TBM Staff - Mumbai The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) will undertake a study to assess the load-bearing capacity of major towns in the state. Fifteen town areas, including popular holiday destinations of Mussoorie, Nainital and Lansdowne, have been identified for study in the project’s first phase, officials said, signalling a policy shift demanded by both environmentalists and activists.
A technical and scientific study of the towns would commence after the monsoon. Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, said, “We need to take the issue seriously. The scientific and technical study would be done by experts and on the basis of their recommendations, construction works would be approved in the towns, especially in the hill areas.”
Officials said the agencies would study the load-bearing capacity of a town, number of tourists arriving each year and the right number of visitors the town can accommodate annually.
