A Uttarakhand Congress delegation on Tuesday met chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his office in Dehradun and discussed the situation in the sinking Himalayan town of Joshimath.
Led by state president Karan Mehra, the delegation comprised of former chief minister Harish Rawat and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Yashpal Arya.
During the meeting, the delegation demanded several facilities including a one-time settlement scheme for thousands of people, who are staring at possible homelessness.
Nearly 600 buildings, that have developed wide cracks due to land subsidence, have been declared unsafe by local authorities in Joshimath of Chamoli district. The state government has already shifted more than 81 families to safer buildings in the town.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, LoP Arya said that the delegation members discussed the event of land subsidence in Joshimath and some other areas of the state.
“Congress party will keep a hawk-eye on the activities of the government with regards to the Joshimath crisis. If we notice any lacklustre attitude, the party will raise the voice of the affected families,” he said.
The meeting comes close on the heels of a protest by Congress workers outside the chief minister’s residence for not giving an appointment to the party.
Meanwhile, CM Dhami has donated his one-month salary to the chief minister’s relief fund and said that the state government is committed to protecting the public interest.
CM Dhami also said that the chief minister’s disaster relief fund will be used for people affected by land subsidence in Joshimath town, known as the gateway of Badrinath temple.
The state government has identified hundreds of buildings in Joshimath and nearby Pipalkoti town to shift families living in dangerously damaged homes in the sinking town.
The Central Congress leadership has accused the Dhami government of delaying its response to the situation and demanded that the situation be declared a national disaster.
Chief minister Dhami will chair an emergency Cabinet meeting on January 13. Many important decisions like compensation to affected families are likely to be taken during the meeting.