Joshimath Crisis: Residents seek permanent rehabilitation at safe location

Joshimath: A child plays near a PWD Guest House where cracks appeared, in land subsidence affected area in Joshimath, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. Pic/PTI

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.

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.

"We want relocation of a permanent nature at a secure place where we don't confront the same situation again," says Sunaina Saklani who completed her graduation recently said. "They (authorities) are talking about rehabilitating us in Pipalkoti and Gauchar. Karnaprayag has already begun to sink, what if the same thing happens there too? Where shall we go if we face the same situation in Pipalkoti and Gauchar," she said.

Sunaina Saklani is one of the four daughters of Durga Prasad Saklani whose house in ward no. 7 of Sunil area was the first to develop cracks in Joshimath around one year ago.

"The cracks were small then. They have grown bigger since January 2. If action was taken when papa first gave his application to the administration, the situation may not have been as bad as it is today," Sunaina's younger sister Neha said.

Around a week ago, the family had to shift to a temporary relief centre, 1.5 km from their home, after it was demarcated as unsafe for living. However, they keep returning to their dilapidated home to take care of their livestock left behind.

According to the girls, their father does farming in Joshimath and their mother is ill. The sudden shift to the relief camp has had an unsettling effect on everything.

"It has disturbed my studies and the condition of my mother, who underwent a surgery in Dehradun recently, has worsened," Neha, a first year intermediate student said.

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