Joshimath’s Situation
Introduction:
- The sinking of the Joshimath created panic and concern in nearby Himalayan settlements in and outside Uttarakhand, who feared a similar disaster would strike them. Most Himalayan areas suffering similar violative “development” as the Joshimath region are khurd-burd, as a pahari characterised it — hollowed out, crippled, and so vulnerable to calamities.
Joshimath has sunk:
- Joshimath’s sinking continues. New fractures form in its buildings and fields, while old ones widen. Locals are worried that heavy rains would force specific areas of land to collapse.
- Their dharna to demand rehabilitation lasted from January to early April, when they were pushed to cease before the yatra season began, with promises of swift action.
- They are believed to be continuing their protests because, in the absence of a comprehensive repair plan, they have little alternative but to remain in their damaged homes.
Serious consideration is required, and concerns have been expressed:
- To begin, why is no one held accountable for such tragedies? Despite the region’s biological, geological, and seismic fragility, a series of so-called run-of-the-river (RoR) hydropower projects have been pushed in all Himalayan states.
- According to studies, these projects’ claims on green energy are bogus. Instead, they are “risk-laden artefacts” that have been demonstrated to be socially and environmentally inequitable.
- Second, why are the locals kept in the dark regarding the terrain’s safety while they are forced to spend sleepless nights in their destroyed homes? Despite the passage of seven months, there has been no systematic examination of the origins, extent, and potential hazards of ground subsidence in Joshimath.
- Third, if the government insists on pushing the RoRs despite the risks, why shouldn’t it also ensure the rehabilitation of individuals affected? Even after years of operation, such projects in Himalayan states lack specific criteria for defining commitments or governmental acknowledgement of their impacts. RoRs have a long-term and substantial impact on mountain topography.
- In several Joshimath villages, the government’s restoration policy is inadequate. Few attempts have been made to create an acceptable policy to address involuntary displacement induced by construction projects. Instead of emphasising rehabilitation, the government’s efforts are limited to a “one-time settlement.”
Conclusion:
- The government’s approach has been to downplay the calamity in order to allow for peaceful yatra tourism. The number of tourists was not restricted. This raises the larger question: Where will the mountain dwellers go as the mountains become unfit for human habitation? What is the “development” being promoted in “their” place worth if it becomes uninhabitable?
