Amidst ongoing search and rescue works in the disaster affected area of Chamoli district, 12 bodies were recovered at different locations on Sunday.
According to the Chamoli district administration, five bodies were recovered in the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydro power project tunnel while seven bodies were recovered in Reni area. On being informed about the discovery of bodies in the tunnel on Sunday morning, the district magistrate Swati Singh Bhadauriya and superintendent of police Yashwant Singh Chauhan also reached the tunnel to inspect the site and ongoing search operation on Sunday.
The personnel were directed to send the bodies for post mortem and identification. Later, the district magistrate went to the Reni village to see the rescue and relief works. Bhadauriya informed that out of the 204 people reported missing in the disaster on February 7, the bodies of 50 persons had been found so far from various locations.Now the search and rescue operations are continuing to ascertain the whereabouts of the 154 persons still missing. Meanwhile, the last rites of two bodies and four body parts were conducted ritually as per the regulations after a period of 72 hours on Sunday. At the same time, the authorities have continued the supply of ration kits, medical items and other daily needs in the disaster affected areas. Medical teams are holding camps to administer health checks to the residents in the disaster affected villages. A total of 998 persons have been checked so far, according to the authorities. While a trolley is being used to cross the river at Tapovan, the PWD is working to set up a trolley at Jugju.Work on construction of a bridge is also underway at Reni Palli. Further, 445 persons who were stranded at different locations were taken to their destinations by helicopter.
The district magistrate further informed that as per the directions of the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, financial assistance had been provided to the families of eight persons who had died in the disaster and four persons who were injured while one family was provided grant for home. The Garhwal commissioner Ravinath Raman, ITBP DIG Aparna Singh, Garhwal DIG Neeru Garg, NDRF commandant PK Tiwari and SDRF commandant Navneet Bhullar among others were also present at the affected site in Tapovan.
Meanwhile DIG (Law and Order) and State police chief spokesman, Nilesh Anand Bharne said that of the 50 bodies recovered till Sunday, 25 had been identified while the remaining are yet to be identified.
Monday, 15 February 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
