Assistance worth Rs 2 lakh each will be provided to the families of deceased pilgrims of Madhya Pradesh in natural disaster in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed this while reviewing arrangements being made in connection with Uttarakhand natural disaster here on Saturday.
Teams of officers, including women officers and doctors from Madhya Pradesh, are being sent by two special planes to cooperate in relief arrangements at Haridwar. On return, these planes will bring back pilgrims. The Chief Minister directed to send teams from New Delhi and Gwalior to Haridwar.
The Chief Minister reviewed progress of efforts being made to ensure safe return of stranded people from the State in Uttarakhand.
He directed that three buses should be kept ready at State's relief camp at Shanti Kunj, Haridwar so that pilgrims can be sent home as soon as they gather there. Besides, arrangements should also be made to ensure reservation of pilgrims in trains. If needed, arrangements should be made to send pilgrims by special planes to Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior. Arrangements for more helicopters should also be made to rescue pilgrims.
During the meeting, Chouhan enquired about latest situation over phone from Culture Minister laxmikant Sharma who is supervising arrangements at Haridwar. It was informed at the meeting that that so far State's small helicopters are cooperating in bringing State's pilgrims stranded in hills to Haridwar and Dehradun. About 3,500 pilgrims from the State are being stranded.
Approximately, 1,000 pilgrims have returned safely to the State. So far, 150 pilgrims were brought to the camp at Shanti Kunj, Haridwar.
Of them, 50 were provided financial assistance and 15 were provided medical assistance. A new telephone number 09258369731 has been added to the camp at Shanti Kunj, Haridwar. Chief Secretary R Parasuram, ADGs SK Shukla and Vijay Kumar, Principal Secretary to CM Manoj Shrivastava and Secretary Revenue Ajit Kesri were also present at the meeting.