Step up rescue ops,SC tells Centre,state

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre and Uttarakhand government to step up rescue operations to evacuate people caught in the floods even as the governments assured they were doing their best to save the lives of those still stranded. You must step up your activities (to evacuate people immediately), said a vacation bench […]

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre and Uttarakhand government to step up rescue operations to evacuate people caught in the floods even as the governments assured they were doing their best to save the lives of those still stranded.

You must step up your activities (to evacuate people immediately), said a vacation bench of Justices A K Patnaik and Ranjan Gogoi when the action taken reports disclosed that at least 560 people had already lost their lives while more than 9,000 were stranded across different parts of the state.

Responding to a PIL filed by a lawyer,the Uttarakhand government also told the apex court that evacuation of all stranded pilgrims will be completed in the next 72 hours if weather conditions remain favourable.

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As per the court order,the Centre and state government had filed their reports,detailing the rescue operations being carried out to minimise the loss of life. The reports claimed that 96,500 people had been evacuated till June 23 with the help of more than 11,700 military and paramilitary personnel. A total of 1,189 air sorties were done by the Indian Air Force while the Army carried out 419 sorties with the help of around 70 helicopters.

Mentioning the visits by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to the affected areas,the Centres report claimed that MHA was in constant touch with the state government for extending the required help.

The state government,in its report,also assured supply of adequate food,water and medicines for the victims and said that a team of 187 doctors had been pressed into service. It said that evacuation from Kedarnath,Jungle Chatti,Hemkund Sahib,Gaurikund and Ghagharia was almost complete.

The state also said that identification and disposal of dead bodies were on its priority list and that serious efforts were being made for identification of missing persons with the assistance of chief secretaries of all the states.

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The court,after perusing the reports,listed the case for June 28.

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