Experts flag constructions in fragile fault line

Disaster In Waiting

- NARENDRA SETHI @ Dehradun

As Uttarakhand reels from recurring natural calamities, geologists have sounded a strong warning against large-scale construction along the Main Central Thrust (MCT)—a fragile Himalayan fault line identified as a key driver of disasters.

The caution comes as the Centre prepares to send a high-level team to assess the damage caused by heavy rainfall and landslides. Experts say the MCT, a 5 to 10 kilometer wide zone stretching across regions such as Uttarkashi, is geologically unstable. "Large construction in the MCT zone should be avoided, and ideally prohibited, as the region is inherently brittle," said a senior geologist.