The Uttarakhand Government informed the Delhi High Court in the case Rohit Dandriyal v. Union of India and Ors that the National and State Disaster Response Forces have been deployed in the State for dealing with Joshimath crisis and that many people have been resettled and relocated.
The division bench comprising of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad in the case was informed by Deputy Advocate General for the State of Uttarakhand JK Sethi that two committees have been formed to look into the said issue and that a rehabilitation package is also being prepared.
It has also been informed to the court that both the State as well as the Central Government are seized of the matter and efforts are underway. It has been informed by Sethi to the court that, we have been deployed NDRF, we are working on the said issue. We have relocated and resettled many people, we are working on that. We are being seized of the matter. The Ground work is being done.
In the present case, the court was hearing a public interest litigation wherein seeking constitution of a high powered joint committee under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge and representatives of all relevant ministries wherein seeking inspection of Joshimath and rehabilitation of the residents.
The present plea moved by a Delhi based lawyer, who is also a permanent resident of Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, Rohit Dandriyal, the petition state that nearly nearly 500 families living in Joshimath are either risking their lives by still living in their houses or are looking for accommodation at other places in cold weather conditions.
As it has been informd by Sethi to the Supreme Court that the court will be hearing a similar PIL on January 16, Dandriyal sought for a short adjournment and stated that he will withdraw the plea on the next date of hearing if some order is passed by the Apex Court.
However, it is the case of the petitioner that he wrote a representation on January 6 to the Ministries of Road Transport and Highways, Home Affairs and Power, New & Renewable Energy, wherein requesting them to constitute the said committee, in view of the construction of Vishnuprayag hydro electric plant project and the national highway.
It has been stated in the plea that the said construction activity in Joshimath in the past years violated the fundament rights of the residents.