The high seismic hazard area has many picturesque towns and villages.
A sinking Himalayan town is highlighting the dangers posed to the region and the mountain range’s fragile ecosystem disturbed by the proliferation of dams, roads and military sites. border with China.
The risks, which have been warned by environmentalists and activists for decades, emerged recently after land subsidence – subsidence caused by the displacement of underground layers – resulted in Cracks in hundreds of houses in the small town of Joshimath, located more than 6,000 feet (1,830 meters) in the hills of northern Uttarakhand state.
The high seismic hazard area is dotted with a number of picturesque towns and villages that are the gateway to hiking trails, Hindu pilgrimage sites and strategic outposts in the region. India’s longstanding border dispute with China.
The region is inherently vulnerable to extreme weather events and frequent landslides. A massive cloud in 2013 caused more than 5,000 deaths in the state.
Four hydropower projects with a total estimated cost of around Rs 155 billion ($1.9 billion) are currently under construction in Uttarakhand.
Rajeev Upadhyay, professor of geology at Kumaun University in Nainital, said: “The villages and towns in northern Uttarakhand are located along the main active thrust areas in the Himalayas and are very sensitive due to the ecosystem. vulnerability of the region”. “Many habitats, built on the debris of old landslides, are already under natural pressure and man-made structures are adding stress to the region.”
Land subsidence in the Joshimath area was reported in the early 1970s. According to one report, rapid subsidence of up to 5.4 cm occurred in Joshimath town in the 12 days to 8 May. 1. Slow subsidence of up to 9 cm (3.5 inches) was recorded in the 7 months to November last year. reports and satellite images published by the National Center for Remote Sensing of the Indian Space Research Organization.
“If you do a lot of excessive mechanical activity in the area, the soil is prone to slippage,” says Upadhyay. “The whole area is prone to subsidence.”
#CLOCK | Chamoli, Uttarakhand: In the context of land subsidence in Joshimath, some houses in Bahuguna Nagar in Karnaprayag City also appeared cracks. pic.twitter.com/hwRfFcwhJy
– ANI UP / Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 10, 2023
Here are some places in Uttarakhand that could be at risk:
Josimath: The current disaster site is a major military and administrative center. Millions of devotees pass through this garrison town each year to Badrinath, a holy Hindu town. The state-run NTPC Co., Ltd. is implementing a hydroelectric project nearby.
The Supreme Court will hear a petition by a local religious leader next week seeking to block construction of the power project blaming it for the damage.
NTPC, India’s largest electricity producer, has denied its construction activities led to land subsidence.
Tehri: Some houses in the area have appeared cracks. The nearby Tehri Dam is India’s tallest dam and one of the largest hydroelectric projects. It is also a popular tourist destination. The project also raised environmental concerns by building a large dam in the fragile ecosystem of the foothills of the Himalayas.
mana: Considered to be the last village on the border with China, it is also an important military facility, which strengthens the army after the latest India-China border conflict broke out in the summer. summer 2020.
Some troops have been displaced from areas around Joshimath, Army Commander-in-Chief Manoj Pande said on Thursday.
Mana is being linked to a national highway, part of a project promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve connectivity between pilgrimage sites. Environmental groups have expressed concern about the project, saying that cutting down trees in areas rich in wildlife would increase the risk of landslides.
Dharasu: The hill town has an important landing ground for both locals as well as the military to move troops and materials to the disputed Himalayan border. The US-made C-130 transport plane lands in this patch.
hard: An important town on the Himalayan pilgrimage route and also used by the military for operations. During the 2013 flash flood, the area was devastated and the town became an important logistics hub for the military to support evacuation efforts.
Gauchar: Important civilian and military base about 100 km southwest of Joshimath and only 200 km from the border. Most of the rescue and relief efforts of the Indian Air Force in 2013 were organized from this town.
Pithoragarh: This is an important military and civilian center. In addition to being a major administrative center, it also has an airstrip that can accommodate large and important aircraft for the military.
However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the damage in Joshimath without adequate scientific data, said Kalachand Sain, director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in the Uttarakhand city of Dehradun.
“The ecology of the region and the Himalayas is very complex,” says Sain. “There are some places that have seen rapid development and construction but are still standing. A comprehensive and extensive scientific study of the Himalayan region is needed.”
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
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