Uttarakhand police have deployed 121 policemen and police officers of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in order to bolster relief and rescue operations in case of emergency as Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra is on the move with thousands of pilgrims trekking their ways along the deified routes.
State Additional Director General of Police Ram Singh Meena said, “In order to complete Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra peacefully, several steps related to safety and security of the pilgrims as well as to parking, communication and rescue operations have been taken.”
He said, “We have deployed 121 policemen and police officers of SDRF. Apart from this, a company of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) jawans, a platoon of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, mountaineers, fire department officials, one additional SP, two deputy SP and policemen, including inspectors, sub-inspectors and constables, have been deployed along the routes of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra which began from August 18”.
Meena further said the sacred Yatra will be completed on September 6. Held once every 12 years, this yatra begins from Nauti village near Karnprayag and passes through various high altitude areas. Moreover, those undertaking this Yatra cover about 243 kilometres on foot in 22 days.
He further said police will use wireless sets and satellite phones in high altitude areas of the Yatra route where mobile phone connectivity is poor. Police force had conducted recce of these routes before the Yatra took off.
He further said all the routes of Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra are equipped with means of communications.
Seventeen members of SDRF team led by sub-inspector Gajendra Singh Parwan have been assigned areas between Nauti and Wan to conduct relief and rescue operations in case of emergency.
At Wan post, a 12-member team headed by Bhupendra Singh Bhandari was deputed while a 10- member team led by Om Prakash at Gairoli Patal post, a 12-member team headed by Puran Singh Tomar at Vaidni Bugyal post, a seven- member team headed by chief constable Ram Seth Prasad at Patar Nachauniya post, a seven- member team headed by Arjun Singh at Baguvawasa post; a seven member team headed by sub inspector Jitendra Joshi at Shilasamudra post; a six-member team led by Pramod Kumar at Chandniyaghat post, a
eight-member team headed by Ravindra Singh at latakhopri post; a six- member team headed by chief constable Khurshid Ali at Sitaul post and a
11-member team headed by Ashok Kumar Parihar at
Sitaul post.
A 14 -member team led by SDRF deputy commandant Navneet Singh Bhullar has been deputed between Wan post to Ghat post for conducting relief and rescue operations in case of emergency. In addition to this, in coordination with SDRF, anti-mining team and PAC (30 members) will also work and they are deputed on routes of Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra. SDRF teams have arranged free food facilities for the pilgrims on the Yatra routes, atop Bedini Bugyal.