Mussoorie, Aug. 28 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the disaster-affected areas in Syana Chatti, part of Barkot tehsil in Uttarkashi district on Wednesday. He also announced Rs.5 lakh each for families whose houses were damaged and for the families of the deceased. The chief minister's visit was prompted by a flash flood that occurred in the Garh stream, which deposited debris and silt and blocked the flow of the Yamuna River near Syana Chatti. This led to the formation of a temporary lake, triggering concerns among the local population and disrupting daily life, officials said. During his inspection, CM Dhami took stock of the ongoing efforts to clear the artificial lake. He issued directives to officials to expedite the removal of silt and widen the area in front of the lake to ensure faster water drainage. Meeting with the affected residents, the chief minister listened to their problems and assured them of all possible assistance. Acknowledging the challenges faced by local farmers due to the blocked roads, the chief minister instructed the District Magistrate to assess the damage caused by the waterlogging and debris. He also directed the DM to immediately declare a minimum support price for the potato crop, which has been severely impacted by the lack of road connectivity, on the Yamunotri Highway. The chief minister later inspected the damaged Kupra-Kunsala bridge site. He ordered authorities to swiftly appoint an agency to begin construction work and emphasised the need to maintain an alternative pedestrian route until the main bridge is restored. CM Dhami stressed the urgency of clearing landslides to restore traffic flow and reopen the Yamunotri route for pilgrims as soon as possible. Reiterating the government's commitment, the chief minister said, "The administration stands with every affected family during this crisis and assures that a rapid assessment of the losses will be conducted to provide timely and comprehensive assistance to those affected." Panni Lal, an executive engineer with the irrigation department, said, "The water level is two to three feet below the Syana Chatti bridge, and the work of channelisation is going on in full swing. The water level is still high, which is making the machine work difficult." Ravindra Panwar, a resident, said, "The Yamunotri Highway is the only lifeline to connect to the main towns like Dehradun. It has become difficult to transport our crops to the agricultural markets due to multiple road blockages, so we appealed to the chief minister to restore the roads before our crops rot this season." Speaking to reporters, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state is grappling with the aftermath of natural disasters that have severely affected farmers and residents, particularly in Dharali and Syanachatti, where road blockages have hampered the transport of cash crops to markets. He said the government is preparing a plan to minimise farmers' losses and assured that it stands firmly with the victims in all affected areas, including Tharali, Syanachatti and Chamoli. He has announced financial assistance of Rs.5 lakh each for families whose houses were damaged and for the families of those who died in the Tharali and Dharali flash floods, according to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). In the meeting held on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that the state government is fully standing with the disaster-affected people. Be it Dharali, Tharali, Syanachatti or Pauri, relief and rescue operations were carried out on a war footing everywhere. The response time was commendable," the statement by the chief minister's office said....