Joshimath land subsidence: Uttarakhand govt declares all 9 municipal wards 'unsafe for living'
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami took to Twitter and said he had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the emerging situation in Joshimath and what steps have been taken for the rehabilitation and safety of people in the area.
FollowSenior officials from the Uttarakhand government on Sunday (January 8) declared Joshimath's all nine municipal wards as 'disaster affected' and 'unsafe for living' under the Disaster Management Act in view of the growing threat from land subsidence that has resulted in cracks in over 600 houses in the holy city.
In this regard, Ranjit Kumar Sinha, the secretary of disaster management, said that a notification under Section 23 of the Uttaranchal Disaster Mitigation, Management and Prevention Act 2005, has been issued and the decision came after an expert team, which is surveying houses in Joshimath, made a recommendation to the state administration.
Also read: 'PM Modi is monitoring Joshimath situation': Uttarakhand CM shares update on 'sinking' town
"Four areas, which include two zones in Gandhinagar, one zone in Singhdar, two in Manohar ward and one in Sunil ward within municipal limits of Joshimath, have been declared unsafe for living and have been made no entry zones under the Disaster Management Act," said Himanshu Khurana, district magistrate (DM), Chamoli.
According to section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, Khurana said that during the period an area remains a disaster affected area they can work on prevention of disaster, mitigation of effects of disaster, facilitate, coordinate and monitor emergency relief, and monitor and coordinate reconstruction and rehabilitation.
He also said that the health department has been directed to send a team of psychologists and psychiatrists to address the mental trauma being faced by some residents of the town due to land subsidence activities.
Also read: 'Sinking' Joshimath: 'This is not the end... the entire area will change'
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to Twitter and said he had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the emerging situation in Joshimath and what steps have been taken for the rehabilitation and safety of people in the area. Dhami said PM Modi has assured all possible help to save Joshimath and its people.
Piyush Rautela, executive director of Uttarakhand state disaster and mitigation authority, said "We have recommended that the municipal area of Joshimath facing land subsidence should be declared as disaster affected area and this will help in reducing the problems faced by the people regarding insurance and other relief measures."
