Shri Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, chaired the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) today and reviewed the situation in Joshimath.
NCMC was briefed about the current situation by the Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand. A number of severely damaged houses have been shifted to safe places by the authorities. To accommodate the affected families, relief shelters have been identified in Joshimath and Pipalkoti. The state government is providing appropriate compensation and relief measures. In addition, he stated that the Joshimath-Auli ropeway is no longer in operation. Additionally, construction in and around Joshimath Municipality has been halted until further notice. In order to assist District Administration in their relief and rehabilitation efforts, NDRF and SDRF have been deployed.
A team of experts from CBRI, GSI, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, NIDM, and National Institute of Hydrology visited the affected areas on 6th and 7th January 2023 to assess the situation, according to the Member Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Additionally, the team interacted with the District Administration to understand their needs.
The Union Home Secretary informed the Committee that a High-Level Central Team of MHA led by the Secretary, Border Management was at Joshimath for an assessment.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, all residents in the affected area should be evacuated as soon as possible and in a safe manner. The demolition of vulnerable structures in a safe manner may be given priority. All the studies and investigations, viz. geotechnical, geophysical, and hydrological, should be completed in a coordinated and time-bound manner. Cabinet Secretary assured the Chief Secretary that all Central agencies would continue to be available to assist as needed.
The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary Uttarakhand, Secretaries to the Ministries of Power, Information & Broadcasting, Border Management, Water Resources, Mines, besides Members of NDMA, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Scientific Secretary to Chairman ISRO, Chairman Central Water Commission, DG-NDRF, DG-Geological survey of India, Scientist(SG)-National Remote Sensing Centre, CMD-NTPC, Director, National Centre for Seismology and DG Border Road Organization.
*News Source: PIB India*