In the dead of night, a family friend urgently contacted Abhishek Nautiyal and his family in Joshimath, a small town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, informing them of the need to evacuate their home immediately. The town was facing a crisis as water infiltration had saturated the ground, causing severe structural damage to over 800 residences, including Nautiyal’s dwelling. Following a government directive in early January 2023, Nautiyal and his family had to relocate to a temporary shelter, impacting Nautiyal’s academic performance due to the stress.
A subsequent study revealed significant land subsidence in Joshimath between late 2022 and early 2023, with rapid sinking of up to 5.4 centimeters in just 12 days. The town experienced widespread fissures in infrastructure, including streets, homes, temples, and hotels collapsing due to the unstable ground. The situation in Joshimath, a town perched at an altitude of 1,874 meters with a population of around 20,000, highlighted the recurring challenges faced by residents living in a precarious environment.
The underlying cause of the town’s sinking can be traced back to its location on unstable soil resulting from a receding glacier and historic landslides. Expert warnings about the risks posed by extensive construction activities in the earthquake-prone region have been consistently overlooked. Moreover, the impact of climate change on the Himalayas, with rapidly melting glaciers and changing precipitation patterns, further exacerbates the vulnerability of communities like Joshimath.
The ongoing construction projects in the area, including the Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project, have been blamed for aggravating the sinking issue. Despite past recommendations to halt heavy construction and promote environmental conservation, these warnings have largely been disregarded, leading to the current predicament faced by residents in Joshimath.
For Nautiyal and many others in Joshimath, the red X marks on their homes symbolize the looming threat of displacement if the sinking continues. The lack of viable alternatives and financial support leaves residents like Nautiyal and his family in a state of uncertainty, as they grapple with the daily reality of residing in structurally compromised dwellings.
As the town grapples with the dual challenges of natural subsidence and man-made interventions, the future of Joshimath remains precarious. Balancing the need for infrastructure development to support religious pilgrimages with the imperative to safeguard lives and property in vulnerable regions like the Himalayas presents a complex dilemma for policymakers and residents alike.
