Joshimath crisis: Uttarakhand govt announces Rs 1.5 lakh relief

New Delhi: The Uttarakhand government has announced an interim relief of Rs 1.5 lakh to affected families affected by land subsidence in Joshimath. According to officials, cracks have appeared in 723 buildings in the town and so far 131 families have been shifted to safer locations. Secretary to Uttarakhand Chief Minister R Meenakshi Sundaram stated that "apart from the two hotel buildings which are marked 'unsafe', no other building is being demolished."

District Magistrate, Chamoli, Himanshu Khurana said that the central team will survey the damage to properties due to the land subsidence and suggest a way forward while coordinating with the local administration in relief and rescue efforts.

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," District Magistrate, Chamoli, Himanshu Khurana told ANI.

Locals in Joshimath have protested against the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) demanding its withdrawal from the state. District officials have asked people to vacate homes and other establishments that have been identified for demolition which have developed cracks and have been identified as "unsafe".

The owners of Hotel Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View have been marked for demolition, but the process of dismantling was halted after protests by the owner of Malari Inn and some locals. The protestors demanded compensation as per the rates listed under the Badrinath Dham redevelopment master plan.

Speaking to ANI, Thakur Singh Rana, the owner of Hotel Malari Inn said, "My son stays in France. I can move there. But I am sitting in protest instead in solidarity with fellow (Joshimath) residents."His wife said, "We need to be compensated as those affected by the ongoing Badrinath redevelopment work. We are even prepared to sit out in the freezing cold till our demand is met.