News Analysis India

Tag: Uttarakhand

  • PMO holds high-level meet on Joshimath crisis; relief, rescue operations intensified

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/DEHRADUN: Relief and rescue efforts were intensified in Joshimath after it was declared a landslide and subsidence-hit zone, with the Centre on Sunday stressing that the immediate priority is the safety of people and asking experts to prepare short and long-term plans for conservation and rehabilitation.

    Amid a mounting sense of urgency, senior Uttarakhand government officials including Chief Secretary Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, DGP Ashok Kumar and Secretary to the Chief Minister R Meenakshi Sundaram visited the worst-hit Manohar Bagh, Singdhar and Marwari areas and appealed to people to shift to temporary relief centres.

    Officials said 13 more families living in houses with huge cracks were moved by the administration to safe locations on Sunday.

    The number of families evacuated to temporary relief centres now stands at 68, Chamoli district disaster management office said.

    The number of houses developing cracks in the town has risen from 561 to 610, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar told PTI.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and reviewed the situation, including the steps taken so far for the safety and rehabilitation of residents, and assured him of necessary assistance.

    The Uttarakhand chief secretary has said that state and district officials with the support of central experts have assessed the situation on the ground and informed that a strip of land with a width of around 350 metres is affected, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Sunday after holding a high-level review meeting.

    ALSO READ | Joshimath sinking: Plea in SC seeks to declare land subsidence as national disaster

    Central government agencies and experts are assisting Uttarakhand to prepare plans to deal with the Joshimath situation and the immediate priority is the safety of the people, it said.

    Affected families are being shifted to safe locations, a PMO statement said, noting that Prime Minister Modi is concerned and has taken stock of the situation with Chief Minister Dhami.

    One team of the National Disaster Response Force and four teams of the State Disaster Response Force have already reached Joshimath.

    P K Mishra, the prime minister’s principal secretary who held the meeting, stressed that the immediate priority should be the safety of people living in the affected area and said the state government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with the residents.

    WATCH | 

    The Border Management secretary and members of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will visit Uttarakhand on Monday and assess the situation A team of experts from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management, Geological Survey of India, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Institute of Hydrology and Central Building Research Institute will study the situations and give recommendations, the PMO said.

    The Uttarakhand chief secretary briefed the PMO about the ground situation during the meeting, officials said.

    Central government agencies and experts are assisting Uttarakhand to prepare short, medium and long-term plans to deal with the Joshimath situation, they added.

    “Immediate efforts should be made to arrest the deterioration in the situation through practical measures that may be feasible,” Mishra said.

    He said an interdisciplinary investigation of the affected area should be undertaken.

    Experts from a range of central institutions- NDMA, NIDM, Geological Survey of India, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Institute of Hydrology and Central Building Research Institute should work closely with Uttarakhand in the spirit of “Whole of Government” approach.

    IN PHOTOS | Joshimath crisis: The sinking town in Uttarakhand

    A clear time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared and continuous seismic monitoring must be done, he said, adding that a risk-sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed.

    The review meeting was attended by the cabinet secretary, other senior officials of the central government and members of the NDMA besides the chief secretary and the DGP of the state through video conference.

    District officials of Joshimath also attended the meeting.

    Experts from IIT Roorkee, the Geological Survey of India and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology also participated.

    Dhami had visited Joshimath on Saturday to assess the situation on the ground, a day after he directed the immediate evacuation of around 600 affected families.

    Giving details of the relief and rescue efforts, Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said 229 rooms with capacity to accommodate 1,271 people have been identified at different locations within the town.

    Ration kits were distributed to affected families besides an ex gratia of Rs 2.30 lakh among 46 of them at the rate of Rs 5,000 per family for buying essential household items.

    DM Khurana went door-to-door requesting people living in damaged houses to vacate them and move to temporary relief centres.

    Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Sukhbir Singh Sandhu during his visit to the town made a similar appeal to people: “You should take no risks. The safety of residents is an immediate priority and the district administration is working continuously to ensure that”.

    Geological experts are exploring the causes of land subsidence.

    Based on their recommendations whatever treatment is needed will be done in Joshimath, the CS said.

    Considering the extent of damage at least 82 more families will have to be evacuated to temporary relief centres as soon as possible, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar told PTI.

    Kumar heads a committee tasked with monitoring the situation on the ground level and has been camping in Joshimath since Thursday.

    There are a total of 4,500 buildings in Joshimath out of which 610 have developed huge cracks and are unfit for habitation, he said, adding that a survey is still underway and the number of affected buildings might go up.

    “Land subsidence has been going on slowly in Joshimath for quite sometime but it has increased over the past one week with huge cracks appearing in houses, fields and roads,” the Garhwal Commissioner said.

    “The situation worsened apparently after a water channel beneath the town erupted last week,” he said.

    Chief Minister Dhami who visited the affected areas in Joshimath on Saturday held a meeting with officials in Dehradun on his return and asked them to relax the norms to expedite relief operations.

    They were asked not to get entangled in long procedural complexities and take direct clearance from him for works related to treatment of drainage and sewage systems in Joshimath, he said.

    ALSO READ | Anthropogenic, natural factors responsible for Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations: Expert

    The National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun have been asked to conduct a study of the Joshimath area through satellite imagery and submit a detailed report with photographs.

    A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Centre to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge to look into the issue of sinking of Joshimath and rehabilitate the affected families.

    Earlier, a seer had moved the Supreme Court seeking that the Joshimath crisis be declared a national disaster.

