Joshimath in Uttarakhand is experiencing serious soil subsidence issues, with 723 buildings reported major cracks, officials said on Wednesday. As a result, 462 people belonging to 131 families have been evacuated and relocated to relief centres, ANI reported Himanshu Khurana, District Magistrate, Chamoli as saying. In all, the town has a population of around 20,000.
“Cracks have appeared in 723 buildings. We are in touch with local representatives and asked them to bring it to our notice if new cracks appear. 131 families have been shifted to relief centres,” Khurana said.
The demolition of two major hotels- Hotel Malari Inn and Mount View- which have been declared ‘unsafe’ by authorities, was stopped after a large number of people and traders gathered and shouted slogans outside the hotels demanding fair compensation from the government.
“We requested people to support us in the dismantling of (2 hotels). Compensation will be given in according to the compensation that was given in Uttar Kashi. Badrinath-like compensation cannot be given here. Several teams of central govt have reached here,” RM Sundaram, Secretary to Uttarakhand CM said.
Here are the top developments so far-
- RM Sundaram, Secretary to Uttarakhand CM along with district administration held a meeting with the people whose houses have been damaged due to land subsidence.
- Earlier, on Tuesday, protests erupted in the hill town as the administration moved to demolish unstable buildings, including two precariously standing hotels, even as more structures developed cracks due to land subsidence that has threatened settlements in much of the hill town.
- After Joshimath, fresh cracks appeared in some houses at Bahuguna Nagar of Karnprayag. “Cracks have increased since last year. District administration gave Rs 5,200 to repair it, but it is not enough,” a local told ANI. “We appeal govt to look after us,” said another local.
- Several houses in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh have developed cracks and the incident has the district administration on its toes. “Will send our team and a probe will be conducted into why this has happened,” Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Additional Commissioner of the Aligarh Municipal Corporation, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined an urgent hearing on the Joshimath land subsidence issue saying that everything important need not go to the apex court. The court posted the matter for hearing on January 16.
- Both national and state disaster response forces have been deployed to aid the district administration in their relief and rehabilitation efforts.
- The Centre has also announced that it will install micro seismic observation systems in Joshimath. Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh said the observation systems will be in place by Wednesday.
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday took to Twitter and shared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally monitoring the Joshimath situation. “The Prime Minister is personally monitoring the situation in Joshimath and the security work being carried out by the government in the region, as well as assured all possible help to save Joshimath,” he said.