Taking serious cognisance of seepage in the Tambakhani tunnel in Varunawat mountain and damage caused, the Chief Secretary, Shatrughna Singh, has directed the Irrigation Secretary to ascertain the responsibility for the lapse. The official concerned has also been asked to explain as to why no arrangement was made for the exit of water seeping in to this 358 metre long tunnel. The chief secretary made these remarks while chairing the meeting of Varunawat task force at the Secretariat in Dehradun on Friday.
It was stated in the meeting that the treatment of Tambakhani will be undertaken afresh with the contour mapping of the area in question having been completed. The design for the treatment required is presently being prepared in the Geological Survey of India, informed the officials. Consultation is also being taken from the THDC in this regard. The treatment of this tunnel will be undertaken by the public works department. In the meantime, the alternate route has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), informed the officials. The disaster management secretary Amit Negi, additional secretary C Savishankar and other officials concerned were among those present in the meeting.
It is pertinent to mention here that following series of landslides and rock slides on Varunawat mountain in Uttarkashi during 2003, various efforts have been taken by the authorities for slope stabilization and other measures have also been taken to resolve the problem. However, despite a substantial amount being spent on treatment, works in the area have not yet achieved a satisfactory level, state observers.