Dehradun: Joshimath is now safe and there is no fear in people's minds, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Saturday as he flagged off the two-day Auli marathon from the subsidence-hit town. The event is being organised in the temple town to send the message that Joshimath is safe.
Joshimath hit the headlines in January when huge cracks in houses, fields and roads caused by land subsidence forced people to vacate their homes and shift to relief centres. More than 300 athletes from different states are taking part in the marathon being organised by the Uttarakhand Ski Mountaineering Association and the Sky Running Association.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on the premises of the Narsingh and Nav Durga temple, Dhami said, "It is a matter of pride for us that a marathon of such a grand scale begins from Joshimath. We are trying to take several other measures to promote tourism in Uttarakhand." Everything is now safe in the town and there is no fear in the minds of people, he said.