Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar has assured that affected people will be given all kind of support by the State Government.
The officials are in touch with Border Road Organisation (BRO) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). BRO Chief Engineer has been instructed to press their JCB to open the Char Dham Yatra route, which has closed at several points due to landslides caused by incessant rains. It would be pertinent to mention here that Government has released Rs 3 crore to each of the State's 13 districts for the purpose.
District magistrates of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Tehri and Pauri have been instructed to be in touch with BRO officials and make sure that the roads are re-opened as soon as possible. They have also been instructed to use helicopter, which has been kept in waiting, to rescue the people including pilgrims. The DMs have been told to ensure availability of ration and necessary items on the Yatra route.
The CS also appealed to the people including pilgrims to postpone their Yatra in view of inimical weather condition. He also asked them to publicise the road closure and its opening news as much as possible so that pilgrims get information on time and they can escape from nature's fury. To review the situation chief minister Bahuguna, who is currently in Delhi, would have meeting with divisional commissioners, DMs, Police head, ITBP and BRO officials on Monday.
Keeping in view of inimical situation, the CM has appealed private helicopter companies, which have been ferrying pilgrims to Badrinath and Kedarnath, to keep their helicopters on stand by to rescue the stranded people. Principal Secretary Civil Aviation and Secretary Disaster Management have been instructed to keep a tab on every development and ake necessary arrangement to cope with the situation.
CM has instructed to open control room in secretariat and Additional Secretary to CM Amit Negi has been made in-charge of the control room. Even Garhwal and Kumaon Commissioners have been instructed to ensure supply of ration, medicines and other necessary items to the stranded pilgrims.