Joshimath sinking: Two hotels in danger zone could not be demolished due to public anger

JOSHIMATH: The demolition of 75 of the 678 buildings in Joshimath, which were at risk due to the natural calamity, was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but could not take place due to public protests.

There is a lot of anger among local traders over rehabilitation and demolition action after the land submergence in Joshimath.  As soon as the news of the administration's plan to demolish two major hotels Hotel Mount View and Mallari Inn spread in the business community, a large number of people and traders
gathered and shouted slogans outside the hotel till night.

So far, 678 buildings have been affected by the natural disaster in Joshimath, an important religious city of the state with a population of 20000. Of which 81 have been evacuated. For demolition proceedings since Tuesday, the administration has deployed an additional three companies of SDRF to deal with the situation. People are angry and are shouting slogans everywhere that th administration should first arrange for their rehabilitation and then work to remove them from there.

District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana told The New Indian Express, "Coordinating with the public and traders and keeping in mind their safety, the administration will take appropriate steps which are in public interest." DM Khurana further said, "The public should avoid any kind of rumors, whatever step
the administration is for the benefit of the public".

Thakur Singh Rana, the owner of Hotel Malhari-Inn, along with his family, sat on a dharna outside the hotel.  Rana, a former head of the area, alleged, "One-fourth of the cost of my hotel is being paid by the administration. I am opposed to the fact that the administration is unfairly demolishing the hotel without evaluating it." Amid loud noise and sloganeering, the demolition could not take place and the administration has turned the area into a cantonment.

The district administration will now carry out demolition proceedings in a planned manner on Wednesday.

According to the daily report released by the District Disaster Management Authority Chamoli, 723 buildings in 9 wards of Joshimath Nagar area have been affected. Out of which 86 buildings have been kept in unsafe zones. The district administration has so far temporarily displaced 462 people belonging to 131 families at various places due to security reasons