PMO Prioritizes Evacuation As 7 Central Bodies Assemble To Help Tackle Joshimath Crisis

New Delhi: A team of experts from seven central institutions has been given specific objectives to address the Joshimath situation following a high-level evaluation by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The first priority is to relocate people from risky regions to safe ones along a distance of 350 metres in Joshimath, including building pre-fabricated homes for these people.

The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) will assist in the design of the pre-fabricated homes for the individuals who have been rescued, and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) will work with the state government to develop a plan.

Another top goal, according to reports, is to find the source of the city’s water leaks. The National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) has been contacted on this. Last week, water sprang forth from the earth, and it is thought that this was caused by fissures developing in the ground and in several Joshimath structures.

The strength of the soil in Joshimath will be evaluated by specialists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. They have collected samples of the leaked water from several places.

“All seven institutions should work closely with the state of Uttarakhand in the spirit of the whole of government approach, a clear time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared, continuous seismic monitoring must be done and a risk-sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed,” the PMO said in a statement.

The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), which may instal sensors for the purpose and also carry out a geophysical study, will continuously monitor seismic activity. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) will also work in the area.

Along with the chief secretary and the DGP of the state via video conference, the review meeting was also attended by other senior central government officials, including the cabinet secretary, and members of the National Disaster Management Authority. Joshimath district officials also attended the conference.

According to the chief secretary of Uttarakhand, a strip of land with a width of around 350 metres is affected. State and district officials have examined the situation on the ground with the assistance of central experts, the PMO stated.

Residents have been informed and their participation has been requested. A day after ordering the immediate evacuation of almost 600 vulnerable people, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami travelled to Joshimath to evaluate the situation there on January 7.

 

On January 9, the Secretary for Border Management and members of the NDMA will visit Joshimath to evaluate the situation.