Over 33,000 evacuated from flood-hit Uttarakhand

Kashmir Times. Dated: 6/21/2013 11:02:22 PM

NEW DELHI, June 21 (Agencies): Stepping up relief efforts, government today deployed more aircraft to evacuate thousands stranded in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand even as Railways pitched in with free travel to enable those rescued to reach their hometowns.
As many as 33,152 persons have been moved to safer areas in massive relief and rescue operations launched by the Central and state governments in the last few days to tackle the unprecedented situation caused by flash floods.
"The Air Force has deployed 13 more aircraft taking the number of aircraft for relief and rescue operations to 43," I&B Minister Manish Tewari told reporters here.
He said the Railways was also operating special trains from Dehradun to Delhi, Ambala and Lucknow to ferry stranded pilgrims and tourists.
Tewari said the Railways along with the Uttarakhand government has also offered to send all stranded passengers free of cost to their respective destinations.
The Indian Air Force has deployed its heavylift Mi-26 helicopters to transport fuel and heavy equipment required by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to clear roads closed due to landslide.
The IAF has also activated advanced landing grounds at Dharasu and Gaucher and set up an airbridge to evacuate stranded persons.
Besides the Army, personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Relief Force, BRO have been engaged in search, rescue and relief efforts.
Efforts were also on to operationalise 207 mobile towers of 739 such installations in the three affected districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi.
As many as 207 mobile towers in the three districts were knocked down by the fury of the floods.
Petroleum Ministry has set up aircraft refuelling centres at Rampur, Shimla and Gaucher and efforts were being made to make available LPG cylinders to people in affected areas.
"Trucks carrying LPG cylinders have been despatched from refuelling depots at Haridwar and Haldwani on June 17, 18 and 19," Tewari said, adding supply of motor spirit, diesel and superior kerosene oil was also being augmented.
He said in the affected districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, 209 of a total of 739 mobile towers are down and they are likely to be made operational in the next 24 hours.
"Emergency services like 100, 101, 102, 108 are all operational. This includes not only BSNL, but also private telecom operators," Tewari said.
Department of Telecom has also issued instructions to all telecom companies that the toll free public utility emergency numbers must be operational and accessible to customers in affected areas by this evening.
Tewari also brushed aside suggestions that VVIPs touring the areas were creating hurdles in the rescue efforts being mounted using aircraft.
"Whatever is humanly possible is being done," Tewari said.
To a poser on whether like Congress he expects other political parties to donate a month's salary of their MPs and MLAs for Uttarakhand relief fund, he said he would leave it to their discretion.

 

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