25 HECTARES OF LAND EARMARKED IN GAUCHER TO SHIFT AFFECTED PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSES DEVELOPED CRACKED BUT PEOPLE NOT READY

The gateway to historic pious Badrinath Dham and Ponta Sahib Gurudwara etc Joshimath in Garhwal, Uttarakhand which faced tremendous land subsidence a year ago with a part of its residents displaced after about one thousand houses developed cracks is still in jeopardy as the state government has formally decided to shift the population of the affected areas to Gauchar where about 25 hectares land have been earmarked. However, there are reports that the plan of the state government to relocate the displaced families have for the time being delayed as the residents are not ready to shift there. Meanwhile, the state administration of Joshimath on the advise and directions of Uttarakhand government has unambiguously forbidden future constructions in Joshimath especially in the areas affected by subsidence and where the cracks were developed in hundreds of houses and buildings.

The Joshimath district administration will take immediate legal action against the erring residents if they go for any future constructions says a news reports.

According to the Secretary of state disaster management authority Ranjit Sinha about 35% of the area in Joshimath is extremely risky from the point of view of Seismicity and the area having come under acute subsidence with nearly 800 to 1000 houses developing cracks etc posing direct risk to the residents. According to a news report a meeting of senior officials of State Disaster Management Authority and the secretary Ranjit Sinha was held with public consultation on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction on Saturday in which after detailed deliberations it was concluded that at least 14 areas in entire Joshimath township ate extremely risky areas and the residents of these areas need to be relocated as said earlier also in Gaucher where the SAME has already earmarked 25 acres of land but the residents are not ready to shift there. The leader of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samitee Atul Sati and others however submitted a memorandum highlighting their nine demands pertaining to non fulfilment of the promises made by the government last year. It may be recalled the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had visited Joshimath last year and had given lot of assurances to the affected families whose houses had developed several cracks but according to the Joshimath Bachai Sangharsh Samittee, majority of the demands have not been met till now. Joshimath which is situated at 6150 feet from the sea level is in Chamoli district which is gateway to Badrinath and Ponta Sahib Gurudwara including several adventurous mountain trekking expeditions and trekking trials was in the news last year due to many areas of it having come under subsidence and over a thousand houses and commercial buildings including hotels developing cracks. The issue was prominently highlighted in media electronics and prints with top experts of earth science, seismology experts , earth scientists etc visiting Joshimath and expressing their apprehensions over the area being under zone 5 and there prone to future earthquakes including prone to subsidence in future as well. Auli one of the prime and world famous skiing centre is also situated in Joshimath where during winters thousands of tourists visits especially the skiing lovers and mountain trekkers.