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Bahuguna govt raises ex-gratia relief
Survivors thank Almighty, rescuers, locals
Chopper crash
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Congress pays homage to chopper crash victims
Central Army Command launches website for benefit of disaster-hit
Restore Dhari Devi shrine to its original place: Swami Shivanand
Sai foundation dispatces relief material
Vidhan Sabha staff to donate one-day salary
General Bhadani (retd) is Vice-Chairman, SDMA panel
Politicians out to score brownie points
Waterlogging in various parts of Dehradun
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Bahuguna govt raises ex-gratia relief
Dehradun, June 26 ''In view of the stupendous losses due to floods, landslides and cloudbursts in the state, we have increased the compensation for the dead from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, increased the compensation amount offered for animal (livestock) loss from Rs 16,000 to Rs 20,000 and increased the compensation for the flood-hit farmer for agriculture land loss from Rs 200 (per nail) to Rs 5000 under the relief and rehabilitation policy,'' said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. A separate economic package for small dhaba owners of Kedar valley is also being worked out by the government. ''As the existing rehabilitation and relief policy has no separate provisions for financially compensating the small eatery owners and other businesses, the government is working out a suitable economic package for them,'' Bahuguna said. He said that the government was still taking stock of the situation and gathering information from the districts and the departments about the losses sustained. ''Preliminary reports suggest more than 200 villages have been badly affected by the natural disaster. It will take a week to compile all the information and the district and department heads have been asked to furnish information as soon as possible,'' Bahuguna told reporters. The Chief Minister reiterated that the government would get back the Char Dham Yatra on track as soon as possible as it was the mainstay of the economy of the state. ''We will win back the confidence of the people and pilgrims would return, but regulations have to be put in place to minimise the losses, especially in Yamnotri and Kedarnath, which are narrow valleys. We will also initiate development and infrastructure development package for Kedarnath,'' he said. On the rescue and relief operations under way in the state, the Chief Minister said that Central agencies are expected to complete the evacuation in Harsil by tomorrow and operations in Chamoli are expected in two three days, depending on the weather conditions. He said around 15 choppers would be deployed for providing relief, including ration and other aid to the affected villagers of the state.
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Survivors thank Almighty, rescuers, locals
Haridwar, June 26 Enquiries about their experience reveal varied facets of the traumatic experience, survival between death and life, nature’s fury and relief of getting survived after being stuck for six to eight days in their eyes and voice. Like Shyam Kali, 55 years, from Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, doesn’t recollect whether they were stranded for six or nine days. She says that they had visited the Shri Kedarnath shrine and were on way to the Shri Badrinath shrine when they encountered heavy rain. She had come in a group with relatives and villagers in a hired bus, but lost their belongings in the rainy tirade. They then stayed at a village in Joshimath, waiting for rescue operations. For two to three days, they remained in total seclusion from the relief operations. It was only after Army and Air Force began rescue operations that they got food, water and hope of getting evacuated. “We reached Harshil with administration and Army personnel guiding us in groups. We were then put in an aircraft and reached Rishikesh yesterday. The administration has provided us accommodation and food free of cost,” said Shyam Kali,who boarded the train for Sonbhadra along with Parvati Devi, Kashi Singh and Ram Pyarey. Ram Pyare,got so emotional thanking the Almighty for their survival, that he began to almost weep. He termed his return as miracle in view of the nature’s fury they witnessed for a week. Bihar-based Pokhar village pilgrim Kiran Devi along with two other women, on reaching Haridwar, wanted to immediate board the train, so as to reach home at the earliest. But only one train was available today. They calmed down and took food, water and medical aid available at numerous temporary counters set up at the railway station. Gujarat-based Vachala Bai, 62,who was rescued from the Harshil airbase by the Air Force personnel, said that tens of thousands had got stranded in the heavy rain. Taking shelter in the higher terrain was the only option as lower down, the river was in deluge. But in many areas, boulders from mountains were falling down, roads portions were caving in and nothing seemed to going all right. Vachala had a word of praise for the rescue personnel and local people for helping pilgrims even though they themselves were facing nature's fury. Pilgrims rescued want a specific disaster management plan in place for the Char Dham yatra so that if a similar situation arose again, minimal loss to humanity occurred and pilgrims as well as local people got rescued on time.
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Chopper crash
Dehradun, June 26 He expressed his sympathies and condolences to the Indian Air Force and the NDRF officers. He announced to give an amount of Rs 10 lakh each to the kithand kin of these personnel who lost
their lives.
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Congress pays homage to chopper crash victims
Dehradun, June 26 In a statement issued today, she said that Uttarakhand will always remain indebted to the martyrs for ongoing relief and rescue operations in
Uttarakhand, where 20 ITBP, Air Force and NDRF personnel were martyred. She said that even in this moment of terrible disaster, without caring for their lives, they were continuously working to save the stranded. Even after
losing their companions, they were working with full courage to save others from the
disaster. It was by efforts of these Army men and the government that people reached their homes. During the bad weather, the armed forces had continued their operations. While offering tribute on behalf of
state Congress president Yashpal Arya and the whole state Congress, Shilpi Arora prayed for the eternal peace of the valiant soldiers killed in the crash.
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Central Army Command launches website for benefit of disaster-hit
Dehradun, June 26 By logging on to this site, anyone from around the world can locate his near and dear ones. Although the data is not exhaustive, it is being updated as and when the information is available. Earlier in the day, for the first time since floods ravaged the hill districts of Uttarakhand resulting in extensive damage to road infrastructure, Army engineers moved swiftly and constructed a steel bridge across Alaknanda at Lambagar. Army engineers negotiated numerous landslides on Rishikesh-Badrinath road and enabled thousands of stranded vehicles to reach Lambagar
last evening.
