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Rajnath ties ‘natural disasters’ in border states to national security

January 19, 2024, 3:52 pm

The study on “natural disasters” and identifying any potential involvement of a “enemy country” was demanded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. He ruled out the possibility that they were merely a result of bad weather and claimed they had something to do with national security. Speaking on Friday, Singh was at a function in Joshimath, in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The Border Road Organization (BRO) built 35 infrastructure projects across seven states, which the Raksha Mantri inaugurated during his visit to the district.

He said it has been noticed that certain border states such as Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim saw an increase in the number of natural disasters in recent years.
The Himalayas extend to other states as well, but such incidents are confined to certain states only, the Defence Minister said, adding that many experts believe that these natural disasters are an outcome of climate change.
Expressing concerns over shifting weather patterns, the Raksha Mantri said, “Climate change in the country is not just a weather-related phenomenon but is related to national security. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken it very seriously and will seek help from friendly countries in probing the involvement of any enemy country, if any.”
Singh also raised concerns over migration from the bordering district of Uttarakhand.
There has been a large number of migrations from the border areas in Uttarakhand which is a matter of concern, he said.

1 dead, 3 rescued after house collapses in Chamoli, Uttarakhand

August 16, 2023, 10:50 am

A person was found dead after a house collapsed near subsiding Joshimath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, officials said on 16 August, Wednesday.

As per the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the incident occurred on 15 August, late evening, in Helang village on the Badrinath highway between Joshimath and Pipalkoti.

Kotwali Joshimath notified the SDRF that a two-storey house built near a crusher unit on the shores of the Alaknanda River had collapsed and some locals were suspected to be trapped under the debris.

The SDRF team reached the affected area to find four people submerged under the debris of the collapsed house. Ultimately, the SDRF team rescued 3 people and rushed them to a nearby hospital while one died on the spot.

The mortal remains of the victim were recovered from under the debris. The remains were then handed over to the district police, according to the officials.

According to the SDRF, seven labourers were in the house when the unfortunate incident took place. An official said, “Seven labourers were present in the house when the incident took place. Three of them were rescued and admitted to a hospital.” They added that searches were underway for any other trapped locals.

According to official estimates, 52 people died due to rain-related incidents in Uttarakhand this monsoon season while another 37 were severely injured. On the orders of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, SDRF and NDRF teams were posted in areas severely affected by rain-related incidents.

Joshimath land subsidence: Affected families can stay in hotels till April 30

April 2, 2023, 1:23 pm

The Uttarakhand government announced on Sunday that the families displaced by the events would be housed until April 30.

While reviewing the district administration’s proposal, the government extended the deadline from March 31 to April 30. Apart from this, instructions have been provided to handle payments at the hotels, lodges, or homestays where the families are staying.In the municipal region, 694 people from 181 families are currently living in hotels, Dharamshalas, and homestays.

Earlier on Friday, the hotel owners issued an ultimatum asking the affected people in the hotels to vacate the rooms by March 31.Following this, the district administration said that it has written to the government for extending the deadline.

Earlier on January 28, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) informed that the number of buildings with cracks has not increased and till now 863 buildings with cracks have been noticed due to the disaster.
Hundreds of residents were shifted to relief centres in safe places after cracks appeared at several homes in Joshimath, suggesting subsidence.
The Uttarakhand government has already announced relief packages worth crores for the affected families of Joshimath.
In January, Chief Minister Dhami said that the relief package has been released for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state.

Joshimath crisis: Delhi HC withdraws PIL seeking creation of committees

February 7, 2023, 4:01 pm

Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed withdrawing public interest litigation (PIL) that was seeking direction for the creation of a committee and directed representatives of all relevant ministries to look into this immediately for the affected areas of Joshimath, Uttarakhand, who work for the rehabilitation of people. The bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad allowed withdrawing PIL filed by lawyer Rohit Dandriyal after the State of Uttarakhand pointed out that the SC had on another occasion directed similar PIL Petitioner to approach the Uttarakhand HC since the same issue was pending before a Division Bench at Nainital.

Uttrakhand’s lawyer earlier submitted that both centre and State are seized of the matter. In order to aid the crisis NDRF and SDRF have been deployed along with that committees have been formed to look into rehabilitation and mitigation efforts.

