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CM Dhami seeks central aid for Joshimath families’ rehabilitation
CM Dhami informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that approximately ₹3500 crore is required for rehabilitation of the Joshimath residents.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Dhami has petitioned the Union government for release of grants for the rehabilitation of families that were uprooted from Joshimath in January after at least 800 residential and commercial buildings developed cracks making them unsafe for use.
The state government has also sought assistance for the setting up of an institute to study climatic shifts and rapid changes, and which can provide advance warnings of flashfloods or landslides, both of which plague the state.
Also read: Keep close watch on Joshimath situation during rain, CM Dhami tells officials
Dhami, who met Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Monday said that after an initial estimate, the state government arrived at a figure of approximately ₹3500 crore for rehabilitation of the Joshimath residents. “We had sought this amount for building new infrastructure...Since a report to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) [on the cause of the cracks] is yet to be submitted, we said we need to be given some help,” the CM said in the Capital on Tuesday.
HT reported on Tuesday that pending the finalisation of the report, people who have been displaced by the land subsidence at Joshimath are yet to be compensated.
The state plans to use the money it has sought on construction of prefabricated houses, permanent residential and commercial structures, compensation for damages to land and property and infrastructure redevelopment.
Dhami said the government is also pursuing a state-wide study to arrive at the “bearing capacity” of all cities. This is being done to ensure a balance between development and safety in the ecologically sensitive state. Following red flags raised by environmental experts over the impact of rampant construction of roads and highways in the state, the government has been forced to revisit some the big-ticket infrastructure projects.
Referring to a system for adequate warnings of natural disasters, Dhami said, “We want a disaster management institution that will give warning, so that we are better prepared. It could be some sort of a Prabandhan Sansthan (institute of management) ...When flashfloods occurred in October 2021, I was warned (by the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre) a day before of rain. So, we alerted all the hotels and instructed them not to allow people out. There were about one lakh tourists in the state and we managed to avert tragedy.”
Responding to a question on whether the state will impose a cap on pilgrims who wish to undertake the Char Dham Yatra beginning towards theend of the month, the CM said, all those who manage to get hotel reservations will be allowed to undertake the Yatra. “Even if some people cannot register online, but have a confirmed accommodation in hotels, guest houses or lodges, the government will allow them to travel,” he said.
The government’s initial proposal to cap the number of visitors was met with protests from the hospitality sector, which felt such a move would be bad for business. Dhami, who invited the PM for the Yatra and to visit Adi Kailash which marks the beginning of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, said about 4.6 million people visited BadriNath and Kedar Nath last year and so far, 800000 people have already registered for the pilgrimage.
Dhami also met the union rail minister Ashwani Vaishnaw to seek more rail linkages to improve connectivity within the state and to the outside.