    Experts have claimed that the land subsidence in Joshimath is primarily due to the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Power Project and is a very grave reminder that people are messing up with the environment to an extent that is irreversible.

    NEW DELHI/DEHRADUN: Relief and rescue efforts were intensified in Joshimath after it was declared a landslide and subsidence-hit zone, with the Centre on Sunday stressing that the immediate priority is the safety of people and asking experts to prepare short and long-term plans for conservation and rehabilitation.

    Amid a mounting sense of urgency, senior Uttarakhand government officials including Chief Secretary Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, DGP Ashok Kumar and Secretary to the Chief Minister R Meenakshi Sundaram visited the worst-hit Manohar Bagh, Singdhar and Marwari areas and appealed to people to shift to temporary relief centres.

    Officials said 13 more families living in houses with huge cracks were moved by the administration to safe locations on Sunday.

    The number of families evacuated to temporary relief centres now stands at 68, Chamoli district disaster management office said.

    The number of houses developing cracks in the town has risen from 561 to 610, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar told PTI.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and reviewed the situation, including the steps taken so far for the safety and rehabilitation of residents, and assured him of necessary assistance.

    The Uttarakhand chief secretary has said that state and district officials with the support of central experts have assessed the situation on the ground and informed that a strip of land with a width of around 350 metres is affected, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Sunday after holding a high-level review meeting.

    ALSO READ | Joshimath sinking: Plea in SC seeks to declare land subsidence as national disaster

    Central government agencies and experts are assisting Uttarakhand to prepare plans to deal with the Joshimath situation and the immediate priority is the safety of the people, it said.

    Affected families are being shifted to safe locations, a PMO statement said, noting that Prime Minister Modi is concerned and has taken stock of the situation with Chief Minister Dhami.

    One team of the National Disaster Response Force and four teams of the State Disaster Response Force have already reached Joshimath.

    P K Mishra, the prime minister’s principal secretary who held the meeting, stressed that the immediate priority should be the safety of people living in the affected area and said the state government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with the residents.

    WATCH | 

    The Border Management secretary and members of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will visit Uttarakhand on Monday and assess the situation A team of experts from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management, Geological Survey of India, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Institute of Hydrology and Central Building Research Institute will study the situations and give recommendations, the PMO said.

    The Uttarakhand chief secretary briefed the PMO about the ground situation during the meeting, officials said.

    Central government agencies and experts are assisting Uttarakhand to prepare short, medium and long-term plans to deal with the Joshimath situation, they added.

    “Immediate efforts should be made to arrest the deterioration in the situation through practical measures that may be feasible,” Mishra said.

    He said an interdisciplinary investigation of the affected area should be undertaken.

    Experts from a range of central institutions- NDMA, NIDM, Geological Survey of India, IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Institute of Hydrology and Central Building Research Institute should work closely with Uttarakhand in the spirit of “Whole of Government” approach.

    IN PHOTOS | Joshimath crisis: The sinking town in Uttarakhand

    A clear time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared and continuous seismic monitoring must be done, he said, adding that a risk-sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed.

    The review meeting was attended by the cabinet secretary, other senior officials of the central government and members of the NDMA besides the chief secretary and the DGP of the state through video conference.

    District officials of Joshimath also attended the meeting.

    Experts from IIT Roorkee, the Geological Survey of India and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology also participated.

    Dhami had visited Joshimath on Saturday to assess the situation on the ground, a day after he directed the immediate evacuation of around 600 affected families.

    Giving details of the relief and rescue efforts, Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said 229 rooms with capacity to accommodate 1,271 people have been identified at different locations within the town.

    Ration kits were distributed to affected families besides an ex gratia of Rs 2.30 lakh among 46 of them at the rate of Rs 5,000 per family for buying essential household items.

    DM Khurana went door-to-door requesting people living in damaged houses to vacate them and move to temporary relief centres.

    Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Sukhbir Singh Sandhu during his visit to the town made a similar appeal to people: “You should take no risks. The safety of residents is an immediate priority and the district administration is working continuously to ensure that”.

    Geological experts are exploring the causes of land subsidence.

    Based on their recommendations whatever treatment is needed will be done in Joshimath, the CS said.

    Considering the extent of damage at least 82 more families will have to be evacuated to temporary relief centres as soon as possible, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar told PTI.

    Kumar heads a committee tasked with monitoring the situation on the ground level and has been camping in Joshimath since Thursday.

    There are a total of 4,500 buildings in Joshimath out of which 610 have developed huge cracks and are unfit for habitation, he said, adding that a survey is still underway and the number of affected buildings might go up.

    “Land subsidence has been going on slowly in Joshimath for quite sometime but it has increased over the past one week with huge cracks appearing in houses, fields and roads,” the Garhwal Commissioner said.

    “The situation worsened apparently after a water channel beneath the town erupted last week,” he said.

    Chief Minister Dhami who visited the affected areas in Joshimath on Saturday held a meeting with officials in Dehradun on his return and asked them to relax the norms to expedite relief operations.

    They were asked not to get entangled in long procedural complexities and take direct clearance from him for works related to treatment of drainage and sewage systems in Joshimath, he said.

    ALSO READ | Anthropogenic, natural factors responsible for Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations: Expert

    The National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun have been asked to conduct a study of the Joshimath area through satellite imagery and submit a detailed report with photographs.

    A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Centre to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge to look into the issue of sinking of Joshimath and rehabilitate the affected families.

