Joshimath: Uttarakhand State Government on January 12, has announced a relief package of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where large cracks appeared in homes and on roads.
The relief package has been released for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state, said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Also, “For the time being, interim assistance of Rs 1.50 Lakh per family is being given. An advance amount of Rs 1 lakh has been given to the affected land owners or families due to landslides in the affected area before the permanent settlement displacement policy is prepared,” CM added.
Further, the Chief Minister 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.
Over 720 buildings have been identified so far that developed cracks due to landslides in the Joshimath city area. 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.
As of the situation, officials have stopped construction projects in the region, and the Government has formed a committee to look into the incident and the situation arising out of the sudden crisis.
CM Dhami has instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure speedy assistance to people affected by the sinking of their town.
Moreover, “From the point of view of security, the families who are being shifted to other places should be ensured that all better necessary arrangements are there,” the Chief Minister added.
Chief Minister Dhami, who is in Joshimath to hold meetings in the wake of land subsidence in the area, started his day on January 12 by offering prayers at the Narsingh Temple.
“On-site inspection of the affected areas in Joshimath and meeting with local citizens,” Dhami tweeted on January 11.
The Chief Minister will hold a meeting with army officers and ITBP officers along with a meeting of the committee constituted for the transparent distribution of interim package to families affected by landslides and to determine the rate of rehabilitation package, as per the official statement.
(With inputs from ANI)
