Joshimath town `sinking`: Uttarakhand govt orders immediate deployment of NDRF, high-level review meeting underway

Joshimath land sinking: It may be noted that cracks have appeared in as many as 561 houses, hotels and shops of the city, which is said to have been established by Shankaracharya centuries ago, due to frequent landslides.

Joshimath: The Uttarakhand government on Friday gave instructions for the immediate deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel survey in the landslide-affected areas of the ancient town of Joshimath. It may be noted that cracks have appeared in as many as 561 houses, hotels and shops of the city, which is said to have been established by Shankaracharya centuries ago, due to frequent landslides.

“As a measure of precaution, a team of NDRF has been deployed in Joshimath. It is important to stay alert as the area witnesses land subsidence,” LN Mishra, Chief Development Officer, Chamoli at Joshimath.

Meanwhile, a team of experts and scientists have begun conducting a house-to-house survey in the landslide-affected areas of Joshimath in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also called a high-level meeting to assess the situation. CM Singh will be leaving for the city soon and monitoring the rehabilitation of those who have been shifted due to cracks. The high-level team includes Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha and Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar, among others.

Kumar has authorised all the technical personnel of the Project Implementation Unit division, Public Works Department, working in the Badrinath Master Plan till further orders, for immediate assessment of the buildings, hotels and other structures in the affected areas.

Temple collapses in Joshimath

A temple collapsed in Singdhar ward of the Himalayan town of Joshimath, further alarming residents living under constant fear of a major disaster in the offing. According to local residents, there was no one inside the temple when the incident occurred as it had been abandoned after it developed huge cracks over the past 15 days.

Seventy-seven families have left their homes and shifted to safer places. The NTPC`s Tapovan-Vishnugarh hydropower project and the Marwadi-Helang bypass motor road have been shut with immediate effect, till further orders by the administration.

Along with this, the Joshimath-Auli ropeway has been closed citing security reasons. A ban has also been imposed on the construction work being carried out in the city areas. The district administration has issued orders to the NTPC and HCC companies to prepare 2,000 pre-fabricated houses each, in advance, as a precautionary measure to shift the affected families.

Arrangements have been made by the administration for them to stay at the municipality, block, BKTC guest house, GIC, Gurudwara, Inter College, ITI Tapovan and other safe places. 

The buildings which are in danger due to increasing landslides are being identified to prevent loss of life. Nodal officers have been given the responsibility of arranging water, electricity, food, toilets and other basic facilities in the relief camps. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the NDRF have been alerted to deal with the landslides.

(With Agency Inputs)