Senior officers’ team deployed to trace missing pilgrims

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that a team of Madhya Pradesh’s officers headed by an Inspector General of Police will help trace state’s pilgrims missing in Uttarakhand. Shri Chouhan said that it was a massive calamity. The Union Government should declare it as a national disaster. Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan was talking to affected pilgrims staying in Madhya Pradesh’s relief camp at Shanti Kunj, Haridwar in Uttarakhand today. The Chief Minister said that a national policy needs to be chalked out on disaster management.
Shri Chouhan said that no family should feel helpless. Madhya Pradesh government stands by them in every respect. Shri Chouhan specially lauded army’s role in relief and rescue operations. He reiterated that Madhya Pradesh government will provide Rs. 10 lakh assistance each to families of army personnel who have lost their lives during relief operations. Making special mention of liberal cooperation extended by Gayatri Parivar, he said that the Parivar has followed footsteps of Param Poojya Mataji and Acharya Shri Ram Sharma.
Shri Pranav Pandya of Gayatri Parivar, Madhya Pradesh’s Religious Trusts & Endowment Minister Shri Laxmikant Sharma and Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram were also present on the occasion.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan informed that on the second day of the disaster, he had visited Haridwar and appealed to Gayatri Parivar to make arrangements for rescuing the stranded pilgrims and providing them meals etc. to calamity affected people. Shanti Kunj has done this work with total dedication. He informed that 5035 pilgrims have been sent back home from Uttarakhand under the leadership of Endowment Minister Shri Laxmikant Sharma. For this, 7 special planes were chartered and arrangement of State Government’s helicopters, 13 buses and other helicopters was made. Special planes have brought 1100 pilgrims to Madhya Pradesh. In all, 2435 pilgrims were brought to Shanti Kunj where they were provided shelter, treatment and food. Ninety pilgrims were brought from Sahastra Dhara while 4900 pilgrims were provided food and treatment at Rishikesh. Madhya Pradesh’s helicopters rescued 453 pilgrims while 1854 pilgrims were airlifted with the assistance of army. The State Government also provided Rs. 8 lakh 5 thousand cash to 1256 pilgrims who had no money with them.
Shri Chouhan informed that Rs. 50 thousand interim relief each is being provided to the families whose relatives are missing. Rs. 2 lakh is being given to the families whose member has lost life while assistance worth Rs. 5 lakh is being provided to the children who have lost both their parents in the tragedy. Madhya Pradesh government will extend additional assistance also. He said that Madhya Pradesh government will also extend cooperation in rebuilding Uttarakhand. Shri Chouhan informed that an action plan to this effect will be chalked out after discussions with Uttarakhand Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that a relief team had been sent to Uttarakhand from Madhya Pradesh on the second day of the calamity. He informed that a photo-bearing district-wise list of missing persons is being prepared in Madhya Pradesh. So far, there is information about 593 missing persons. Records and CD of the missing persons have also been prepared. The list will be sent to different places. He informed that Madhya Pradesh’s Inspector General of Police Shri Pramod Phadnikar, who had also worked with Indo-Tibet Battalion, will lead a team to trace missing persons. He said that all missing persons will be traced through war-footing efforts by the team with the cooperation of Uttarakhand government and local administration. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan appealed to relatives of missing persons should not enter jungles alone to trace them, but work in tandem with local administration. On the occasion, Shri Chouhan also inspected various sections of Shanti Kunj.
Gayatri Parivar’s chief Shri Pranav Pandya said that one member of Gayatri Parivar will visit each village and extend cooperation in rebuilding works.
CM meets Baba Ramdev: Chief Minister Shri Chouhan called on Baba Ram Dev at village Majri Grant, which is situated on the road from Dehradun to Haridwar. Shri Chouhan held discussion with the seer regarding rebuilding, relief and rescue. Culture and Public Relations Minister Shri Laxmikant Sharma and Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram were also present on the occasion.