Joining hands in the largest ever rescue operation with the state government in assisting stranded pilgrims in Uttarakhand to safer places, private steel major — Jindal Steel and Power limited (JSPl) — is conducting two relief flights of ERJ 135, regional jet with a seating capacity of 37 passengers aircraft to Dehradun to ferry victims not fit enough to undertake road journey to Delhi.
“These victims are stranded in Dehradun after battling for days in the valleys of Uttrakhand. The flight has an in-flight doctor providing critical medical aid for the pilgrims for a safer journey,’’ a JSPl statement issued here claimed.
The statement further added JSPl was amongst the first few corporates that joined the rescue operations with two of their helicopters into Uttrakhand to assist the government in relief operations. Its Bell 407, a single engine helicopter, which reached Dehradun on June 19 was tasked in Joshimath area by the Government, to help evacuate the stranded pilgrims on Hemkunt axis as well as Badrinath.
“On June 22, in one single day, this helicopter first carried out reconnaissance with senior army officers, helped the Indian Army by ferrying bridging material near the lambagarh Dam and thereafter, it evacuated 212 stranded pilgrims braving cold, hunger and disease to safety,’’ the statement further added.
Flying for prolonged periods, both the machine and pilots were tested to its extreme. At Govind Ghat, where a footbridge had been washed away, this helicopter ferried the victims from one bank of the river to another. Thereafter, the same helicopter ferried victims from Ghangaria to Joshimath. The second helicopter, Bell 429 was used for aerial reconnaissance by officials for the purpose of assessing the extent of damage, locate stranded victims as well as to assess the ongoing relief operations.
Sharing the grief and pain of the pilgrims and joining hands with the government in providing relief, employees of JSPl across locations have come together to extend support to the brethren and sisters affected by the calamity by donating a day’s basic salary.
JSPl chairman and Congress parliamentarian Naveen Jindal has donated Rs. 2.5 crores to the Prime Ministers Relief Fund for the affected pilgrims and tourists in Uttarakhand.