In democracy, responsibility comes to people who can’t handle it: Trivendra Rawat on Joshimath crisis read full article at worldnews365.me

BJP leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has said that in a democracy, responsibility often comes to people who are not in a position to handle it.

BJP leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat (File photo)

By India Today Web Desk: A video of BJP leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has gone viral on social media. In the video, when asked a question about the land-subsidence crisis in Joshimath, Rawat replied that “the onus rests on everyone in a democracy, some of them are wise, some less wise and some still less wise”.

“It is an irony and even beauty of a democracy that people in this system elect their representatives. So, sometimes the onus or the responsibility comes to people who cannot handle it. That leads to problems,” PTI quoted Rawat as saying.

On the dismantling of District Development Authorities which were set up during his tenure as chief minister, the BJP leader said they were created in view of Uttarakhand’s high seismic vulnerability.

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“They (DDAs) were created so that infrastructural and development projects could be carried out in a planned manner,” Rawat said, adding it hurts to think of their dismantling. Tirath Singh Rawat who had succeeded Trivendra Rawat as chief minister had dismantled the DDAs.

SNOWFALL IN JOSHIMATH BRINGS FRESH WOES

Uttarakhand’s ‘sinking’ town Joshimath received the season’s first snowfall on Friday, adding fresh woes to challenges being faced by the authorities and residents amid land subsidence.

The meteorological department had predicted rain and snowfall in Joshimath, Chamoli and Pithoragarh on January 19, 20, 23 and 24.

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DEMOLITION WORK HALTED

Demolition work of hotels Malari Inn and Mount View, which were declared unsafe, has been halted due to heavy snowfall in the region. The Badrinath Highway has been opened as other roads have been shut due to snowfall. The ‘sinking’ town Joshimath is also facing power outage.

SHELTER CAMPS FOR AFFECTED FAMILIES

A drop in temperature in Joshimath was noticed following a fresh spell of rain and snowfall, adding to the woes of families who have moved out of their damaged homes and are staying at temporary shelter camps. These camps were set up by the government after several houses in Joshimath developed cracks over the past few days.

Electric heaters have been provided to temporary relief and arrangements for bonfires have also been made for the affected families.

NO FURTHER WIDENING OF CRACKS

The Uttarakhand government has said that crack meters installed in the damaged houses of Joshimath have registered no further widening of cracks in the last three days.

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“Crack meters installed by CBRI to measure the cracks in the buildings have indicated no increase in the width of the cracks in the last three days. This is a positive sign,” Secretary of Disaster Management Dr Ranjit Kumar Sinha said.

‘SINKING’ JOSHIMATH

As many as 849 houses in Joshimath have developed cracks following land subsidence and 258 families have been moved to temporary relief centres. The Uttarakhand government has already announced relief packages worth crores of rupees for the affected families of Joshimath.

On the other hand, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said 65-70 per cent people in Joshimath are leading a normal life and the Char Dham Yatra will commence in four months.

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