Joshimath’s crisis is a stark reminder of how governments have screwed the environment so far that it has become irreversible.
Updated: Wed, 11/01/23 at 12:48pm
Joshimath’s crisis is a stark reminder of how governments have screwed the environment so far that it has become irreversible.
Hyderabad: In the temple town of Joshmat in Uttarakhand state, a spiritual gateway to holy places in the Himalayas, land subsidence that has caused large cracks in roads, houses and fields is the result of a man-made disaster. Unscrupulous construction activity and commercialization in geologically fragile areas has led to an environmental crisis. All development must be halted and a full environmental impact assessment must be undertaken immediately to prevent further damage. More than 4,000 people have been evacuated from the “sinking” town amid growing panic. In fact, scientists and geologists have been sounding the alarm for decades. Back in 1976, a panel chaired by Garhwal Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Mishra recommended that major construction works should not be undertaken in the city, as well as in the Niti and Mana valleys, as these areas lie on moraine – masses of rock transported and deposited by glaciers, sediment and soil. Joshimath, a strategic pit stop for pilgrims heading to Badrinath, Kedarnath and other temples, is located at the landslide site and cannot support high frequency of construction activity. This location is also important because the Army camp here is close to the Chinese border. Despite warnings from experts, the region has been witnessing haphazard construction activity, including hydropower projects and the widening of national highways for the ambitious Char Dham project. The entire region from Chamoli to Joshimath has faced disasters in the past. Floods in 2013 and 2021 caused major damage.
A glacial lake burst two years ago killed 204 people, mostly migrants working on hydropower projects. A study by the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) noted that perennial streams, upstream snow and highly weathered rocks with low viscosity make the area prone to landslides, several floods in recent years, and heavy and erratic rainfall . Citizens and experts have demanded assessments of rock strength, seismic micro-zoning of towns, re-planning of drainage systems and stormwater outfalls, and even shelving of an under-construction power project. Joshimath is also prone to sinking due to tectonic activity. This increases the urgency of taking remedial measures. In light of the current crisis, there is a need to map other mountain towns facing similar situations and revisit the need to create ecologically sensitive areas in Uttarakhand’s valleys. Joshimath’s crisis is a stark reminder of how successive governments have screwed the environment so far that it is now irreversible. Land subsidence in the area must be declared a national disaster and all development halted until experts and environmentalists report on the issue.
