DGP reviews relief and rescue operations in Uttarkashi, orders marking of unstable zones
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The director general of police Deepam Seth reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue operations in Uttarkashi’s Dharali and Harsil areas with senior police officers of Uttarakhand on Sunday. He directed officials to immediately red flag deep, dangerous and unstable zones at the site for safety so that specialised equipment can be used during the search operation.
The meeting, held at the Police Headquarters auditorium in Dehradun, focused on the first phase of relief and rescue efforts and the planning for the next phase. Senior officers from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Service, PAC, Telecom and other branches participated, along with team leaders deployed in the affected areas. The DGP gathered updates from ADG L/O, IG PAC, IG SDRF, IG Telecom, IG Fire, IG Garhwal Range, DIG L/O and others on the progress so far. He acknowledged that agencies coordinated effectively to evacuate trapped individuals and deliver relief materials despite roadblocks and weather challenges. Seth said that the second phase will prioritise search and R
rescue operations. The State government has appointed IG SDRF Arun Mohan Joshi as Incident Commander for Dharali and Harsil, with SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi as Deputy Incident Commander. The DGP instructed Joshi to coordinate with the district magistrate and superintendent of police in Uttarkashi, Army, ITBP, NDRF, BRO, PWD, Health department and other agencies, dividing the site into sectors with defined responsibilities. He ordered the strategic deployment of adequate SDRF, Fire, PAC and police personnel in the affected areas, preparation of accurate lists of missing persons with local coordination and prioritisation of searches accordingly. He also directed full use of drones, thermal imaging cameras, victim locating cameras and dog squads to accelerate operations. All personnel have been told to remain on 24×7 alert mode and ensure real-time reporting for quick decision-making in any emergency.
