Joshimath, India’s sinking Himalayan town, whats happening here ?

Joshimath is a small town in the Uttarakhand state of India, in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 1,890 m (6,200 ft), it is one of the four pinch points, or “maths", along the ancient route to Badrinath. Joshimath is also known as Jyotirmath and is considered to be one of the holiest towns in Hinduism.

Unfortunately, Joshimath is facing a severe threat due to the rapid melting of glaciers in the region. As the glaciers continue to melt, the water level in the Alaknanda River is steadily rising, resulting in an increased risk of floods and landslides. Some houses in the lower parts of Joshimath are already submerged in water. The situation will only worsen in the future, with experts warning that the entire town may be submerged by 2050

The Indian government has taken steps to tackle this issue by building a dam at Malari and constructing a barrage at Tapovan to regulate the flow of the Alaknanda river. However, these measures are not enough to protect

Authorities in a town in northern India are tearing down structures that had started to break due to shifting soil, prompting hundreds of people to flee for their lives.

According to Indian media reports, the demolition drive in Joshimath, a town of 25,000 people in Uttarakhand, started on Tuesday. Authorities reportedly divided the town into “danger," “buffer," and “completely safe" zones.

Authorities report that a total of 678 buildings in the town, which is located 1,890 metres (6,200 feet) above sea level, have developed cracks.

Committee, and it would then be delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office, a representative added. According to Himanshu Khurana of the Joshimath administration, “basic facilities in the relief camps set up for the afflicted people are being continually examined, and all possible help is being offered to the affected people."

Experts and locals have long cautioned against extensive construction projects in and near Joshimath, particularly those for power projects constructed by businesses like the government-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

According to India’s top power generator, the town’s fissures are not the result of NTPC’s tunnelling or other activities.

After a flash flood in the area in 2021 damaged two hydropower projects that were being developed and killed or went missing over 200 people, scientists began to worry about the impact of climate change on the world’s tallest mountains. Project NTPC was one among them.

Resident Prakash Bhutiyal, 50, claimed seven out of his 11 guest rooms in Joshimath had developed cracks and were awaiting relocation to a more secure site.

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