Joshimath: Authorities in Uttrakhand’s Joshimath are demolishing buildings that had begun to crack due to shifting soil, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people to safety. The demolition drive began on Tuesday, with authorities dividing the town of 25,000 residents into “danger”, “buffer” and “completely safe” zones.
Joshimath, about 490km northeast of the federal capital New Delhi, is a gateway to Hindu and Sikh shrines and is popular with tourists looking to trek parts of the Himalayas. It is also close to India’s border with China.
“It seems 30 per cent of Joshimath is affected. A report is being compiled by an expert committee and it would be submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office,” an official said.
“Basic facilities in the relief camps arranged for the affected people in Joshimath are being constantly inspected by the administration and all possible help is being extended to the affected people,” said Himanshu Khurana, the district magistrate of Chamoli where the town is located.
Experts and residents have long warned that large-scale construction work in and around Joshimath, including for power projects built by companies like the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), could lead to land subsidence.
NTPC, India’s largest power producer, says its tunnelling and other work is not responsible for the cracks in the town.
Khurana earlier told Reuters that work on some border road projects as well as NTPC’s Tapovan Vishnugad 520 megawatt hydropower plant had been suspended.
“Six structures from across four wards have been found very unsafe,” Khurana told Reuters news agency. “We will demolish some unsafe buildings based on the recommendation and under the guidance of federal experts.”
Local resident Prakash Bhutiyal, 50, said seven of the 11 rooms in his residence-cum-guesthouse had developed cracks and they were waiting to be moved to a safer location.
“Our family of nine has been forced to live in just one room,” he said. “We have kept all our belongings in the open. We are yet to be shifted to a safer place.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declined an urgent hearing on the matter, setting a January 16 date for the next hearing.
“Everything which is important need not come to the apex court,” the court said.
