Around 310 pilgrims from different states stranded at Gangotri shrine area and other locations were rescued and airlifted to safe locations on Thursday as Uttarakhand Chief Minister personally monitored the rescue operation.
Indian Air Force’s flying machines, Chinook and MI-17, also launched sorties to airlift stranded tourists from Gangotri and resume power supply in the disaster-hit Dharali.
Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary stated that nearly 300 tourists were brought to Harsil from Gangotri and other areas in six helicopters pressed in action by Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). According to him, among the rescued tourists, 131 were from Gujarat, 123 from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, 12 Uttar from Pradesh, six from Rajasthan, seven from Delhi, five each from Assam and Karnataka, three from Telangana, and one tourist belonging to Punjab.
All the rescued tourists were airlifted in UCADA operated and Airforce Mi-17 helicopters safely to Matli in Uttarkashi. Now, preparations are being made to send them to Dehradun and from there to their respective places.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, who had been camping at Harsil since Wednesday, stated that relief and rescue operations have been taken up on a war footing at the disaster hit Dharali village.
“Our government is making all possible efforts to evacuate people stranded in disaster-affected areas. Officials have been instructed to provide all possible assistance to the flash flood victims of Dharali who unveiled lost their beloved ones houses. Essential supplies, including food items are being delivered in the disaster affected areas as work is underway to resume road connectivity to Dharali” said Dhami.
The chief minister informed that rescuers are continuously airlifting disaster victims stationed at Harsil to Uttarkashi and Dehradun.
Nearly 135 disaster victims evacuated from Dharali to Harsil were taken to Uttarkashi and Dehradun. This included 100 victims shifted to Uttarkashi and 35 sent to Dehradun.
Meanwhile Indian Airforce Chinook helicopter was used for the first time on Thursday afternoon to airlift an 125 KV generator set to from Dehradun to Harsil as the entire disaster hit area was reeling in darkness for almost three days. Decision to transport a generator set to Harsil was taken only after Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) officials failed in their efforts to regain power supply for nearly three days at Dharali.