With pilgrims and tourists from across the nation stranded due to flash floods in Uttarakahand, several State governments have rushed teams to the mountainous state to help bring back the affected persons and also announced aid. The Punjab Government hired a private helicopter to airlift the pilgrims stuck at Hemkund and its surrounding areas and rushed a four-member team to coordinate the operations to rescue Sikh pilgrims.
Maharashtra government has sent its Additional Resident Commissioner Pradeep Kumar along with his team to assist the Uttarakhand government. They are sending their plane to Dehradun on Thursday to take back their state residents, who were either rescued from the Char Dham route.
Rajasthan Government has sent its Disaster Management Minister Brajendra Singh Ola to monitor the rescue and relief operation. Talking to The Pioneer Ola said he has come along with best officers having experience of more than 10 years in rescue and relief operation to assist the state officials.
West Bengal Government has sent its two Cabinet ministers to assist the relief work. Talking to The Pioneer Rajeep Dutta, a liasioning officer based in Delhi said, "We have received information that around 1500 people belonging to West Bengal are stranded in Uttarakhand".MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has extended his government's full support to the State Government in rescue and relief operation.UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav spoke to CM Vijay Bahuguna and extended help of Rs25 crore to the state government.
With an intention to provide succor to the stranded pilgrims, state Tourism department has instructed GMVN general manager to open the corporation's guest houses free of cost to the pilgrims. In this regard Tourism minister Amrita Rawat has sent an instruction of GMVN general manager Pankaj Pandey.
To assess the situation, former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri spoke to chief secretary Subhash Kumar over phone on Wednesday. He spoke to the disaster affected district chief medical officer over phone.