Uttarakhand’s Joshimath has been in news for its sinking land which is posing a threat to the local residents. The collective anxieties of the residents peaked yesterday after fresh cracks surfaced. The protesters called for a general strike and demonstrations against the allegedly callous attitude of the state government towards the crisis. On December 4, Gaon Connection had published a detailed report on the issue and warned of an impending disaster.

Farmers from eight villages in the Shama cluster are associated with a growth centre that processes and sells kiwi products. The fruit is locally grown by the hill farmers. In 2021, nearly 20 quintals of kiwi were pulped for juice. The sale of these products has increased the income of farmers.

Farmers from eight villages in the Shama cluster are associated with a growth centre that processes and sells kiwi products. The fruit is locally grown by the hill farmers. In 2021, nearly 20 quintals of kiwi were pulped for juice. The sale of these products has increased the income of farmers.

Joshimath in Uttarakhand has both religious and tourist significance. But several villages in the area are slowly subsiding, say the local villagers and scientists who have studied the region. Houses have developed cracks making it highly unsafe for people to live in them. Maximum subsidence is observed in the wards of Ravigram, Gandhinagar and Sunil, and thousands of people may be displaced.