Learnings from the Joshimath crisis

21 Feb 2023 CW Team

Joshimath is situated at an altitude of 6,200 ft above sea level, in the lower Himalayas. The town is situated in the middle of a hill bounded by Dhauliganga and Alaknanda on one side and Karmanasa and Dhaknala on the other. In addition to Joshimath, several settlements can be found on the lower and middle slopes. These include Chami, Shelong, Khanoti Chatti, Animath, Vishnuprayag, Khan, Parsari, Ganeshpur, Sunil, Gaukah, Dadon, Regaon, Oucha, Auli, Kharori, Kuni, Paiyan, Khancha, Barhgaon, Paini and Vishnupuram.

The recent crisis in Joshimath began with cracks on walls at an accelerated pace. Reports cited that owing to land subsidence, 863 buildings in Joshimath were found to have cracks and numerous structures had moderate or major damages.

The cracks caused by land subsidence in Joshimath is not an overnight phenomenon. This has been an ongoing issue since the 1970s. In 1978, a panel headed by Garhwal commissioner Mahesh Chandra Mishra submitted a report stating that major construction should not be done in the city and the Niti and Mana valleys because they are on moraines, which are masses of rocks, sediment and soil deposited by glaciers.

Joshimath has grown in size resulting in haphazard development, as is the problem with other towns located 5,000 ft above sea level with all development happening on loose soil. Unplanned expansion has also amended the natural flow of water; in the absence of systematic drainage, water has been forced to chart alternative routes...

To read the full report, CLICK HERE

Man is prone to exploiting the vulnerabilities of nature. And when the vagaries of nature hit back, it leads to a ‘natural disaster’. It is not until such catastrophes impact the basic nature of human existence is there any attempt to solve them. Joshimath, a town and municipal board in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand serves as a perfect example. The Uttarakhand flood of 2021 and its aftermath severely affected the region beginning in February 2021. Fast forward to 2023, the town is now sinking. Joshimath is situated at an altitude of 6,200 ft above sea level, in the lower Himalayas. The town is situated in the middle of a hill bounded by Dhauliganga and Alaknanda on one side and Karmanasa and Dhaknala on the other. In addition to Joshimath, several settlements can be found on the lower and middle slopes. These include Chami, Shelong, Khanoti Chatti, Animath, Vishnuprayag, Khan, Parsari, Ganeshpur, Sunil, Gaukah, Dadon, Regaon, Oucha, Auli, Kharori, Kuni, Paiyan, Khancha, Barhgaon, Paini and Vishnupuram. The recent crisis in Joshimath began with cracks on walls at an accelerated pace. Reports cited that owing to land subsidence, 863 buildings in Joshimath were found to have cracks and numerous structures had moderate or major damages. The cracks caused by land subsidence in Joshimath is not an overnight phenomenon. This has been an ongoing issue since the 1970s. In 1978, a panel headed by Garhwal commissioner Mahesh Chandra Mishra submitted a report stating that major construction should not be done in the city and the Niti and Mana valleys because they are on moraines, which are masses of rocks, sediment and soil deposited by glaciers. Joshimath has grown in size resulting in haphazard development, as is the problem with other towns located 5,000 ft above sea level with all development happening on loose soil. Unplanned expansion has also amended the natural flow of water; in the absence of systematic drainage, water has been forced to chart alternative routes...To read the full report, CLICK HERE

Infrastructure Urban

03 Apr 2026

Centre Disburses Over Rs 24,610 mn in XV Finance Commission Grants

The Union Government has released XV Finance Commission tied grants during the financial year 2025–26 to rural local bodies in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Sikkim and has released withheld portions of tied and untied grants to Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura. The total disbursal exceeded Rs 24,610 mn, with figures expressed in million (mn) thereafter. The releases cover allocations pertaining to different financial years and aim to strengthen rural local governance. State-wise disbursements included Rs 3,324.6 mn for Punjab, Rs 9,432.7 mn for Madhya Pradesh, Rs 3,47..

Infrastructure Urban

03 Apr 2026

Centre Releases Over Rs 15 bn as XV FC Grants to Rural Bodies

The Union Government has released over Rs 15 bn in grants recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in six states. The funds comprise tied and untied grants disbursed in FY 2025–26. Telangana received Rs 2.48 bn as the first instalment of untied grants for FY 2025–26, benefitting 12600 Gram Panchayats (GPs). Uttarakhand received Rs 913.1 mn as the second instalment and an additional Rs 18.4 mn of a withheld first instalment was released to a further 216 GPs. Mizoram is included among beneficiary st..

Infrastructure Energy

03 Apr 2026

Government Assures Fuel Supplies And Seafarer Safety Amid West Asia Developments

The Government of India has stepped up coordinated measures to maintain stability in critical sectors as developments in West Asia continue to unfold. It has prioritised uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguarded maritime operations and extended consular assistance to nationals. Central authorities are working with State and Union territory administrations to ensure timely information dissemination and operational continuity. Refineries are reported to be operating at high capacity with adequate inventories of petrol and diesel, and domestic LPG production has been increased to support consump..