Joshimath: Army relocates troops as 25+ military installations develop cracks
What's the story
The Indian Army relocated an undisclosed number of troops from the sinking Himalayan town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand after 25-28 military installations developed cracks, Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, informed on Thursday. He stressed that despite the move, the Army's readiness and operational preparedness were intact. Pande said if needed, the troops would be permanently relocated to Auli, a nearby town.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Joshimath—which is the gateway to several mountain expeditions and pilgrimages—is facing serious land subsidence as it is built on a geographically unstable foundation. The influx of pilgrims and tourists over the years has resulted in the exponential growth of the town. It is also a key garrison center for defending the 3,488-kilometer Line of Actual Control (LAC) and houses 20,000 troops and military hardware.
Details
82 families temporarily rehabilitated so far
Addressing the annual Army Day conference, General Pande said that they were prepared to move more units if required. The District Disaster Management Authority in Chamoli said, as of Monday, 82 families were temporarily rehabilitated after their homes developed deep cracks, becoming prone to collapse and threatening their safety. In all, significant cracks emerged in 678 out of the total 4,500 buildings in Joshimath.
Plea
SC to hear plea seeking suspension of NTPC project
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to hear a petition on Monday filed by a Joshimath-based religious leader seeking to halt the construction of a hydel power project and a tunnel by the state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The plea attributes the land subsidence to the projects and wants them to be stalled until they are examined and approved by independent expert groups.
Background
A 1976 survey warned of environmental damage
The Centre earlier announced that it would install a micro-seismic observation system in Joshimath. The town is located at an altitude of 6,000 feet and falls in the high-risk Seismic Zone 5, which is most prone to earthquakes. Moreover, a survey conducted in 1976 by the Mishra Committee warned that blasting the hillside and construction by removing boulders would result in severe environmental damage.