Flood tragedy: Pilgrims recall nightmare, rue State inaction

Many of the pilgrims rescued from the flood and landslide affected stretches en route to Kedarnath and Badrinath want to forget the tragedy they witnessed at or near these important shrines. 

However, the pilgrims rescued from different parts of Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts remember the rescue and relief work undertaken by the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, which the visitors believe has given them a new lease of life. At the same time, they are critical of the State Government’s rescue efforts, complaining that they were not provided even water or biscuits when they were stranded and awaiting rescue.

Suresh Gairola, who along with nine family members including four children started the Yatra in a jeep to Badrinath shrine on June 15 and reached Joshimath on the same day and though the incessant rains had caused closure of the road from Govindghat to Pandukeshwar in many places, they managed to reached Pandukeshwar. 

later the road linking Pandukeshwar to Joshimath was also blocked to traffic. Gairola said they could not get accommodation in the hotel they had booked rooms in and had to lodge in another hotel. More than 2000 pilgrims were stranded in Pandukeshwar.The hotel was submerged due to flood in the Alaknanda river and the pilgrims staying in the hotel managed to escape only with the clothes they were wearing.

 as their luggage and other possessions were swept away in the spate.Gairola said that when they reached Govindghat, the road was blocked by about 2,000 vehicles of those going to Hemkund due to which the pilgrims spent the night inside the vehicles. As the hotels and shops were closed, the stranded pilgrims took shelter in the Ghantakaran temple while the locals took shelter at higher altitude.  

While the government failed to provide food and water, businessmen were selling these items for up to 20 times the MRP. “On June 18 the ITBP and Garhwal Rifles personnel assured that all pilgrims will be shifted to Joshimath and on the next day the Army and ITBP began evacuating the stranded persons to Joshimath through a treacherous path,” he said.