Joshimath sinking: Locals demand compensation ahead of demolition, 800 houses damaged so far

Protests erupted ahead of demolition of two precariously standing hotels in subsidence-hit Joshimath in Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

Protestors raised slogans against the demolition activities as there was no clarity on how people whose properties were to be demolished would be compensated. Hotel owners and locals were protesting against the government’s move to demolish the hotels as they were demanding compensation as per the Badrinath Dham master plan.

Malari Inn and Mount View, two adjacent hotels, have begun leaning towards each other dangerously, posing a threat to human settlements around them. The Uttarakhand government on Monday directed the razing of unstable structures, starting with these two buildings.But, as State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) personnel along with heavy machinery reached the site, Singh and other protestors lay in the way.

LOCALS PROTEST AGAINST DEMOLITION

Local residents protested against demolition of sinking houses and hotels by the Uttarakhand administration, without announcing compensation, in the hill town of Joshimath. The protests erupted outside the hotel Malari Inn, which had been marked unsafe.

Hotel Malari Inn and other unsafe structures are set to be demolished on Wednesday. The protesters are raising slogans against the state government for the abrupt demolition move.

However, as the administration was about to demolish Malari Inn towards the evening, its owner Thakur Singh laid himself on the road in front of the hotel in protest.

The demolition process is likely to start from Wednesday night. A team of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), which has been roped in for the demolition, conducted a survey of the two hotels on Tuesday.

CBRI scientist Dr CP Kanungo told India Today, “The buildings will be razed systematically and the emphasis will be on reducing the load in the slope. The demolition process would be carried out in steps, from the top to bottom, and is estimated to take three-four days.”

800 HOUSES DAMAGED

The number of damaged houses in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath has gone up to 800, as per the data provided by the District Disaster Management Authority, Chamoli. Cracks have appeared in a total of 800 buildings in Joshimath town area due to landslides and 131 families have been shifted to temporary relief centres. Locals in Joshimath, Uttarakhand’s sinking town, are staring at a bleak future amid anger, and hopelessness because of the crisis. As many as 344 relief camps and 491 rooms have been identified in Joshimath.

There are 86 houses in the area demarcated as an unsafe zone.The district administration has put red cross marks on the houses in the sinking town that are unsafe for living.

Meanwhile, Rs 5,000 has been given to families for the purchase of household items and Rs 1.30 lakh per building was given to owners of ten damaged buildings. The administration also distributed food kits, milk and blankets to affected families.

IMD PREDICTS RAIN IN JOSHIMATH

In another worrisome news, the India Meterological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall for the sinking town today. The dark clouds hovering over Joshimath have sounded alarm bells. As per the IMD Prediction, there could be light rain today and there is the possibility of moderate rainfall tomorrow.

The rainfall could further increase the danger of landslides and land subsidence instances in Joshimath. This could cause more damage to the already damaged/ weak buildings in Joshimath.