Army constructed the bridge throughout the night in inclement weather conditions to ensure that the bridge is ready for use by pilgrims who were being evacuated by foot from Badrinath. Evacuation from both Harsil and Badrinath continued throughout the day. A total of 500 people have been evacuated from Harsil by air and 800 people have been evacuated from Badrinath till the filing of this report. As many as 375 of them have moved on foot. As per latest reports, approximately 450 are still awaiting evacuation from Harsil and approximately 3,000 are waiting for their turn at Badrinath. Army search operations in Jungle Chatti continued for the third day based on instructions given by Army Commander, Central Command. No stranded pilgrims were found from Jungle Chatti area for third consecutive day. Veterniary medical aid teams treated more than 100 animals today on Hemkund axis. The animals got stranded following washing away of the bridge at Gobind Ghat. Besides, two Army psychiatrists interacted with stranded pilgrims and provided them professional counselling. More than 5,600 Army personnel are deployed across Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand for the past 10 days, risking their own lives to save lives of the countrymen. Army has so far evacuated more than 33,000 people since June 17. About 25,000 of them were rescued by foot while 8000 were moved out by helicopter. A total of 13 Army aviation aircraft conducted 600 sorties to evacuate 2715 people and ferry 24 tonnes of food, fuel, medicines, blankets and relief material to the people. Army is conducting
operations despite inclement weather.
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Restore Dhari Devi shrine to its original place: Swami Shivanand
Swami Shivanand said that the deity of Mata Dhari Devi is a form of Mata Kali and holds significant place among devotees, which is adjacent to Alaknanda river. But despite the local people's resentment and saints' objection, the state government had bowed to the corporate lobby, as height of the Alaknanda hydro-power project was increased, which led to Dhari Devi temple area coming into submersion. "Mata Dhari Devi is a form of Shakti and Lord Shiva (Kedarnath) surely is not appeased with the forcible removal of the shila. Restore it as it is not a good omen. Devotees should worship it at the same site," said Swami Shivanand. The saint who is known for numerous social campaigns, including anti-quarrying and anti-hydroelectric power projects, also pointed to the weakening of mountains and riverbeds in Uttarakhand due to numerous hydro power projects being build in the eco-sensitive
zone. Swami Shivanand said be it holy Ganga or Bhagirathi, Alaknanda or sub-tributaries, none was being spared in name of commercial interests and power
projects. Matra Sadan ashram has been for long opposing big hydro power projects but state government and politicians only saw money and power, now see destruction and the havoc nature has inflicted owing to disturbance of local ecology, he added. Referring to renowned environmentalist Professor Guru Das Aggarwal ,alias Swami Gyan Swaroop
Sanand?s, appeal urging Hindu devotees to not go for Char Dham yatra earlier this year as a mark of protest was in fact a wake up warning signal.
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Sai foundation dispatces relief material
Dehradun, June 26 Members of the Malas’ World Sanstha also took truck load of food items and other relief material for the disaster-hit in the region.
— TNS
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General Bhadani (retd) is Vice-Chairman, SDMA panel
Dehradun, June 26 ''The meeting of the SDMA was held yesterday where it was decided to appoint Lt Gen (retd) MC Bhadani as Vice Chairman of the SDMA. He will be assisted by seven members of the advisory committee, who will be specialists in different fields,'' said Chief Minister Vijay Bhauguna. The Chief Minister also announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation amount and extraordinary pension to be paid to the state police force and government employees who lost their lives while discharging duties during the flood fury.
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Politicians out to score brownie points
Dehradun, June 26 The issue came to fore when Congress MP V Hanumantha Rao and TDP MP Ramesh Rathod were trying to outsmart each other at Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, trying to score brownie points by flying back the rescued Andhra pilgrims first to Andhra Pradesh. There has been a virtual competition between various politics parties trying to portray themselves as saviours of pilgrims from their respective states. Apart from victims, a large number of pilgrims that got stranded belong to different parts of the country, and it was generally seen that the chief ministers of various states were specific in expressing concern over the pilgrims affected in the disaster from their respective states. Congress some days back criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the latter's comment of 'Rambo' rescue operation in the tragedy-hit region and his only concern for pilgrims from Gujarat. NDA allay Shiv Sena too criticised Narendra Modi for seeing the relief and rescue operations on parochial lines. Similarly, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda had expressed concern over pilgrims from Haryana.
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Waterlogging in various parts of Dehradun
Dehradun, June 26 Another small bridge at Nalapani Kali Mata Mandir was also washed away. This led to waterlogging in the area. Embankment at Brahmpuri drains fell down, which damaged two kutcha houses in this slum colony. People in Gobindgarh also complained of the same. Shamsher Ali of Patel Nagar Sudhowala Ghati said 10 kutcha houses collapsed after water from Bindal river swept the embankment situated there. Another embankment near Shalini School at Raipur and a road at Nai Basti broke down which led to the flow of water in the locality . Similar complaints came from Ward No 18 Sahastardhara and Rishi Nagar Valmiki. Both the Dehradun Municipal Corporation and the
Irrigation Department have been informed about the damage. District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam directed them to take immediate action in this regard.
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Dehradun, June 26
Haridwar, June 26