uttarakhand Next big challenge The first wave of the rescue effort is nearly over, now begins the arduous task of reconstruction By S.M.A. Kazmi Time to tend to the local populace COUNTING THE LOSS Total area hit In Uttarakhand 40,000 sq km. Death toll Feared to be more than 4,000 Still missing More than 3,000 Buildings damaged More than 2,200 People evacuated By road and air, more than 1,04,000 Still stranded Approximately 1,200 OFF-ROAD IN UTTARAKHAND Total roads damaged 1,636 Roads opened 892 Bridges damaged 154 Bridges washed away 53 Dozers deployed by PWD 385 PWD men at work 5,500 State highways damaged 6 National highways damaged All National highways repaired All reopened, except NH-9 between Pithoragarh and Dharchula. THE biggest ever operations launched by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) in Uttarakhand after the natural disaster that followed heavy monsoon rain and floods would be completed by June 30 with the safe evacuation of more than 1 lakh pilgrims and tourists stranded at various places in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is feared that more than 4,000 people could have lost their lives in the calamity. With the initial challenge of evacuating stranded pilgrims getting over, the immediate task coming up for the Uttarakhand state government is providing relief and rehabilitation to the local population, which has suffered tremendous damage to homes, shops, hotels, agricultural land and animals. During the past fortnight, the entire effort remained focused on evacuation, while the local population, spread over an area of 40,000 sq km, found itself completely ignored. While the state government is yet to fully assess the damage suffered by the locals, it is estimated that 2,300 villages in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Pithoragarh have suffered massive damage, with houses and roads completely washed away. There are hundreds of villages in the narrow valleys that remain completely cut off, with even foot tracks washed away, and need relief supplies dropped by air. It is believed that a population of more than 2 lakh in these remote villages has been suffering since a fortnight without any help. It was only in Pithoragarh district that the Army helped evacuate villagers stranded in remote border areas. Not far from the Kedarnath shrine, People in eight villages of the Kalimath area are the worst sufferers. Apart from losing more than 100 men of these villages who worked at Kedarnath shrine to earn their living during the Char Dham Yatra season, these villages remain cut off since June 17. Similarly, people in Mandakini and Alaknanda valleys are also cut off and have suffered damages to homes and agricultural land. Reports of such massive damage have also reached from villages in Uttarkashi and Chamoli villages. There are 63 villages in Uttarkashi district, 35 in Pithoragarh, 22 in Rudraprayag and 20 in Chamoli district that are completely cut off and need air dropping of urgent relief supplies. The Central government has accepted the state government’s request to deploy IAF helicopters for another fortnight to airdrop relief. Apart from suffering huge losses due to damage to their houses, hotels, dharamshalas and agricultural fields, the closure of the Char Dham yatra for at least two years would add to the miseries of the local people. Rotting bodies a hazard Another gigantic problem the state government faces is the disposal of the bodies decomposing at Kedarnath and Rambara since June 17. As many as 35 bodies have been cremated thus far while it is feared more than a thousand could be lying there. The state government has announced that DNA samples would be taken from each body before cremation for subsequent identification. The shortage of wood, inclement weather and the stench from the bodies is hampering the cremation process. The government had sent a police team to coordinate with the ITBP, but most of the police jawans fell ill and were sent back. A fresh team has been sent. The wood for cremation was airlifted to Kedarnath in the ill-fated MI-17 helicopter of the IAF that crashed in the Gaurikund area, killing 20 armed forces personnel on June 24. The rotting bodies, meanwhile, continue to pose a serious problem of disease in the area.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 03:37:52 +0000
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