By Our Staff Reporter
Rudraprayag, 1 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today conducted a field inspection of the areas affected by heavy rains in Kedarghati late last night. During the inspection, he directed District Magistrate, Rudraprayag, Dr Saurabh Gaharwar to speed up the work on repairing damaged roads and trekking route to Kedarnath. He also directed him to ensure that people from sensitive places are evacuated and shifted to safer places at the earliest.
During the inspection of the affected area, the Chief Minister also met the pilgrims and enquired about their well-being. He directed the District Magistrate to shift the pilgrims stranded on the Yatra route to safer places as soon as possible and to ensure that they are provided food and other essential facilities.
Dhami also directed the officials to make a complete assessment of the damage caused by heavy rains in the affected area. He said that the permissible ex-gratia assistance should be made available to the affected immediately. Instructions were also given by him to restore road connectivity and supply electricity and drinking water to make life normal in the disaster affected area.
District Magistrate Dr Saurabh Gaharwar shared that as soon as information was received about pilgrims getting stranded on the Kedarnath Yatra trekking route due to landslides and heavy rains, the district administration along with the agencies concerned reached the spot and rescue operations were launched. The pilgrims are being shifted to safer places, and arrangements for food and medical facilities have been made for them. Around 300 pilgrims had been brought to safer places by 1 p.m. today. He said that people are being taken to safer places from areas identified as vulnerable from the point of view of landslides. The process of rebuilding bridges and damaged roads washed away due to heavy rains is also in progress.
On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj, Chairperson, District Panchayat, Amardei Shah, MLA, Rudraprayag, Bharat Chaudhary, Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok, Chief Development Officer Dr GS Khati and other officers concerned were also present.
CM holds high level meeting with DMs regarding disaster relief
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 1 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with all the District Magistrates after touring the disaster-affected areas earlier in the day. During the meeting, the District Magistrates of Haridwar, Tehri, Dehradun, Chamoli, Nainital, Almora and Uttarkashi shared their feedback about the situation and the rescue operations, the loss of life and property and the floods in their respective districts. They also shared information with the CM regarding damage to the roads, bridges and water and power supply as well as telecom connectivity.
The CM asked all the District Magistrates to be on alert mode for the next 24 hours. The CM also instructed all the District Magistrates of the state that, in case of roads getting obstructed due to heavy rains, minimum time should be taken to clear them and repair them for traffic movement. In case of any bridge collapse, traffic should be made smooth as soon as possible by installing a Bailey Bridge, he insisted.
It was shared at the meeting that the pilgrims stranded on Kedarnath Yatra route have been safely evacuated with the help and coordination of SDRF, NDRF, DDRF, Police and District Administration in Rudraprayag district. About 425 passengers stranded in Bhimbali, Rambada, Lincholi on Kedarnath Yatra route were airlifted. Apart from this, 1,100 passengers stranded between Sonprayag and Bhimbali on the yatra route have been shifted to safer places by opening alternative routes. Heavy rains in various parts of the state late last night have caused huge damage to roads, foot bridges, power and drinking water lines as well as agricultural land.
Due to landslides at many places on the Kedarnath trekking route, the Kedarnath Yatra has been stopped for the time being in view of the safety of the pilgrims.
