Expediting the rescue operations to evacuate the pilgrims from the flood-ravaged area of Uttarakhand, Punjab Government on Monday claimed that all pilgrims stranded in Hemkunt Sahib have been evacuated.
Punjab Housing and Urban Development Secretary Venu Parsad, who was stationed at Rishikesh to oversee the entire relief and rehabilitation operations of the pilgrims from Punjab, maintained that till Sunday night, 5000 pilgrims have been safely dispatched to Punjab. Majority of the pilgrims from Punjab went to pay
obeisance at Hemkunt Sahib and every single pilgrim from that area has been evacuated, added Parsad. Divulging the details of rescue operations, Punjab Police DIG Khubi Ram said that a fleet of 36 mini buses has been moved for Joshimath from Rishikesh. “Punjab Government has set up a base camp at Gurdwara Sahib in Rishikesh and the pilgrims from the flood hit areas are being transporting on mini buses or trax vehicles to the base camp,” he added.
The distance from Rishikesh to Joshimath is 248 km which is totally hilly terrain. “Punjab Police is setting up its own wireless system at Joshimath to ease out the communication network,” added Ram. Punjab Government has also set up another base camp at Rishikesh railway station, where the rescued pilgrims have been extended much-needed medical treatment and other relief material.
From here, the pilgrims were being dispatched to the various parts of the Punjab through the state roadways buses. Relief operations at this base camp were in full swing and manned by the Punjab Police personnel. A helicopter has also been pressed into service for bringing the pilgrims, who had been trapped in these areas to Joshimath. \\Needy Pilgrims were being provided with every kind of basic and necessary facility at the base camps set up at Rishikesh and Joshimath.
Parsad, who has been supervising the rescue operations, said that the Punjab Government has stationed 10 ambulances at Joshimath and Rishikesh to provide immediate first aid to the critical injured and other serious pilgrims and to ferry them to the nearby hospitals.
Besides, the relief camp of Punjab Government, several social and voluntary organizations and people from Punjab villages have been organizing langars along the way from Rishikesh to Joshimath. Parsad has been closely monitoring the rescue operations and regularly convene meeting of senior officers at 10:30 am, every day. Both the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal were being updated by the senior officers deputed in Rishikesh and Joshimath about the ongoing rescue operations in Uttarakhand. Badal has directed his Special Principal Secretary Gaggandeep Singh Brar to be in constant touch with officers stationed in Uttarakhand to ensure the smooth execution of rescue operations.