    Earlier, a seer had moved the Supreme Court seeking that the Joshimath crisis be declared a national disaster.

    Experts have claimed that the land subsidence in Joshimath is primarily due to the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Power Project and is a very grave reminder that people are messing up with the environment to an extent that is irreversible.

  • Sinking town: Uttarakhand’s Joshimath declared landslide-subsidence zone, over 60 families evacuated

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone and over 60 families living in damaged houses in the sinking town have been evacuated to temporary relief centres, a senior official said on Sunday.

    At least 90 more families have to be evacuated.

    The local administration has set up relief centres at four-five places in the Himalayan town, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar said.

    Meanwhile, Chamoli District Magistrate (DM) Himanshu Khurana went from door to door in the affected area to assess the extent of damage and appealed to people living in houses that have developed cracks to move to the relief centres.

    Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone.

    More than 60 families living in uninhabitable houses have been evacuated to temporary relief centres, Kumar told PTI.

    Considering the extent of the damage, at least 90 more families will have to be evacuated as soon as possible, he said.

    Kumar, who has been camping in Joshimath since Thursday, heads a committee tasked with monitoring the situation on the ground level.

    There are a total of 4,500 buildings in Joshimath and 610 of these have developed huge cracks, making them unfit for habitation, he said.

    A survey is underway and the number of affected buildings could go up, he added.

    Kumar said the affected area, including houses that developed cracks earlier and the ones damaged recently, forms a big arch which could be spread over 1.5 km.

    Temporary relief centres have been set up at four-five safe places within Joshimath.

    READ HERE | Anthropogenic, natural factors responsible for Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations: Expert

    Some more buildings, including a few hotels, a gurdwara and two inter-colleges, have been acquired to serve as makeshift shelters that can accommodate around 1,500 people, he said.

    “Land subsidence has been going on slowly in Joshimath for quite some time but it has increased over the past week with huge cracks appearing in houses, fields and roads,” the Garhwal commissioner said.

    “The situation worsened apparently after a water channel beneath the town erupted last week,” he said.

    The priority at present is evacuating the affected people to safety, he said.

    Kumar said long-term measures being explored to deal with the situation range from reconstruction to retrofitting.

    Chamoli DM Khurana surveyed the affected area.

    People were told to move out of unsafe and uninhabitable houses as arrangements for their stay have been made in hotels, homestays and other safe places, he said.

    The state government will pay Rs 4,000 per month for up to six months to those who want to move to rented accommodations, he said, asking people not to risk their lives by choosing to continue living in the damaged houses.

    Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who visited the affected areas in Joshimath on Saturday, held a meeting with officials here after returning and asked them to relax norms to expedite relief operations.

    He said they were asked not to get entangled in long procedural complexities and take direct clearance from him for work related to drainage treatment and sewage systems in Joshimath.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Dhami over the phone to take stock of the situation in Joshimath, officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

    The PM sought updates on land subsidence in the town and the steps taken so far for the safety and rehabilitation of residents, they said.

    READ HERE | Uttarakhand: After Joshimath, cracks found in more than 50 houses in Karnaprayag

    They added that the PM is personally keeping a tab on the situation in Joshimath — known as the gateway to Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib and famous skiing destination Auli.

    The National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun have been asked to conduct a study of Joshimath through satellite imagery and submit a detailed report with photographs.

    The Geological Survey of India has also been asked to examine the suitability of Koti Farm, Herb Institute and the Horticulture Department’s land in Joshimath and in Pipalkoti’s Semaldala area for rehabilitation purposes.

    DEHRADUN: Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone and over 60 families living in damaged houses in the sinking town have been evacuated to temporary relief centres, a senior official said on Sunday.

    At least 90 more families have to be evacuated.

    The local administration has set up relief centres at four-five places in the Himalayan town, Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar said.

    Meanwhile, Chamoli District Magistrate (DM) Himanshu Khurana went from door to door in the affected area to assess the extent of damage and appealed to people living in houses that have developed cracks to move to the relief centres.

    Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone.

    More than 60 families living in uninhabitable houses have been evacuated to temporary relief centres, Kumar told PTI.

    Considering the extent of the damage, at least 90 more families will have to be evacuated as soon as possible, he said.

    Kumar, who has been camping in Joshimath since Thursday, heads a committee tasked with monitoring the situation on the ground level.

    There are a total of 4,500 buildings in Joshimath and 610 of these have developed huge cracks, making them unfit for habitation, he said.

    A survey is underway and the number of affected buildings could go up, he added.

    Kumar said the affected area, including houses that developed cracks earlier and the ones damaged recently, forms a big arch which could be spread over 1.5 km.

    Temporary relief centres have been set up at four-five safe places within Joshimath.

    READ HERE | Anthropogenic, natural factors responsible for Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations: Expert

    Some more buildings, including a few hotels, a gurdwara and two inter-colleges, have been acquired to serve as makeshift shelters that can accommodate around 1,500 people, he said.

    “Land subsidence has been going on slowly in Joshimath for quite some time but it has increased over the past week with huge cracks appearing in houses, fields and roads,” the Garhwal commissioner said.

    “The situation worsened apparently after a water channel beneath the town erupted last week,” he said.

    The priority at present is evacuating the affected people to safety, he said.

    Kumar said long-term measures being explored to deal with the situation range from reconstruction to retrofitting.

    Chamoli DM Khurana surveyed the affected area.

    People were told to move out of unsafe and uninhabitable houses as arrangements for their stay have been made in hotels, homestays and other safe places, he said.

