Amit Shah holds meeting on Joshimath crisis

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah called a meeting on Thursday over the Joshimath crisis.

Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, RK Singh, Bhupendra Yadav, Gajendra Shekhawat along with senior officers were present at the meeting.

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, BRO and NDRF officials also participated.

Shah had sought information about the situation in the holy city in a telephonic conversation with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, and provided assurances of help.

The Home Ministry and Amit Shah have been closely monitoring the Joshimath situation.

According to sources, information regarding the relief and rescue operations being carried out in the city were shared in the meet, apart from discussing future strategies.

NDRF and SDRF teams are present in the city in view of the increasing number of cracks appearing in buildings, the risk of landslides and land subsidence.

At the same time, a high-level central team under the leadership of Border Management Secretary Dr Dharmendra Singh Gangwar has been taking stock of the situation.

BJP national president J.P. Nadda also spoke to Dhami on the issue.