The focus of the Uttarakhand Government and Union Government is on facilitating rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the disaster-affected areas of Uttarakhand while also continuing the search for more than 5,000 reported missing since disaster struck the State on June 16-17.
The Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said this after reviewing the status of relief operations in the State. Calling the disaster a nightmare, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that he will start presenting cheques for monetary relief in Dehradun on Tuesday to family members of Uttarakhand residents killed in the disaster as all those missing for a month, including visitors and locals, will be
presumed dead on July 16. Addressing the media along with the CM and State Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya, Shukla said that the State and Central Governments had been working in coordination for rescue and relief since the calamity struck.
“The temporary rehabilitation of the affected persons will be completed in a fortnight. The Central Government is serious on this issue which is why a Cabinet sub-committee was formed under the Prime Minister to help Uttarakhand repair the damage and rebuild the sectors like tourism which were
negatively affected,” said Shukla, while adding that the armed forces along with State Government had rescued a total of 1.10 lakh stranded
persons.
The Central Government has also announced a quota of 5,000 kilo litres kerosene for Uttarakhand to prevent shortage and steps were being taken to supply ration and essential items in remote areas where relief had not yet reached, he said.
The CM said that the proposed immediate plan of action for rehabilitation and repairs will be submitted in the first meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee headed by the PM while the long term plan for rebuilding Uttarakhand will be submitted in the second meeting. “A total of 5,748, people including 924 from Uttarakhand, are missing in the disaster though this figure could increase or decrease. As we are declaring persons missing for a month, presumed dead on July 16 to provide monetary relief to bereaved families, I will start presenting cheques for the same to the bereaved families of Uttarakhand on Tuesday,” said Bahuguna, while stressing that search for the missing persons will continue even after they are presumed dead.
As the persons are presumed missing and search for them will continue, from the bereaved family members receiving monetary relief, we will take an affidavit stating that the person died in the disaster in Uttarakhand and an indemnity bond stating that they would return the amount without interest if the person presumed dead is found alive later on. Monetary relief of Rs 5 lakh comprising Rs 1.50 lakh from the State and the rest from the Centre will be given per fatality,” he added.
Stating that the best technical expertise from India or abroad will be availed of for repair and rebuilding work in Uttarakhand, the CM said that the Border Road Organisation had assured that route to Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines will be reopened for traffic by September 30.
Continued rain is preventing the extraction of bodies at places like Rambada which will commence once hydraulic equipment of the National Disaster Response Force reaches the area.
“Before extracting the debris from buildings in Kedarnath we will consult the Geological Survey of India and Archaeological Survey of India to ascertain that no damage is caused to the temple structure. The villages facing threats from landslides and other natural calamities are slated to be relocated to degraded forest areas. A proposal for this will also be submitted to the cabinet sub-committee,” said Bahuguna. Both the CM and Shukla said that no lake had formed on the Alaknanda river near Badrinath as concluded earlier from satellite images.