Uttarayini’s laudable initiative to share concern on crucial Joshimath situation by organising a seminar titled : Joshimath- Challenges and solutions.

Uttarayini, an organisation of class one officers of Uttarakhand in Delhi came into laudable active mode after a long gap with its current office bearers taking a significant initiative to organise a seminar titled : “Joshimath- The Challenges and solutions”, at Uttarakhand Sadan on 29 th JANUARY 2023 with eminent speakers, many of them geological scientists shedding light on various aspects of the ecological disaster in Joshimath, the primary reasons behind sinking of the holy town and more than 900 houses developing cracks leading to mass evacuation of the displaced families to safer places. The talks also highlighted other ecological disasters of Uttarakhand and tried to arrive at some definite conclusions. The initiative taken by the vice president of Uttarayini Rajesh Kandwal was indeed laudable who also introduced the eminent speakers in detail thus ably moderating the event.

Those who spoke on the ocassion were several experienced geological scientists and journalists having covered from ground zero, well versed with the subject shedding important light on the ongoing Joshimath crucial situation including other parts of the Himalayas and the catastrophic mishappenings in the past.

Prominent among those who spoke on the ocassion via video link and in the seminar were : Dinesh Sati, Freelance Geologist and Geological Expert, U. S. Rawat, Freelance Engineering Geologist, Dr. D. P. Dobhal, Scientist, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Vinod Painuly Consultant, Chardham Yatra Project, MORH, Sushil Bahuguna, three time prestigious GOENKA AWARD RECIPIENT, SR journalist n executive editor NDTV, Meenakshi Kandwal, independent journalist, Colonel D. S. Barthwal n others.

Speaking on the ocassion via video link highly learned senior engineering geologist US Rawat said that Joshimath situation is so crucial that it leaves the real problem, its serious consequences and remedies in the background when some speakers usually speak anything unimportant n irrelevant on the subject which create unnecessary confusion and disorientation.

Speaking at length on the subject Mr. U. S. Rawat said that such irresponsible statements without any concrete and credible technical knowledge and specialisation on the crucial subject works as impediment on the way to remedies and create unnecessary confusion n disorientation making the already cumbersome situation more hazardous warning such people to refrain from speaking without any credible technical knowledge of the subject.

Cautioning the media not to create confusion about Himalaya being utmostly fragile and weak as being propagated in media reports Geologist Rawat said that Himalaya is weak and strong as well but it is fully intact.

Ridiculing the freedom of speech and expression, an obvious reference to journalists and some non serious, speakers freelance engineering geologist Rawat said that while a tunnel expert never speaks on the viability of a dam, there are people who despite not being scientist, geologist or technician speak freely on serious issues of ecological disasters creating more hazard to the already hazardous situation, bringing audience on laughter mode in the seminar.

Expressing his disenchantment over the inaction on the earlier geological surveys and reports thrown in dustbins or kept in almirahs cautioning of impending ecological disasters Rawat said that he is sorry to say that those building new projects in the hills have never paid any attention to these warning signals related reports inviting such calamities and catastrophes time and again.

Unfortunately we are confronting these severe disasters said, Rawat.

He specifically said that the design has to be compatible with geology of the site.

Rawat catagorically said that the past reports of caution and surveys have never been taken into consideration , they have never been heeded and the consequences are in front of us saying that there had been reports about planting of trees on the slopes of mountains but we should not forget that trees are useful in some cases but are harmless as well as sites differ on separate geological situations of the areas emphasising that design of a particular project has to be compatible with the geology of the site.

Speaking on the DPR ( Detailed Project Reports) of various projects Rawat said that there is an office in Delhi which is already overburdened with entire DPR reports , ( private n governmental).

There is extreme shortage of manpower, particularly of those who are well versed and have enough knowledge. This is a very micro subject of precision which needs to be taken care of said geologist Rawat.

He added : Please understand these are not switch on and switch off solutions. The preparedness for such projects is not being executed from universal level from where it should have actually been started n completed.

He asked : today we are confronting a critical Joshimath situation but want to ask you if there are any specific courses on earth sciences, are there any quartz geo technical courses, adequate geo engineering technical courses, in universities which can address these critical situations as in Joshimath ? If we will not understand our weaknesses , we’ll never reach to credible solutions said Mr Rawat.

Issues like Joshimath situations are not resolved in one push button. There is no deadline for them. There remedies take lot of time said, Rawat in his video link address.

Warning inhabitants of Uttarakhand, geo scientists and government agencies Rawat said that we will have to take precautionary measures into consideration quite in advance before such ecological disasters arrive. Then only will we be able to do sustainable development in Uttarakhand emphasised senior geological scientist Mr. Rawat.

