Uttarakhand CM orders relocation of Joshimath families

New Delhi, January 6

On a day when a temple collapsed in Singdhar ward of the Himalayan town of Joshimath on Friday evening, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a review meeting with top state officials and ordered long-term and short-term plans for relocation and rehabilitation of people impacted by land subsidence.

Joshimath, a gateway to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, has been facing subsidence due to various reasons.

The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has cited three main factors behind the impending disaster — Joshimath’s weak foundations since it came up on the debris of a landslide triggered by an earthquake over a century ago, its location in seismic zone V which is more prone to earthquakes and water percolation which reduces the cohesive strength of the rocks over time.

Dhami, in a virtual review meeting, told officials to work on relocation plans to ensure safety of Joshimath residents. The CM has directed officials to set up temporary shelters for affected families and to start looking at Peepalkoti and Gauchar as sites of permanent relocation of the residents whose houses are in the danger zone.