PM calls up CM, seeks details of rescue operations
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dharali (Uttarkashi), 6 Aug: Despite extremely inclement weather, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reached ground zero in Dharali in district Uttarkashi today to personally assess the ongoing situation and meet victims of the disaster that had struck yesterday. Rescue and relief operations in the affected region have been intensified, with agencies from both the Centre and the State working in close coordination and on a war footing.
It may also be reminded here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Dhami early this morning and sought a detailed briefing on the scale of the disaster as well as the ongoing measures to mitigate its impact. Dhami informed Modi that the State government had responded with urgency and efficiency in its relief and rescue work, although persistent heavy rainfall was posing challenges in certain localities. Dhami assured Modi that all the agencies concerned were working with proper coordination to ensure swift assistance to those affected. In response, Modi promised every possible support from the Centre.
Later in the day, Dhami travelled to Dharali and met the families affected by the disaster. He assured the affected family members that every possible help would be extended to them. He also conducted a thorough review of the relief operations and interacted directly with personnel deployed in the field including the army officials. Dhami instructed the officials concerned to ensure the timely delivery of relief materials to the residents. The CM also stated that two helicopters have been pressed into service to deliver essential food supplies and relief materials to remote areas. He emphasised that the State government’s top priority was to reach every affected individual and restore normalcy at the earliest possible.
Meanwhile, following a request from the State, the Centre has deployed two Chinook and two MI-17 helicopters from Chandigarh, Sarsawa (district Saharanpur) and Agra to Jolly Grant Airport. These helicopters are currently being utilised to transport heavy machinery needed for road restoration. The rescue operations have further been reinforced with the inclusion of 125 Army personnel and 83 personnel from the ITBP, while six BRO officers and over 100 labourers are already working around the clock to clear blocked roads.
The Health Department has reserved beds at Doon Medical College, Coronation District Hospital and AIIMS Rishikesh for those injured in the disaster, even as specialist doctors, including psychiatrists, have been deployed in the affected areas to provide comprehensive care.
It was also shared that the relief camps have been made operational at Inter College Harshil, GMVN and Jhala, where Army, ITBP, SDRF, Police and Revenue Department teams are actively engaged in rescue operations. Efforts to restore electricity and communication networks are being carried out simultaneously. Teams from NIM and SDRF have also begun construction of a temporary bridge at Limchagadh.
To ensure seamless coordination and effective management of operations, the State government had already dispatched three IAS officers, two IGs and three SSP level IPS officers to Uttarkashi last evening. In all, over 300 police officers and other government employees have been deputed including doctors at the disaster site and in Uttarkashi to oversee the relief and rescue operations.
Earlier, Dhami conducted a detailed review of the relief and rescue operations from the disaster control room in Uttarkashi, in light of the severe natural calamity in the Dharali region.
Dhami stated that rescue and medical camps have been established in the area, and adequate arrangements for food and essential supplies for the affected people are being ensured.
