'Sinking' Joshimath: Centre holds key meet, experts to study situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and reviewed the steps taken for the safety and rehabilitation of the affected people.

New Delhi, Jan 08: In view of the land subsidence in the Joshimath area of the Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, the Prime Minister's office on Sunday held a high-level review meeting to take stock of the situation.

PK Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister was apprised that the central agencies and experts are assisting the statement government to prepare short, medium and long-term plans.

Secretary of Border Management and members of the National Disaster Management Authority will visit Uttarakhand on Monday and assess the Joshimath situation.

Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra was apprised in the Joshimath review meeting that Government of India agencies and experts are assisting State Govt to prepare short, medium and long term plans. One team of NDRF and 4 teams of SDRF are already reached Joshimath.

Immediate efforts should be to arrest the deterioration in the situation through practical measures that may be feasible. An inter-disciplinary investigation of the affected area should be undertaken.

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister stressed that the immediate priorities for the state should be the Safety of the people living in the affected area. State Government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with the affected people.

An inter-disciplinary investigation of the affected area should be undertaken. Experts from a range of central institutions- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Geological Survey of India (GSI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) and Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) should work closely with the state of Uttarakhand in the spirit of "Whole of Government" approach.

A clear time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared. Continuous seismic monitoring must be done. Using this opportunity, a risk sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed.

The meeting was held in wake of the cracks that have developed in the area in the last few days.

The town of Joshimath also called Jyotirmath, is the winter seat of Lord Badrinath, whose idol is brought down from the main Badrinath temple to Vasudeva temple in Joshimathevery winter. The holy town of Joshimath is revered by the Hindus as an important pilgrimage center of the country.

On the other hand, the district administration has made arrangements for the affected families in the subsidence.

Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone and more than 60 families living in damaged houses in the sinking town have been evacuated to temporary relief centres.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and reviewed the steps taken for the safety and rehabilitation of the affected people.

"PM Modi spoke to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami over the telephone and inquired about the steps taken for the safety and rehabilitation of the affected residents and the progress of the immediate and long-term action plan to solve the problem," said a statement issued by the CMO.