Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s lack of a building permit is the primary cause of destruction: government investigation

According to a post-disaster needs assessment carried out by government authorities, the lack of a construction permission system is one of the main causes of the substantial damage to homes in the subsidence-hit region of Joshimath in Uttarakhand.

355 households had to relocate when some homes and other civil constructions along the Joshimath-Auli road started to show significant fractures as a result of ground subsidence starting on January 2.

Land subsidence, which had been noted for many years, intensified from January 2 to January 8, according to locals.

A “Post Disaster Needs Assessment” was carried out by a 35-person team made up of experts from the National Disaster Management Authority, UN agencies, Central Building Research Institute, National Institute of Disaster Management, and other organizations from April 22 to April 25 in order to evaluate the harm done and determine the assistance needed for the long-term recovery and reconstruction of the affected sectors, according to PTI.

The research emphasizes that although there are construction rules, residential structures are not required to abide with them.

“People only get permits when they need a loan or for other official purposes. The lack of a construction permission system is one of the main causes of Joshimath’s present state. The degree of the damage would have been less severe, and retrofitting would have been less costly, according to the research, had there been risk-based construction rules in place and existing structures that complied with them.

The study also mentions the “lack of town planning and absence of risk-informed land use maps” as a cause for worry.

“The streets are very tight, and the communities scarcely have any green space. This renders the town very insecure since it is almost difficult to enter in an emergency, it said, highlighting the urgent need for a detailed growth strategy.

The authorities emphasized the urgent need for the creation of a forward-looking strategy with the aim of building a secure and resilient Joshimath for the next 10 to 15 years.

In order to make sure that all multi-hazard hazards, particularly landslides and earthquakes, are handled, the current construction ordinances need to be thoroughly examined. The public and masons have a clear need for a straightforward visual rendition of the building rules and construction regulations. Buildings must comply with multi-hazard safety standards, which necessitates awareness campaigns and a greater relationship between the public and the government, they said.

In Joshimath, 181 homes have been designated as unfit for habitation, while 868 homes have been found to have cracks, according to a bulletin issued by the district administration in April.

The 1970s saw reports of ground collapse in Joshimath as well. The city and the Niti and Mana valleys are located on moraines, a mass of rocks, sediment, and soil that was transported and deposited by a glacier, according to a 1978 report from a panel established under the chairmanship of Garhwal Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Mishra.

The Himalayan town is located in seismic zone V and is vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the Chamoli district in 1999 left the area devastated to a great extent.

Joshimath was devastated on February 7, 2021, by significant floods brought on by a glacier burst in the adjacent Rishi Ganga river and a lot of rain. Two hydroelectric power stations situated downstream of the Rishi Ganga river were also damaged by the flooding. The most severely damaged facility was the Tapovan Vishnugad hydroelectric power station, where many of its employees are either missing or have been ruled dead.