Joshimath is now being called the "Sinking town"

At a time when people were busy wishing each other a Happy New Year, tragedy struck Joshimath. This town in Uttarakhand is the gateway to Hindu pilgrim centres like Badrinath and to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions. On January 2, residents of Joshimath were left terrified when many roads here cracked open. The walls of their houses split wide. What compounded people’s anxiety was an aquifer that burst, triggering fears that the town might collapse. But is this anything new?
The problem of subsidence was flagged decades ago after residents complained of crevices on their walls. Over the years, 600-odd houses have developed cracks due to gradual land subsidence. Residents have protested construction work here. Swami Sanand, a seer, fasted to death demanding the cancellation of all power projects on Dhauliganga and other tributaries of the Ganga. But Joshimath remains the “sinking town”.