Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that the Central Government should implement a landslide mitigation project in all Himalayan States including Uttarakhand. He said this while speaking at a function in New Delhi to mark the ninth foundation day of the National Disaster Management Authority.
Addressing the gathering, the CM stressed on the need for drafting a specific policy for treatment of the problems caused by the riverbed level increasing and course of the river being altered due to the silt and debris deposited therein during floods.
He said that the relief operation undertaken in the State following the disaster in June was the largest air rescue operation undertaken in the nation so far involving 65 helicopters. In spite of inclement weather, the army, National Disaster Response Force and police succeeded in rescuing 1.5 lakh stranded persons. He said that the people of Uttarakhand had selflessly helped the stranded pilgrims in dire straits.
Speaking about the post-disaster conditions, Bahuguna said that the disruption of water and power supply in the disaster affected areas had also created grave problems. He informed that ritual worship had been resumed in all the Char Dham shrines and all connecting routes have been reopened to traffic.
While the Yatra to Gangotri, Yamunotri and Hemkund had been resumed already, the pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath will resume on Saturday.
The CM said that the drafting of agreements with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for relief and rehabilitation works in Uttarakhand is in the final stage. He said that the State Government is working
to provide relief and facilitate rehabilitation of the disaster affected with provision being made to provide pre-fabricated homes to those who had lost their homes in the disaster.
The disaster has negatively affected the economic condition of the State as tourism which is a major source of income here, has been affected.