A most unexpected incident has been taking place in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath district for several days. The houses and roads are cracked, and an unexpected source of water is coming out of nowhere, making it dangerous for its residents to stay any longer. There is chaos, misery, confusion, and an uncertain future.
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Cracks in Joshimath, A dangerous truth.
For several days, houses, pathways, and structures have developed gigantic cracks and gaps. People were rescued at a safe place, and many more residents were in line to be shifted.
An estimate suggests that over 600 houses have developed cracks and are not inhabitable anymore.
The government announced a relief of 4000 rupees to each affected family. At least 100 families are shifted, and the rescue operation is ongoing.
The incident has signaled ‘maximum alert’ for the government of Uttarakhand. A high-power meeting was called by CM Dhami after images of huge cracks surfaced on the internet and television.
The report of the ‘sinking Joshimath’ has shaken the Uttarakhand government. Plenty of emergency measures are taking place in super-fast mode. State authorities and top police officials have been directed to ensure the availability of helicopters to airlift the affected people.
The affected areas of the region were inspected by a team of experts. Residents are compelled to live outside of their houses in the biting cold at this juncture in time. A team of experts from the IITs and a team of scientists is present for the inspection and analysis of the scenario.
Joshimath, A gateway to the Badrinath
It is a religious city with immense cultural and spiritual manifestations. The significance of Joshimath is very important as it is the gateway to the famous Badrinath temple, and it attracts plenty of tourists each year, making it a very favorable tourist destination for the Indians.
According to an official, the sinking has been taking place for the past few years due to land subsidence, but the situation will become worse in a fortnight.
Joshimath is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, at a height of 6000 feet. This area falls in the high-risk seismic zone V.
According to the 2011 census, around 3800 families live in the city.
A panel of experts in Joshimath
The central government on Friday formed a panel of experts to study the incident and submit its report. The panel will study and try to find the cause behind the sinking incident.
The six-member committee will conduct a rapid study of Joshimath, the occurrence of land subsidence, and its effects on the city of Joshimath.
The committee will submit its report in three days finding the facts and certain but assumable data about the effect and the cause. The committee will also examine the effect of hydro projects and highway projects in the region.
The committee consists of one member each from the ministry of environment, the central water commission, the NMCG, the Geological Survey of India, and the National Institute of Hydrology. In addition, there will be a project director from the State Program Management Group of Uttarakhand to assist the panel.
