Dharali disaster: Damaged roads forces administration to focus on aerial rescue operation

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun

Following difficulty in transporting relief material and rescuing people by road, the State administration is now focussing on rescue by the helicopters. A total of 300 people have so far been rescued by the authorities from the disaster affected Dharali area.

In the rescue operation two Chinook, two MI-17 and four other helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been pressed into service. Apart from them eight helicopters of the State government, one Advanced Light Helicopter and two Cheetah helicopters of the Army are deployed in the massive operation.

On Thursday, the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) airlifted 125 KV capacity generator from Dehradun airport, Jollygrant to Dharali. The Chinook helicopter of IAF was used to transport the massive generator. The UPCL is also planning to airlift two generator sets of 63 KV capacity each on Friday morning. These generators will be used to restore power supply in the disaster affected area. To restore the internet services, the authorities have also airlifted one VSAT to the area.

The authorities have deployed 150 personnel of Rajputana Rifles, 12 Commandos of Ghatak team of Army, 69 personnel of NDRF, 50 personnel of SDRF, 130 Jawans of ITBP, nine medical teams, nine fire teams and 15 BRO workers in the affected area. Most of these personnel were sent by Helicopters by the authorities.

 On the orders of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who is directly monitoring the relief and rescue operation, more than 2000 food packets have been sent for the affected families. The dry ration has been sent to the Harsil by aerial route from where it will be sent to the remote villages.