    The state government will pay Rs 4,000 per month for up to six months to those who want to move to rented accommodations, he said, asking people not to risk their lives by choosing to continue living in the damaged houses.

    Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who visited the affected areas in Joshimath on Saturday, held a meeting with officials here after returning and asked them to relax norms to expedite relief operations.

    He said they were asked not to get entangled in long procedural complexities and take direct clearance from him for work related to drainage treatment and sewage systems in Joshimath.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Dhami over the phone to take stock of the situation in Joshimath, officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

    The PM sought updates on land subsidence in the town and the steps taken so far for the safety and rehabilitation of residents, they said.

    READ HERE | Uttarakhand: After Joshimath, cracks found in more than 50 houses in Karnaprayag

    They added that the PM is personally keeping a tab on the situation in Joshimath — known as the gateway to Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib and famous skiing destination Auli.

    The National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun have been asked to conduct a study of Joshimath through satellite imagery and submit a detailed report with photographs.

    The Geological Survey of India has also been asked to examine the suitability of Koti Farm, Herb Institute and the Horticulture Department’s land in Joshimath and in Pipalkoti’s Semaldala area for rehabilitation purposes.

  • Uttarakhand CM orders immediate evacuation of 600 families in Joshimath

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses which have developed huge cracks and are at risk in Joshimath town which is sinking.

    “Saving lives is our first priority. Officials have been asked to shift around 600 families living in endangered houses in Joshimath to safe locations,” Dhami told reporters here on Friday after reviewing the situation in the sinking town with officials via video conference.

    “We are also working on short and long-term plans to address the situation in Joshimath,” he said.

    The Chief Minister will visit Joshimath on Saturday, meet the affected people and hold a meeting with officials.

    Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and secretary, disaster management, Ranjit Kumar Sinha along with a team of experts are camping on the ground to constantly monitor the situation, Dhami said.

    Relocation of people from the affected areas should be done expeditiously, he told the officials.

    Medical treatment facilities should be available on ground and arrangements for airlifting people should also be made, he said.

    An immediate action plan as well as a long-term action plan should be prepared and work on both should be started in right earnest, Dhami said.

    Procedures should be simplified to expedite work on treatment of danger zones, sewer and drainage.

    “Lives of our citizens are most important for us ” he said.

    “Joshimath should be divided into sectors and zones and action should be taken accordingly.

    A disaster control room should also be set up in the town,” the chief minister said.

    For permanent rehabilitation of the affected people, alternative locations should be identified in Pipalkoti, Gauchar and other places, he said. The district magistrate should stay in touch with people and the potential danger zones should also be identified.

    “Moving people to safe locations is necessary. Satellite images can also be useful in this. All departments should act with a team spirit to achieve success in the exercise,” Dhami said.

    Adequate deployment of State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel should be made to help the affected people, he said, adding helicopter services should also be made available, if required.

    “Joshimath is a town of religious and cultural importance. Care should be taken to ensure that the livelihoods of people are not affected,” he said.

    A temple collapsed on Friday evening in Singdhar ward of Joshimath, further alarming residents living under constant fear of a major disaster in the offing.

    Luckily there was no one inside the temple when it collapsed as it had been abandoned after it developed huge cracks over the past 15 days, locals said.

    Huge cracks have appeared in scores of houses while many have suffered subsidence.

    Nearly 50 families have been moved to safer locations, officials said. Apart from them, 60 families living in a colony meant for Vishnu Prayag Jal Vidyut Pariyojana employees have been shifted elsewhere, its director Pankaj Chauhan said.

    Marwari area, where an aquifer burst three days ago, is the worst hit as water is constantly coming down from it.

    All construction activities related to mega projects like the Char Dham all-weather road and the National Thermal Power Corporation’s hydel project have been stopped till further orders on the demand of residents.

    The Auli ropeway, which is Asia’s biggest, has been stopped after a huge crack developed beneath it, former president of the local municipality Rishi Prasad Sati said.

    Land subsidence has been going on for more than a year but the problem has aggravated over the past fortnight, he said. Meanwhile, protests continued on Friday as people staged a dharna at the tehsil office Joshimath demanding rehabilitation.

    As Joshimath’s susbsidence seemed to aggravate, the ruling BJP sent a team to the town to assess the situation.

    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered immediate evacuation of around 600 families living in houses which have developed huge cracks and are at risk in Joshimath town which is sinking.

    “Saving lives is our first priority. Officials have been asked to shift around 600 families living in endangered houses in Joshimath to safe locations,” Dhami told reporters here on Friday after reviewing the situation in the sinking town with officials via video conference.

    “We are also working on short and long-term plans to address the situation in Joshimath,” he said.

    The Chief Minister will visit Joshimath on Saturday, meet the affected people and hold a meeting with officials.

    Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar and secretary, disaster management, Ranjit Kumar Sinha along with a team of experts are camping on the ground to constantly monitor the situation, Dhami said.

    Relocation of people from the affected areas should be done expeditiously, he told the officials.

    Medical treatment facilities should be available on ground and arrangements for airlifting people should also be made, he said.

    An immediate action plan as well as a long-term action plan should be prepared and work on both should be started in right earnest, Dhami said.

    Procedures should be simplified to expedite work on treatment of danger zones, sewer and drainage.

    “Lives of our citizens are most important for us ” he said.

    “Joshimath should be divided into sectors and zones and action should be taken accordingly.

    A disaster control room should also be set up in the town,” the chief minister said.

