In Uttarakhand, evacuation operation for stranded pilgrims and tourists from Badrinath and Pithoragarh will be completed by tomorrow evening. Talking to media persons this evening at Dehradun, State Chief Secretary, Subhash Kumar said that 1,313 pilgrims were evacuated today from Badrinath, both by air and on foot. He said, about 500 persons including 40 trackers from Tamil Nadu and pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, have been evacuated from Pithoragarh till now.
AIR correspondent reports from Dehradun that rescue operation by air was affected this morning due to inclement weather at Badrinath and Pithoragarh but it picked up in the afternoon when weather conditions improved. Over one lakh, six thousand stranded people have been rescued from affected areas till date. Above 27 helicopters were in Service today.
The Government has identified 200 villages, mostly from Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh Districts as badly affected in the disaster. The dropping of food packets and other essential items has begun for local residents in these areas. The Spokesperson said that it will be ensured that in the next three days, there will be no food shortage in any affected village.
He said, Army and civilian helicopters will operate for the next one month to give air connectivity to the affected villages. He added that frequently changing weather is hampering work as the relief material can be supplied only by air.
An official spokesperson claimed that Kedarnath valley, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Harshil, Matli, Bhatwari and Maneri have been fully evacuated by rescuers. In the worst-hit Kedarnath valley, cremation of bodies is also taking place. A total of 33 bodies have been cremated in two phases in the valley and cremation of more bodies pulled out from the debris is likely to be conducted soon.
With the threat of an epidemic outbreak looming large due to decaying bodies lying under debris, and some also flowing down the Ganga, the teams of doctors are being sent to affected districts to keep up the vigil. A three member high level team from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is stationed in Dehradun to assess the public health situation and provide whatever assistance is required.
Meanwhile, state Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal has claimed that death toll in the disaster may cross 10,000. Talking to media persons at Almora, he said, earlier he had believed the casualty figure could be 4,000 to 5,000. But now as per his information and bodies being seen by the people, the figure can cross the 10,000 mark.
The Chief Secretary said that a clearer picture about death toll will emerge in a couple of days as the figure of missing persons is being ascertained. He said that request letter has been sent to the Chief Secretaries of all the States to verify the details of the missing persons from their states.
The Centre has sanctioned 14 thousand houses under Indira Awas Yojana for disaster affected districts. Similarly 500 kilometre roads and 333 crore rupees has been sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