The petitioner Rohit Dandriyal, a practising lawyer earlier stated that the construction activity done in the town of Joshimath in past years worked as a catalyst in the present scenario. By doing these activities, respondents violated the fundament right of the residents.

The plea further stated that at present the respondent has to act as a welfare state to extend modern amenable living facilities to the citizens. It is also important for the union of India to take cognizance of the plight of the people of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and take efforts to provide the citizens with basic facilities essential to lead a dignified and respectable life.
Life in the hill town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand has been disrupted as people are losing their houses to the large cracks, they have also took to streets to demand action from the government.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami flags off relief material to Joshimath

February 5, 2023, 4:42 pm

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday flagged off relief materials to Joshimath from Uttrakhand Sadan in Delhi. The chief minister thanked the people for donating relief materials for the people of Joshimath directly or through the “Mukhyamantari Rahat Kosh” scheme in the state. According to him, the relief work is still continued and the state government is focusing more on rehabilitation and the basic need of the people in Joshimath.

Cracks in Joshimath widened after snowfall

January 21, 2023, 3:55 pm

After heavy snowfall in Uttarakhand cracks in buildings have widened in the area of Joshmath which is facing land subsidence, said Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana.

Meanwhile, the teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police are on alert in the area.

“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,” Himanshu Khurana said.

Moreover, to monitor electricity problems in the relief camps an executive-level engineer is present.

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

Secretary of Disaster Management, Ranjit Kumar Sinha on 20 January briefed about the rehabilitation and relief work being done in Joshimath.

Sinha further stated, “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,” Sinha said.

However, children below 10 years of age that are 81 in number are also being examined.

Uttarakhand government to provide heater to Joshimath affected families

January 20, 2023, 4:13 pm

While reviewing ongoing relief efforts in Joshimath, Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed on Friday that affected families be provided with heaters. Meanwhile, for the affected families, CM Dhami directed officials to ensure complete arrangements. However, in Joshimath, over 720 buildings have been identified as having developed cracks.

Indian Army Troops ready for helping in Joshimath.

January 17, 2023, 2:48 pm

Indian Army troops deployed in the high-altitude mountains near the China Borders in Uttarakhand say that they are ready for both special missions as well as for relief and rescue operations in Joshimath which has been affected by land subsidence.

The soldiers while exuding confidence in successfully executing all the operations or missions said that they are up to any task assigned. The troops are training in case they are called upon for operations to help out civil administration. On the other hand, the soldiers are preparing for mountain warfare along the border.

Secretary Disaster Management informed that crack meters have been installed on the concerned buildings by CBRI at the Government of India level to assess the damage to the building.

Joshimath Subsidence case: SC refuses to entertain the plea to declare Joshimath as natural disaster.

January 16, 2023, 5:25 pm

The Supreme court refused to entertain a plea seeking its intervention to declare Joshimath subsidence as natural disaster. A bench of Chief Justice Of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala permitted the petitioner to approach the Uttarakhand High Court with the plea.

“High court can suitably redress the grievances including rehabilitation of the affected people,” the Supreme Court said. The plea before the top court seeks to stop the development of the Tapovan project and the protection of religious sites. Several families were evacuated from Joshimath after cracks appeared in their houses in the wake of the subsidence. The petition sought to provide immediate financial assistance and compensation to the people of Uttarakhand, who have lost their houses and land to subsidence.

Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha inspected the landslide-affected areas in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath and said that there has been an uptick in the number of cracks, but no new areas have faced damages.

Joshimath: Several houses, temple collapses in Singhdhar

January 14, 2023, 11:38 am

In the midnight hours of 2 January and 3 January several houses at Singhdhar in the Joshimath town of Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, in these incidents, no lives were lost. There were many cracks in several houses after which they eventually collapsed.

“It happened on January 2. It was around 2.30 am when we were sleeping. We heard a noise as the cracks on the walls opened up and big chunks of concrete started falling off,” a local named Harish said.

“We were scared and spent the night under an open sky. We were shifted to a government school nearby the day after,” Harish said.

Harish further stated, “Many important documents and household items were destroyed. But thankfully, no lives were lost. Some hotels in Manohar Bagh, too, have developed big cracks.”

Talking about the incident another resident Rishi Devi said, “Our house had developed cracks for some time. We had requested the municipality for help. But over a span of two days, on January 2 and 3, our house as well as others collapsed. A nearby temple, too, collapsed and we even lost our cattle. Both my sons are jobless now.”

