Joshimath-India's 'sinking town': Top court refuses urgent hearing of plea to call it 'national disaster'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India Tuesday declined an urgent hearing of land subsidence incidents at Joshimath, a small Himalayan town in northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. The top court posted the matter for hearing on 16 January.

A plea filed by a seer, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, before the Indian apex court, sought its intervention to declare the crisis in Joshimath as a national disaster.

“There are democratically elected institutions to look into it.  Everything important should not come to us. We will list it on 16 January,” said the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, who was hearing the matter along with Justice PS Narasimha.

The plea was mentioned by advocate Parmeshwar Nath Mishra, appearing for the seer, who has contended that the incident has occurred due to large-scale industrialisation and sought immediate financial assistance and compensation to the people of the state.

What did the plea seek?

The plea also sought direction to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to actively support the residents of Joshimath in this challenging time.

“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 of the Seer said.

Joshimath, the gateway to famous Hindu pilgrimage sites including Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and international skiing destination Auli, is facing a major challenge due to land subsidence.

Joshimath has been declared disaster-prone after it started sinking gradually with huge cracks developing in houses, roads and fields there.

“Many houses have suffered subsidence,” locals said.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered immediate evacuation of 600 families living in houses at risk.

Joshimathi has a population of around 25,000 and is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand at a height of 1,800 meters above sea level.

With inputs from agencies

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