    For permanent rehabilitation of the affected people, alternative locations should be identified in Pipalkoti, Gauchar and other places, he said. The district magistrate should stay in touch with people and the potential danger zones should also be identified.

    “Moving people to safe locations is necessary. Satellite images can also be useful in this. All departments should act with a team spirit to achieve success in the exercise,” Dhami said.

    Adequate deployment of State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel should be made to help the affected people, he said, adding helicopter services should also be made available, if required.

    “Joshimath is a town of religious and cultural importance. Care should be taken to ensure that the livelihoods of people are not affected,” he said.

    A temple collapsed on Friday evening in Singdhar ward of Joshimath, further alarming residents living under constant fear of a major disaster in the offing.

    Luckily there was no one inside the temple when it collapsed as it had been abandoned after it developed huge cracks over the past 15 days, locals said.

    Huge cracks have appeared in scores of houses while many have suffered subsidence.

    Nearly 50 families have been moved to safer locations, officials said. Apart from them, 60 families living in a colony meant for Vishnu Prayag Jal Vidyut Pariyojana employees have been shifted elsewhere, its director Pankaj Chauhan said.

    Marwari area, where an aquifer burst three days ago, is the worst hit as water is constantly coming down from it.

    All construction activities related to mega projects like the Char Dham all-weather road and the National Thermal Power Corporation’s hydel project have been stopped till further orders on the demand of residents.

    The Auli ropeway, which is Asia’s biggest, has been stopped after a huge crack developed beneath it, former president of the local municipality Rishi Prasad Sati said.

    Land subsidence has been going on for more than a year but the problem has aggravated over the past fortnight, he said. Meanwhile, protests continued on Friday as people staged a dharna at the tehsil office Joshimath demanding rehabilitation.

    As Joshimath’s susbsidence seemed to aggravate, the ruling BJP sent a team to the town to assess the situation.

  • Indian construction workers pelted with stones on Indo-Nepal border in Uttarakhand

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Indian labourers working along the Indo-Nepal border in Dharchula were allegedly pelted with stones by Nepalese nationals leaving at least one person injured and damaging several machineries.  

    The attack is the 11th such incident of stone pelting by Nepalese nationals over the last two months from across the border against Indian workers engaged in the construction of a safety wall along the Kali river.

    The attack comes a day after a joint inspection and talks between officials from both countries.

    Enraged by the incident, India has threatened to stop the movement of vehicles from the Nepal side of the border.

    In order to protect Dharchula town and surrounding villages, the Indian side is working to build embankments on the banks of the kali river. The construction of the embankment is being hampered by stone pelting from Nepal. On Friday evening, stones were once again hurled from Nepal in Ghatkhola.

    Nepalis threw stones at labourers constructing embankments at Ghatkhola in Dharchula, breaking window panes of two dumpers, two tipper trucks and JCBs. Dumper driver Danveer Sawant was also injured in the stone pelting. The construction of the embankment has been affected by the incident.  There is tremendous anger among the Indian people due to these repeated incidents.

    Pithoragarh District Magistrate Reena Joshi told The New Indian Express, “A joint survey has been conducted by both sides as a precautionary measure on the incident.  A meeting of high-level officials will also be called in the near future.”

    Joshi added, “the report sought by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding this incident has also been conveyed to them about the actual situation.”

    Earlier, another labourer was also injured in a similar stone-pelting incident. Indian traders had closed the ‘Jhula’ bridge in protest against this incident. In view of the tension, officials of the two countries had said to resolve the problem by meeting in mutual coordination.

    Nepal’s CDO also came to India and took stock of the situation. A day earlier on Thursday, engineers from Nepal also conducted an on-site inspection along with the local administration. Despite this, there is resentment among Indians due to stone pelting from Nepal.

    BJP district vice-president Mahendra Budiyal said, “The Nepal administration is repeatedly failing to stop stone-pelting incidents. This is affecting the construction work of the embankment being built to protect Dharchula. If Nepal does not take punitive action along with banning the activities of anarchists,the International Jhula Bridge will be closed.”

    DEHRADUN: Indian labourers working along the Indo-Nepal border in Dharchula were allegedly pelted with stones by Nepalese nationals leaving at least one person injured and damaging several machineries.  

    The attack is the 11th such incident of stone pelting by Nepalese nationals over the last two months from across the border against Indian workers engaged in the construction of a safety wall along the Kali river.

    The attack comes a day after a joint inspection and talks between officials from both countries.

    Enraged by the incident, India has threatened to stop the movement of vehicles from the Nepal side of the border.

    In order to protect Dharchula town and surrounding villages, the Indian side is working to build embankments on the banks of the kali river. The construction of the embankment is being hampered by stone pelting from Nepal. On Friday evening, stones were once again hurled from Nepal in Ghatkhola.

    Nepalis threw stones at labourers constructing embankments at Ghatkhola in Dharchula, breaking window panes of two dumpers, two tipper trucks and JCBs. Dumper driver Danveer Sawant was also injured in the stone pelting. The construction of the embankment has been affected by the incident.  There is tremendous anger among the Indian people due to these repeated incidents.

    Pithoragarh District Magistrate Reena Joshi told The New Indian Express, “A joint survey has been conducted by both sides as a precautionary measure on the incident.  A meeting of high-level officials will also be called in the near future.”

    Joshi added, “the report sought by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding this incident has also been conveyed to them about the actual situation.”

