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NTPC, a power company, may be accountable for Joshimath’s sinking. Uttarakhand Will Inquire

The government of Uttarakhand will look into whether the soil sinking in Joshimath is the fault of the power company NTPC. Eight institutions will look into the reason for the Himalayan town’s subsidence, and the carrying capacity of all the steep areas will be evaluated. The crucial choices were taken during a Cabinet meeting to evaluate the state of the ‘sinking’ town.

The state government will also ask the federal government for assistance.

According to the government, MNREGA will provide jobs to two members of each relocated family. For the following six months, these families will also not be responsible for paying their water and power bills, it was noted.

‘So far, 99 households have been relocated from Joshimath, and ex-gratia payments totaling 1.5 lakh have been made. We are currently assessing the need for rehabilitation and making important decisions for the future’ Following the meeting, the chief minister, Pushkar Dhami, remarked.

‘A survey crew is currently over there, and we have not yet demolished any houses,’ he continued.

The government also announced that each state minister will contribute one month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Authorities ‘carefully’ demolished two hotels on Thursday, a day after demonstrators halted the work in demand of higher compensation, as hundreds of structures had developed fractures. Locals and specialists have objected against the installation of power plants in the area, which they believe is partially to blame for the ground subsiding.

However, the state-owned company has informed the power ministry that it is not responsible for the region’s sinking. Joshimath town is located 1 kilometre from the Tapovan Vishnugad hydroelectric project and at least a kilometre below the surface, according to the report. The tunnel is 12 kilometres long.

A high-level conference was organised on Sunday by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to discuss the situation in Joshimath.

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