Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster-hit Syanachatti in Uttarkashi on Wednesday, where heavy rains recently caused major damage. He reviewed the efforts to drain a temporary lake that had formed after debris blocked the flow of the Yamuna River.
Dhami met families affected by the flooding and listened to their concerns. He assured them of all possible help. Inspecting the lake, he told officials to clear the silt deposited in the river route and widen the outlet of the lake so that the water could drain faster.
The lake was created on August 21 when boulders and debris from the Gadhgad drain blocked the river. About 30 houses and 25 hotels were flooded, forcing nearly 300 people to move to safer places. A part of a bridge on the national highway also went under water, disrupting traffic.
Teams from SDRF, NDRF, PWD, and the Irrigation Department are working to clear the debris and restore the water flow. Dhami asked the Uttarkashi District Magistrate to quickly assess the losses and submit a report. He also told officials to arrange fair prices for the potato crop, as transport had been badly hit.
He stressed that blocked roads must be cleared quickly, and the Yamunotri route reopened for pilgrims at the earliest. Speaking to reporters later, Dhami said damage assessment was underway and the government would extend full support to the affected people.
He added that Uttarakhand faces disasters every year, and this time too, many places including Dharali, Tharali and Pauri have been hit. To understand the causes of frequent landslides and cracks, the government will commission a geological study.
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