Land subsidence in Joshimath shatters many business dreams

Joshimath: The hotel owner, the shopkeeper, the laundry owner, the roadside vendor... Hundreds of people watch in dismay as rapidly deepening cracks write the epitaph of their businesses and homes in a sinking town that was bustling till just a few weeks ago. Their dreams for the future shattered, small businesspersons in the Himalayan town of Joshimath wonder how their lives could have been upended so completely - and so fast. Suraj Kapruwan, a hotel management graduate who left his well-paying job in Mumbai and returned to Joshimath a few years ago to set up a laundry business, remembers the exact moment his plans for the future crumbled.

It was January 2 when land subsidence led to hairline wall fissures widening with a distant rumbling noise heard in some places, leading to gaping cracks in houses, streets and other establishments of the town of nearly 23,000 people, "The disaster shattered my dreams. Tourists have stopped coming here, and bookings have been cancelled. I had to let go of my staff of nine people," an emotional Kuprawan told PTI.

He set up a laundry to cash in on the booming tourist business of the town, which acts as a gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails, and pilgrim centres such as Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, and also the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO world heritage site. "We are mountain people. In the absence of opportunities, many people leave Joshimath for the plains. I thought if I come back, I might be able to help a few more people to stay back and work towards the upliftment of the town," he said, ruing perhaps his decision to return home.

The 38-year-old said he spent about Rs 35 lakh to set up his laundry, a major chunk going into buying IFB machines worth Rs 20 lakh. "The setup has developed a wide crack in its basement and has been included in the danger zone," said Kapruwan. "Whatever I tried to stitch together in the last few years has been torn to shreds," he said.

According to Naini Singh Bhandari, chairperson of the Vyapar Mandal Sangh, Joshimath has around 600 business owners, including those who own homestays, hotels, clothing shops and restaurants. Of these, 50 establishments are already in the Red Zone category and off limits. "These businesses are totally dependent on tourism. We are being told to vacate the damaged shops but where will we go with all the equipment and goods? Overall, business has suffered drastically," he told PTI. "We are demanding proper compensation for our goods and a rehabilitation package for traders so they can start their business again... or they should be provided jobs." He said many people have taken loans from businesses and relatives for their ventures.