Joshimath (The Stellar News): Two hotels was to be demolished on Tuesday but was postponed after the locals sought assurances about their future. Visuals showed people crowding outside Malari Inn Tuesday evening as they sought answers.
Amid protests, political bickering and controversy over demolitions in Joshimath Uttarakhand’s ‘sinking’ town- the owner of a condemned building has hit out at what he says is the state government’s attempt ‘demolish my hotel forcefully’.
Thakur Singh Rana, who owns the Malari Inn Hotel, told Hindustan Times: “I would kill myself by setting myself on fire if the authorities try to demolish my hotel forcefully. Authorities should first give us adequate compensation… not just about me but people of Joshimath.”
Thakur and his family are staging protests outside the Malari Inn – one of two hotels and hundreds of houses marked for demolition in the temple town. “My son lives in France, I can go anywhere but I’m sitting here for the people of Joshimath,” he told news agency ANI.
The central government have ordered to mark the unsafe buildings in Joshimath and also asked authorities to destroy them. Centre have asked residents to leave the area, shift to compartments made available by the govt or stay at a safer place on rent for which the government will pay Rs 4000.