Slow subsidence up to 9cm in seven months reports ISRO.

January 13, 2023, 2:02 pm

Slow subsidence up to 9cm is recorded in Joshimath town over a period of seven months, between April and November 2022, according to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) satellite-based report. “Between 27 December, 2022 and 8 January, 2023, a rapid subsidence event was triggered”, the reports states. The region subsided around 5cm within a span of few days. It is confined to the central part of Joshimath town, says ISRO.

During the meeting, he interacted with the Army, ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), NDRF (Nation Disaster Response Force) and scientists from various establishments engaged in landslides investigation, district administration, police and district-level officers associated with essential services at Sunil ITBP camp. CM Dhami said that the safety of the citizens is our biggest responsibility.

Former Union Minister Uma Bharti meets CM Dhami to discuss the arrangements for affected Families

January 13, 2023, 1:47 pm

Former Union Minister Uma Bharti on Friday met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and discussed about security arrangements made for the land subsidence-affected families in the Joshimath town. “A committee has been constituted to decide the interim package and rate of rehabilitation. Compensation will be given keeping in view the interests of the affected stakeholders,” Dhami said. CM Dhami said that Rs1.50 lakhs are being given immediately as interim assistance to all those whose houses, shops, and businesses have been affected.

During the meeting, he interacted with the Army, ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), NDRF (Nation Disaster Response Force) and scientists from various establishments engaged in landslides investigation, district administration, police and district-level officers associated with essential services at Sunil ITBP camp. CM Dhami said that Rs1.50 lakhs are being given immediately as interim assistance to all those whose houses, shops, and businesses have been affected.

Uttarakhand CM Dhami meets former Madhya Pradesh CM Uma Bharti

January 13, 2023, 1:42 pm

Former Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Uma Bharti met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at Chief Minister’s residence on Friday.

Meanwhile, in the meeting, they both discussed, the security of the affected families in the landslide area of Joshimath and the various arrangements being made by the government in the area were discussed.

Moreover, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that an interim package is being given to the affected families in the landslide area of Joshimath.

However, a committee has also been constituted to decide the interim package and rate of rehabilitation. Compensation will be given keeping in view the interests of the affected stakeholders.

Earlier on Thursday CM Dhami said, only one-fourth of the homes in Joshimath has cracks and announced the compensation of Rs 1.5 lakhs to the families of Joshimath that will be given by Thursday evening. The other towns are also being checked by the state government besides Joshimath.

“We are studying other cities in the area and how much weight they can take. Accordingly, we will take steps,” CM Dhami said.

Furthermore, Joshimath is a popular temple town that is a gateway to popular pilgrimage sites like Badrinath. Due to unplanned infrastructure building the sinking town is facing a crisis with massive cracks appearing in buildings and roads.

HOME MINISTER CHAIRS A HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON JOSHIMATH CRISIS

January 12, 2023, 5:55 pm

Union Minsiter Amit Shah on Thursday led a significant level meeting to survey what is going on the ‘sinking’ town of Joshimath, a town in Uttarakhand confronting land subsidence influencing the existences of many families.

Shah led the gathering with Ministers Nitin Gadkari, RK Singh, Bhupendra Yadav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat taking part, on issues connected with streets, power supply, water shortage and climate in the Joshimath directly following area subsidence. Other senior authorities of the Ministry of Home Affairs, including Home Secretary, including Ajay Bhalla, attended the meeting that went on for almost 40 minutes at the Home Minister’s home.

At this point 720 structures have been identified that have allegedly evolved breaks in the Joshimath city region because of land subsidence. Occupants, as a piece of the recovery, have been moved to more secure places even as geologists and specialists scramble to discover the purposes behind subsidence in the naturally delicate locale.

Shah took stock of the situation and directed to take relief measures in the meeting which was also learnt to be attended by the National Disaster Management Authority, Senior officers of Uttarakhand; and experts from IIT Roorkee, National Institute of Disaster Management, Geological Survey of India and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology through video conferencing..

Authorities have halted development projects in the locale and the public authority framed a council to investigate the episode and the circumstance emerging out of the unexpected emergency.

Uttarakhand government has requested the specialists to begin reviewing and destroying the foundations that are representing a danger to the encompassing structures too.

