Uttarakhand: People returned to houses with cracks in Joshimath, hotel owners vacated the rooms
More than 8 lakh pilgrims have visited Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines since the Chardham Yatra began on April 22. 40 thousand pilgrims are reaching the Char Dham daily. At the same time, more than 30 thousand registrations are being done daily for Kedarnath Yatra.
Uttarakhand Tourism gave this information on Tuesday. But due to bad weather in Uttarakhand, fresh registration for Kedanath has been banned once again till May 25.
On the other hand, the biggest trouble has come on the people of Joshimath. The hotel owners have got the people shifted from the cracked houses to the hotels vacated. That’s why some of these people have to return to their homes under compulsion.
Cracks in 868 houses in 9 wards of Joshimath, 181 dangerous
The condition of Joshimath, which has been facing landslides since October 2021, became more worrying in January. The cracks in the houses became wide and deep, due to seepage of water at various places, 868 houses in all the 9 wards had developed cracks. The Disaster Management Authority had declared 181 houses in four of these wards unsafe.
Ultimatum to vacate the hotel in March, order to stay till May after protests
Atul Sati of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti says, “The displaced people of Joshimath were kept in hotels, schools, dharamshalas and other buildings. These people were earlier asked to vacate the rooms on March 31. After our protest, this time was extended till 30th April. Then people were ordered to vacate the relief camps. After the protest, the stay in the relief camps has been extended till May 31.
The 150 pre-fabricated houses being built for the Joshimath oustees are still not fully ready. Atul Sati says that only 15 houses have been made livable, but these are in Dhak in Niti Valley, 12 km from Joshimath. No one is ready to go that far. SDM Kumkum Joshi also said that no application has come for the pre-fabricated house.
Four months have passed, so far only 53 families have received compensation
According to the May 1 bulletin of the District Disaster Management Authority, 502 members of 132 families are living in relief camps in Joshimath. While 493 members of 164 families have gone to live in relatives’ house or rented house. Under the rehabilitation package, only 53 affected families have received Rs 14.39 crore as compensation in 4 months.
According to Kamal Raturi, spokesperson of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, it is the time of travel, so hotel owners get Rs 3 to 5 thousand for a day’s rent for a room. That’s why they are trying to vacate the rooms from the displaced.
Pats of Hemkund Sahib will open from May 20, now 8 feet of snow is frozen
The Yatra to Sri Hemkund Sahib is scheduled to begin from May 20. Due to this, DM Himanshu Khurana inspected the 18 km pedestrian route from Govind Ghat Gurudwara to Hemkund Sahib and took stock of the arrangements.
Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara Management Committee President Narendrajit Singh Bindra said that as per the instructions of the Chamoli district administration, the number of devotees coming to Hemkund Sahib will be limited. Sick people, children and the elderly will not be allowed to travel till further orders. Registration will be necessary for the trip.
The Gurdwara Management Committee says that the elderly, sick and children will be allowed to travel only after the snow melts after June. Pilgrimage will also be limited till the snow melts from the path of faith and the situation becomes normal. If any passenger has not been able to get his registration done, then facility will be given at Rishikesh Gurdwara.
