PremiumNEW DELHI : Central government agencies, experts and the state government are preparing short, medium and long-term plans for the land subsidence crisis situation in Joshimath, Uttarakhand.
The discussions on the plans took place during the review meeting chaired by P.K. Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister, in the presence of cabinet secretary, home secretary, other senior officials of government of India, members of National Disaster Management Authority, Chief Secretary and DGP of Uttarakhand, DM and officials of Joshimath.
Senior officers of Uttarakhand and experts from IIT Roorkee, National Institute of Disaster Management, Geological Survey of India, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology also attended the review through video conference, said statement from the prime minister’s office (PMO).
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. The state government was also asked to established a clear and continuous communication channel with the affected people.
It was also stressed that immediate efforts should be to arrest the deterioration in the situation through practical measures that may be feasible and 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.
Further, a clear time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared, said the PMO statement, noting that continuous seismic monitoring must be done.
“Using this opportunity, a risk sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed," said that statement.
During the meeting, chief secretary of Uttarakhand informed that state and district officials with the support of central experts have assessed the situation on ground. It was informed that a strip of land with a width of around 350 meters is affected.
One team of NDRF and four teams of SDRF have reached Joshimath and the district administration is working with the affected families to evacuate and relocate them to safer places with adequate arrangements for food, shelter and security, the statement said.
Residents of Joshimath are being informed of the developments and their cooperation is being sought.
During the meeting, it was informed that prime minister Narendra Modi is concerned and has reviewed the situation with the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Taking to Twitter earlier in the day, Dhami said that prime minister Modi had a telephone conversation with him asking about the situation in Joshimath and the steps taken for the rehabilitation and safety of people. Modi assured all possible help to save Joshimath, the chief minister said.