Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Emphasizes Safety of Affected Residents in Joshimath as Top Priority

New DelhiThe Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P.K. Mishra, held a meeting to assess the building damage and land subsidence in Joshimath. Government officials and experts from institutions such as the National Institute of Disaster Management and IIT Roorkee attended. Dr. Mishra emphasized the safety of the people in the affected area as the top priority for the state.

The Uttarakhand government has declared all nine municipal wards in Joshimath as "disaster affected" and "unsafe for living" due to land subsidence, which has caused cracks in over 600 houses and prompted evacuations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reviewed the situation with the Chief Minister and promised assistance. The Chief Minister is also examining the risk of similar problems in other mountainous towns in the region.

State and district officials, with central expert support, have assessed the affected area in Joshimath, which is about 350 meters wide. The district administration is evacuating and relocating affected families to safer areas with food, shelter, and security. The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have arrived to help. Officials are seeking expert advice on short, medium and long-term plans for addressing the situation.

On January 9th, the Secretary of Border Management and the National Disaster Management Authority will visit Uttarakhand to assess the findings of technical teams that recently returned from Joshimath. These teams, consisting of experts from various institutions, have been assessing the situation in Joshimath and will advise the state government on actions to take.

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister stressed the importance of establishing a clear and continuous communication channel with the affected people, taking practical measures to arrest the deterioration of the situation, and conducting an interdisciplinary investigation of the affected area. Experts from various central institutions should work with the state in a "whole of government" approach. The state should also implement a clear, time-bound reconstruction plan and continuous seismic monitoring, and take the opportunity to develop a risk-sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath.