After alleging that the Congress-led State Government has completely failed to carry rescue operations in the remotely situated disaster-hit areas of the State, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that the State Government should issue white paper on disaster.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Dr Nishank said that the Government was completely unable to carry rescue operations on war footing in the disaster hit areas and the death toll could have increased manifold if the army authorities along with the NDRF and para-military forces were not called on for carrying rescue operations in the higher parts of the State.
After expressing concern over the death toll, he said that the State Government and the Cabinet Ministers are disclosing different death toll figures besides, the State Government is not declaring the correct figures.
In order to save the lives of stranded pilgrims and locals in the higher parts of the State and to rehabilitate displaced villagers, the Union Government should immediately declare national disaster.
Dr Nishank also demanded that the Government should take ample of measures to open roads along the Char Dham Yatra route, warehousing, coordinating with different nodal agencies operating in the disaster hit areas, medical and health facilities to villagers, supply of potable water, kerosene and food grains, communication etc.
He demands free stationery and books for students in order not to hamper their studies. “It is a matter of concern that Congress MlAs are staging protest against their government and alleging the slow pace of rescue works,” he said, adding that instead of gaining political mileage, the Congress-led party should take more concrete measures for rescuing stranded victims. He said that lives of thousands of pilgrims and locals could have been saved if the Government had taken steps to halt the Char Dham Yatra after the warning of State meteorological department.