Joshimath sinking: The Supreme Court will hear on January 16 a plea seeking the court’s intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath as a national disaster.
The petition has been filed by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala would hear the plea, according to the apex court website.
Religious significance of Joshimath
Joshimath is a town in Uttarakhand with religious significance. It is witnessing gradual land subsidence resulting in huge cracks in several houses and buildings in the town. Many houses are tilted and are gradually sinking.
The apex court had refused to entertain the urgent hearing on the issue on 10 January, and said that there were “democratically elected institutions” to deal with the problem and that all important matters should not be brought to the court.
“Everything important need not come to us. There are democratically elected institutions to look into it. We will list it on January 16,” the CJI had then said.
Financial assistance sought
The petition sought immediate financial assistance and compensation for the people of Uttarakhand. It said large-scale industrialization of the hill state was responsible for the problem. The plea sought directions to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to actively support the residents of Joshimath.
“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 said.
Meanwhile, the department of disaster management said on Sunday that they are conducting a geophysical survey at 10 spots in Joshimath to get a better view of the survey results.
“The geophysical survey has already started. The collected data will then go for interpretation. It will take some time, as soils have to dig and then sent to laboratories. We want this survey to take place at 10 spots in the whole of Joshimath so that we get better results,” it said.