The Uttarakhand High Court ordered the state government on Thursday to strictly enforce the construction ban in Joshimath. A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Alok Kumar Verma, hearing a PIL on the crisis, directed the government to form a committee of independent experts to investigate the matter.
The court has directed the state government to include Disaster Management Authority CEO Piyush Rautela and MPS Bisht in the committee. The court has directed that the committee will present its report in a sealed cover before the court within two months.
During the hearing, counsel for the state government and the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) stated that the government is taking the matter very seriously.
“All construction work has been stopped in Joshimath and all possible help is being provided to the affected. The government is taking the help of Wadia Institute experts regarding landslides.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, presided over a meeting with all stakeholders on the issue of land subsidence in Joshimath on Thursday.
The Chief Minister met with the army, ITBP, NDRF, and scientists from various establishments involved in landslide investigation, district administration, police, and district-level officers associated with essential services at ITBP’s Sunil Camp during the meeting.