WHY IS
JOSHIMATH
SINKING?
by Amrutha Pagad
Joshimath, a scenic town located at the height of 6150 feet in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, is sinking.
Joshimath is a gateway to important Hindu pilgrimage sites like Badrinath (one of the four char dhams) and Hemkund Sahib.
But in the past week, several families from Joshimath had to be evacuated as cracks developed on multiple houses.
So far, cracks have been observed on 603 buildings and 68 families have been relocated..
The sinking is the result of land 'subsidence', where the earth's surface gradually sinks with a displacement of subsurface materials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a high-level meeting on Joshimath subsidence on January 9.
Meanwhile, houses have been marked unsage with a red cross in Joshimath.
The cracks are not new. They even appeared in 2021. Warnings were issued about the sensitivity of the area nearly 50 years ago.
The 1976 Mishra Committee report had warned against any heavy construction actvity in the region.
But over the decades, several 'developmental' projects were undertaken, from making a tunnel to widening the road.
The Uttarakhand government has now halted all construction activities.
But the fate of Joshimath residents hangs by a balance.