Than 600 houses in joshimath town in india’s uttarakhand state have been affected by land subsidence, leading to cracks in the buildings. two federal government teams have been dispatched to the town to assess the situation, and 68 families have been evacuated from joshimath to temporary shelters. a panel of experts visited joshimath last week and submitted a report to the government, while a hindu religious leader has approached the supreme court and asked that the crisis in joshimath be declared a “national disaster”.
Issue of land subsidence in joshimath has been ongoing for decades, with a government committee flagging the risks of land sinking in the area in 1976. in recent months, residents had been raising concerns but it wasn’t until protesters blocked a national highway that the issue was brought to the public’s attention. the chief justice had asked for the matter to be brought up on tuesday.
Activity in the state has been damaging the fragile ecological balance of the himalayan region, leading to land subsidence in joshimath. some families had resorted to makeshift measures to protect their homes, such as using polyethylene sheets and wooden planks. federal agencies are now working with the uttarakhand government to address the issue and ensure the safety of residents, while dry ration supplies and financial assistance have been provided to the affected families.
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