NEW DELHI, April 5 (Reuters) – Landslides within the Indian Himalayas round hydro energy tasks have been induced primarily by topography, geological situations and rainfall, the ability ministry mentioned on Wednesday, citing a research that dominated out development as an element.

The government-run Indian Institute of Remote Sensing research of 9 websites of state hydropower board NHPC Ltd (NHPC.NS) in Himalayan states confirmed “landslide activities around hydropower projects are not related to the construction activity of the project,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement.

Several avalanches within the area killed no less than 120 folks during the last two years. In January, almost 200 people were evacuated from the small city of Joshimath in Uttarakhand state as lots of of buildings developed cracks after an obvious sinking of land.

Experts and city residents have lengthy warned that large-scale development might trigger land subsidence, together with work for energy tasks by firms equivalent to NTPC Ltd (NTPC.NS), which has denied accountability.

In the worst case, one avalanche triggered flash floods in Uttarakhand that killed no less than 80 in February 2021 in line with media reports.

Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Richard Chang

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