Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that a team of Madhya Pradesh's officers headed by an Inspector General of Police will help trace State's pilgrims missing in Uttarakhand. Chouhan said it was a massive calamity. The Union Government should declare it a national disaster. Chouhan was talking to pilgrims at Madhya Pradesh's relief camp at Shanti Kunj, Haridwar in Uttarakhand today. The Chief Minister said a national policy needs to be chalked out on disaster management.
Chouhan said that no family should feel helpless. Madhya Pradesh government stands by them in all circumstances. Chouhan specially lauded the Army's role in relief and rescue operations. He reiterated that Madhya Pradesh government would provide Rs 10 lakh assistance to each of families of Army personnel who have lost their lives during relief operations. Making special mention of liberal cooperation extended by Gayatri Parivar, he said the Parivar had followed in the footsteps of Param Poojya Mataji and Acharya Shri Ram Sharma.
Pranav Pandya of Gayatri Parivar, Madhya Pradesh's Religious Trusts & Endowment Minister laxmikant Sharma and Chief Secretary R Parasuram were also present on the occasion.
Chouhan said that on the second day of the disaster, he had visited Haridwar and appealed to Gayatri Parivar to make arrangements for rescuing the stranded pilgrims and providing them meals, etc. Shanti Kunj has done this work with total dedication. He said that 5,035 pilgrims had been sent back home from Uttarakhand under the leadership of Endowment Minister laxmikant Sharma. For this, 7 special planes were chartered and arrangement of State Government's helicopters, 13 buses and other helicopters was made. Special planes have brought 1,100 pilgrims to Madhya Pradesh. In all, 2,435 pilgrims were brought to Shanti Kunj where they were provided shelter, treatment and food.
Ninety pilgrims were brought from Sahastra Dhara while 4,900 pilgrims were provided food and treatment at Rishikesh. Madhya Pradesh's helicopters rescued 453 pilgrims while 1,854 pilgrims were airlifted with the assistance of the Army. The State government also provided Rs 800,500 cash to 1,256 pilgrims who had no money with them.
Chouhan said that Rs 50,000 interim relief was being provided to the each of the families whose relatives were missing. Rupees 2 lakh is being given to the families whose member has lost life while assistance of Rs 5 lakh is being provided to the children who have lost both their parents in the tragedy. Madhya Pradesh government will extend additional assistance also. He said that Madhya Pradesh government will also extend cooperation in rebuilding Uttarakhand. Chouhan said an action plan to this would be chalked out after discussions with Uttarakhand Chief Minister.
Chouhan said a relief team had been sent to Uttarakhand from Madhya Pradesh on the second day of the calamity. He said a photo-bearing district-wise list of missing persons is being prepared in Madhya Pradesh. So far, there is information about 593 missing persons. Records and CD of the missing persons have also been prepared. The list will be sent to different places. He informed that Madhya Pradesh's Inspector General of Police Pramod Phadnikar, who had also worked with ITBP, will lead a team to trace missing persons. He said that all missing persons will be traced with the cooperation of Uttarakhand government and local administration. Chouhan appealed to relatives of missing persons that they should not enter jungles alone to trace them, but work in tandem with local administration. On the occasion, Chouhan also inspected various sections of Shanti Kunj.