After Cracks And Crevices, Joshimath Might Face Power Crisis As Electric Poles Start To Tilt

Certain areas of Joshimath have already been declared as ‘danger zone’ due to buildings developing cracks. Now another power crisis has hit the temple town.

Joshimath Latest Update: Temple town of Joshimath is staring at a crisis like no other. A disaster in 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. Rains and Snowfall have added to the owes of the sinking ship. Now, another crisis looms large as electric poles  have started to tilt. So far around 70 electric poles and few transformers have tiled according to a report by TOI.

There might a possible power supply issues in  Joshimath now. Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) director said speaking of TOI that if the sub-stations sink due too the land subsidence then it will hit a loss of about Rs 22-23 crore. The director added that posing risk of short circuit in affected building, around 60-70 poles tilted due to this land subsidence issue. In view of  a potential power crisis, UPCL has identified land in Selang village, 6 km from Joshimath where a new set up can be done.

Before people were displaced from the affected areas, UPCL provided 24 x 7 power supply to about 2500 consumers in Joshimath. Electricity has been suspended in affected homes only.

Current Situation At Joshimath

Hotel owner, shopkeeper, roadside vendor… Hundreds of people watch in dismay as rapidly deepening cracks write the epitaph of their businesses and homes in a sinking town that was bustling till just a few weeks ago.

• Evacuation And Rehabilitation: According to officials, 849 houses in Joshimath have developed cracks following land subsidence and 258 families have been moved to temporary relief centres. 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.
• Demolition: All unsafe buildings including hotels, residentials houses are being demolished.
• Danger Zones: The administration divided the city ‘Danger’, ‘Buffer’, and ‘Completely safe’ zones. The zone which is totally unsafe, that has to be evacuated immediately, that has been called a danger zone. A buffer zone is a zone which is presently safe but can be endangered in the future. And the third is the completely safe zone. A survey is underway for the danger and buffer zone,” ANI quoted the official as saying.
• Activist Blame NTPC : 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, 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.