Officials Looking For Permanent Relocation For Affected Joshimath Families

Following the land subsidence in Joshimath town of Uttarakhand, Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana on Thursday said the authorities are seeking suggestions for suitable land for permanent relocation of affected families.

Looking at the current situation of the land subsidence in Joshimath, DM Khurana said, "We're asking for suggestions and opinions of the affected families regarding rehabilitation. We want their suggestions so that we can carry out the rehabilitation procedures better."

"Our intention is to take permanent displacement action according to the suggestions of those who are affected," Mr Khurana said.

Earlier today morning, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and gave him detailed information about the current situation in Joshimath.

In the nearly half-an-hour meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dhami said he gave detailed information about the situation in Joshimath, the condition of people in the region and other points.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister also said that the Home Minister assured him to give whatever help can be provided from the Centre. Asked if any report was submitted, Mr Dhami said input will be submitted after the complete report is received.

Due to land subsidence in the Joshimath city area, over 720 buildings have been identified that developed cracks. Residents, as a part of the rehabilitation, have been moved to safer places even as geologists and experts scramble to ascertain the reasons for subsidence in the ecologically fragile region.

Uttarakhand government has also ordered the authorities to start surveying and dismantling the infrastructures that are posing a threat to the surrounding buildings as well.

Joshimath, on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH 7), is an overnight halt for the people visiting the holy shrines at Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and tourist destinations Auli, and the Valley of Flowers.

Along with Joshimath, the same phenomenon of land subsidence is also being reported from other areas of Uttarakhand including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri and Karanprayag.

Uttarakhand government has also announced a relief package of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where large cracks appeared in homes and on roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also declared a relief package for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state.

The Chief Minister has also announced that Rs 50,000 have been given by the state disaster authority to each family as a non-adjustable one-time special grant for the transportation of goods and immediate needs of their buildings.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)