District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana Archives - Lokmarg

Joshimath Cracks Widened After Snowfall: Chamoli DM

By LokMarg 21st January 2023

Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said that reports have been received that in a few areas cracks in buildings have widened, days after Joshimath, which is facing land subsidence, in Uttarakhand received heavy snowfall.

Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said that teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police are on alert if any tragedy arises due to heavy snowfall in Joshimath.

Stating the condition of the relief camps in Joshimath he said that the team is working to provide all necessary facilities to the family.

“Due to heavy snowfall in Joshimath, reports have been received that in a few areas cracks in buildings have widened. Our team is working to provide all the necessary facilities like heaters, hot water, and others,” said Himanshu Khurana.

He said that an executive-level engineer is present in the camp to monitor electricity problems in the relief camps.

“An executive-level engineer is present in the camp to monitor electricity problems in the relief camps,” said Himanshu Khurana.

Earlier on January 20, Secretary of Disaster Management, Ranjit Kumar Sinha briefed the media about the rehabilitation and relief work being done in Joshimath and informed that an amount of Rs 4 lakhs has been allotted as immediate assistance to the affected eight tenants at the rate of Rs 50 thousand per family.

Meanwhile, more than Rs 3.27 crores have been distributed to 218 affected families in Joshimath as an advance relief, informed Sinha.

Addressing the media, he said, “There are 18 pregnant women in the municipal area of Joshimath, who are not currently in relief camps. These pregnant women are living in their own homes.”

“Health tests of these women are being done continuously,” he added.

Apart from this, there are 81 children below the age of 10 years in the relief camps, who are being medically examined.

Sinha said that the Central and State government’s technical institutes in Joshimath were engaged in conducting surveys and study work on regular bases. (ANI)

U’khand Announces Rs 1.5L Interim Relief For Joshimath

By LokMarg 11th January 2023

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday announced Rs 1.5 lakh interim relief to affected families who have been shifted to safer locations after land subsidence in Joshimath led to houses and establishments developing cracks.

“Each family will be given immediate interim assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh. Apart from the two hotel buildings which are marked ‘unsafe’, no other building is being demolished. Till now, cracks have been noticed in 723 buildings,” the Secretary to Uttarakhand chief minister R Meenakshi Sundaram said today.
Cracks have appeared in 723 buildings in Joshimath town of Uttarakhand which has been affected by land subsidence and so far 131 families have been shifted to safer locations, according to the district administration.

“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.

The district magistrate said that a 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.

“A team of scientists from IIT Roorkee has been asked to inspect the buildings of the affected Bahuguna Nagar of Karnprayag where cracks were reported,” Khurana had said.

Today, RM Sundaram the Secretary to Uttarakhand chief minister along with the district administration held a meeting with the people whose houses have suffered damages.

A good thing is that water leakage near Jaypee Company is decreasing and it reached 250 LPM last evening. After January 7 no new cracks have developed and the old cracks have not increased. Two buildings that are unsafe need to be demolished and we appeal to the people to support us,” the secretary to the Uttarakhand chief minister said.

Locals in Joshimath on Tuesday protested against 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”. These buildings have all been marked with red ‘X’ marks.

Two hotels- Hotel Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View- have been marked for demolition and the process of dismantling that was supposed to begin on Tuesday evening was stopped 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.

Teams of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) had been roped in to supervise the demolition process with personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on stand-by.

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.”

According to sources, the hotel owners will meet the district magistrate to push for compensation.

“They will be dismantling these hotels for the safety of the 15-20 families still living here. Our houses have been destroyed,” said Manmohan Singh Rawat, a local. (ANI)

Joshimath: Demolition Of Damaged Hotels, Houses To Begin Today

By LokMarg 10th January 2023

Authorities at Joshimath said on Tuesday that they will start demolishing hotels and houses in the holy town, which developed cracks in the wake of the landslide and subsidence.

Hotels Malari Inn and Mount View, which have developed more cracks, will be demolished on Tuesday, officials said, adding that all residents have been safely evacuated from the ‘unsafe zones’.
The demolition of buildings will begin under the supervision of a team of experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is on standby to assist the district administration in the demolition work, as and when required.

“Experts are on the ground and the administration will take action on their directions and advice,” said the NDRF.

“They will be demolishing these hotels for the safety of the 15-20 families still living here. Our houses have been destroyed,” said Manmohan Singh Rawat, a local.

On Monday, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana informed that a central team was to arrive in Chamoli district to survey the damage wrought to properties by the land subsidence and suggest a way forward while coordinating with the local administration in relief and rescue efforts.

“A team from the Ministry of Home Affairs will come to Joshimath on Tuesday. Demolition of buildings will start tomorrow under the supervision of the team of Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee,” Khurana had said earlier.

On Monday, a team from the Ministry of Jal Shakti also arrived at Joshimath.

The areas where the buildings will be demolished have been vacated by the administration after they were declared ‘unsafe zones’.

The officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also called on Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his residence on Monday and discussed relief and rescue operations.

The officials assured the chief minister of an investigation into the geographical condition of the Joshimath area and the causes of the landslide. The state administration was also assured of being central in mobilizing disaster relief.

Meanwhile, the District Disaster Management Authority, Chamoli issued a bulletin related to disaster management in view of landslides in the Joshimath area.

According to the bulletin, cracks have been noticed in a total of 678 buildings in the Joshimath town area. In view of security, a total of 81 families have been temporarily displaced.

“Under the Joshimath city area, 213 rooms have been temporarily identified as habitable, with their capacities estimated at 1191. Also, 491 rooms/halls have been identified in Pipalkoti outside the Joshimath area, with a combined capacity of 2,205,” the bulletin said.

The administration has also distributed food kits and blankets to the affected families, as per their requirements along with the distribution of funds to procure essential household items.

A total of 63 food kits and 53 blankets have been made available for the affected locals. (ANI)