“The world’s most terrible disasters were not caused by nature. It was man made”
-Vivek Chandran
Imagine you're sitting in your living room and celebrating New Year with your family and relatives and suddenly you hear a loud noise. Normally you would think that it is of a utensil falling down, or worse, a war like situation or some socio political crisis. But this is nothing of this sort. Instead you see cracks in your walls. Prakesh Bhotiyal, a resident of Joshimath was sleeping peacefully at night, when he was jolted awake from his sleep. He saw a huge crack formed in his room. And the crack just didn't appear in his room, rather 9 rooms out of the 11 rooms in his house. Prakash's family of 11 now have been sheltered in the two rooms. But the worrisome issue is that in the near future, these two rooms are also not safe.
Source:- https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/13/india/india-joshimath-uttarakhand-sinking-city-intl- hnk-dst/index.html
Joshimath, a small town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, Chamoli District is known for its religious and historical significance. It is an important and strategic place at an altitude of 18,000 meters. It has a total population of 23,000 and is located close to the Badrinath Shrine which is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. It is quite close to the Indo-China border and hence there is a major Indian Army Base in Joshimath.
On October 2021, cracks first appeared in houses situated in Joshimath town. Fast forward to January, 2023 more than 800 houses in the area have developed major or minor cracks. Since Joshimath's location is so important, over the past few decades, large-scale construction has been seen in the town of hotels, restaurants and other establishments. It is claimed that the city came into existence only a hundred years ago. There was an earthquake nearby, that caused a landslide, and many rocks tumbled down and settled in this area. Over time, the rocks stabilized, and the city was built on top of it.
Source:- https://indianexpress.com/article/india/temple-collapses-in-uttarakhand-joshimath-no-casualty- 8366254/
But the problem was, this made the land not suitable for construction. Especially for dams or wide roads to be built in this area or for building highways. Infrastructure projects of this scale often require the use of explosives and drilling. Tunnels have to be drilled into mountains, explosives are to be used. But doing so, it weakens the slope.
According to a recent report by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), Joshimath saw a rapid sinking of 5.4 cm in just 12 days (27 th December 2022 to 9 th January 2023). If you compare this to the last 7 months from April to November, the subsidence was around 9 cm. These figures itself shows the rate at which Joshimath is sinking. According to the Seismic Zonation Map of India, Joshimath's area falls in the Zone 5. That is the highest risk zone for earthquakes.
The situation till date has become worse than ever. Every fourth house in Joshimath has a crack. The entire city is sinking and along with that thousands of people are getting homeless. More than 80 families are relocated from the area and moved to safer places.
But the big question to all this is- who is to blame?
And as usual the vicious cycle of pointing fingers at others has started and if the news channels are to be believed, they are blaming the residents of Joshimath. “They built homes in such a sensitive place, what else were they expecting?” are the types of comments one can hear during talks shows and debates. And the locals blame the government. The government blames the builders and development planners. And the builders blame the mountains. The mountains are at fault.
One of the main causes of land subsidence in Joshimath is said to be due to the Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower Project. It is a hydro-electric project whose construction began in 2006, and the construction is still going on. A tunnel was dug out for this project that goes right under Joshimath. As it is alleged. In a research paper published by Geologists M. P. S. Bisht and Piyoosh Rautela, it is mentioned that this project single handedly can change the whole landscape of Joshimath and put it in danger. NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) ,the company building this hydro-power project, has claimed that the tunnel is not at fault. That the tunnel is not the reason why the city is sinking. NTPC claims that the tunnel isn't dug under Joshimath. They dug this tunnel 1 km away from Joshimath.
The second cause is said to be a 6 km long road. The Helong-Marwari Bypass, that's currently under construction. This is a part of the 800 km long Char Dham Project that will cost around ₹120 billion. The locals claim that during the construction of the road they witnessed explosives and drilling being employed. The construction of the road has been temporarily stopped due to the pressure from locals and media.
Deforestation is also one of the causes of Joshimath's sinking. The removal of trees and vegetation leads to a loss of soil stability and increases the risk of landslides. Deforestation also leads to a reduction in water retention in the soil, leading to more water runoff and increased erosion. The town is surrounded by dense forest which are the major sources of water and habitat for the wild animals, but due to the increasing population and tourism, the forest is being cut down for the construction of buildings and roads which ultimately lead to the sinking of the town.
Source:- Source:- https://indianexpress.com/article/india/temple-collapses-in-uttarakhand-joshimath-no-casualty- 8366254/
Heavy road construction along with rapid urbanization, which are not in line with the ecosystem of the region is causing many threats to the people living in Joshimath. The heavy machinery used in these construction activities causes vibrations that can lead to landslides and soil erosion. The lack of proper drainage systems is another major factor that contributes to Joshimath's sinking. The town is situated in a valley, and heavy rainfall can cause flash floods, which can wash away soil and cause landslides.
In conclusion, Joshimath is facing a severe crisis that is primarily caused by human activities. To mitigate this problem, it is important to implement sustainable land-use practices such as reforestation, proper grazing management, construction regulations and drainage systems. Additionally, the government should take measures to promote eco-tourism, which will not only protect the environment but also create job opportunities for the locals. The local community should also be educated about the importance of protecting the environment and the consequences of not doing so.
This has come as a warning sign to nearby towns and districts as signs of cracks are being seen over there too. Experts have suggested that after the evacuation, the drainage system and the rainwater outlets need to be replanned, and there should be a rock strength assessment, to determine the sustainability and strength of these rocks.
Only with the combined efforts of the government and local community can Joshimath be saved from sinking further.
Article by:- J Shree Nidhi
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