MP minister says filling up of SSD causing tremors

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bala Bachchan on Thursday claimed that tremors were being felt in the submergence area with the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Gujarat filled up to 134 metres.

Officials said the tremors were mild, and may continue for the next two-three months.

While the SSD on the Narmada river is in Gujarat, its backwaters are spread in Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, tweeted about water level of the dam toucing the "histotic" 134-meter mark.

Bachchan claimed that tremors were being felt in a dozen villages including Bhamori, Sakad, Umariya, Mandil, Nawalpura, Haribarh and Bilwa in Barwani district.

 

"The people in villages of Barwani, Jhabua, Dhar, Alirajpur and Khargone districts are facing problems as SSD is filled up to 134 meters....tremors are being felt since August 9," he said, speaking to reporters at Bhamori.

"Cracks have appeared in walls of houses. Walls have collapsed in some places, while a temple has caved in in one village," he said.

"SSD's 134 meters of water has created lot of mayhem as tremors are being recorded in the villages of Narmada valley. So I visited these villages. We will send a report in this regard to the Centre," said Bachchan, who represents Barwani in the state assembly.

District Collector Amit Tomar said "mild tremors" of magnitude 1.7 were being recorded in the area.

"A team of geologists and seismologist from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) had visited the area. Their report said such mild tremors are being felt due to backwaters in the area and are likely to continue for the next two-three months," he said.

Another team of geologists and seismologists was going visit the area soon, he said. "One such tremor was felt today morning," he said to a question.

An official of the India Meteorological Department said tremors of 1.7 magnitude are "insignificant", and even a "fast train" can cause vibrations of such intensity.

As per SSD officials, the water level in the reservoir has reached 134 metres for the first time after the dam's height was increased to 138 metres in 2017.