Is Rajasthan's Pali following Joshimath? Many houses develop cracks

JODHPUR: Residents of about four localities of Pali city have been living under the constant threat of a Joshimath-like situation. Scores of houses in these localities have been developing major cracks for the past one month, forcing the residents to look for shelters elsewhere.
About 50 houses in Devji ka Bas, Shahji ka Chowk, Ghanchiyon ka Bas and Pinjaro ka Bas have developed cracks, many of them too wide to hold the walls for a long period.Six such critical houses have been identified by the administration, and notices have been issued to families living in them to vacate them as soon as possible.
Constant complaints by the harried residents to the administration and public representatives, and several reminders over the past month, had stayed unheard till the collapse of two balconies of one of these houses on Monday, in which an old woman was injured. Enraged residents sat on a dharna against the administration for not paying attention to the issue earlier. Sources said the problem started being noticed after sewerage lines were laid recently. It is being attributed to leakage in these lines and the sinking of soil around them. A three-member team constituted by the district administration has visited the spot to assess the magnitude of the problem and ascertain the cause behind the cracks in many houses.
Pali MLA Gyan Chand Parakh, who visited the affected houses in many localities, said the situation was worse than estimated and growing serious day by day.
"Over 100 houses have so far been reported affected by cracks, and it is spreading to more localities. The situation has suddenly started getting grim in the past one month after the sewerage line work in the areas," said Parakh, adding that many houses have been supported by wooden poles. On Wednesday, Parakh joined the demonstrating residents and submitted a memorandum to the district administration, demanding the razing of the affected houses by an expert team in order to avoid damage to adjacent houses. The memorandum also called for immediate measures to check such incidents and rehabilitation of families to be evacuated from the affected houses.
Some people attributed the phenomenon to loose soil underneath these localities. They said a similar problem had surfaced in some houses about 4-5 years back and that a survey had found that those houses had been built on loose soil taken out of the famous Lakhotia talab.
The district collector of Pali could not be contacted for a comment on the issue despite repeated attempts.