Dehradun: In view of land subsidence in Joshimath in Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Friday set up a panel to conduct a "rapid study" on the ecological situation of the region. The panel will comprise representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India and National Mission for Clean Ganga among others.
The panel will "examine the cause of the occurrence and its impact or key impact" and submit a report to the NMCG within three days. It will cover the effects of the sinking of land on human settlements, buildings, highways, infrastructure and riverine systems.
Earlier Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami gave instructions to set up a big temporary rehabilitation centre in the town. Chief Minister Dhami chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat. He directed officials to set up a temporary rehabilitation centre at a safe place in Joshimath. He said that sector and zonal wise planning should be made in Joshimath.
The Chief Minister instructed that the danger zone should be vacated immediately and the disaster control room should be activated in Joshimath without delay. After land subsidence was reported in Joshimath, the Chamoli district administration on Friday instructed to immediately deploy a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the town.
Also read: Uttarakhand: Joshimath evacuees facing hardships at rehabilitation centres
A team of experts, including officials from the administration and State Disaster Management, conducted a door-to-door survey in the areas which were affected by the land subsidence in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath. Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha started the door-to-door survey in Joshimath.
Out of 561 establishments, 153 in 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 reported cracks, according to Chamoli district administration statement.
The operations of Hotel View and Malari Inn were restricted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, till further orders, the statement added. 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. Notably, 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. The Chamoli district administration on Thursday asked Hindustan Construction Company Ltd (HCC) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to be prepared to shelter the affected families migrating from Uttarakhand’s Joshimath due to land subsidence. (With Agency inputs)
