Worried over the fate of hundreds of Bengali pilgrims stuck in flood-hit Uttarakhand, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday sent two of Cabinet colleagues, “to oversee the rescue operations.”
State Transport Minister Madan Mitra and Tourism Minister Rachpal Singh were on Tuesday flown to Delhi by an evening flight. From there they would move to the flood-hit mountain State.
“Both Madan Mitra and Rachpal Singh are taking the evening flight to Delhi from where they will proceed to Uttarakhand,” a worried Banerjee said, adding she had a conversation with her Uttarakhand counterpart in this regard.
“We have around 1,700 tourists and pilgrims stuck at various places in Uttarakhand,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said, adding she had in her talks with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna “requested them to open an alternative route to Karnaprayag so that our stranded tourists can find an alternative route to return”.
The Bengal Chief Secretary was in constant touch with Uttarakhand Government and the pilgrims in distress, the Chief Minister said, adding, “We have also requested them for helicopters so that our pilgrims can be rescued fast. We are also making arrangements for food, and medicines in cases where it is needed.”
“The Uttarakhand Chief Minister has intimated us that though Badrinath is safe Kedarnath and some other places are in danger,” Banerjee said. Her Government would help in rescue work if the Uttarakhand Government asked for it, she added.
Bengal sends the highest numbers of tourists and pilgrims all over the country every year. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have been vastly affected by a fierce monsoon and cloud burst on account of it leading to about 80 deaths and large-scale destruction of buildings.
Banerjee had personally taken part in the rescue operations in a similar situation in Uttarkashi in 1992 and had “brought back stranded pilgrims.” She could not do so this time round as she had been held back by the
exigencies of panchayat elections she said, adding the Government effort to contribute in the rescue operations in Uttarakhand should not be seen through a political prism.
“let us set aside politics for the time being and help the people come back to their home,” she said.