Amid reports of demolition of two hotels damaged by landslides and subsidence in Joshimath area, the owner of a hotel along with his family sat on a dharna on Wednesday demanding compensation. Speaking to ANI, hotel owner Thakur Singh Rana said, “My son lives in France. I can go there. But I am sitting in protest rather than in solidarity with fellow (Joshimath) residents.” His wife said, “As people affected by the ongoing redevelopment work in Badrinath, we should be compensated. We are even ready to sit in the cold till our demand is met.”
Officials had earlier said that the Hotel Inn and Hotel Mount View, which have developed more cracks, would be razed in a few days, with all residents safely evacuated from ‘vulnerable areas’. According to sources, the hotel owner will meet the District Magistrate regarding the demand for compensation. Officials had earlier said that the buildings would be demolished under the supervision of a team of experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee. A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is ready to assist the district administration in dismantling work, if required. “Experts are on the ground and the administration will act on their instructions and advice,” the NDRF said. Local resident Manmohan Singh Rawat said, “They are demolishing these hotels to protect the 15-20 families still living here. Our houses have been destroyed.”
On Monday, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said that a central team would arrive in Chamoli district to take stock of the damage caused by the landslide and suggest the way forward, coordinating relief and rescue efforts with the local administration. Home Ministry will come to Joshimath on Tuesday. The demolition work will start tomorrow under the supervision of the team of Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee.
On Monday, a team of Union Jal Shakti Ministry also reached Joshimath. Residents of the areas where the buildings are to be demolished have been shifted by the administration after they were declared as ‘unsafe areas’. Officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his residence. Discussed relief and rescue operations on Monday. The officials assured the Chief Minister of an inquiry into the geographical location of the Joshimath area and the causes of the landslide. The state administration was also assured of central assistance in mobilizing disaster relief.