    Earlier, another labourer was also injured in a similar stone-pelting incident. Indian traders had closed the ‘Jhula’ bridge in protest against this incident. In view of the tension, officials of the two countries had said to resolve the problem by meeting in mutual coordination.

    Nepal’s CDO also came to India and took stock of the situation. A day earlier on Thursday, engineers from Nepal also conducted an on-site inspection along with the local administration. Despite this, there is resentment among Indians due to stone pelting from Nepal.

    BJP district vice-president Mahendra Budiyal said, “The Nepal administration is repeatedly failing to stop stone-pelting incidents. This is affecting the construction work of the embankment being built to protect Dharchula. If Nepal does not take punitive action along with banning the activities of anarchists,
    the International Jhula Bridge will be closed.”

  • India dismisses China’s concerns on military exercise with US in Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India on Thursday dismissed China’s objection to the joint Indo-US military exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Uttarakhand’s Auli, saying it did not give a veto to third countries on these issues.

    Hitting back at China, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the joint exercises with the US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China.

    “But since these were raised by the Chinese side, I must emphasise that the Chinese side needs to reflect and think about its own breach of the agreements of 1993 and 1996,” Bagchi said responding to questions at the weekly briefing of the ministry.

    “India exercises with whomever it chooses to and it does not give a veto to third countries on these issues,” the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

    The 1993 agreement deals with maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC with China in the India-China Border Areas, while the 1996 pact was about confidence-building measures in the military field along the LAC with China in the India-China Border Areas.

    PHOTOS | Indo-US joint military exercises in full swing; kites and dogs get trained, too

    On Wednesday, China said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises and claimed that it violated the spirit of the two border agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

    The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is currently underway in Auli, about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

    To questions on protests in parts of China against prolonged lockdowns and isolations to contain Covid, Bagchi said he would not comment on specific Covid strategies pursued by any country.

    “We would hope that humanity as a whole is able to emerge fully from Covid at the earliest. But insofar as specific Covid strategies that each country may be pursuing, I might not like to get into that. Just like to hope that we are able to come out of Covid,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: India on Thursday dismissed China’s objection to the joint Indo-US military exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Uttarakhand’s Auli, saying it did not give a veto to third countries on these issues.

    Hitting back at China, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the joint exercises with the US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China.

    “But since these were raised by the Chinese side, I must emphasise that the Chinese side needs to reflect and think about its own breach of the agreements of 1993 and 1996,” Bagchi said responding to questions at the weekly briefing of the ministry.

    “India exercises with whomever it chooses to and it does not give a veto to third countries on these issues,” the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

    The 1993 agreement deals with maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC with China in the India-China Border Areas, while the 1996 pact was about confidence-building measures in the military field along the LAC with China in the India-China Border Areas.

    PHOTOS | Indo-US joint military exercises in full swing; kites and dogs get trained, too

    On Wednesday, China said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises and claimed that it violated the spirit of the two border agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

    The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is currently underway in Auli, about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

    To questions on protests in parts of China against prolonged lockdowns and isolations to contain Covid, Bagchi said he would not comment on specific Covid strategies pursued by any country.

    “We would hope that humanity as a whole is able to emerge fully from Covid at the earliest. But insofar as specific Covid strategies that each country may be pursuing, I might not like to get into that. Just like to hope that we are able to come out of Covid,” he said.

  • Three Uttarakhand BBA students strip hostel inmate, flee 

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN:  Three students of a management course run by a university in Uttarakhand allegedly forced a hostel inmate to drink alcohol and strip. They also reportedly filmed and blackmailed the student demanding Rs 60,000 to settle the ‘case,’ the police said on Wednesday, adding the suspects have fled. The university has expelled the three students.

    The police have registered a case of assault and blackmail against the three suspects. All the students are pursuing BBA from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Bidhauli. The case was reported from Stanza Living Hostel in Bidhauli area of Premnagar. 

    The police said it was not clear why the three assaulted the victim. Circle Officer Premnagar Pradeep Bisht citing the victim’s complaint said while he was studying in his room on Sunday night (November 27), the three suspects came to his room and forced him to drink alcohol with them. “The victim identified the three as Akarsh Gupta, Samsonjay Antony and Jeremy Malik,” he said. 

    The complainant alleged that the three then started assaulting him. They also stripped him naked and made videos, he alleged. The suspects also demanded Rs 60,000 for deleting the video. The victim refused to pay up which led to a fresh assault on him, said Bisht. 

    “Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against Akarsh Gupta (BBA first year), Jeremy Malik (BBA 2nd year), and Samanjoy Antony (BBA 2nd year),” said the officer. “Indiscipline will not be tolerated on the college campus,” UPES Registrar Manish Madan told this newspaper. “We have taken strong note of the matter and are dealing with it in a very strict manner,” said Madan.

    The police said the victim was currently very scared. “He has only talked about assault and blackmailing. Information is being collected on whether he previously had an argument with the accused,” said Bisht.

    ‘Indiscipline won’t be tolerated on campus’University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) Registrar Manish Madan said that indiscipline will not be tolerated on the campus. “We have taken strong note of the matter and are dealing with it in a very strict manner,” said Madan.

    DEHRADUN:  Three students of a management course run by a university in Uttarakhand allegedly forced a hostel inmate to drink alcohol and strip. They also reportedly filmed and blackmailed the student demanding Rs 60,000 to settle the ‘case,’ the police said on Wednesday, adding the suspects have fled. 
    The university has expelled the three students.

    The police have registered a case of assault and blackmail against the three suspects. All the students are pursuing BBA from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Bidhauli. The case was reported from Stanza Living Hostel in Bidhauli area of Premnagar. 

