Joshimath Sinking Updates: Chorus of 'NTPC go back' grows louder

Uttarakhand: There's no connection b/w the (NTPC) tunnel & land subsidence in Joshimath. 8 km in the 12 km tunnel will be built by drill boring & the rest by blasting: RP Ahirwar, chief GM, NTPC, on Joshimath residents blaming NTPC tunnel for land subsidence situation

Deadline given to central institutions to compile study report on Joshimath: Disaster Management secretary

Amid fears around the sinking of the Joshimath town of Uttarakhand, Disaster Management Secretary Dr Ranjit Kumar Sinha on Tuesday said a deadline has been given to various central technical institutions to compile a study report of the area affected by subsidence.

Centre sets timelines for institutions to submit their reports on crisis in Joshimath

The Centre on Tuesday set separate timelines for the institutions conducting geophysical and hydrological studies of the crisis in subsidence-hit Joshimath to submit their reports while the state government decided to demolish 15 completely damaged houses in the JP colony.

Subsidence-hit Joshimath residents seek permanent rehabilitation at safe location

People staying in temporary relief camps in subsidence-hit Joshimath have sought permanent rehabilitation at a safe location where they do not have to face the same crisis again.

In sinking Joshimath, chorus of 'NTPC go back' grows louder

Amid evacuations and demolitions in sinking Joshimath, several residents and activists are calling for the National Thermal Power Corporation to shut down its activities in the region, alleging that one of its projects contributed to subsidence in the area.

Joshimath sinking poses threat to Lord Badrinath’s Hyderabad-made diamond crown, other jewellery offered to the deity; temple committee identifies a geologically safe place in Pipalkoti to protect these ornaments

JP Colony's water discharge level (which is said to have influenced the situation in Joshimath) has gone down which is good news. Affected families have been shifted to shelter homes. Model huts to be ready within a week: Dr RK Sinha, Secretary, Disaster Management

4 wards in Joshimath declared completely unsafe. Rest of the wards partially affected. Many organisations carrying out their investigation. We'll be able to come up with a final report soon. We've also taken preparation in case rainfall happens: Disaster Management Secretary

Uttarakhand govt sat idle despite being aware of danger in Joshimath, says Congress leader Pradeep Tamta

Senior Congress leader Pradeep Tamta on Tuesday blamed the state government's working style for the Joshimath crisis and accused the BJP-led dispensation of sitting idle despite being aware of the imminent danger. He said the government was still not as active as it should be in taking steps to save Joshimath and providing relief to the people.

Joshimath sinking: Anatomy of a Himalayan disaster in the making

Joshimath is a town on the edge. It's the very precipice for thousands of people, despairing as the lives they have always known slip away just as their mountain town sinks a little more each day and cracks on their homes get dangerously wider. Families are segregated, and pets and cattle remain unattended as people move out to safety. Many small businesses have shut shop or are in the process of doing so. The future looms dark and uncertain with residents saying they are not sure how long it will take for the earth to swallow their hometown.

Joshimath crisis: Technical survey of houses to be demolished in JP Colony begins

As the crisis in subsidence-hit Joshimath in Uttarakhand deepens, the Chamoli district administration on Tuesday began a technical survey of the damaged buildings situated in JP Colony for the demolition exercise. A majority of houses in the colony, which is located in one of the worst-hit Marwari area of Joshimath, are single-storey buildings with roofs made of tin sheets.

Why weren't arrangements made (in Joshimath) earlier. We're facing same situation in Raniganj & are fighting with Centre for funds. There's same problem by Coal India in Raniganj. 30,000 people will be affected. Govt should work on war-footing in Joshimath: WB CM Mamata Banerjee

Joshimath residents not responsible for calamity; Centre must take steps to protect people: Mamata Banerjee

Describing the situation in calamity-hit Joshimath as "very dangerous", West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the residents of the tiny hill town in Uttarakhand were not responsible for the disaster and the Centre must take steps on a war-footing to protect people.

Met dept predicts rain, snowfall in Joshimath, adding to woes of people

The coming four days will be very tough for the residents of Joshimath in Uttarakhand which is already going through land subsidence rendering people homeless. Adding to the woes of the people, the meteorological department has predicted rain and snowfall in Joshimath, Chamoli and Pithoragarh on January 19, 20, 23 and 24. According to meteorologists, there is a possibility of change in the weather pattern in the state due to the re-activation of Western Disturbance in these four days.

Joshimath residents not responsible for situation; Centre must take steps on war-footing so that people don't suffer: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Activists write to PM; number of buildings with cracks rise to 849

The Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti has urged the Centre to take over the relief and rehabilitation work in Joshimath as it accused the Uttarakhand government of adopting a "lackadaisical" approach, even as number of buildings developing cracks in the subsidence-hit town rose to 849, out of which 165 are located in the danger zone. The Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS) also raised pitch for scrapping of NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project. The development comes on a day the Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Joshimath a national disaster, saying since the state high court is seized of a "broad range of issues" it should hear it as a matter of principle.

Now, 849 buildings in Joshimath with cracks; dismantling on

The number of buildings developing cracks in subsidence-hit Joshimath rose to 849 on Monday, out of which 165 are located in the danger zone, even as evacuation of affected families to temporary relief centres and dismantling of two unsafe hotels continued in the town.

A total of 800 people, belonging to 237 families, have so far been shifted to safety by the district administration, according to the daily bulletin of the Disaster Management Authority. (PTI)

Activists write to PM; accuse U'khand govt of slow-paced relief-rehabilitation work in Joshimath

The Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti on Monday demanded scrapping of NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and asked the Centre to take over the relief and rehabilitation works in the land subsidence hit-town, accusing the Uttarakhand government of carrying them out at a snail's pace.

Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS) convenor Atul Sati, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accused the state government of ignoring its warnings about the imminent disaster for 14 months and dealing with it now at a slow pace. (PTI)

No development is needed at cost of human life, says plea

Joshimath, the gateway to famous pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and international skiing destination Auli, appears on the edge of a precipice with gaping cracks appearing on buildings, roads and public facilities. The state government faces an uphill task providing relief and rehabilitating the affected families in brutal winter.

The petitioner has contended subsidence in swathes of the town has occurred due to large-scale industrialisation and sought immediate financial assistance and compensation.

The plea has also sought direction to the National Disaster Management Authority to actively support the residents of Joshimath in these challenging times. (PTI)

Congress MLA Harish Dhami alleges use of explosives beyond permissible limit in widening of border road in Dharchula, says he will not let it "become another Joshimath".

Joshimath will be redeveloped in the same manner that Kedarnath was redeveloped. CM has instructed that a scientific investigation be conducted in all the cities located in the hills, we will do it: Ranjit K Sinha, Uttarakhand disaster management secretary

SC declines to hear plea on Joshimath crisis, says HC should handle it as matter of principle

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's subsidence-hit Joshimath a national disaster, saying since the state high court is seized of a "broad range of issues" it should hear it as a matter of principle. As the lawyer for the petitioner submitted that people in Joshimath are dying, the top court told him curtly, "You don't want to use these proceedings for sound bytes in social media". (PTI)

SC refuses to entertain plea for declaring Joshimath subsidence national disaster

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's subsidence-hit Joshimath a national disaster.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala asked petitioner Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to approach the Uttarakhand High Court with his petition.

Joshimath, the gateway to famous pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and international skiing destination Auli, is facing a major challenge due to land subsidence.

The petitioner has contended the subsidence has occurred due to large-scale industrialisation and sought immediate financial assistance and compensation to the affected people.

"No development is needed at the cost of human life and their ecosystem and if any such thing is to happen, then it is the duty of the state and Union government to stop the same immediately at war level," the plea by the Seer said. (PTI)

On January 10, the top court had refused urgent hearing of the plea, saying there are 'democratically elected institutions' to deal with the situation and all important matters should not come to it.

Supreme Court permits petitioner to approach Uttarakhand HC with plea to declare it a national disaster. (ANI)

SC refuses to entertain a plea seeking immediate intervention by it to direct Centre to assist in reparation work & providing urgent relief to people of Joshimath. (ANI)

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's Joshimath as a national disaster.

Families from 700-800 houses which developed cracks have been evacuated, Rs 1.5 lakh ex-gratia being provided, hunt for rehabilitation space is on. All construction activities have been stopped & we’re constantly monitoring situation: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Joshimath

On January 10, the top court had refused urgent hearing of the plea, saying there are "democratically elected institutions" to deal with the situation and all important matters should not come to it. (PTI)

How file-pushing engineers wrecked Joshimath

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Supreme Court to hear plea seeking its intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's Joshimath subsidence a national disaster.

Decoding the Badrinath prophecy: 10 points to know

The shrine of Badrinath - presently accessed via Joshimath - will become inaccessible in the future, says an ancient text 'Sanath Samhita'.

Joshimath land subsidence: First time cracks seen in Chaigaon

Most landslides on 247-km Joshimath road 'fresh': Study

A study that identified 309 landslides along the 247-km road between Rishikesh and Joshimath points out that "this road is strongly affected by landslides which has been previously described and attributed to the region's fragility of slopes, focused rainfall and frequent seismicity". It further stated that most landslides "seemed fresh".

Wall collapse in Joshimath's Marwari village

In the wake of the land subsidence crisis in the Joshimath area of Uttarakhand's Chamoli, a wall collapsed in Joshimath's Marwari village on Sunday, a local said. The wall collapse incident reported by locals occurred in Jaypee Colony around 11am. Following the wall collapse incident, authorities deployed Men and Machinery to rebuild the wall.

Joshimath facing major challenges

• Joshimath, the gateway to famous pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and international skiing destination Auli, is facing a major challenge due to land subsidence.
• Joshimath is sinking gradually with huge cracks developing in houses, on roads and fields.
• Many houses have tilted and are sinking, locals said.

SC to hear on plea on Joshimath subsidence

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's Joshimath as a national disaster. According to the cause list of January 16 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench comprising chief justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala would hear the petition filed by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.

PMO team visits Joshimath, to submit findings to PM Narendra Modi

A team from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), led by deputy secretary Mangesh Ghildiyal, reached Joshimath on Sunday and inspected affected areas around the town. READ MORE

'More than 1 landslide/km between Rishikesh & Joshimath'

As many as 309 "fully or partially road-blocking landslides" have been identified along the 247-km road stretch between Rishikesh and Joshimath, which translates into an average of 1.25 landslides per km, according to a study undertaken by a group of Indian and foreign scientists, which was introduced for discussion at the European Geosciences Union on January 10. READ MORE

'We're unsure of what future holds for us; how will we take care of animals?'

Many residents, displaced due to cracks in their homes in Joshimath, have been forced to leave behind their pets as they move out of their dwellings marked as 'unsafe'. Almost all homes in the area have a pet dog or two that not only act as companions but also safeguard homes against attacks by wild animals like bears and leopards which sometimes stray into the area. READ MORE