Joshimath: Protest for compensation for losses due to land subsidence halted

Joshimath residents, who have been protesting for the last 107 days for rehabilitation and compensation for the losses due to land subsidence, have halted their agitation for 20 days after chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami agreed to consider their 11-point demands.

Hundreds of structures have developed cracks in Joshimath due to the sinking of land.

Atul Sati of the Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti said they met Dhami on April 8 and presented the demands and he agreed to consider them. “Today [Friday] the district administration gave in writing that our 11 demands are being considered. So, we have halted the agitation on the assurance of the authorities.”

Sati said if by May 11 their demands are not met, they will relaunch and intensify the agitation. “During these 20 days, we will review the works of the government and make preparations for further struggle. We will also discuss the challenges of the future and the strategies.”

Sati thanked the people of Joshimath, social groups, traders, unions and farmers, labourers, and elders for their cooperation in making the protest successful.

“We demand the government declare the entire town disaster affected and make public the report of eight technical agencies which studied the problem. We are also demanding the scrapping of NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and the Helang bypass project.”

The protesters gave a call for blocking the Badrinath road on April 27, the day the Char Dham Yatra would begin if their demands were not met. The call was subsequently withdrawn after a “positive” meeting with Dhami.

As many as 868 structures have developed cracks in the subsidence-hit town. Officials said 181 of them are in the unsafe zone while 296 families are living in camps, rented accommodations, etc.