Residents Evacuate From ‘Sinking Joshimath’ Amid House Cracks

Residents of Joshimath are battling from ominous cracks and crevices in their homes, roads and agriculture fields were caught in the grip of fear. Alarming condition of the city has evacuated several families to safer location. There are cracks in about 561 houses, water is leaking from the ground here and there. Amid the dangerous situation prevailing in the region, residents are frightened. Locals protested against the heavy landslide happening in Joshimath town and blocked the Badrinath Highway on Thursday.

Evacuation In Joshimath

Almost 34 families living in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath were shifted to a community hall and a primary school after their homes developed deep cracks, leaving them in a panicked state.

According to the DM, over 570 houses have developed cracks in the picturesque town, located around 50 km from the revered Badrinath temple. Among the 570 homes, 100 are not in a state to be used at all.

Additional DM Abhishek Tripathi said 28 families were moved to temporary rehabilitation centers. It is created by the district administration in community halls. While six families were evacuated from their damaged houses on Tuesday.

“We have made arrangements to evacuate 500 people. Evaluation of all the houses in the area is being done,” Mr. Tripathi told the media.

“Cracks were being seen in Joshimath for several years. Their intensity had increased in the past one month”, claimed locals. In the last 72 hours, even electricity poles have started leaning due to the alleged construction work of some power plants. Some say landslides have resulted in the cracks in homes.

Protest As ‘Town Is Sinking’

A massive protest in Joshimath was held as hundreds of people took out a “mashaal juloos” (torchlight protest). Market will be shut ahead of the protest.

Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS), convener Atul Sati claimed that the revered town is sinking. “These cracks are scary and are getting deeper with each passing day. Two days ago, we saw two new water bodies forming from the cracked patches. This needs immediate attention,” he added.

“We have been writing to the government about this grave situation for over a year now. But no one paid heed to it. The entire credit for the present situation goes to the reckless construction and blasting work being done by the authorities of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for Tapovan-Vishnugad 520 MW hydropower project,” Mr. Sati said.

Also Read: Haldwani Protest: Supreme Court Stays the High Court’s Order To Remove Encroachments

Municipal Cooperation On Joshimath Condition

Municipal Corporation president Shailendra Pawar maintained that the number of landslides had increased phenomenally in the area and nine wards were badly impacted. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the administration to send a report on the situation. as the residents claim rapid development has forced the town to “sink”.

“The government is taking the matter seriously. We have sent teams of scientists to review the situation.  The administration is also compiling the report of houses that got damaged. Once we get the report, we will take a call on either shifting or rehabilitating the affected families,” Mr. Dhami said.

-Bharat Express