Joshimath shrinking update: In the latest development to the Joshimath land subsidence saga, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday held a high-level meeting and instructed officials to set up a big temporary rehabilitation centre in the town. Chairing the meeting at the secretariat, he instructed officials to set up a temporary rehabilitation centre at a safe place in Joshimath.
The Chief Minister is also likely to visit Joshimath on Saturday, January 7, to take stock of things. According to a Jal Shakti Ministry notification, a panel has also been formed to study the gradual sinking of land in the town.
Here are some other key decisions taken by the government during the meeting:
- Chief Minister Dhami ordered immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses which have developed huge cracks.
- He also announced a grant of Rs 4,000 per month, for the rent for six months, to those who are being relocated to a safer location.
- CM Dhami ordered to make sector and zonal wise planning in Joshimath.
- The instruction has been given to vacate the danger zone immediately and to also activate the disaster control room in Joshimath.
- Chamoli district administration instructed to immediately deploy a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the town.
- The operations of Hotel View and Malari Inn were restricted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, till further orders.
Door-to-door survey in Joshimath
Meanwhile, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha started the door-to-door survey in Joshimath.
According to the Chamoli district administration statement, out of 561 establishments, 153 are in the Ravigram ward, 127 in the Gandhinagar ward, 28 in the Marwadi ward, 24 in the Lower Bazaar ward, 52 in the Singhdhar ward, 71 in the Manohar Bagh ward, 29 in the Upper Bazaar ward 27 in the Sunil ward and 50 in Parsari have reported cracks.
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Earlier on Thursday, a total of nine families were displaced, which includes four families in Joshimath Municipal Corporation, one from Gurudwara Joshimath, one from Tourist Hostel, Manohar Bagh and others. A total of 38 families have been displaced so far.
It should be mentioned here that Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar said huge cracks appeared in the houses due to a leakage of water from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward.
Former Union Minister calls for survey by geologists
Former Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Thursday urged for a survey by geologists in the parts of Uttarakhand, prone to natural disasters.
Earlier, in the wake of the news of land subsidence in Joshimath and cracks developing in many houses in the town, Chief Minister Dhami said necessary actions would be taken to ensure the safety of the people.
(With inputs from agencies)
