Ghaus Siwani/New Delhi

A group of volunteers from the Delhi-based Society for Bright Future (SBF), are awaiting a call from the Uttarakhand government to join in the efforts to resettle the families of Joshimath, a Himalayan town where houses have developed cracks and land is sinking, have been evacuated to safety.

The SBF, an organization of youth that works under the aegis of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in the field of disaster management, had sent a team under the leadership of Aamir Jamal to the town to lend a helping hand in distributing relief to the affected families.

In the past, SBF has quickly responded to natural calamities in Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh by providing First Aid supplies, shelter, blankets, water, food, and other basic survival materials.

SFB voluteers gdistributing blankets in Joshimath

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice, Jamal said they extend help to fellow humans without considerations of religion, caste community, colour, etc.

Jamal and his team members are trained in disaster management and have already been amidst different calamities.

"We work in floods, earthquakes, or other difficult situations.” His team members for Joshimath are Irfan Ahmed (National Coordinator), Wasim Ahmed, Devashish, and Gauri Bhatt.

Aamir Jamal said that so far 68 houses in the town have been evacuated. “We took a close look at all these houses. The locals who continue to live in the town are facing a problem of livelihood and housing.”

He said as an NGO “we can help people in building a house when the land is allotted by the government. We met the head of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), local councilors, local people, and government officials. We told them that our team is available as and when required for any assistance or role.”

Breathtaking view of Uttarakhand's Joshimath

Aamir Jamal said after assessing the situation in Joshimath, the team realized that “right now the NGOs have no role there. The work of identifying the alternative land for allotment to the families whose houses have been declared dangerous and demolished is with the government.”

Aamir said most of the people living in Joshi math are prosperous and lack of money is not an issue with them. “We found in the survey that most of the people have houses in places other than Joshimath. Many people have shifted to other places.”

He said those who had to abandon their houses are being given money daily by the government.

Aamir’s team found most people there did not need any help. Some people needed blankets to protect them from the cold and that was done.

Aamir Jamal said that when the disaster victims were shifted to a new place, his team provided them with food and shelter.

He said, “The solution to their problem is that they should be given land by the government as soon as possible and settled.”

According to Aamir Jamal, people are angry at the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) for the construction of a 12 km tunnel for the Tapovan Vishnugad Hydroelectric Project and feel it is the cause of the cracks. However, NTPC has clarified that the tunnel is bored through hard rock and therefore unlikely to impact its surrounding terrain. The officials allege the rampant illegal constructions in the town are behind the disaster. Joshimath is the base camp for the Hindu pilgrimage of Kedarnath.

A road in Joshimath with crack

Irfan Ahmed, SBF National Coordinator, expressed his concern over the situation at Joshimath. He said that the society is closely monitoring the situation there and is ready to cooperate with the Disaster Management Department of the Uttarakhand government in relief and rescue operations.

He said that discussions have been held with the minister and the officers of the concerned department of the state. SBF is doing everything possible to help the people along with the state government.

Meanwhile, there are reports that demolition work of the identified hotels in Joshuimath started after the weather cleared up. Also in the meanwhile new cracks have appeared in some more houses and these are being marked.

Local people are also protesting against the slow pace of their resettlement. The evacuees have been lodged in relief camps. Women and children in relief camps are facing difficulties.

On the other hand, the construction of prefabricated houses on the land of the Horticulture Department is going at a feverish pitch for the rehabilitation of the families affected by the landslides.

Three prefabricated houses are being constructed at TPC Thirteen and 15 Dhaka on the Horticulture Department land. Prefabricated houses of one, two, and three rooms are being constructed there.

Besides, 15 houses are being constructed in Dhak village with the technical assistance of Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee. RWD Executive Engineer Allah Dia said that the construction of the houses is in the final stage.

He said that the customized panels for the construction of prefabricated houses are taking time as these have to be made on specifications given by the future allotters and all efforts are being made to speed up the work.

So far, 868 houses in Joshimath have been identified as dangerous as these have developed cracks. Also, 878 people from 243 families have been shifted to rented buildings and relief camps by the administration.

The Uttarakhand Police readying for demolition of unsafe properties in Joshimath

The building of the Community Health Center Joshimath is also unsafe. Due to growing cracks in the floor, courtyard, and OPD room of the main building here, the health department has stopped using it.

Given this, CBRI has advised the health department to construct a 12-bed prefabricated building.

The main building of CHC Joshimath has developed cracks for the last one and a half years. Now slowly these cracks are growing. Because of the danger, the health department has stopped the use of the building from January 10.

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Currently, OPD and emergency are being run from the space of general wards. Deputy CMO Dr. MS Khati said that the health department has proposed to the administration to build a prefabricated hospital on the land of the horticulture department.