Joshimath Crisis: Home Minister Amit Shah holds high-level meet; takes stock of situation

Due to landslides in the Joshimath city area, 723 buildings have been identified which have developed cracks.

In wake of the Joshimath crisis caused due to land-subsidence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today held a high-level meeting with five union ministers. According to reports, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Energy Minister RK Singh were present in the meeting along with key officials. Shah reviewed the situation in Joshimath during the meeting.

In the meeting, issues related to relief measures for the people and the current situation were discussed in detail. Earlier, the Union Home Minister spoke to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and took stock of the latest situation. Shah assured all possible help to the state. BJP national president JP Nadda also spoke to CM Dhami.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spent last night in Joshimath and held various meetings today in the wake of land subsidence in the area. He also interacted with the locals.

Due to landslides in the Joshimath city area, 723 buildings have been identified which have developed cracks. In view of security, till date 462 people belonging to 131 families have been shifted to temporary relief camps. Owing to the land subsidence in the Joshimath area, the state government has announced various interim relief measures for the affected families.

Secretary to Chief Minister R Meenakshi Sundaram informed that the government will take care of the affected families and under the disaster relief, each family will be given immediate interim assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh. Sundaram said that an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh is being given as interim assistance to the affected families immediately in which Rs 50,000 is being provided in advance for house shifting and Rs 1 lakh for disaster relief which will be adjusted later. 

The secretary said that the survey of the buildings affected by the landslide is being done. The official said that those who want to go to a rented house, they are allowed to be given Rs 4,000 per month for 6 months. Earlier, while holding a meeting with the stakeholders and the local people, he made it clear that those affected by the landslide would be given compensation at the market rate. The market rate will be decided after taking the suggestions of the stakeholders and in the public interest only. He also said that the interests of the local people would be taken care of. (With agency inputs)