The first phase of the rescue operation in Kedarghati has been completed. 78 people who voluntarily stayed in Kedarnath were taken to Guptkashi on Sunday via MI-17, which included local shopkeepers, sadhus, saints, horse-mule drivers etc. With this, the Air Force’s MI-17 helicopter has been sent off. Now there is no passenger left to come down anywhere. All the local people who had to come down have been brought. Food items and other essential items and logistics material which were to be delivered to Kedarnath Dham have been delivered through MI-17 and State Helicopter. On the other hand, the Chinook helicopter of the Indian Air Force has been stopped for delivering some heavy machines to Kedarnath. As soon as the weather clears, Chinook will also be sent after delivering big machines.
Expressed special gratitude to the Prime Minister and Home Minister
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami specially thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their cooperation in this rescue operation. He said that immediately after this disaster, he sought the help of the Air Force from the Government of India to rescue the passengers safely and the Prime Minister and Home Minister accepted his request and immediately provided MI-17 and Chinook helicopters. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was so concerned about the safety of the passengers after this disaster that he himself kept taking updates of this rescue operation.
Commendable work done in adverse conditions
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed gratitude to various agencies engaged in relief and rescue operations for their commendable contribution in the campaign launched to rescue passengers and local people from various places after heavy rains in Kedar Valley on July 31. In his message, he said that more than 15 thousand people were saved in this rescue operation. Various agencies engaged in relief and rescue operations worked in a planned manner with a great strategy and this operation could be completed in less than a week. In his message issued on Sunday in the name of various agencies engaged in relief and rescue operations, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his gratitude to all. He said that in difficult times and adverse circumstances, the Indian Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, DDRF, District Administration, Police, PWD, Irrigation etc. departments did commendable work and rescued thousands of people safely. The Chief Minister specially thanked the Temple Committee as well as the Business Board, local shopkeepers and local residents for the cooperation provided by them.
He has appreciated the contribution made by Secretary Public Works Department Pankaj Pandey, Commissioner Garhwal Vinay Shankar Pandey, Secretary Irrigation R Rajesh Kumar, Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Vinod Kumar Suman, Banshidhar Tiwari and his team for better coordination with the media, USDMA CEO Anand Swaroop and DIG Rajkumar Negi, Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shailesh Kumar and his team, District Magistrate Rudraprayag Saurabh Gaharwar and his team, SP Vishakha Ashok Bhadane and his team, NDRF Commandant Sudesh Daral and his team, IG SDRF Riddhim Agarwal, Commandant Manikant Mishra and his team, Chief Executive Officer of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Yogendra Singh and his team, SDM Ashish Ghildiyal and his team and various line departments and their officers and employees.
Chief Minister monitored every moment
In the entire rescue operation, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami himself monitored every moment. On August 01, the Chief Minister reached the State Emergency Operation Center at USDMA and took stock of the situation and instructed the officials to conduct relief and rescue operations at a fast pace. He requested the Government of India to provide Air Force assistance for rescue, then the Government of India immediately provided one MI-17 and one Chinook helicopter. On the instructions of the Chief Minister, the Secretary Public Works Department and Secretary Disaster Management visited the affected areas and camped there. The Chief Minister also visited the affected areas and reviewed the situation and instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing. The priority of the government is to normalize the situation in Kedarghati as soon as possible.
Work is going on on a war footing, 25 routes have been restored
Most of the roads damaged due to heavy rains on July 31 in the Kedarnath walking route have been made pedestrian-friendly. 29 routes were damaged at various places, out of which 25 routes have been made smooth for the movement of pilgrims on foot. Work is being done on a war footing to repair the remaining routes. The Chief Minister has given instructions to make these also operational soon so that the Chardham Yatra can be started from the footpath as soon as possible.
No loss of life or property due to landslide in Bhimbali
There has been no loss of life or property due to the landslide near the helipad in Bhimbali on Sunday. Stones were already falling at this place, as a precaution, people were already removed from there. No untoward incident occurred due to timely removal of people from there. Due to the landslide, water had collected in a part of the river, action is underway to remove it.