    The police said it was not clear why the three assaulted the victim. Circle Officer Premnagar Pradeep Bisht citing the victim’s complaint said while he was studying in his room on Sunday night (November 27), the three suspects came to his room and forced him to drink alcohol with them. “The victim identified the three as Akarsh Gupta, Samsonjay Antony and Jeremy Malik,” he said. 

    The complainant alleged that the three then started assaulting him. They also stripped him naked and made videos, he alleged. The suspects also demanded Rs 60,000 for deleting the video. The victim refused to pay up which led to a fresh assault on him, said Bisht. 

    “Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against Akarsh Gupta (BBA first year), Jeremy Malik (BBA 2nd year), and Samanjoy Antony (BBA 2nd year),” said the officer. “Indiscipline will not be tolerated on the college campus,” UPES Registrar Manish Madan told this newspaper. “We have taken strong note of the matter and are dealing with it in a very strict manner,” said Madan.

    The police said the victim was currently very scared. “He has only talked about assault and blackmailing. Information is being collected on whether he previously had an argument with the accused,” said Bisht.

    ‘Indiscipline won’t be tolerated on campus’
    University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) Registrar Manish Madan said that indiscipline will not be tolerated on the campus. “We have taken strong note of the matter and are dealing with it in a very strict manner,” said Madan.

  • People run out of houses in panic after tremors of Nepal quake jolt Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    PITHORAGARH/DEHRADUN: People ran out of their houses in panic at several places in Uttarakhand after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in neighbouring Nepal, hit the lower Himalayan region in the early hours of Wednesday.

    The tremors were felt across the hill state, including in Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Dehradun districts.

    The epicentre of the earthquake was located around 90 km from the border district of Pithoragarh.

    Jolted out of their sleep as they heard window panes rattling, people ran out of their houses in panic and waited outside in anticipation of aftershocks for hours.

    “I woke up and ran outside after I heard the window panes rattling and saw the fan swaying,” said Prabha, a resident of Kasani village in Pithoragarh.

    “A second jolt was also felt at 6.29 am.

    But it was milder in comparison,” a shopkeeper named Pramod Dwivedi in the Munsiyari sub-division of Pithoragarh said.

    People standing in huddles outside their houses were seen sending messages on their mobile phones to their relatives and friends.

    Pithoragarh’s District Disaster Management Officer B S Mahar said there was no information of any damage to life and property from any part of the district.

    “We woke up in the dead of night and rushed to safety. However, no damage was caused in our village.

    We are in touch with those in the interior parts of the district to find out if they suffered any damage,” Mohit Bhandari, a villager from Sailekh in Nepal’s Baitari district, said.

    “Villagers rushed out of their homes immediately after the jolts that lasted for more than five seconds.

    Even after the jolts were over, they were afraid of going back to their homes anticipating aftershocks,” said Santosh Raj Joshi, a member of the Niglasaini Nagar Palika in Baitari.

    The tremors were also felt in the Haridwar and Chamoli districts of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region. A Haridwar resident said the tremors lasted for around 20 seconds.

    At Gwaldam in Chamoli, the tremors were intense. According to a resident, the tremors lasted for nearly half a minute.

    Niraj Negi, a resident of Gopeshwar, said people ran out of their homes in panic as they felt the jolts. However, there was no report of any damage to life and property from anywhere in the state.

    Mild and low-intensity earthquakes are frequent in the hills of Uttarakhand.

    A 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook parts of the Garhwal region on the morning of November 6. It had its epicentre in the Tehri district.

    PITHORAGARH/DEHRADUN: People ran out of their houses in panic at several places in Uttarakhand after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in neighbouring Nepal, hit the lower Himalayan region in the early hours of Wednesday.

    The tremors were felt across the hill state, including in Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Dehradun districts.

    The epicentre of the earthquake was located around 90 km from the border district of Pithoragarh.

    Jolted out of their sleep as they heard window panes rattling, people ran out of their houses in panic and waited outside in anticipation of aftershocks for hours.

    “I woke up and ran outside after I heard the window panes rattling and saw the fan swaying,” said Prabha, a resident of Kasani village in Pithoragarh.

    “A second jolt was also felt at 6.29 am.

    But it was milder in comparison,” a shopkeeper named Pramod Dwivedi in the Munsiyari sub-division of Pithoragarh said.

    People standing in huddles outside their houses were seen sending messages on their mobile phones to their relatives and friends.

    Pithoragarh’s District Disaster Management Officer B S Mahar said there was no information of any damage to life and property from any part of the district.

    “We woke up in the dead of night and rushed to safety. However, no damage was caused in our village.

    We are in touch with those in the interior parts of the district to find out if they suffered any damage,” Mohit Bhandari, a villager from Sailekh in Nepal’s Baitari district, said.

    “Villagers rushed out of their homes immediately after the jolts that lasted for more than five seconds.

    Even after the jolts were over, they were afraid of going back to their homes anticipating aftershocks,” said Santosh Raj Joshi, a member of the Niglasaini Nagar Palika in Baitari.

    The tremors were also felt in the Haridwar and Chamoli districts of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region. A Haridwar resident said the tremors lasted for around 20 seconds.

    At Gwaldam in Chamoli, the tremors were intense. According to a resident, the tremors lasted for nearly half a minute.

    Niraj Negi, a resident of Gopeshwar, said people ran out of their homes in panic as they felt the jolts. However, there was no report of any damage to life and property from anywhere in the state.

