Lok Sabha Question No. 524 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Land Subsidence in Joshimath
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, K. Subbarayan, M. K. Raghavan, Abdul Khaleque, Deepak Baij, Deepak (Dev) Adhikari, Sushil Kumar Singh, Raksha Nikhil Khadse

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.524

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## Land Subsidence in Joshimath

## 524. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

SHRI SUBBARAYAN K.:

SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

SHRI ADHIKARI DEEPAK (DEV):

SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  Joshimath  in  Uttrakhand  is  sinking  and  numerous  homes  in Joshimath had significant damage and constituted a severe risk to the people living there, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the remedial steps taken in this regard;
- (b) whether any research or study has been conducted before starting the development work in Joshimath, if so, the details in this regard;
- (c) the  details  of  the  hilly  area  projects  given  environmental  clearance  in  the  vicinity  of Joshimath during the last six years and whether the Government had conducted necessary surveys before giving clearance certificate for infrastructure development projects in the mountain areas including Chardham Project, if so, the details of reports on the same and if not, the reasons for giving permissions to those projects;
- (d) whether the scientific organisations ever officially objected to such projects and if so, the details of the reasons/basis on which such development was allowed;
- (e) whether it is also a fact that several hilly areas are on the verge of facing the Joshimath like landslide conditions, if so, the details of the survey conducted for the hilly cities of the country along with the details of the action plan chalked out by the Government to save the hilly destinations and prevent such kind of incident in future; and
- (f) whether the Government is likely to review the environmental clearance of big projects such  as  National  Thermal  Power  Corportion  in  view  of  the  Joshimath  mountain  land subsidence and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (f) Land subsidence incidents were reported at various places around Joshimath in Chamoli District  of  Uttarakhand.  Due  to  land-subsidence,  many  structures  have  seen  reported  to  have

moderate to major damages. As reported by the State Government, cracks have been observed in 863  buildings  and  after  taking  into  consideration  safety  of  people,  296  families  with  995 members have been shifted to safer places. After the incidence, all construction activities have been stayed by the State Government in the entire Joshimath area, including Tapovan-Vishnugad power  project  and  Helong  Marwari  By-Pass  Road.  There  are  institutional  mechanisms  at  the National,  State  and  District  level  in  the  country  viz.  National  Disaster  Management  Authority (NDMA), State  Disaster  Management  Authorities  (SDMAs)  &  District  Disaster  Management Authorities  (DDMAs)  respectively  to  develop  appropriate  preparedness,  coordination  and prompt response mechanism for effective management of natural disasters.

The situation is continuously monitored on 24X7 basis at various levels in the State and Central  Government.  Further,  the  Central  Government  and  State  Government  are  working  in close coordination with all the agencies concerned to mitigate the effect of land subsidence in Joshimath area.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has prepared landslide susceptibility maps for the hill  areas. These maps are to be taken into account by the local administration in development planning.

The  Ministry  has  delineated  a  detailed  procedure  for  comprehensive  assessment  of environmental  and  social  impacts  of  the  project  in  the  Environment  Impact  Assessment Notification,  2006,  as  amended;  which inter-alia provides  for  four  stages  of  consideration process  i.e.,  Screening,  Scoping,  Public  Consultation  and  Appraisal  by  the  Expert  Appraisal Committee (EAC), for assessment of environmental and social impacts taking into account the location  of  the  Project  and  also  for  monitoring  of  projects.  Study  of  the  aforesaid  and  other related  factors  in  the  context  of  specific  projects  forms  the  basis  for  preparation  of  the Environmental Impact Assessment/Environmental Management Plan.

The EAC comprising domain area experts, after detailed examination and deliberations on various environmental and social aspects of the project including appraisal of the studies/information related to seismology, geological profile, study of landslide prone areas, risk analysis  studies,  recommend  the  project  for  grant  of  Environmental  Clearance  (EC)  by suggesting  suitable  mitigation  measures  and  Environment  Management  to  minimize  the environmental and social impacts associated with the project. It is only after such detailed study and  analysis  that  environmental  clearances  are  issued  subject  to  compliance  of  necessary environmental  safeguards  and  general  and  specific  conditions  by  the  Project  Proponent  (PP) before undertaking construction of the project.

Project specific conditions related to safety measures like installation of Early Warning Telemetric system,implementation of Emergency Preparedness Plan, Disaster Management Plan, Catchment  Area  Treatment  plan,  stabilization  of  muck  disposal  sites,  rim  plantation,  pasture development, nursery development etc. are also prescribed in the Environmental Clearances.

Projects involving forest land require Forest Clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Whenever a proposal for diversion of forestland is received, it is examined and due diligence is  exercised to keep it at bare minimum. In cases where it is unavoidable, the forest area  is  allowed  to  be  diverted,  subject  to  certain  conditions  including  the  Compensatory Afforestation (CA) and payment of Net Present Value (NPV) wherever necessary, the additional mitigation measures in the form of Soil and Moisture Conservation works, Wildlife Management plan  etc.  are  also  stipulated  on  case-to-case  basis.Prior  to  accordance  of  forest  clearance  for infrastructure projects in the mountain areas including the Chardham Project, Geological survey reports provided by the State Government are taken into account.

Besides  the  above,  the  projects,  including  the  hydro-electric  projects/roads/highways, which are not covered under the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006, as amended, are also required to obtain Consents on regular basis from the concerned State Governments through the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) which stipulate the  necessary  conditions  and  environmental  safeguards  keeping  in  mind  the  spatial  extent  of potential  impacts  and  potential  impacts  onhuman  health  and  natural  and  man-made  resources which are to be duly adhered to by the Project Proponent and to be monitored by the SPCBs.

*****