Shankaracharya files PIL in Supreme Court regarding Joshimath landslide

The matter of the landslide of Joshimath has now reached the Supreme Court. Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court on Saturday in view of the seriousness of the Joshimath landslide. Petitioner's lawyer Parameshwar Nath Mishra requested the Supreme Court to give directions for quick measures to save Joshimath from extinction. It was said in the petition that about two and a half thousand years old monastery has also come under the influence of landslide. The whole of Joshimath is in panic. Requested the Supreme Court to order the government to take immediate action in this direction. On the other hand, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met the affected families on Saturday after conducting an aerial tour around Joshimath.

Joshimath is a religious hill town located on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) in Uttarakhand. Joshimath is the gateway to many important pilgrimage sites. This city is very important in terms of tourism. Here people going to Badrinath, Auli, Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib rest for the night. Joshimath is also of great importance to the Indian Armed Forces. It is one of the most important army cantonments. The population of Joshimath is around 25 thousand. Out of which orders have been given to vacate about 600 houses.

It has been urged in the petition that, NTPC and Border Roads Organization should also be ordered to help in the relief work. In the petition, the Central Government, NDMA, Government of Uttarakhand, NTPC, BRO and the District Magistrate of Chamoli district of Joshimath have been made parties. In the petition, along with the rehabilitation of the affected people, the Supreme Court has also been urged to order them to provide financial help.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj, Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth in Haridwar expressed his displeasure while talking to journalists. Said, the matter is going on for almost a year. But the government was sitting silently. It is a matter of concern that Joshimath is in danger.

Shankaracharya further said, for the last few days, landslides are happening so fast that 500 houses have been affected so far. A serious crisis has arisen before us. I will go to Joshimath so that I can reach the affected people.