Distribution of compensation to affected people begins in Joshimath

The Uttarakhand government has started distributing compensation to affected house owners in land subsidence-hit Joshimath under the state's rehabilitation policy, an official statement said.

The process began on Friday on the direction of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, with three Joshimath residents getting Rs 63.20 lakh as compensation on the first day.

The beneficiaries included retired subedar-major Manglu Lal, Krishna Panwar and Baldev Singh Panwar, residents of one of the worst-affected Suneel ward of Joshimath, it said.

Other affected people in the town will also be getting their compensations soon after the administration finishes verifying the documents, the statement added.