Dehradun, June 17
Hundreds of stranded pilgrims in Gobind Ghat were evacuated this morning by the Army units and taken to Joshimath, according to a press release by the Central Command headquarters. Further evacuation attempts have been hampered and even disrupted at some places due to extensive landslides in the area. Food, medical aid and shelter have been provided to hundreds of stranded pilgrims in the area by the Army.

A policeman rescues two schoolchildren in the Bairagi area, Haridwar

Following incessant rains and flash floods in various regions of Uttarakhand, the Army has been providing continuous humanitarian aid to thousands of pilgrims in the last 36 hours. Army assistance centres were established in the past 24 hours at several locations, including Harsil, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Joshimath, Gobind ghat, Hanuman Chetti and Dharchula in order to provide information, medical aid, food and water to trapped and hungry pilgrims.

The Army has sent a dozen reconnaissance parties to inaccessible areas with a view to obtaining first-hand information. Five columns are already in location to provide assistance and 10 columns have been kept standby to move at short notice to the flood-affected areas. The Army mobilised these columns without waiting for any request from the civil administration.

Remarkably, many Army units willingly provided relief despite the fact that it's own detachments were too affected by the floods. The Army also provided help to paramilitary personnel at Sela in Pithoragarh district and detachment of mules at Gauri Kund near Kedarnath. Eight quick-reaction-medical teams have established medical aid posts at Rudraprayag, Joshimath, Gobind ghat and Dharchula, providing immediate life-saving medical assistance. Besides, the stranded pilgrims are being given expert and specialist medical advice on telephone via virtual network through Surya Medical Emergency Helpline at 1800 180 5558 and 1800 419 0282.

Dehradun, June 17
Four deaths were reported in Kashta Mathuti village in Kalsi area of Dehradun district today. The victims were identified as Bhagatnath, 48, his wife Pratima, 40, sons Manojnath,18, and Anupnath, 14. District administration officials reached the site where the house of the victims had collapsed due to excessive rain. District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam announced assistance to the family members of the deceased.

Houses situated on the bank of the Rispana damaged due to flood water in Dehradun on Monday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

District Magistrate as well as Additional District Magistrate Harak Singh Rawat led the rescue operations, whereas 23 families of Budhi village were safely evacuated yesterday. The villagers had got trapped after the swelling Asan river surrounded their houses from all sides. The operations went on throughout the night. Villagers were rescued through rafts. Purushottam also gave directions to evacuate slum dwellers who are living close to Bindal river.

The district administration is sending relief teams as per information it was getting through disaster control room. Damage to property was reported in Kalsi Garor and Dasau in Chakrata. Three tin shed houses and a pucca house in Gobindgarh Azad Colony got damaged in the gushing rain water. A house in Doon's Vihar Jakhan area, a small bridge on Sevla Kala Chanderbani Road, huts on Haridwar Road and a 75-metre embankment near Bindal river got washed away under the heavy current of water. Disaster control room received 175 calls by 4 in the afternoon. 

Pithoragarh, June 17
The annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been suspended in view of heavy rains and landslides. "The yatra has been stopped in Bondi in Uttarakhand in view of landslides and heavy rains on the trek route to Gunji. The pilgrims have been accommodated in various locations and the route will be opened again after things get normal," a senior ITBP official said.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) guards the yatra and pilgrims. The annual pilgrimage that goes into Tibet had commenced last week after the first batch of 53 pilgrims from Delhi had reached Kathgodam in Pithoragarh. The second batch of the pilgrims that started from New Delhi has been stopped at Almora following heavy rains and disruption of road traffic.

A total of 18 batches of pilgrims are scheduled to have a glimpse of holy mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and take a holy bath in the sacred lake of Mansarovar.

Dehradun, June 17
Mayor Vinod Chamoli held a meeting with officials of Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) to issue directions to deal with the alarming situation arising out continuous spells of heavy downpour effectively.

Chamoli divided the city into four zones. There will be one junior engineer and a sanitary supervisor, besides two teams, each comprising five employees equipped with sanitary equipments for each zone. The team will solve the problems of victims and also coordinate with the control room, set up in office of District Magistrate.

Three employees of the DMC have been deputed in the control room of the DM's office as well to maintain coordination between the district administration and the DMC over rescue and relief operations. The higher officials have been directed to remain in touch over the operations. Chamoli also directed to arrange for water pumps to provide quick relief to the water-logged areas in the city. Representatives of Doon Valley Waste Management Project have been asked to provide two four-wheeler vehicles to the DMC.

Chamoli said since the DM had been sanctioned Rs 3 crore for development work, he directed all the engineers to visit their respective areas and send estimates regarding construction of barricading around drains to him by tomorrow,so that he could forward the proposal to DM. He directed the engineers to inspect the trenching ground and ensure that the garbage was not thrown on the road. He said it was seen that since the passage leading to trenching ground had become blocked due to rain, the sanitary workers were throwing garbage on the road itself. He deputed three sanitary supervisors to monitor the activity from today onwards. He also directed the officials to keep their mobile phones on so that people did not face any difficulty in contacting them. — TNS