Uttarakhand CM to visit 'sinking' Joshimath as over 500 houses develop cracks

Khatima: In the wake of the news of land subsidence in Joshimath and cracks developing in many houses in the town, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that necessary actions would be taken to save the people of the district. CM Dhami would be visiting Joshimath soon to take stock of the situation and initiate necessary actions. The statement comes in the backdrop of reports of huge cracks that have appeared in the houses of the area due to land subsidence which is known as the vertical sinking of land in an area. 

"I will be visiting Joshimath in the coming days and initiate steps to handle the situation. All the reports will be monitored and all the required steps will be taken. I have had a word with the Municipal Corporation chairman Shailendra Pawar to monitor the condition in the district," said CM Pushkar Singh Dhami while talking to ANI. 

Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar said that huge cracks have appeared in the houses due to leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward. 

#WATCH | Land subsidence and cracks in many houses continue in Uttarakhand's Joshimath. Cracks have appeared on 561 houses in Joshimath, and water seepage continues from underground in JP Colony, Marwadi. pic.twitter.com/vo7IxIh1Xl — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 5, 2023

"I went to Dehradun to meet CM Dhami to discuss the entire situation. There have been reports that cracks have appeared in the houses due to leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward," said Shailendra Pawar. 

Meanwhile, people in the Joshimath Town of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand have been fleeing from their houses to safer places following incidents of land subsidence in the area.

The winter season and the danger of house collapse due to landslides have now become a major issue in Joshimath town. 

Nine wards of Joshimath town have been massively affected by landslides.

The cracks in the walls and floors of the houses in the city area are getting deeper with each passing day, sounding an alarm for people.

Shailendra Pawar said that more than 3,000 people from 576 houses in the city area have been affected due to this subsidence. 

"All the houses are being surveyed by the municipality. Many people have also left their homes," he said.

Land subsidence has completely taken under its grasp the house of Madhavi Sati, the ex-Municipal President of Joshimath town area just like the other 574 houses in the town area, which have also developed huge cracks.

"I have no other option but to live in a ruined house," she said. 

She said that the DM of Chamoli also visited the area but no conclusion has been reached so far."The people of Joshimath are worried about the future of the city," she added.

Uttarakhand | A large number of people took out a torchlight protest in Joshimath yesterday as several houses developed deep cracks, leaving them in a panicked state. pic.twitter.com/AKlMkIEAli — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 5, 2023

Soon a delegation from Joshimath will be travelling to Dehradun to meet Pushkar Singh Dhami with the demand for rehabilitation for the people affected by the subsidence.