Over 500 buildings have developed cracks in Joshimath in Chamoli district; The number of local people is more than 700.
Joshimath (Uttarakhand):
A temple collapsed in Uttarakhand’s Himalayan town of Joshimath on Friday evening, raising fears among residents camping in the cold as nearly 600 houses and other structures have developed cracks due to mudslides.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is likely to visit on Saturday. ordered to remove and temporary shelter for affected families. A team of experts and scientists is stationed in the Himalayan city for door-to-door survey.
The municipal chief has said that more than 3,000 people are affected. This is more than 10 percent of the population. Cracks run alongside roads and are steadily widening in the holy city, the entry point for major Hindu and Sikh pilgrimages and one of the major military bases near India’s border with China.
no one was hurt temple collapse Because it was abandoned after large cracks developed. A similar problem is being observed in the nearby town of Auli; All its routes have been closed. Also, ongoing projects including a hydroelectric power plant and the Char Dham road have been put on hold.
The state government has said that people whose houses have been affected and have to be vacated will get Rs 4,000 per month as rent for the next six months from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
On a main road in Joshimath, the leaning hotel building next to it is indicative of how Unabated development has caused cracksLiterally, in the hill town of Chamoli district.
“As a precautionary measure, a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed in Joshimath. Chief Development Officer, Chamoli, LN Mishra said that it is important to be vigilant due to land subsidence in the area.
A leaning hotel building in Joshimath and (below) cracks around it on the main road.
At least 40 families have already been moved out as the subsidence in the area susceptible to earthquakes is getting worse by the day.
The chief minister’s visit is scheduled after protests by locals demanding a solution or adequate rehabilitation. Experts have been deputed and the state’s BJP government says it will do whatever needs to be done after getting their report.
Locals say climate change and unsustainable infrastructure development are to blame.
“It’s because of the tunnels being dug for hydroelectric power plants,” said a local hotelier, “and they’re blasting through rocks to widen roads, build bypasses, even very close to our town.” Let’s continue
“We are living in constant fear. People light fires and stay outside on cold nights because they are afraid that their houses or hotels might collapse at any moment,” he said.
On the government working on a solution, he said, “Steps should have been taken many years ago as this is not a new phenomenon. Successive governments have ignored the fact that big projects lead to destruction.”
According to the Chamoli district administration, cracks have been reported officially in 561 establishments. The operation of Hotel View and the adjacent building Malari Inn has been restricted, the statement said.
Others are still living in dilapidated homes or have moved in with relatives or friends.
An inspection team at Joshimath which will report to the Chief Minister.
The district administration has already asked Hindustan Construction Company Limited (HCC) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to stand ready to provide shelter to the affected families.
Over 6,000 feet high, the city is considered the gateway for many climbing expeditions in the Himalayas. These include visits to the pilgrimage centers of Badrinath and Hemkunt Sahib and to the Valley of Flowers.
Home of Jyotirmath Math, it is one of the major institutions of Hinduism.