DEHRADUN: Hundreds of families, who were rendered homeless in the land-submerged disaster in Joshimath earlier this year, are once again facing the crisis of homelessness.
The affected people, who were shifted to hotels by the administration due to cracks in houses, have now been asked by hotel owners to vacate their hotel rooms by March 31. The number of such affected families in various hotels and dharamshalas in Joshimath municipality area is 181, with a total of 694 members.
According to the information received, the affected people have been told by the hotel owners, in view of the forthcoming Yatra season for Chardham Yatra, to vacate the hotel rooms within the next two days.
District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana told The New Indian Express, "By March 31, orders were received to shift the disaster-affected people to hotels. The government has been written to keep the affected in hotels till April 30. Even after March 31, no disaster-affected person will be excluded from hotels. If a hotel owner is asking the affected people to leave the hotel, it will be investigated".
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Joshimath SDM Kumkum Joshi said, "The government has been informed about this and a solution will be found soon to ensure that the affected people do not face any problem nor the hotel business is affected by it".
"In the first week of January, people were displaced in hotels, dharamshalas and rented houses after the land submergence increased in Joshimath. In hotels, the government is paying a rent of Rs 950 for a room. Those who are living in rented houses are being given five thousand rupees. There are 694 members of 181 families staying in various hotels, dharamshalas in Joshimath Municipality area. Arrangements have also been made for their food and drink," said SDM Joshi.
Hotel owner Govind Singh says, "There are 10 rooms in his hotel. Two of these rooms have been given to the disaster-affected. The administration had asked to keep affected till March. Now they need rooms for the Chardham Yatra. Many times large groups of pilgrims come. In such a situation, if the disaster-affected people are kept here, they will not be able to provide rooms to the pilgrims.