Several states rush teams to Uttarakhand, announce aid

Raipur: With pilgrims and tourists stranded in flash floods in Uttarakhand hailing from all parts of the country, several state governments have rushed teams to the hill state to help bring back the affected persons and also announced aid.

The Punjab Government on Wednesday hired a private helicopter to airlift the pilgrims stuck at Sri Hemkund Sahib and its surrounding areas and rushed a four-member team to coordinate the operations to rescue the Sikh pilgrims.

Maharashtra government announced Rs 10 crore aid for the stranded pilgrims from the state. As many as 1,353 pilgrims from Maharashtra are stranded of whom 334 are still not traceable, government sources said in Mumbai, adding the remaining 1,019 pilgrims could be contacted.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also announced Rs 25 crore help to the hill state.

The state governments have also launched helpline numbers in their respective states to give updates on the whereabouts stranded of pilgrims and tourists.

Karnataka Government despatched a three-member team to ensure safety of affected people from the state. "We are in constant touch with the Centre and Uttarakhand government to get information on the safety of our people stranded in Uttarakhand," chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bangalore.

Former Minister Shobha Karandlaje is among the scores of people from Karnataka stranded in Uttarakhand. She, however, is safe, according her family sources.

The Chhattisgarh government has sent two senior officials to extend every possible help to around 50 stranded pilgrims.

The officials have been told to be constantly in touch with their counterparts in Uttarakhand administration and extend all help to the pilgrims, he said.

Although the Chhattisgarh government is yet to ascertain the exact number of pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand, it has said the number could be more than 50.

A spokesperson of the Punjab Chief Minister's office while stating that a private helicopter has been hired to airlift the trapped Sikh pilgrims at Sri Hemkund Sahib said a 4-member team of senior officers has left for Dehradun to monitor the rescue operation to ensure the safe return of these persons.

The Maharashtra government has started a second camp office as help centre at Haridwar after Dehradun. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said a meeting of the state cabinet in Mumbai discussed measures to help people from the state stranded in Uttarakhand.

Additional Resident Commissioner of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, Pradeep Kumar, and four officers under him were immediately sent to Dehradun to coordinate with the Maharashtrian pilgrims and provide the necessary assistance.

A special team comprising Deputy Collectors of Thane and Raigad districts has also been dispatched from Mumbai. "We are making all efforts to bring all the pilgrims from Maharashtra back," the Chief Minister said.

The state government has also asked people and travel agencies to coordinate before hand with concerned district disaster management authorities before planning a trip to Uttarakhand, an official said. West Bengal government also made arrangements for some choppers to airlift the tourists from the state.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she was sending two of her ministers - Madan Mitra and Rachpal Singh - to Uttarakhand to coordinate and arrange for the return of hundreds of stranded tourists from the state.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs two crore as the state's contribution to the relief operations in Uttarakhand. Gujarat's Resident Commissioner in Delhi Bharat Lal has deputed two officials to coordinate relief efforts and reach out to pilgrims and tourists from the state who are stranded in Uttarakhand.

A team of senior officials of the Gujarat government would visit Uttarakhand to help people from the state who are stranded in various parts of Uttarakhand and coordinate their return to Gujarat.

Modi also requested Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge to start emergency counters and helplines at Haridwar, Dehradun and New Delhi railway stations for people who are rescued from the flood-hit areas.

He requested Kharge to provide additional coaches in various trains or start special trains so that the rescued people can travel back to their homes.

Helpline number for pilgrims in Uttarakhand are 0135-2710334/335/223 Army medical emergency helpline numbers -18001805558, 18004190282,8009833388

ITBP HELPLINE numbers: 01124362892, 9968383478