Why is Joshimath sinking? Big projects, rampant construction, extreme weather worsened situation
Joshimath sinking: Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and reviewed the situation, including all the steps taken for the safety and rehabilitation of the residents.
Joshimath land subsidence: Houses and roads have developed cracks
The holy town of Joshimath has plunged into a full-blown crisis after houses and roads developed cracks due to land subsidence. So far 678 houses have developed cracks and 81 families have been temporarily moved to safer locations. The town has been declared a landslide and subsidence-hit zone. The Centre has stressed on the safety of the people and has asked experts to prepare short- and long-term plans for conservation and rehabilitation.
Manohar Bagh, Singdhar and Marwari areas are some of the worst-hit areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and reviewed the situation, including all the steps taken for the safety and rehabilitation of the residents. PM Modi also assured the Chief Minister of all necessary assistance.
But what has led to the ‘sinking’ of Joshimath?
The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) published a report in September 2022 that mainly blamed the ill-planned construction in the town as an important reason behind land sinking.
The report also pointed out that the inadequate drainage and wastewater disposal systems had exacerbated the problem. Geologist Yaspal Sundriyal from the Srinagar Garhwal-based Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna (HNB) Garhwal University said that since there is no wastewater management, most houses have soak pits that have pushed down loose material into the ground, resulting in land sinking.
Joshimath sinking: Cracks have appeared in houses
Joshimath is built on a slope with deposits from an old landslide. The deposits might have stabilised over time but rampant construction and projects like roads and dams that use explosives, drilling and extensive digging have weakened the slopes.
The land subsidence problem occurred decades ago too. A committee, the MC Mishra Committee, was formed to assess the reasons behind it. In 1976, the Mishra Committee warned against excavation of the slopes, and removal of the boulders by digging and using explosives.
Activists from the ‘Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’ have also been protesting against the NTPC’s 520 MW Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project since 2004. They believe it is the most important cause behind the land sinking in Joshimath.
Joshimath sinking: 678 houses have been damaged
Another study done in 2010 by Dehradun-based DMMC and the Garhwal University said that a tunnel was constructed for the Tapovan Vishnugad project in December 2009. The tunnel punctured an aquifer over 3 km over Selang village, 5 km from Joshimath. It resulted in water discharge of 700-800 litres per second. Soon after the incident groundwater sources in Joshimath started drying up. The discharge eventually reduced but never completely stopped. Experts believe this might have added to the land subsidence.
Activists also believe that the water, resultant of the 2001 flood in Rishiganga and Dhauliganga rivers may have entered the Tapovan Vishnugad project’s under-construction tunnel, and oozing out in Joshimath.
Moreover, explosives were used in the under-construction 6-km long Helang Marwari bypass, along with methods like drilling. This could have also impacted the very foundations of Joshimath. A Supreme Court-ordered High Powered Committee (HPC) reviewed the project in Char Dham and suggested a geotechnical feasibility study before building the road. But geologist Navin Juyal said that their recommendations were ignored.
Joshimath sinking: Families have been moved out of the town
Following the sudden increase in land sinking, the Chamoli administration temporarily halted the construction works on the Helang-Marwari bypass and the Tapovan Vishnugad project. The Joshimath-Auli ropeway was also instructed to stop operations.
Severe weather events could also have contributed to Joshimath’s sinking. The DMMC data states that from 2015 to mid-2021 Uttarakhand witnessed 7,750 instances of cloudbursts and extreme rains. Such events have often resulted in floods too. The September 2022 USDMA report on Joshimath states that erosion in the area increased after the February 2021 and June 2013 floods. The very heavy rains between October 17-19, 2021 further exacerbated land subsidence and proneness to landslides.
(The author is a freelance journalist and researcher based out of Uttarakhand, covering issues around policy, politics and the environment. She’s currently a research associate with Norway’s Oslo Metropolitan University's Riverine Rights project in India, and a graduate in Water Science, Policy and Management from the University of Oxford)
Joshimath land subsidence: Houses and roads have developed cracks 
Special 
