In the Kanda area of Bageshwar, Uttarakhand, rampant chalk mining has created a situation reminiscent of the JoshiMath disaster. Cracks are appearing in homes, temples, fields, and roads. Local residents claim that the government is turning a blind eye to their problems. When Bachi Singh NagarKoti sees the deep cracks and tilted houses, he remembers his father, who spent all his savings to rebuild the house for his two sons. Now, cracks have appeared right in front of the house. When chalk mining began, Bachi and his mother thought it was good for the area because some people were making money, and the mining was done manually. However, it quickly escalated, and heavy machinery was brought in; now, villagers are praying for the safety of their homes.
'Cannot Sleep Due to Fear of House Collapse in Rain'
NagarKoti said, 'We only have this one house and a small piece of land for farming. My father spent all his savings repairing our old house, but now it is leaning. During heavy rains, we cannot sleep for fear of the house collapsing. This is all because of the mining happening just below the hill.'
Bachi's ancestral home sits atop a hill, with chalk mining going on right below it. Bachi says the administration dismissed their complaint, stating that the mining is far from their home, but one can clearly see that uncontrolled mining has severely tampered with the hill's basement. Deep cracks have appeared in the hill in front of their house, and a large part of the hill is slowly sliding toward the mine.
Complaints Ignored Despite Several Attempts
Despite several complaints, mining remains a threat to local residents. These people do not have enough money to build a large wall to support their homes, which, technically, is the responsibility of the miners. No protocol has been followed, and no security audits have been conducted for the homes in the area. No geological expert has been called to assess the damage caused to locals by the mines.
Source: aajtak
1000-Year-Old Temple in Danger
The excessive mining endangers not only the homes of villagers but also the entire civilization of the area. The 1000-year-old Kalika Temple is developing cracks. According to locals, this temple is nearly a thousand years old but is now at risk. Cracks have begun to appear within the temple complex. The temple is located just 50 meters from a chalk mine, and locals claim that this mining is causing the temple to crack.
Raghuveer Singh Majila, the temple committee president and a former army soldier, said, 'Around a thousand years ago, during Navratri, to get rid of the bad omen caused by the deaths of some locals, the then Adi Shankaracharya asked the villagers to invite a Kshatriya to sacrifice animals for rituals. The Majilas of this region are descendants of that person invited from Munsyari for animal sacrifices. This has been banned since the Supreme Court's 2011 order. This temple is a major religious site in the area, and the local economy has revolved around the temple and its visitors.'
Locals' Livelihoods Depend on Temple Visitors
Locals have set up restaurants and small eateries for the temple visitors. As soon as the cracks began to appear, locals complained about the mining close to the temple and two nearby houses, but to no avail. Many locals' livelihoods depend on the influx of visitors to the temple. Local activist Suresh Singh Majila said, 'In this sparsely populated area, the main sources of income are agriculture and religious tourism. Both are endangered by uncontrolled mining. We have not received any assurance from the government about building retaining walls to protect the homes and the temple.'
Residents Demand Relocation
Many locals are now demanding relocation. Hemchand Kandpal’s family is the most affected. Their home has developed severe cracks, and they hold the mining below the hill responsible for it.
Hemchand Kandpal said, 'These cracks cannot be repaired; rebuilding the house is the only option left. The government should provide us with land for relocation.' They are genuinely living under crumbling walls and blame the mining for this deadly situation.
Kandpal said, 'I was born here, and I have never seen such a situation. This is all happening due to uncontrolled mining. The condition of my house is so bad that the doors of ground floor rooms have permanently stuck due to the tilting of the house. We've tried several times but are afraid to apply too much pressure on the doors for fear of the house collapsing. The door of my bedroom is also opening with much effort due to the slanted floor.'