Uttarakhand government has reported a help bundle of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where huge breaks showed up in homes and on streets. Chief Minister Dhami has likewise pronounced a help bundle for almost 3,000 families impacted by slow land subsidence in the Himalayan state.

The CM has announced that Rs 50,000 have been given by the state debacle power to every family as a non-customizable one-time extraordinary award for the transportation of merchandise and quick requirements.

Alongside Joshimath, a similar peculiarity of land subsidence is likewise being accounted for from different areas of Uttarakhand including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri and Karanprayag.

Uttarakhand CM announces Rs 45 crores rehabilitation package

January 12, 2023, 3:43 pm

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said a relief package was released for the families affected by the gradual land subsidence in Joshimath. In a statement, Dhami told reporters, “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 landowners or families due to landslides in the affected area before the permanent settlement displacement policy is prepared.”

CM Dhami also stated that Rs 50,000 had 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.

Due to landslides in the Joshimath city area, over 720 buildings were identified to have developed cracks. As a part of the rehabilitation, residents have been moved to safer places while geologists and experts scramble to ascertain the reasons for the subsidence in the ecologically fragile region.

Construction projects in the region have been put on hold. A government committee was formed to look into the situation. “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.

Dhami taking to Twitter on Wednesday, said, “On-site inspection of the affected areas in Joshimath and meeting with local citizens.”

As per an official statement, 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.

Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Joshimath

January 12, 2023, 1:15 pm

A high-level meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Union Ministers on Joshimath. The meeting was attended by Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, Energy Minister RK Singh, Home Secretary, BRO officers, and other Home Ministry officials However, Home Minister Shah took a meeting for about 1 hour.

CM Dhami will chair emergency cabinet meeting on Joshimath’s situation

January 11, 2023, 12:14 pm

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called an emergency cabinet meeting on the situation in Joshimath. The meeting will start at noon on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, there are chances that important decisions will be taken in the meeting regarding compensation amount and arrangements for the victims of the Joshimath disaster.

Joshimath Crisis: Angry locals protest against NTPC, Malari Inn hotel will be razed first

January 10, 2023, 12:13 pm

Authorities will start demolishing hotels and homes in Joshimath, Uttarakhand, on Tuesday. This town has developed cracks as a result of landslides and subsidence. Malari Inn and Mount View hotels, which have more cracks, will be razed, according to officials.

Angry locals in Uttarakhand are protesting over National Thermal Power Corporation ( NTPC)-related constructions close to the Joshimath area.

“In the 1960s, there were just 30 shops in the town and 400 families used to live here. And town has a population of more than 25,000. Over the years, the burden on the town has grown and it has now caused danger to Joshimath’s very existence,” said locals of Joshimath.

Malari Inn will be the first to be demolished and that it will be brought down in a ‘step-wise,’ according to Manikant Mishra, a senior official with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), who spoke to news agency ANI.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court turned down a request for an immediate hearing regarding the Joshimath land collapse occurrences and scheduled the case for hearing on January 16.

The top court said that everything which is important need not come to the apex court, adding that there are democratically elected institutions working on it.

The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, would oversee the demolition work, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will be sent to support the local administration.

Joshimath, which has a population of more than 25,000, serves as an overnight halt for tourists travelling to the shrines at Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and other tourist destinations. As a result, there have been too many hotels and resorts built nearby, which experts believe is to blame for the town’s most severe land subsidence to date.

The attempt at evacuation comes as the government of Uttarakhand works on a strategy to rehabilitate the afflicted residents, who are suffering from fear and anxiety and facing an uncertain future.

In the meantime, a bulletin was released by the Chamoli District Disaster Management Authority regarding landslides in the Joshimath region.

The bulletin said that cracks have been noticed in a total of 678 buildings in the town and in view of security, about 81 families have been temporarily displaced from the region.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt reached ‘sinking’ town Joshimath in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. He held discussions with the administrative officials at the Army base regarding the situation in the town, reported ANI.

In accordance with Section 23 of the Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation Management and Prevention Act, 2005, Ranjit Kumar Sinha, secretary for disaster management, has issued a notification in this regard. The decision was made based on the advice of a professional team that is assessing homes in Joshimath.

“As per the recommendation of the expert committee, municipal area of Joshimath in Chamoli district has been declared as disaster affected with regard to landslide and land subsidence activities,” Sinha said on Sunday.

The Uttarakhand government has declared Joshimath’s all nine municipal wards as “landslide-subsidence zone” under the disaster management act, and started evacuation of residents from these areas, officials said on Sunday.

Amidst the decline by the SC for the hearing of Joshimath, fresh cracks appear is few houses.

January 10, 2023, 11:54 am

Amid civilian fears in the wake of land subsidence in the Joshimath area, fresh cracks were seen on some houses in Bhauguna Nagar of Karnaprayag Municipality in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. “Efforts are underway for rehabilitation of affected people in Joshimath. We assure the safety of the people of Joshimath. I have received calls about villages near Joshimath grappling with a similar situation,” the Sitarganj MLA said.

Meanwhile, authorities will start demolishing hotels and houses in Joshimath, which developed cracks in the wake of the landslide and subsidence. Hotel 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’.

Joshimath land subsidence: Construction projects, activities halted

January 7, 2023, 12:34 pm

In the wake of cracks that have appeared in buildings in the town due to land subsidence in Joshimath in Uttarakhand Chamoli District, all construction activities have been halted.

District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana on Saturday said, because of the situation in Joshimath all construction work has been stopped and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will visit the land subsidence-affected areas.

“In view of the local situation in Joshimath, all kinds of construction work has been stopped until further orders. The Chief Minister will physically inspect the landslide-affected areas of Joshimath and will also visit the relief camps here,” the district magistrate said.

Earlier on Thursday, to protest and get the government and administration to take the matter of land subsidence seriously locals of Joshimath blocked the Badrinath Highway.

Meanwhile, the cracks have been reported in 153 in the Ravigram ward, 127 in the Gandhinagar ward, 28 in the Marwadi ward, 24 in the Lower Bazaar ward, 52 in the Singhdhar ward, 71 in the Manohar Bagh ward, 29 in the Upper Bazaar ward 27 in the Sunil ward and 50 in Parsari.

Moreover, Chamoli Chief Development Officer (CDO) Lalit Narayan Mishra on Friday said National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

“We have to be alert for the future, so NDRF is being deployed as a precautionary measure,” Mishra said.

“Due to frequent landslides, NDRF has been called and the team of experts is surveying the affected areas since this morning,” Mishra said.

However, in the affected area, landslides are still going on and the NDRF team is there to keep an eye. So, 38 families have been displayed.

Uttarakhand CM Dhami will visit Joshimath

January 6, 2023, 4:17 pm

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will visit Joshimath on Friday and will inspect the landslide areas of Joshimath along with the affected area.

Joshimath land subsidence: door-to-door survey started.

January 6, 2023, 1:06 pm

A team of experts, including officials from the administration and State Disaster Management, conducted a door-to-door survey in the areas which were affected by the land subsidence in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath.

As per earlier reports, a total of 561 establishments, in Joshimath, had reported cracks that emerged after land subsidence, with the most (153 establishments) reporting cracks in the Ravigram ward in Uttarakhand. The operations of Hotel View and Malari inn were restricted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, till further orders, a statement added. A total of 38 families have been displaced till now.

Earlier on Friday, in the wake of the news of land subsidence in Joshimath and cracks developing in many houses in the town, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that he would hold a high-level meeting in Dehradun this evening. He further said that he would visit Joshimath on Saturday and take stock of the situation.

Rescue, rehabilitation operations launched in Joshimath land subsidence

January 6, 2023, 1:00 pm

The district administration has launched relief and rescue operations in the area at the Joshimath town of Uttarakhand in the land subsidence.

Meanwhile, the affected area was visited by Garhwal Commissioner of Police Sushil Kumar who said, ” “I will visit the affected areas today also after meeting with the affected people along with the Disaster Management Secretary.”

Moreover, the operation of the ropeway going from Joshimath to Auli and tourists has been asked to not stay in the hotels damaged by land subsidence.

Earlier on Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, he will hold a high-level meeting in Dehradun.

“I will hold a high-level meeting with top officials in Dehradun this evening regarding landslides in Joshimath and cracks in houses,” Uttarakhand CM said.

In the meeting Disaster, Irrigation, Home Department, Commissioner Garhwal Mandal, and District Magistrate Chamoli will be present.

After noticing fissures in the town’s houses and roadways residents of Joshimath are scared. People who are affected are living in night shelters with their families.

However, the District Disaster Management Department stated that 561 houses in Joshimath crackas have been reported.