Unfortunately this concept is missing. Even prime minister in 2006 conference of NDMA has said that our basic focus should be on proactive approach quite in advance before such natural n man made calamities occur . But we haven’t heeded. We act only after disasters, which is not a civilised effort and which we are compelled to do after confronting tremendous loss of lives and material said engineering geologist Mr. Rawat.

The wisdom, technical capability, our sensitivity and responsibility says that we should be proactive before the ecological disaster arrives, not after such tragedies occur said Mr. Rawat.

Highlighting the harsh realities of the system leading to ecological disasters and its serious consequences geologist Rawat said that the natural disasters, arrive when we come on its way by way of unscientific developments, heavy constructions, and the government agencies not guiding or regulating such uneven so called developments on massive scale.

The decision makers in the system therefore are the real culprits who make all this happen leading to serious human destruction after ecological disasters added Mr. Rawat.

Conclusively, whatever may be the reason, we all are at the recieving end added Rawat. These are the harsh realities of our system which should be taken into acount and reach to definite conclusion of redressal in future said geologist Rawat.

He concluded saying that a credible government policy/ document with the participants of all stakeholders should be prepared at the earliest without wasting anytime.

Speaking on the subject Dr. D. P. Dobhal, ( Read) Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology while addressing the audience through video link explaining the topography of the sinking Joshimath town said that this area was covered by the glacial matter thirty years ago n gradually shifted resulting in sinking n cracks in houses n buildings including on the earth of this holy town with its top area n slope precincts majorly affected.

However, he said that the hard Rocky area at the bottom of Joshimath gave support despite sinking.

He said that the unplanned and unscientific development of Joshimath with massive constructions with no or poor drainage system including leakages in the pits with no sewer lines and puncturing of the Aquifer at the Joshimath/ Alaknanda base and the incessant toe cutting are the basic reasons for sinking of Joshimath said Dr. Dobhal.

The 2021 flood of Dhauli n Rishi Ganga further mobilised the toe cutting of Joshimath rocks leading to subsidence with its east n West parts most affected.

He said that the east and west of Joshimath suffered the most damage in terms of houses developing cracks n sinking taking place.

He added that the aquifer breach on the slope area of Joshimath had deep consequences.

Shedding light on the crucial Joshimath situation Dr. Dobhal ( retired) geological scientist of Wadia Institute said that initially 700 litre water, fully muddy with stone arrived inside Joshimath for years increasing thereafter for the last several years leading to sinking after the puncture of the aquifer.

The independent journalist earlier having worked with several news channel who had been to Joshimath for several days Meenakshi Kandwal said for her Joshimath issue was very sensitive she herself being from Garhwal, Uttarakhand. She cautioned that as inhabitants of the Uttarakhand hills we will have to be extremely passionate, cautious and sensitive towards our mountains as our insensitivity towards them hurts her the most.

Speaking against the the increasing construction activities in the hills of Uttarakhand for minting economic profits through hotels, resorts which are in massive 2000 numbers Meenakshi Kandwal said that unfortunately we are our own enemies being so selfish and insensitive towards our ecologically fragile Uttarakhand.

We need to learn lessons from the ecological disasters of the past and endeavour hard to avert them said independent journalist Meenakshi Kandpal.

She added that the Uttarakhandies need to sensitise and mobilise people towards environmental safeguards and protection by making it garbage n pollution free discouraging rampant commercial constructions urging government agencies to devise concrete n credible environment friendly policies.

Sushil Bahuguna senior journalist of NDTV spoke at length on the subject especially on Joshimath subsidence and cracks in more than thousand houses urging the government of the day to adequately compensate the sufferers with better housing arrangements, medical facilities and quite adequate rehabilitation of the distressed persons n families on extreme urgent basis. The video below is self explanatory. Kindly watch it.

The consultant of the Chardham Yatra Project Vinod Painuly in his conclusive address, stressed for devising a credible national policy of the government with the adequate participation of all stake holders blaming the successive governments for its utter lack of ability and negligence in implementing remedial measures in time saying that they have always failed then n now as well.

Speaking in detail Mr. Painuly felt a dire need from the side of the governments , state n central, to incessantly seek advise on environmental issues as we have failed for the last fifty years to implement cautions, warning signals, survey reports n consolidated advices of various relevant agencies in ecological disasters n its subsequent safeguards.

He added that we have lacked the vision on this front politically, scientifically n from the bureaucratic point of view despite so much of damaging and destructive ecological disasters occurring. He felt an urgent need for the formation of a credible participatory expert committee comprising of credible seismological n geological scientists, eminent environmentalists, journalists, R&D specialists, social scientists etc. He also felt the urgent need for setting up of a massive disaster fund on national scale to help the victims during such tragic calamities. The president of Uttarayini K. N. Suyal gave his, welcome address and Vice president Rajesh Kandwal moderated the symposium