Joshimath Crisis: Buildings With Cracks Rise To 849, Activists Write Letter To PM Modi To Scrap Hydel Project

The number of buildings with cracks in Uttarakhand's Joshimath rose to 849 on Monday. Of these, 165 are in the danger zone.

Cracks have been appeared in buildings and in the ground across Joshimath, forcing people to vacate unsafe buildings. The authorities are demolishing unsafe structures. 

As authorities contain the situation in Joshimath, Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS), a group of activists, also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked the Union government to take over the relief and rehabilitation work in Joshimath as it accused the Uttarakhand government of adopting a "lackadaisical" approach.

Scrap hydel project: Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti

The JBSS also raised pitch for scrapping of NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project. The project has come under criticism after the Joshimath crisis came to light. It has been alleged that the heavy construction of the project and the drilling of a tunnel has destabilised the region geologically.

The development comes on a day the Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Joshimath a national disaster, saying since the state high court is seized of a "broad range of issues" it should hear it as a matter of principle.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JBSS convenor Atul Sati accused the state government of ignoring its warnings about the imminent disaster for 14 months and dealing with it now at a snail's pace. 

The letter said, "The crisis has endangered the very existence of a historic town, but the relief and rescue operations being carried out by the state government are devoid of any urgency. We demand from the Prime Minister that the relief-rehabilitation and stabilisation work in Joshimath is taken over by the Centre to secure the lives and interest of people."

The JBSS holds the building of the Tapovan project's tunnel responsible for the current crisis in Joshimath. It said L&T company was initially building the tunnel for the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), but had to quit as it was not satisfied with the way the corporation worked.             

The letter also mentioned a research paper published in an international journal in 2015 which said the tunnel was dug in the "fault zone".  

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati approaches High Court

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who had filed a plea to declare Joshimath crisis a national disaster, to approach the Uttarakhand High Court. 

The SC said, "As a matter of principle, we should allow the High Court to deal with this. High Court is seized of a broad range of issues, we will give you liberty to approach the High Court. The specific aspects which have been highlighted in these proceedings can be addressed before the high court for suitable redressal. We accordingly permit the petitioners either to institute a substantive petition before the high court so that it can be together with pending proceedings or intervene in the pending matter. The high court is requested to consider the grievance."

Saraswati has contended subsidence in swathes of the town has occurred due to large-scale industrialisation and sought immediate financial assistance and compensation.

The plea has also sought direction to the National Disaster Management Authority to actively support the residents of Joshimath in these challenging times.  

Evacuation, demolition continues in Joshimath

In Joshimath, evacuation of affected families to temporary relief centres and dismantling of two unsafe hotels continued.

According to officials, the number of buildings developing cracks in the town rose to 849, out of which 165 are located in the danger zone.

A total of 800 people, belonging to 237 families, have so far been shifted to safety by the district administration, according to the daily bulletin of the Disaster Management Authority. 

They said 615 rooms in 83 places have been identified as temporary relief camps in the town in which 2,190 people can be accommodated. Besides, 491 rooms in 20 buildings have been identified as temporary relief camps in Pipalkoti outside Joshimath municipal area where 2,205 people can stay, they said.  

The district administration has so far distributed Rs 301.77 lakh worth interim assistance to 396 affected families.  

"Around 284 food kits, 360 blankets, 842 litres of milk, 55 heaters/blowers, 36 daily use kits, and 642 other relief materials have been distributed to the affected," an official sad.       

Health check-up of more than 637 people living in relief camps has been done, while health tests of 33 animals were also done in the affected areas.           

Meanwhile, Jyotishpeeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimuketeshwaranand began a 100-day 'mahayagya' at Nrisingh Mandir on Monday for the safety of Joshimath and its people.

(With PTI inputs)