Joshimath Sinking: NGT Orders Study On Allowing Constructions, Building Safeguards In Mussoorie
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered to carry out a study on the carrying capacity of Mussoorie to identify how many constructions can be allowed and with what safeguards.
The tribunal has constituted a nine-member joint committee to be headed by the Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand, with members including representatives from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, the Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, and the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee to carry out the study.
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Potential for disaster at Mussoorie
Based on the findings by Additional District Magistrate (Administration), Dehradun, KK Misra, after a recent inspection, the NGT said that “to some extent, that potential for disaster at Mussoorie is not ruled out unless safeguards are taken.”
The Tribunal noted that hilly areas have their own ecosystem with peculiar needs on account of fragility and their unique flora and fauna.
Growing concern beyond Joshimath
Ever since the land subsidence in Joshimath became a major issue, there have been increasing concerns over the same in other places, including Mussoorie, Rishikesh, and Garhwal.
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Experts who blame Uttarakhand’s unplanned and uncontrolled construction for the current crisis are demanding that the Himalayas be declared an eco-sensitive zone.
Last month, Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) passed a resolution and asked the government to consider taking long-term measures to address the problem, saying a similar situation may arise in Nainital, Mussoorie and other areas of Garhwal as well if the “so-called development driven by human greed” is not checked in the hill state.
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“Declare Himalayas as an eco-sensitive zone. Regulate big projects causing devastation,” the resolution said.
Study carrying capacity of Uttarakhand
While the width of the road under the Char Dham road widening project must be regulated to intermediate standard to minimize the damage to the terrain, the Char Dham railways project should be reassessed, it added.
“Chardham railways is an over ambitious project that will cause much devastation and will further overburden the tourist centric state of Uttarakhand. This project should be reassessed and re-looked at,” the resolution said.
It added that a detailed carrying capacity assessment of Uttarakhand should be done to ensure that the number of tourists visiting these places is accounted for and that the tourist flow does not cause environmental overburdening.
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No new cracks on buildings
Last week, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said that the number of buildings with cracks has not increased and till now, 863 buildings with cracks have been noticed due to land subsidence and landslides in Joshimath town.
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