Construction of pre-fab shelters begins for displaced families in Joshimath

The Central Building Research Institute on Monday began the construction of model pre-fabricated shelters for displaced families in subsidence-hit Joshimath in Uttarakhand, an official said on Monday.

One, two and three BHK models of pre-fabricated shelters will soon be built near HDRI, Joshimath, Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha said.

The structures will be built on land belonging to the horticulture department, he said.

Sinha said land levelling work has also been started in Dhak village in Chamoli district prior to the construction of model pre-fab shelters there, he said.

If required, the option of arranging accommodation for displaced persons in hostels of Bhararisain Vidhansabha has also been kept open, Sinha said.

An amount of Rs 3.45 crore has been distributed among 261 affected families as interim relief, according to officials said.

As many as 278 families have been evacuated to temporary relief centres and the number of houses in Joshimath that have developed cracks still stands at 863 but there has been a marginal increase in the discharge of water from an underground water channel burst near JP colony to 180 LPM (litre per minute), they said.

It had ebbed to less than 100 LPM a few days back.