Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal met his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna and announced Rs 10 crore for reconstruction of all religious shrines, including Kedarnath Temple and Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, which have been badly damaged in the recent flash floods in Uttarakhand.
In his meeting with Bahuguna, Badal assured all help to the Government of the hill State in the aftermath of the calamity which left over 1,000 people dead, a spokesman of the Chief Minister said here. “We are with the aggrieved and calamity-stricken people of Uttarakhand, and will extend full help in their rehabilitation and in task of reconstruction of the hill state,” Badal said.
Badal said the Punjab Government would send a consignment of 10,000 tonnes of wheat flour (atta) and rice, 100 tonnes of sugar, besides 10,000 blankets. The relief supply would be sent on July 9, he said. Following a request by Bahuguna, Badal also promised to send 10,000 woollen sweaters and pullovers for the victims, especially for women and children. He also said that dry milk powder would be sent.
Various agencies of the Punjab government, especially the Punjab Police, had mounted rescue operations immediately after the calamity and rescued over 8,000 pilgrims from the state. Hundreds of pilgrims from Punjab, headed for Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, were stranded there.
Bahuguna brought to Badal’s notice the severe damage done to ‘Sarai’ building at Gobind Ghat due to massive floods. Badal offered all support and assistance to the Uttarakhand government for the reconstruction of this seven storyed building at the earliest. He made a firm commitment on behalf of the people of Punjab to rebuild the hill state through every possible mean and measure.
Expressing gratitude to the Badal, Bahuguna lauded the efforts being made by the Punjab government to help them in undertaking the task of restoring normalcy in Uttarakhand after being ravaged by massive floods. The Uttrakhand Chief Minister said that the people of this hill state would never forget the help extended by Punjab during this odd hour.