In Uttarakhand, evacuation operation by air has resumed at Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts. The process was badly hampered in the morning hours due to bad weather and poor visibility. In Pithoragarh district, helicopter operations are still suspended due to bad weather. Several Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims and locals in Dharchula and other remote areas are still stranded. Supply of food and other essentials are disrupted in the marooned villages. Meanwhile 13 bodies of soldiers killed in the helicopter crash at Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district have been recovered from the accident site and have been brought to Dehradun for postmortem. A spokesperson from the IAF said the remaining bodies are expected to be recovered by this evening. Meanwhile, FIRs have been lodged by relatives of about 500 persons. NDRF has confirmed that 350 people are missing. On the communication front, most of the damaged BSNL towers have been repaired.
Meanwhile, the process of mass cremation of bodies has begun at Kedar valley and Haridwar. NDMA has said the mass cremations would be performed in batches and the process would be completed by tomorrow.
Nine public sector power companies will contribute 25 crore rupees towards sustainable re-building of infrastructure destroyed by floods in Uttarakhand. The decision was taken at a meeting of Chairman-cum-Managing Directors of Power Public Sector Undertakings, PSUs, chaired by Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi. The Minister directed that the identified projects would be monitored closely for their successful and timely execution. He also emphasized that the generating stations of the Central PSUs in consultation with the state government should ensure uninterrupted power supply for the state on top priority basis.
A large number of roads, bridges, schools and other community structures have been washed away or destroyed during the unprecedented and massive calamity in the state. The nine PSUs which will be engaged in the rebuilding of the infrastructure include National Thermal Power Corporation, National Hydro Power Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation.
