

This initiative ensures continued road connectivity and essential and emergency services for Sub Division, Gool, with the National Highway.

Choudhary said that the district administration was vigilant with a dedicated team stationed at the site to monitor the situation closely.

Meanwhile, two persons sustained critical injuries at Parnote when they came under a high-tension cable of a transmission tower in Parnote.

They were rushed to District Hospital Ramban from where both were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H), Jammu.

The two were identified as Muhammad Hanief Sheikh and Chet Singh, son of Parshi Ram, both residents of Sharore and Parnote.

The NDRF team also reached the area to assist the Police, SDRF, and local volunteers.