Four wards of Joshimath declared completely unsafe: Disaster Management Secretary RK Sinha

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 17 (ANI): Amid the evolving crisis around the landslide and subsidence at Joshimath in the upper reaches of Uttarakhand, Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha on Tuesday said four municipal areas or wards in the holy town have been declared as ‘completely unsafe’.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun on Tuesday, Sinha said, “Four wards in Joshimath have been declared as completely unsafe. The rest of the wards have been found to be partially affected (by subsidence).”

“Many organisations are involved in the ongoing investigation into the reasons and extent of subsidence in and around Joshimath. We will come up with a final report soon. We have made adequate preparations in anticipation of rainfall,” he added.

However, in a piece of ‘good news’, Sinha informed that the water discharge level at JP Colony has gone down.

“The water discharge level (which is said to be behind the prevailing situation in Joshimath) at JP Colony has gone down. This is good news,” the Disaster management secretary said.

He added that the affected families have been shifted to shelter homes and the model huts will be ready within a week.

Hundreds of residents were shifted to relief centres in safe places after cracks appeared at several homes in Joshimath, suggesting subsidence.

The Uttarakhand government has already announced relief packages worth crores for the affected families of Joshimath.