SC refuses to entertain plea seeking intervention to save Joshimath

Joshimath is sinking gradually with huge cracks developing in houses, on roads and fields.

New Delhi, Jan 16: The Supreme Court has refused to hear a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's Joshimath as a national disaster.

A bench comprising 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.

Joshimath is sinking gradually with huge cracks developing in houses, on roads and fields. Many houses have tilted and are sinking, locals said.

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. It had listed Saraswati's plea for hearing on January 16.

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

Joshimath sank 5.4cm in 12 days

The satellite images of the 'sinking' city Joshimath, revealed that a rapid subsidence of 5.4cm has been recorded in 12 days between December 27, 2022 and January 8, 2023.

The National Remote Sensing Centre said the 12-day sinking rate has been rapid as between April 2022 and November 2022, Joshimath saw a slow subsidence of 9 cm.

The subsidence zone includes the Army Helipad and Narsingh Mandir, the satellite images revealed. The crown of the subsidence is located near Joshimath-Auli road at a height of 2,180m.