HC asks U'khand govt to impose ban on construction work in Joshimath

DEHRADUN [UTTARAKHAND]: A Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday asked the state government to strictly implement the ban on construction in Joshimath.

Hearing a PIL on the crisis, a division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Alok Kumar Verma directed the government to form a committee of independent experts to look into the matter.

The court has directed the state government that the committee must include Disaster Management Authority CEO Piyush Rautela and MPS Bisht in it. The committee will present its report in a sealed envelope before the court within two months, the court has instructed.

During the hearing, counsel on behalf of the state government and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) said that the government is very serious about this matter.

"All construction work has been stopped in Joshimath and possible help is being given to the affected. The government is taking the help of Wadia Institute experts regarding landslides," the counsel added.

On Thursday Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday chaired a meeting with all stakeholders on the Joshimath land subsidence issue.

During the meeting, the chief minister interacted with the Army, ITBP, NDRF and scientists from various establishments engaged in landslide investigation, district administration, police and district-level officers associated with essential services at Sunil ITBP camp.