PNS | DEHRADUN
The search and rescue operation in Mana ended on Sunday with the authorities succeeding in safely rescuing 46 persons though eight persons died. Forty four labourers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were trapped in their container shelters after an avalanche following heavy snowfall in the Mana area near Badrinath in Chamoli district on February 28. The armed forces in coordination with the government started the search and rescue operation shortly after being informed about the disaster. On the third and concluding day of the operation, the authorities stated that 46 workers had been rescued and eight had lost their lives.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that personnel of the India Army, Indian Air Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Border Roads Organisation, Uttarakhand Police, district administration and the Health department displayed courage and dedication while undertaking the search and rescue operation. They carried out the operation in inclement weather amidst other challenging circumstances and saved 46 lives though unfortunately, eight lives could not be saved. Dhami added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah were consistently taking updates on the rescue operation.
The chief minister further said that the rescued workers who are injured and hospitalised are being taken care of properly, adding that the government is ensuring the best treatment for them. The government fully supports the affected persons and will provide all possible assistance to them, he said. The CM has already directed officials to work on developing a system to monitor the situation in order to prevent similar avalanches and their fatal effect from recurring again.
It is pertinent to mention here that though the majority of the BRO workers trapped following an avalance in the high altitude border region of Mana were rescued, questions are being raised by both the opposition and experts. The CM has already directed the authorities to shift both the workers doing roadworks and tourists in high altitude areas prone to avalanches during the next few days. The opposition has criticised the State government for not learning from past disasters while the Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that its government has performed well in disastrous situations, adding that the opposition should refrain from politicising the sensitive issue.
