After Joshimath, houses develop cracks in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh
Amid recent concerns regarding soil subsidence in Uttarakhand's Joshimath, sudden leaks and cracks have started appearing at a few houses in Aligarh's Kanwariganj area in Uttar Pradesh, setting off panic among locals. As per the locals, the government had laid a pipeline under the Smart City scheme, which is now allegedly leaking and causing cracks in the Kanwariganj area.
Why does this story matter?
- Joshimath is a small Himalayan town and is the base point of the start of many trails and treks.
- It draws many tourists and pilgrims annually, leading to the exponential construction of roadways and buildings.
- However, the geographical stability of Joshimath has always been questionable.
- A Supreme Court-appointed panel found that the town was constructed on an unstable base.
Municipal corporation yet to provide any assistance: Locals
"It has been 3-4 days. We have intimated about the same to the municipal corporation, but no assistance has been provided so far. We are being forced to live in terror," Afsha Mashroor, a local, told the news agency ANI. Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Additional Commissioner of Aligarh Municipal Corporation, took cognizance of the problem and assured that the department would take necessary action.
Necessary action will be taken by civic body, says Yadav
"We have just received the information that there have been cracks in some houses in the Kanwariganj area. We will now send our team to the site and the necessary action will be taken by the municipal corporation," said Yadav. Meanwhile, another local claimed that they are afraid that their houses might collapse, but the authorities have done nothing other than give assurances.
Visuals of cracks at houses in Kanwariganj
Kanwariganj, Aligarh, UP
— Kalu Singh Chouhan (@kscChouhan) January 10, 2023
cracks in houses pic.twitter.com/bJTU2hl0AG
Authorities mark 200 houses in Joshimath as unsafe
The Joshimath administration has marked more than 200 residences with a red cross to identify structures at a higher risk of collapse. Meanwhile, the occupants were informed to move to rented accommodation or temporary relief centers, for which the Uttarakhand government will hand Rs. 4,000 to each family for the coming six months. The authority has also stepped up door-to-door evacuation and surveys.
Authorities to demolish 2 hotels amid safety concerns
According to reports on Tuesday, Uttarakhand's Chamoli district administration is set to demolish two hotels in Joshimath amid the Himalayan town's recent subsidence crisis. Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View, the two hotels leaning against each other, will be mechanically razed as they are a safety threat to a dozen homes in the area.
