Joshimath: Committee formed for distribution of interim package amount affected families

Uttarakhand: Himanshu Khurana, the Chamoli District Magistrate, presided over the 19-member committee that was established on Wednesday to determine the cost of a rehabilitation package and distribute the interim package amount to the afflicted people in Uttarakhand's subsidence-hit Joshimath town. The decision to form the committee, which will be made up of local residents, was made during a meeting presided over by the DM. The Uttarakhand government has announced an interim assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh for affected households in Joshimath due to soil subsidence.

Cracks have occurred in 723 buildings in the town, according to officials, and 131 families have been relocated to safer areas. Locals in Joshimath have staged a protest against the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), asking that it leave the state. People have been asked to leave homes and other facilities that have been identified for demolition due to cracks and being deemed "unsafe" by district officials.

Earlier, the owners of Hotel Malari Inn and Hotel Mount View were scheduled for demolition, however the process was suspended following concerns from the owner of Malari Inn and some residents. Protesters sought compensation based on the prices outlined in the master plan for the redevelopment of Badrinath Dham.