Why Is Joshimath Sinking? Alarm Bells Ringing Since 1976

Joshimath is a small town located in Uttarakhand on the foothills of the Himalayas.  The town is located on an ancient landslide site and in the last few decades it has faced an explosive rate of population and construction. The beautiful abode of Lord Badrinath is also the ground for the army troops posted along the Sino-Indian border.

Joshimath is also well-known among travelers since it acts as a sort of base camp for Himalayan expeditions. But terrifyingly enough the town is making headlines for the wrong reason, it is sinking.

The town of Joshimath is sinking

Residents have started protesting and raised a variety of concerns regarding the land beneath the town sinking. According to the residents, many houses situated there have developed cracks along their walls. The people are being forced to find structures to support the framework of the houses so as to keep them from crippling under their own weight. Over and above 500 houses in that region have developed cracks.

A recently conducted survey by a team of experts revealed that the fear among residents was indeed true. The city is actually sinking at its base. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has spoken regarding this situation and said that the situation in Joshimath is being closely monitored. But when it comes to this impending disaster in Joshimath, there is more to it than meets the eye of the residents.

Where exactly is Joshimath situated?

Joshimath is a town located on NH-7, the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway, in the beautiful state of Uttarakhand. The city serves the purpose of a tourist attraction since it acts as an overnight rest stop for travelers and pilgrims visiting Badrinath, Auli, and Valley of Flowers among the other tourist locations in the state.

Joshimath is also of great strategic importance to the Indian armed forces. It acts as a home to one of the Army’s most important cantonments of the Sino-Indian Border.

The town is located on a running ridge, that gets traversed by high-velocity running streams of Vishnuprayag, a confluence of the Dhauliganga and the Alaknanda rivers. A report from 2022 stated that the surrounding area around Joshimath is covered with thick layers of overburdened material.

Alarm bells ringing since 1976

While the news that the Joshimath sinking is making the headlines now, the scientists and geologists who have been working in the area were trying to sound the alarm for decades. The first report addressing this grave problem dates back to as early as 1976. They predicted that this disaster could pose injury to life and property.

The government-appointed Mishra Commission salvaged the crucial piece of information regarding Joshimath from that report, that the town is located on the site of an ancient landslide.

Why is Joshimath sinking?

The biggest reason for Joshimath’s sinking is majorly related to the geography of the town. The city was established on the low-bearing capacity landslide debris which as warned by the experts cannot support a high rate of construction. The increased rate of construction, the making of hydroelectric projects, and the widening of the National Highway for easy movement have made the mountain slopes highly unstable in the last couple of decades.

The running streams from Vishnuprayag and other natural streams lead to land erosion and the scattered rocks in the area get covered with landslide debris. The debris comprises of boulders, gneissic rocks, and loose soil, all these resulting in the town’s crooked fate now.

The researchers from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology recently conducted a survey in 2022 where they inferred that these gneissic rocks are highly weathered rocks having low cohesive value. They have a tendency of creating a high pore pressure when they get saturated with water, especially during the monsoon season. Thus the soil under Joshimath is not the type that can withstand heavy loads of construction.

A report by Dr. Swapnamita Vaideswaran, a scientist at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology revealed that,

“Seepage from streams uphill has been observed, which may have loosened the soil of Joshimath. The nalas disappear underground and arise overground downhill, bringing totally muddy water, and then join the Dhauliganga or the Alaknanda (beyond Vishnuprayag). The drainage system of the town of Joshimath is not well maintained. Waste water from the days’ usage flows through improper drains”

Dr. Swapnamita exclusively told India Today that,

“The nalas have been blocked by sludge that came from the 2013 Himalayan tsunami, which also facilitated the toe erosion in the region. The Rishiganga flood disaster also worsened the situation, followed by incessant rainfall between August to October in 2021. The problem had been long spreading”

How to save Joshimath?

The experts have recommended a complete shutdown of development and hydroelectric projects in that region. But the most challenging and urgent need is to relocate the residents to a safer place as of now so that they don’t get caught up in this. They should reimagine the town’s planning with the help of experts regarding how to accommodate the new variables and the changing geographical factors.

Drainage planning is one of the very first things that should be factored in, studied, and redeveloped. As more and more waste keeps seeping into the soil, it gets loosened from within. Thus the city suffers from poor drainage and sewer management.

The State Government has asked the irrigation department to look into the issue and create a new plan for the drainage system. Experts have also suggested replantation at vulnerable sites to help retain soil capacity. To save Joshimath there is an urgent need for a coordinated effort from the government and civil bodies with the aid of military organizations like the BRO.