SC will hear plea for Joshimath crisis to be declared national disaster

New Delhi: After a plea sought the Supreme Court to intervene in Uttarakhand/Joshimath issue and declare the crisis there a national disaster, the court agreed to hear it on January 16, PTI reported.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha but refused to list it for urgent hearing. Everything important should not go directly to the top court, the bench said on the plea by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.

The CJI said, "There are democratically elected institutions to look into it. Everything important should not come to us. We will list it on January 16."

Appearing for Swami Saraswati, advocate Parmeshwar Nath Mishra mentioned the plea before the court.

Swami's plea argued that the reason behind the crisis in Joshimath was due to large-scale industrialization. It demanded immediate financial assistance as well as compensation for the affected people. It requested the court to direct National Disaster Management Authority to actively support the residents of Joshimath during the crisis.

Swami's plea read, "No development is needed at the cost of human life and their ecosystem, and if any such thing is to happen, then it is the duty of the State and Union government to stop the same immediately at war level."

The town of Joshimath, the gateway to famous pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and international skiing destination Auli, is facing a severe crisis of land subsidence. The town is gradually sinking, with houses and buildings developing huge cracks. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an immediate evacuation of 600 families living in houses at risk.