Back,but with tales of horror and shock

She went with one of her friends’ daughter Arshdeep Kaur,a BA final year student. “I went there for a second time. It was a horrifying experience to see people screaming around,asking for help and bridges breaking down in front of us. But now there is satisfaction that our visit to Gobind Dham didn’t go in vain,” said Arshdeep.

The Punjab government has started a camp at ISBT-43 where facilities are being provided for the victims. As many as 15 buses have brought the survivors safely from Joshimath and 182 people have registered themselves for medical aid. “Around 102 buses and 70 mini-buses we have sent to Joshimath to pick up the pilgrims belonging to Punjab. Yesterday,around 10 buses came till midnight and people were from Amritsar,Ropar,Batala,Patiala and some people from Chandigarh and Maloya,” said Amrik Singh,secretary of the SGPC committee.

Daljeet Kaur,51,who went along with her two sons,was separated from them while coming down from Gobind Dham. She reached ISBT-43 with a swelling in her feet on Sunday. “I managed to cross the river but my sons couldn’t. For a moment,I thought that I lost them but they also managed to cross. It will be a second life for my sons who are coming in another bus.”

“At Gobind Dham,we were getting enough food and water. The gurdwara committee was able to collect water to prepare food for us but conditions became worse while coming down. There was nothing that one could see but water around; everything seemed shattered,” said Daljit.

It was a nightmare for Kulvinder Singh from Amritsar who went along with his brother and two friends on pilgrimage. He saw three of them breathing their last in front of his eyes. Manmohan Kaur from Solkhian village near Kurali went with her family. Everyone in her family has returned safely but with foot and ankle injuries.

Baltej Singh Brar,38,and Jagjeet Singh Sandhu,30,from Brampton,Canada,came to Punjab a month ago to pay a visit to Gobind Dham. “We came to India only to visit Gobind Dham. We went in a group of six on June 13,stayed there for around eight days and now we have all come together safely. Had the Army people not been there,it would have been impossible for us to come out of that area as road links to come down were all washed away and there were no bridges left. While coming from Joshimath,we were provided food,water and medicines; even money was given to those in need,” Baltej said.

Major Singh,69,who is from Jalandhar,said,“We went with our families on pilgrimage. There were more than 5,000 people stuck there. The way was made for us to come down through the river but we all came down walking around 16 km through the jungles. A helicopter brought us to Joshimath and then Punjab Police buses,mini-buses,and even cars were waiting for us.”

R S Sandhu,a doctor at 4th Commando Hospital in Mohali,said,“In two days,we have registered 182 people who needed medical aid. People are coming with problems like nausea,fever,joint pains,body pains,food poisoning and cervical pain. Medicines are given free of cost,and doctors from civil hospitals are also available for consultation. Punjab Police and Chandigarh Administration has deployed four ambulances here at the bus stand,but no casualty has been reported and no one has been referred to the hospital till now.”