At least seven Indian Air Force helicopters were being deployed to drop food packets to disaster affected districts of the State, officials said here on Wednesday.
Dehradun district magistrate BVRC Purushottam informed that a hundred and fifty pilgrims were brought by the helicopters to Jolly Grant and 12 of them were admitted in Himalayan Hospital in serious condition. Those pilgrims who were stranded in the Gaurikund-Kedarnath area were brought to Dehradun on Wednesday.
A total of 19, 500 food packets which comprised juice, buns, water bottles, ORS solution, biscuits and along with 850 blankets were sent to the affected areas, he added.
Out of 19, 500, around 5, 000 food packets received from Shanti Kunj and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam were sent for Guptkashi and Gaurikund Phata. A medical team comprising doctors of Doon Hospital, Dehradun, was also sent to the affected districts. Jaggery and grams received from different self help groups and 12, 000 packets of biscuits and 6, 000 juice packets received from Rishikesh Vyapar Sabha were also sent to the affected areas by helicopter. One helicopter was also sent to Matli with food packets and other aids. Officers present at the helipad included ADM Jharna Kamthan, district Panchayat officer MM Khan and district food and civil supply officer Shyamlal Arya.