    Mild and low-intensity earthquakes are frequent in the hills of Uttarakhand.

    A 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook parts of the Garhwal region on the morning of November 6. It had its epicentre in the Tehri district.

  • Mild tremors in parts of Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Mild tremors were felt in parts of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region on Sunday triggering panic as people rushed out of their houses, officials said.

    The earthquake of 4.5 magnitude occurred at 8.33 am.

    Its epicentre was in Tehri district, the National Centre for Seismology said.

    The tremors were felt in several places in Dehradun, Tehri and Uttarkashi, however, there is no report yet of any damage to life and property, they said.

    DEHRADUN: Mild tremors were felt in parts of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region on Sunday triggering panic as people rushed out of their houses, officials said.

    The earthquake of 4.5 magnitude occurred at 8.33 am.

    Its epicentre was in Tehri district, the National Centre for Seismology said.

    The tremors were felt in several places in Dehradun, Tehri and Uttarkashi, however, there is no report yet of any damage to life and property, they said.

  • SC lifts HC stay on order for 30 pc quota to women having domicile of Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted the stay imposed by the Uttarakhand High Court on a 2006 order giving 30 percent reservation to women having domicile of the state in state civil services.

    A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian issued notice in the matter and sought reply on the Uttarakhand government’s plea.

    The Uttarakhand government had moved the top court against the high court’s August 24, 2022 order.

    It had passed the direction while hearing a petition filed by more than a dozen women candidates from outside the state who were under the unreserved category.

    The petition said they were not allowed to appear for the state services main examination despite securing more marks than the cut-off set for domicile women of the state in the preliminary test held on April 3 this year.

    The plea submitted that the Uttarakhand government did not have the power to provide domicile-based reservation and that the Constitution only allowed reservation on the basis of domicile only by a law enacted by Parliament.

    In a statement issued in Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “We welcome the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interest of the women of the state.”

    Describing the state government as committed to protect the interests of the women of the state, Dhami said, “We had also made full preparations to bring an ordinance to keep women’s reservation in place and with this we have also appealed to the Supreme Court to take effective action.” After the stay of the high court, the state government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court to keep the women’s reservation in place.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted the stay imposed by the Uttarakhand High Court on a 2006 order giving 30 percent reservation to women having domicile of the state in state civil services.

    A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian issued notice in the matter and sought reply on the Uttarakhand government’s plea.

    The Uttarakhand government had moved the top court against the high court’s August 24, 2022 order.

    It had passed the direction while hearing a petition filed by more than a dozen women candidates from outside the state who were under the unreserved category.

    The petition said they were not allowed to appear for the state services main examination despite securing more marks than the cut-off set for domicile women of the state in the preliminary test held on April 3 this year.

    The plea submitted that the Uttarakhand government did not have the power to provide domicile-based reservation and that the Constitution only allowed reservation on the basis of domicile only by a law enacted by Parliament.

    In a statement issued in Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “We welcome the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interest of the women of the state.”

    Describing the state government as committed to protect the interests of the women of the state, Dhami said, “We had also made full preparations to bring an ordinance to keep women’s reservation in place and with this we have also appealed to the Supreme Court to take effective action.” After the stay of the high court, the state government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court to keep the women’s reservation in place.

  • SC lifts HC stay on order for 30 percent quota to women having domicile of Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted the stay imposed by the Uttarakhand High Court on a 2006 order giving 30 percent reservation to women having domicile of the state in state civil services.

    A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian issued notice in the matter and sought reply on the Uttarakhand government’s plea.

    The Uttarakhand government had moved the top court against the high court’s August 24, 2022 order.

    It had passed the direction while hearing a petition filed by more than a dozen women candidates from outside the state who were under the unreserved category.

    The petition said they were not allowed to appear for the state services main examination despite securing more marks than the cut-off set for domicile women of the state in the preliminary test held on April 3 this year.

    The plea submitted that the Uttarakhand government did not have the power to provide domicile-based reservation and that the Constitution only allowed reservation on the basis of domicile only by a law enacted by Parliament.

    In a statement issued in Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “We welcome the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interest of the women of the state.”

    Describing the state government as committed to protect the interests of the women of the state, Dhami said, “We had also made full preparations to bring an ordinance to keep women’s reservation in place and with this we have also appealed to the Supreme Court to take effective action.” After the stay of the high court, the state government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court to keep the women’s reservation in place.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted the stay imposed by the Uttarakhand High Court on a 2006 order giving 30 percent reservation to women having domicile of the state in state civil services.

    A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian issued notice in the matter and sought reply on the Uttarakhand government’s plea.

    The Uttarakhand government had moved the top court against the high court’s August 24, 2022 order.

    It had passed the direction while hearing a petition filed by more than a dozen women candidates from outside the state who were under the unreserved category.

    The petition said they were not allowed to appear for the state services main examination despite securing more marks than the cut-off set for domicile women of the state in the preliminary test held on April 3 this year.

    The plea submitted that the Uttarakhand government did not have the power to provide domicile-based reservation and that the Constitution only allowed reservation on the basis of domicile only by a law enacted by Parliament.

    In a statement issued in Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “We welcome the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interest of the women of the state.”

    Describing the state government as committed to protect the interests of the women of the state, Dhami said, “We had also made full preparations to bring an ordinance to keep women’s reservation in place and with this we have also appealed to the Supreme Court to take effective action.” After the stay of the high court, the state government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court to keep the women’s reservation in place.