Joshimath land subsidence: U'khand govt announces relief measures including interim monetary aid

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 11 (ANI): Owing to the land subsidence in the Joshimath area of Uttarakhand's Chamoli, the state government on Wednesday 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.
"People are being temporarily shifted from unsafe buildings to safer places. Orders have been given to dismantle two hotels in Joshimath which have been suspended due to landslides as these hotels are posing a threat to the surrounding buildings as well. Apart from this, no one's building is being demolished yet," he said.
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.
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.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary SS Sandhu on Tuesday conducted a meeting regarding the Joshimath landslides at the secretariat and instructed the District Magistrate Chamoli to keep a constant watch on the situation.
The Chief Secretary said that in order to prevent any loss of life and property due to landslides, families should be shifted to safer places and buildings should be demolished on a priority basis.
"The places where the affected families have been kept, there should be proper arrangements for their living and food. Along with this, it should also be kept in mind that there should not be any kind of communication gap between the affected citizens and the administration. High officials should also be in constant contact with the affected families, and keep an eye on the situation," he said.
The Chief Secretary instructed the officials that the mobile network may also be affected due to landslides.
Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Ajay Bhatt on Tuesday reached Uttarakhand's Joshimath town, where cracks have developed in buildings, roads among others in the wake of land subsidence and planned demolition is scheduled later in the day. (ANI)