Lessons From Joshimath

Bini Dahal

India’s Uttarakhand has now been plunged into a deep catastrophe. Joshimath, a city located in that State, is slowly sinking and the people’s lives are in peril. Most residents have now been shifted to a safer location after their houses began developing cracks. 

With changing times, problems seem to have evolved too. And this is true in the case of land sinking, an emerging disaster worldwide. Land sinking is believed to occur due to multiple reasons. One could be an earthquake and its tremors. Another factor may be the breakage of underground rocks caused by the strong pressure created by percolated water underground. And finally, rising human activities could be the next factor behind this issue. 

Talking about human activities, it is a well-known fact that in recent times, the demand for water has skyrocketed. So, to meet the water demand, people are found over-extracting groundwater and draining aquifers. Also, excessively heavy construction activities have tormented the geographical terrains and weakened them. In the case of Joshimath, it is human activity that has brought the city to its current state. People have begun suffering from settlement issues owing to this grave problem.

Joshimath is just one example of land subsidence. Many regions and areas in the world are geographically weak in nature. So, human settlements are found to be a difficult prospect in these regions. However, the increasing population and their need for shelter have forced countries and people to create inhabitable areas like Joshimath as a hub of settlement, human activities and of development endeavours. 

In the short-run, the effect might not be evident, but in the long-run, these kinds of risky steps can cause sufferings to the residents. As per reports, a previous study conducted by the Indian government had shown signs of warning that the city would sink sometime soon. The study report had made recommendations, calling for not making heavy constructions there. However, neither the warning nor the suggestion was heeded. It is an irony that the city is both blessed and cursed by nature. Joshimath is a booming area for tourism and pilgrims, but it has now emerged as a highly risky area.

Looking at our own context, Pokhara is such a magnificent destination that attracts many domestic and international tourists each year. But the city and its vicinity areas record heavy rainfalls annually. We get to hear news about land sinking in different parts of this city, too.  The fragile topography and a lack of proper drainage system have led to the creation of holes in the surface. This can be very dangerous for people as well as structures.

The situation of Joshimath is also a lesson for a topographically weak nation like ours. When a timely action is not taken, it can incur more expenses than expected. If we truly consider the environment as our home, we must stop taking things for granted. The repercussions are harsher than expected for sure. The environment has a certain limit and it is a foolish move if we cross the threshold for our selfishness. Now, it is time that we study this issue scientifically and take steps accordingly. All levels of government should begin investing and promoting the idea of safer shelter and a protected natural environment.