The main part of the report this time is about the landslide in Joshimath. The report states that more than 500 houses in the city are not fit for habitation. People allege that the administration has not taken any action to deal with the situation, due to which they came out on the streets on 24 December. On this day, around 800 shops in the city remained closed as a protest. The reasons for the Joshimath landslide have also been mentioned in the report. Apart from this, there was no major disaster or accident in the state in December 2022.  

The report is important in terms of disaster management
According to Anoop Nautiyal, President, of the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, the ‘Udaas’ monthly report will be helpful for politicians, policymakers, officials, researchers, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and media persons. Along with this, it can also be used while formulating policies for the minimization of damages caused by accidents and disasters. Uttarakhand is very sensitive from the point of view of disasters. On the basis of their studies, scientists have been continuously raising the possibility of landslides and earthquakes here. In such a situation, there is a dire need to strengthen the disaster management system, especially in the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. 

The expert team will leave today
due to the landslide in Joshimath, the situation is continuously deteriorating. The landslide has now engulfed all the wards. On Wednesday, 66 families from Joshimath were shifted to safer places. So far 77 families have been shifted. The state government is keeping an eye on the whole matter. On the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, a team of experts will leave for Joshimath on Thursday.

The expert team includes
Dr. Piyush Rautela from Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), Dr. Shantanu Sarkar from Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Center (ULMMC), Prof. from IIT Roorkee in the expert team going to Joshimath. BK Maheshwari, Manoj Kastha from GSI, Dr. Swapna Mitra Chowdhary from WIHG, and Dr. Gopal Krishna from NIH Roorkee. Earlier, this team of experts visited Joshimath from 16 to 20 August 2022 and submitted the first report to the government. For the next few days, this team will do survey work by staying in Joshimath itself. During this, the team will report to the government regarding long-term and immediate measures.

Earlier experts had given this report 
According to experts, the cause of landslides in Joshimath is haphazard construction, seepage of water, erosion of topsoil, and obstruction of the natural flow of water streams due to man-made reasons. The city is geologically sensitive, being situated on a ridge running east-west. To the southwest of Vishnuprayag, just below the city, is the confluence of the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers. River erosion is also responsible for this landslide.

The firm will be selected on 20 for temporary works 
Temporary protection works will be done to prevent landslides from happening in Joshimath. Secretary of Disaster Management Dr. Ranjit Sinha said that six firms had shown interest in the proposal of the Irrigation Department to do these works. Out of these four forms have been selected. Now taking a decision on the technical proposals of these firms on January 20, the firm will be selected. Along with this, a proposal will be prepared to resettle the people living in unsafe buildings in other places. 

I will go there myself and review the situation: Dhami
CM Pushkar Singh Dham said that we are continuously reviewing the matter of landslides. Two days back, reports have been taken in this regard from the Chief Secretary and officials of the Disaster Management Department. Whatever is needed there, work will be done accordingly. A team of experts is being sent there on Thursday. I will go there myself and review the situation.

BJP’s 14-member team will go to assess
the Joshimath landslide BJP’s state president Mahendra Bhatt has constituted a 14-member committee to assess the Joshimath landslide. State General Secretary Aditya Kothari has been made the convenor of the committee. Party’s state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said that on January 6, on the instructions of the state president, the committee will conduct a field visit and hold talks with local residents, businessmen, and public representatives. After this, it will submit its report to the state leadership.

Members of the committee included
In conjunction with State General Secretary Aditya Kothari, State Vice President Balwant Singh Bhoryal, Karnprayag MLA Anil Nautiyal, Dharali MLA Bhopal Ram Tamta, Chamoli District President Ramesh Maikhuri, former Panchayat President Vinod Kaparwan, State Executive Member Madhav Semwas, Vice President BKTC Kishore Panwar, former Municipality president Rishi Prasad Sati, senior BJP leader Krishna Mani Thapliyal, former district vice president Bhagwati Namburi, former Mandal president Rakesh Bhandari, former vice president ST cell Gaur Singh Kunwar are included in the committee.