UTTARAKHAND Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday called an urgent meeting and ordered the immediate evacuation of around 600 families from houses that have developed huge cracks and are at risk of sinking in Joshimath, a town in the state's Chamoli district.
The state government has dispatched a team of experts to the area to assess the situation. Teams from NDRF have also been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure. The team includes geologists, building specialists, IITs, and other experts.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will conduct a ground inspection of the land subsidence-affected area in Joshimath today. CM Dhami will meet the affected families and hold a meeting with the officials deployed in relief work.
Here are the top developments:
1. Pushkar Dhami, talking to the reporters, has said that saving lives is the first priority. He has asked to shift families to safe locations from Joshimath.
2. Dhami will also visit Joshimath on Saturday and meet the affected people. He will also hold meetings with officials.
3. A temple collapsed on Friday evening in Joshimath's Singdhar ward, forcing residents to live in constant fear of a major disaster. However, there was no one inside the temple when it collapsed, as it had been abandoned after developing large cracks over the past 15 days.
4. According to the officials, nearly 50 families have been moved to safer locations, and another 60 living in a colony meant for Vishnu Prayag Jal Vidyut Pariyojana employees have been shifted elsewhere, the director informed news agency PTI.
5. Meanwhile, all construction activities related to megaprojects like the Chardham all-weather road and the Hydel project of NTPC have been stopped until further orders on the demands of the residents.
6. The residents continued their protest on Friday and staged a dharna at the tehsil office, demanding rehabilitation.
7. The top police officials and state authorities have been directed to ensure the availability of helicopters for airlifting the affected people who are protesting for temporary rehabilitation and long-term solutions.
8. The government have announced Rs 4,000 to each family as rent for the next six months, whose houses are affected and have to vacate from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
9. At least 40 families have moved out and have shifted to temporary camps.
10. The locals have blamed climate change and constant infrastructure developments, as reported by NDTV. "Tunnels being dug for hydel power plants have led to this," alleged a local hotelier, "And they continue to blast through rocks to widen roads, build bypasses, even very close to our town," as quoted by NDTV.