Joshimath disaster package best so far: Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Chairman

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 31 (ANI): Joshimath disaster package announced by the Uttarakhand government is the “best” so far, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) Chairman Ajendra Ajay said on Tuesday.

“The package recommended for the affected people in the meeting held on Monday by the High Powered Committee (HPC) constituted at the government level regarding Joshimath is the best disaster package so far. Some people want to create hurdles in Char Dham Yatra by resorting to bad propaganda,” he said While speaking to ANI about the disaster packages, he said, “For the first time, a package of displacement and rehabilitation is being prepared based on the advice and suggestions of the disaster-affected people.”

Ajay, who attended the HPC meeting, said that before preparing the package for the Joshimath land subsidence-affected people, a committee of local public representatives was constituted under the chairmanship of Chamoli’s District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana.

“The suggestions of the committee were sent by the district administration to the government. In the governance, the HPC has given its in-principle approval on the suggestions received from the local people’s representatives and the affected,” added Ajay.

Immediate relief was provided to the affected people due to the promptness and sensitivity of the Uttarakhand government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, he stressed.

“Arrangements of heaters, blowers, electric kettles, bonfires etc., were ensured on a war footing for temporary housing, food, medical facilities and to protect the affected people from cold. Not a single affected person was allowed to face any kind of difficulty. On the contrary, at the time of the Kedarnath disaster, there were stories of every stumbling block to hide the heads of the affected,” he claimed.
While praising the work of the state government he said, “The government is keeping the long-term interests of the affected people in mind. As soon as the report of the experts regarding Joshimath is received, along with the works of displacement and rehabilitation, the works of conservation and treatment of the city will be started.”

He alleged that some people want to bake their political bread by confusing the affected.

“Such people cannot be well-wishers of the affected. These people want to create hurdles in the Char Dham yatra by creating an atmosphere of fear and panic by resorting to bad propaganda. Such people want to give this message outside the state that everything is not right in Uttarakhand.

“Char Dham Yatra is the backbone of the state’s economy. No obstacle will be allowed to arise in it,” added the BKTC Chairman.

Earlier on Friday, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister while speaking to ANI said that the government is preparing a master plan to provide better facilities in the Char Dham yatra.

According to officials, the state government will review preparations for the yatra 15 days prior to its commencement. Since Joshimath lies at the entrance of the yatra and the last major halt before Badrinath, officials will review preparations to ensure that the land subsidence issue does not impact the yatra. (ANI)