Dhami Issues Directive to Evacuate 600 Families in Joshimath Immediately

GG News Bureau

Dehradun, 7th Jan. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday ordered the immediate evacuation of nearly 600 families living in houses that have developed large cracks and are at risk in the sinking town of Joshimath.

“Saving lives is our first priority. Officials have been asked to shift around 600 families living in endangered houses in Joshimath to safe locations,” Dhami told reporters here after reviewing the situation in the sinking town via video conference with officials.

“We are also working on short and long term plans to address the situation in Joshimath,” he said.

Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and secretary disaster management Ranjit Kumar Sinha along with a team of experts are camping on the ground to constantly monitor the situation, Dhami said.

Relocation of people in affected areas should be done expeditiously, he told the officials.

Medical treatment facilities should be available on ground and arrangements for airlifting people should also be made, he said.

An immediate action plan as well as a long term action plan should be prepared and work on both should be started in earnest, Dhami said.

Procedures should be simplified to expedite work on danger zone, sewer, and drainage treatment.

“Lives of our citizens are most important for us, ” he said.

“Joshimath should be divided into sectors and zones and action should be taken accordingly. A disaster control room should also be set up in the town,” the chief minister said.

For permanent rehabilitation of affected people, alternative locations should be identified in Pipalkoti, Gauchar and other places, he said.

The district magistrate should maintain contact with the public, and potential danger zones should be identified.

“Moving people to safe locations is necessary. Satellite images can also be useful in this. All departments should act with a team spirit to achieve success in the exercise,” he said.

He added that adequate deployment of State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel should be made to assist the affected people, and that helicopter services should be made available if necessary.

“Joshimath is a town of religious and cultural importance. Care should be taken to ensure that the livelihoods of people are not affected,” he said.

A temple collapsed on Friday evening in Joshimath’s Singdhar ward, further alarming residents who live in constant fear of a major disaster.

Fortunately, no one was inside the temple when it collapsed because it had been abandoned after developing huge cracks over the previous 15 days, according to locals.

Numerous houses have developed large cracks, and many have experienced subsidence.

According to officials, nearly 50 families have been relocated to safer areas. Aside from them, 60 families living in a colony designated for Vishnu Prayag Jal Vidyut Pariyojana employees have been relocated, according to its Director Pankaj Chauhan. The worst affected area is Marwari, where an aquifer burst three days ago and water is constantly pouring out.

All construction activities related to mega projects like the chardham all weather road and the NTPC’s hydel project have been stopped till further orders on the demand of residents. The Auli ropeway, which is Asia’s biggest, has been stopped after a huge crack developed beneath it, former president of the local municipality Rishi Prasad Sati said.

Land subsidence has been going on for more than a year but the problem has aggravated over the past fortnight, he said.

Meanwhile, people staged a dharna at the tehsil office in Joshimath on Friday, demanding rehabilitation.

As Joshimath’s condition worsened, the BJP dispatched a team to the town to assess the situation.