Editorial: Safety first

Announcement of dates for Char Dham Yatra is an ill-thought move against the backdrop of continued fears over land subsidence

The Uttarakhand government’s announcement of dates for the Char Dham Yatra, the annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan holy shrines, is an ill-thought and hurried move against the backdrop of continued fears over land subsidence in the region. Serious questions are being raised over the feasibility of the Yatra at a time when the people are still in the grip of fear over the environmental impact of the sinking land at Joshimath, the gateway to Badrinath, and other areas in the fragile region. Soon after the Uttarakhand government’s announcement, cracks were seen at several places on the all-important Badrinath highway. Fissures appeared in Ravigram and Singhdhar municipal wards, two of the worst-hit areas of subsidence-hit Joshimath. The latest cracks have been reported from ‘zero bend’ on the highway connecting to Badrinath town. This will strengthen the argument of the environmentalists that the annual Yatra be put on hold till an effective solution is found to the problem of land subsidence. As per the schedule released by the State government, the Char Dham Yatra, covering the holy sites of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, will commence on April 22. It is going to be a logistical nightmare for the authorities as the Yatra is expected to witness heavy traffic flow with thousands of pilgrims walking on the land that is already sinking beneath the feet of the shrines. Since January this year, at least 868 houses have developed cracks in and around Joshimath, about 45 km away from Badrinath.

Fractures were also visible on the roads and agricultural fields of the hill town. Moreover, the authorities have decided to use the Joshimath route for the yatra as the Helang by-pass project – around 9 km before Joshimath – is still in the initial stage. There are increasing concerns over the likely impact of pilgrimage on the ecology of the region. Experts have also pointed out the possibilities of earthquakes occurring in the Himalayan region. The recent devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria has aggravated these fears. The entire Himalayan region is earthquake-prone. There was an earthquake in Chamoli district in 1999, and smaller tremors have been reported from other places. The Kashmir Valley and parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are considered seismologically vulnerable. But no safeguards have been taken to minimise loss of lives and damage to property in such eventualities. There are clear guidelines about quake-resistant designs and construction of houses and buildings, but these are not being followed in practice. It must be ensured that new buildings follow the safety code and old buildings are strengthened to resist the impact of earthquakes. Instead, haphazard constructions and other activities have continued with little checks and regulations, and they continue in many places. It is also necessary to create better public awareness in this regard.