Joshimath-like threat hovers over regions of Himachal Pradesh: Sukhu

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, suggested on Sunday that some areas may be gradually sliding, similar to the subsidence that has recently occurred in Joshimath, Uttarakhand. This has raised concerns that the phenomenon may increasingly endanger lives and property in the western Himalayas.

Numerous homes in Joshimath town, which serves as the entrance to the tourist attraction Auli as well as the holy sites of Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, have developed large fissures that have compelled the authorities to initiate extensive evacuation steps. Land-subsidence hit zone status has been given to Joshimath.

He asked the science minister Jitendra Singh to go to Himachal Pradesh to talk about disaster management-related issues. CM Sukhu requested he visits Himachal Pradesh to discuss disaster-related matters. “You are from the neighbouring state and you know the geological conditions of Himachal Pradesh.”

“Like Joshimath, we also have some regions in Himachal Pradesh which are sliding gradually. We couldn’t plan for these regions effectively with adequate technology,” Sukhu said.

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Sukhu addressed the audience through video conferencing in Delhi at the India Meteorological Department’s 148th Foundation Day event.

Rainfall frequently causes landslides and subsidence occurrences in hilly areas because quickly moving water loosens the subsoil and weakens foundations.

Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister of Uttarakhand, virtually joined the event as well, but he did not address the crowd. According to Dhami's crew, he left midway because he needed to catch a flight to Delhi.

At Surkanda in Uttarakhand, Murari Devi and Jot in Himachal Pradesh, and Banihal Top in Jammu and Kashmir, the meteorological office unveiled four Doppler weather radars.

The National Disaster Management Authority has urged government officials and institutions not to communicate with the media or post information on social media about the geological studies at Joshimath, thus representatives of the earth sciences ministry declined to comment.

By 2025, the India Meteorological Department hopes to have 62 Doppler radars operating throughout the nation, up from the current 37, according to director general M Mohapatra.

Doppler weather radars are used to find, track, and categorise precipitation. They are especially helpful in places without automatic weather stations. They are a great resource for nowcasting (instant notifications) of extreme weather occurrences like flash floods and cloudbursts.