Vinay Shankar Pandey appointed Nodal Officer for restoration work
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 3 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence here today. During the meeting, he directed the senior officers of the government to themselves continuously monitor the relief and rescue operations in the areas affected by heavy rains particularly in Kedar Valley and also ensure that whatever assistance is being sought by the District Magistrates for relief and rescue operations, is provided immediately by taking immediate proactive action in this respect.
On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Commissioner Garhwal Division Vinay Shankar Pandey has been appointed as the nodal officer for the restoration of infrastructure in the affected areas of the Kedarnath Yatra route. In addition, the CM also directed the Secretary Disaster Management, Secretary Public Works Department and senior officers of the Energy Department to immediately visit Rudraprayag district and ensure rescue and restoration arrangements at the earliest. The Chief Minister himself is taking updates from the District Magistrates on a regular basis regarding the extensive damage caused by heavy rains in various areas of the state.
The Chief Minister, while talking to the District Magistrate Rudraprayag through virtual medium today, directed him that efforts be made to restore the movement of pilgrims on the Kedarnath pedestrian route at the earliest possible. He asserted that pilgrims stranded on the footpath should be accommodated at safe places and proper arrangements for food should be made for them till the situation improves or till they are shifted out. The families of the pilgrims should be given regular updates on their well-being. The helpline numbers issued should also be widely publicised. In case the weather is favourable, the pilgrims should be rescued soon. The Chief Minister directed that the process of construction of the damaged 150-metre motor road between Gaurikund and Sonprayag should be started soon. He also directed senior Police officers to ensure that police officials behave well with the pilgrims. The Chief Minister has also given instructions to ensure arrangements for continuous supply of electricity and drinking water in the affected areas.
District Magistrate Rudraprayag Saurabh Gaharwar informed that work is in progress at the places where debris has fallen on the Kedarnath pedestrian route. As soon as the weather turns favourable, these roads will be repaired within a week. The process of construction of the damaged 150-metre motor road between Gaurikund and Sonprayag is also being started, currently the road is being repaired to ensure pedestrian movement on this part of the road. He claimed that rest of the road between Gaurikund and Sonprayag is fine and smooth.
Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretary Shailesh Bagoli, Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, ADG AP Anshuman, IG Krishna Kumar VK, Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari were among those present in the meeting.
CM himself monitoring rescue, relief operations
Chirbasa helipad repaired for heli services
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 3 Aug: After heavy rains in Kedarghati, many routes were obstructed due to landslides, road damage and falling of boulders and had to be closed for traffic and even pedestrian movement. However, the official sources claim that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is very serious about early repairs and restoration of normalcy in the disaster affected areas and is himself monitoring the rescue and relief operations and is in constant touch with the District Magistrates and other officials on ground. He is taking regular updates about the progress in rescue and relief operations.
Various rescue teams are on the ground continuously running campaigns to open them.
Meanwhile Chirbasa helipad, the main helipad on the pedestrian route to Kedarnath, which had been completely damaged making it impossible to operate heli services has been repaired and restored today. Under the leadership of SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra, the damaged Chirbasa helipad has been made operational for heli services by the SDRF team. This comes as a major relief for the rescue teams as the rescue operations can now be expedited. Since it became operational again in the morning, rescue operations have been carried out through heli service from Chirbasa helipad about 8 to 10 times already and the rescue operations continue.
