How can I sleep when family members are lying in gorge: CM

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Madhya Pradesh is one family. As the Chief Minister, I cannot sleep peacefully when some family members are lying in the gorge. The last 17 hours were catastrophic, full of anguish and suffering. There were 25 bodies in front of me together.

It was unbearable and very sad. I felt that the Chief Minister’s own visit would speed up the relief and rescue operations and we would save some people’s life. As soon as I came to know about the accident, I immediately left for Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Chouhan, after returning from Dehradun, was discussing with the media representatives at the state airport.

It is worth mentioning that Chief Minister Chouhan left for Dehradun late on 5th June after receiving the news of the death of pilgrims of Panna district in a heart-rending road accident near Damta in Purola of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand.

Chief Minister Chouhan was accompanied by Mineral Resources Minister Brajendra Pratap Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home Rajesh Rajora, Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena, OSD Yogesh Chaudhary. The officials of Madhya Pradesh Bhawan Delhi were also called to Dehradun for coordination.

Giving information about the incident to the media, Chouhan said that the bus had fallen into a very deep gorge. It was the hard work of the local administration that all the bodies were taken out in the night. Teams of District Administration, SDRF and NDRF completed the arduous task of extricating the bodies from the deep gorge in a short time. The arrangements for the post-mortem of the deceased were made in the night itself.

Chouhan expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami and the administration. Chief Minister Dhami has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Prime Minister Modi was informed about the incident. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also kept taking information about the rescue work.

The Chief Minister informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. An assistance of Rs 5 lakh each will be provided by the MP government to the families of the deceased. Rs 50,000 will be given to the seriously injured. Chouhan has prayed to God to give strength to the families of the deceased to bear this loss and to give place to the departed souls at His lotus feet.

Chouhan informed that the pilgrims of Panna were in two buses, these buses belonged to Uttarakhand, in which 9 couples died in the bus accident. A couple Udai Singh and his wife are injured. Udai Singh had informed about this accident over the phone. Udai Singh, his wife and Ramkunwar Bai are admitted in the hospital. They are undergoing treatment. They will get well soon by the grace of God. Referring to the courage of the pilgrims travelling in the second bus, Chouhan said that they are determined to undertake the Yamunotri pilgrimage. According to their faith, they will return to Panna with the water of Yamunotri.

Chouhan said that Khajuraho MP VD Sharma, Mineral Resources Minister Brajendra Pratap Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home Rajesh Rajora and other officers are looking after the arrangements in Dehradun.

It would have taken more time to bring the bodies to Panna from Dehradun by road. Therefore, the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was requested to provide special aircraft.

The Indian Air Force aircraft will reach Khajuraho with the mortal remains, from where separate vehicles will leave for the respective villages of Panna district carrying the mortal remains of the departed pilgrims. In view of the summer season, efforts are being made to perform the last rites of all the pilgrims who died in the accident today.