The West Bengal government has decided to airlift its pilgrims still stranded in flood-hit Uttarakhand by hiring chartered planes. Those still stranded will be brought home in chartered flights that will operate either from Dehradun or Delhi, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Writers on Tuesday. It is the moral responsibility of the state government to rescue its citizens, Banerjee added. According to her,such an initiative had never been taken in the past. But if one wishes,many things can be done,she added. When asked about the number of people from the state who have died in the floods,Banerjee said that she did not have any information in this regard. Why are you asking about the dead? We want everyone to return alive. We do not have details about the dead, she said. The CM,who had earlier sent two ministers from the state to oversee rescue operations last week,said that she had asked State Transport Minister Madan Mitra to return while State Tourism Minister Rachhpal Singh will stay there to look after the rescue activities. Meanwhile,Mitra said on his return that at least 400 people from Bengal are still missing. The way the helicopters are making sorties,it will take at least three months to ferry all the pilgrims, Mitra told The Indian Express.
