Tremor-hit Palghar villagers may shift out

MUMBAI: “It has become difficult to stay inside and even outside one’s house. The only option for us is to leave our village. The government should relocate us to a safer location,” said Vasant Khom, a resident of one of the 10 villages around Dhundalwadi and Talasari areas of Palghar district that have been affected by at least 30 mysterious earthquake-like tremors since last November.
Khom’s wish was realized as on Thursday as the state government announced temporary arrangements for villagers to camp at night in case they are afraid of sleeping at home. Since late December, more than 2,000 villagers of Dhundalwadi have begun living outside their homes, even during the day.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to understand the exact nature these tremors and to undertake preventive measures in future, the state government has invited experts from the Hyderabad-based National Geophysics Research Institute (NGRI). They will study the affected region and suggest whether these tremors are earthquakes or caused by any other form of seismic activity.
“We have asked them to study the area which has recorded these tremors. They should arrive in a week or so,” said Daulat Desai, director, disaster management cell.
The government has also decided to form an expert committee under IIT-Bombay professor Ravi Sinha to suggest solutions to construct anti-earthquake homes in the region.
“Construction is on in full swing in that area, so we want expert suggestions on how these buildings can be made earthquake-proof,” said a senior official.
Chandrakant Patil, relief and rehabilitation minister, said the government was closely monitoring the situation and two sensors have already been installed in the region to record every tremor, however minor.
Villagers in Dhundalwadi, an affected village, said they felt the first tremors on November 3 last year measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale. Thereafter, tremors were recorded on November 11 and 24, December 4, 7 and 10, January 20 and 24. A few houses developed cracks. An earthquake that measures 3 to 3.9 on the Richter Scale is considered minor and harmless. Only after it exceeds 5 on the scale—moderate category—does it cause slight damage.
Officials said tremors are being experienced in an area stretching 20-25 square km. Officials further said a similar phenomenon, on a smaller scale, was experienced in Jawahar area of Thane district, which is 70km from Dahanu, last year. “The epicentre of some of the initial tremors was Dhundalwadi, which is now fast shifting towards Talaseri area. Officials from the meteorological centre too have been stationed in Dahanu,” said a senior government official.
Brian Lobo, a Dahanu-based activist, said, “The tremors are of a low intensity. But frequent tremors have created a fear of the worst among the villagers. The temors are being felt since late last year in Dahanu. The villagers are not used to these, unlike Jawahar taluka, which had experienced such tremors last year.”