Sinking Joshimath land: Despite the fact that the demolition of the two perilous hotels has not yet begun, the government has promised assistance and compensation to the residents of Joshimath. The issue of land subsidence in the Uttarakhand town will be investigated by a team of experts.
Environment expert Vimlendu Jha stated that the town has been brought down by NTPC engineers because there is no scope for repair and no reverse gear from the current situation. This is despite the fact that the Uttarakhand government is preparing a rehabilitation package as Joshimath attempts to stymie the crisis of its gradual sinking. Jha claimed that the Joshimath disaster was caused by aquifer breaches, placing the onus squarely on NTPC, which asserted that the tunnel for their hydel project was not traversing Joshimath.
“Joshimath disaster is the result of puncturing of aquifers by the NTPC engineers, by their tunnel-boring machines, through tunneling under Joshimath, muddy waters seeping out of homes and ground is a testimony of the engineered crime leading to aquifer breaches,” Jha wrote in a lengthy Twitter thread describing the disaster.
“Not all soil types are suitable for digging” Not all soils are suitable for digging, moving, or blasting. The Himalaya is one of the youngest mountain ranges, is located in a high seismic zone, and has a profusion of extreme climate events to top it all off. But they got it “passed” by drawing a plan in AutoCAD, perhaps the same as for Sarojini Nagar redevelopment or copied from Hong Kong. The first thing that needs to be taught in our engineering colleges is SOIL-TYPE: laterite, alluvial, desert, black cotton, peaty, and other types. “Jha stated that not all soil is the same and can be dug, moved, blasted, or tunneled with your engineering prowess. Each is unique and has a unique carrying capacity.”
“Natural disasters are not natural,” the environment expert said, citing the February 2021 Chamoli flash flood, which occurred at the same project site and was a clear example of Himalayan ecological vulnerability. According to Jha, the authorities are rushing to maximize short-term gains, primarily for private businesses and contractors, regardless of political parties.
‘No coincidence in cracks’
Houses in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, and other areas began to crack after Joshimath. Adding that all of these are either closer to the Char Dham Road project, a rail tunnel zone, or a hydroelectric project, Jha said, “This is not a coincidence.”
‘What takes place in Joshimath? Here are the most recent changes.’
1. Pushkar Singh Dhami, chief minister, paid a visit to Joshimath and stayed the night there to reassure the affected residents. Joshimath is 513 kilometers from Delhi, 45.2 kilometers from Badrinath, and 51 kilometers from Kedarnath.
2. For those who have been relocated from their homes in Joshimath, an interim assistance of Rs. 1.5 lakh has been announced.
3. Joshimath’s Malari Inn and Mount View Hotel will be mechanically demolished. The residents’ protests caused the demolition to stall. The authorities stated that no other homes would be destroyed.
