‘Inadequate aid’: Uttarkashi villagers reject ₹5,000 relief cheques after flash flood devastation

Residents of Dharali village in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, have refused to accept government relief cheques of ₹5,000 each, calling the amount grossly inadequate after the recent flash flood that destroyed homes, shops, and farms. The amount, described by the administration as “immediate relief,” triggered protests among survivors, who accused the state government of underestimating their losses.

Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya said the ₹5,000 payment was only an interim measure and that proper compensation would follow a complete damage assessment. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has already announced ₹5 lakh for families of those killed and for those whose houses were completely destroyed. A three-member committee, led by the Revenue Secretary, will submit a preliminary rehabilitation and livelihood plan within a week.

The disaster, caused by a cloudburst earlier this week, has left five dead, 49 missing, and over 1,000 evacuated. Rescue efforts entered the fifth day on Saturday, with helicopters delivering aid and SDRF teams using dog squads and thermal imaging to locate the missing. Authorities are working to restore electricity, mobile connectivity, and road access while community kitchens provide essentials to survivors.