Officials asked to shift govt buildings from red zone in Joshimath

Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana on Thursday asked officials to conduct a survey of government buildings and properties in the unsafe red zone in land-subsidence hit Joshimath and shift them to safe locations.

The district magistrate gave the instructions at a meeting with departmental officers convened to review reconstruction work related to disaster risk reduction in Joshimath.

A survey should be conducted of all the government buildings and assets in the red zone in Joshimath and land in safe locations in and around the town should be identified for shifting them, Khurana said at the meeting.

The DM also asked officials to offer all rehabilitation options to the subsidence-affected families falling under the red zone in Joshimath.

Drainage, sewerage work, toe erosion, and construction of the GIS sub-centre in Joshimath were reviewed at the meeting.

Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and Joshimath Mool Niwasi Swabhiman Sangathan have opposed the state government's rehabilitation policy and put forth 15 demands, including initiating remedial measures for the land-subsidence problem in Joshimath, and a displacement allowance for the affected people.