A government-appointed committee's report had predicted as far back as in 1976 the current crisis that is gripping the residents of the town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, which is sinking — a phenomenon referred to as land subsidence.
According to the 1976 Mishra Committee report, Joshimath lies on a deposit of sand and stone, it's not on the main rock. It lies on an ancient landslide. The report added that undercutting by river currents of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga are also playing their part in bringing landslides.
"These rivers washes away debris and thus, start cutting the edges of mountains and inhabitated area," the report stated.
The committee had recommended that restrictions be placed on heavy construction work, blasting or digging to remove boulders for road repairs and other construction, felling of trees. Further, the committees recommendations included that a massive campaign to plant trees and grass be undertaken, agriculture on slopes be avoided, construction of a pucca drain system soaking pits be closed and sewage water flow through sewere line. Further, to avoid, percolation, water shouldn't be allowed to accumulate and drains should be constructed to carry it to safer area and all cracks should be filled in with lime, local soil and sand, the committee had recommended.
Joshimath falls on the way to Badrinath, Auli, and trek routes such as the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. The town has been facing land subsidence, resulting in cracks in over 500 homes and other structures, making it risky for residents to live there.
Uttarakhand chief minister chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday instructed that the danger zone be vacated immediately and a disaster control room be activated on priority. He also gave instructions to set up a temporary rehabilitation centre in the safe part of town. He also said that there should be a sector and zonal-wise plan for Joshimath.
According to the Mishra panel report, "it's commonly felt that increased construction activity and growing population have contributed to frequent landslides and slips in the area".
It goes on to add that heavy construction projects were undertaken in this area after 1962, Indiscriminate falling of trees also took place in the area to make space available for roads and buildings. Natural forest cover in Joshimath is mercilessly destroyed by a number of agencies.
The Chamoli administration on Thursday banned all construction activities in and around Joshimath. The NTPC's Tapovan hydropower project as well as the Marwadi-Helang bypass motor road are shut, till further orders.
However, the state-owned NTPC told CNBC-TV18 that its Tapovan hydropower project is not responsible for land subsidence in Joshimath. It also said that its tunnel does not pass through Joshimath at all. The NTPC said that it is using a tunnel boring machine to construct the tunnel and not carrying out any blasting activities that could have caused the land subsidence.
The 1976 report further added that blasting has been resorted to at a mass scale by DGBR, PWD, ITBP and other agencies in the area for roads and building construction purposes
"Construction activity has not only disturbed the biotic factors but also the natural hill slopes due to removal of established surface cover," the report further stated.
News of the homes and other structures in the town developing cracks was first reported in 2021. The residents have been using wooden poles to keep their homes from falling apart. In 2022, seismic tremors were often experienced.
Joshimath also falls in a high-risk seismic 'Zone V'. Civic officials have said the town is prone to high seismic activity, which develops cracks in the structures.
First Published: Jan 8, 2023 10:11 AM IST
