Joshimath subsidence: Foodgrain godown emptied after developing cracks

A foodgrain godown has developed major cracks in the subsidence-hit Joshimath, prompting authorities to empty the stock and distribute them among consumers in advance, officials said on Friday.

They said a proposal to use another godown in Gulabkoti as an alternative is under consideration.

Located in the worst-affected Singhdhar ward of Joshimath, the godown developed cracks on January 2-3 itself like the rest of the buildings in the area but the chinks were narrow, District Supply Officer Jaswant Singh Kandari said.

"As some rooms of the godown suffered a slight subsidence of late, it has become difficult to use them," he said.

It was then decided to empty the godown, Kandari said.

"We have distributed the foodgrains among consumers in advance through PDS grain dealers in the area and the godown is now almost empty," he said.

The godown has a capacity to stock 800 metric tonnes of foodgrains at a time and caters to people not only in Joshimath but in several other places in Nit