Slipping Through The Cracks
- connect2783
- Mar 3, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 5
A small town on shaky ground—Joshimath is sinking, and its residents are caught in a nightmare. Despite early warnings dating back decades, cracks now split homes apart, forcing evacuations and sparking protests. Locals blame unchecked construction, ignored reports, and the burden of rapid urbanisation. As authorities scramble to respond, the question looms: can Joshimath be saved, or is it too late to turn the tide?
Joshimath residents are facing displacement as the town has been declared ‘unsuitable for living’ after cracks appeared in buildings, which has led to the evacuation of the town’s citizens.
Joshimath is sinking!
The small town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, also known as Jyotirmath, is in grave danger after huge cracks were observed in houses.
Cracks have been reported in over 670 homes among the 4,500 buildings in the region. About 600 families have been evacuated from the area, and disaster response teams have been deployed.
Why is it sinking?
The settlement is located in the middle of a hillslope, being built on the debris of a landslide which was triggered by an earthquake over a century ago. Its sinking could be triggered by various reasons, including the movement of the earth’s plates and human activity.
Sinking since when?
Government studies warned that Joshimath was sinking as early as 1976 and recommended banning heavy construction work in the area.
In the report, it was noted that landslides were caused by inadequate drainage facilities. In spite of this warning, no attention was given and the town continued to attract tourists, hotels, and lodging houses given its proximity to Badrinath.
Warnings were given
A 2006 report titled ‘Joshimath Localised Subsidence and Active Erosion of the AT Nala’ had reported that few parts of the town were sliding by 1 cm every year. The report mentioned that underground seepages, erosion by the nalas and human activities made the area vulnerable.
Citizens requested for proper surveys
Back in 2021, the local residents had requested an independent committee to conduct a survey in the area after their appeals to the state government went unanswered. A multi-institutional survey was requested by the Supreme Court, which concluded that Joshimath was built on an unstable foundation in a high-risk seismic ‘Zone - V’, which can give way to landslides in case of heavy rain and tremors.
Woes Dismissed!
A week before the disaster, the citizens in the region had started noticing the expanding cracks in their houses. However, their woes were dismissed by the administration, telling them that their fears were unfounded and they should not worry about the same.
Citizens stage protests
Citizens staged a protest in the area against administrators on their decision to demolish unstable buildings. A total of 678 buildings have been identified for demolition. The locals have also raised protest banners against NTPC demanding their withdrawal from the state. The NTPC has halted all activity in the area till further orders.
Pleas for action
“This is my maternal home. I got married at the age of 19. My mother is 80 years old, and I have an elder brother. We built this home by working hard and making an earning. We lived here for 60 years, but it is all ending now.”
While local environmental activist Atul Satti demanded
“instant action from the government that must include immediate stalling of the NTPC project, closure of the Chardham all-weather road, implementation of the NTPC pact that insures houses, setting up a committee for rehabilitation of Joshimath within a set time frame, and providing immediate help to all the affected people.”
Current response
Anoop Nautiyal, a Dehradun-based activist, reported that over a week’s time the administration has managed to evacuate only 68 families. This covers only 6% of the total population under the rehabilitation space.
An out-of-turn PIL was presented in front of the Supreme Court. The SC refused to hold a hearing and deferred it to 16th January, 2023.
What lies ahead?
While a team of experts has been dispatched to Joshimath to inspect the situation, experts are demanding a more comprehensive study investigation to take place.
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