News Analysis India

Tag: Uttarakhand disaster

  • Centre assures all support to Uttarakhand government after reports of glacier burst in Chamoli

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: After reports of glacier break in Malari Sumna of Chamoli district at the India-Tibet border on Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat said that he spoke to Union Home minister Amit Shah who has promised help and support.

    Rawat tweeted, “Honorable Union Home Minister has personally taken note of the incident and promised full support and help. I am thankful on the behalf of the people of Uttarakhand for his considerate and sensitive response ”

    Earlier, in the evening, reports of a glacier break started pouring in fueling rumors which were denied by the district administration.

    Chamoli DM Swati Bhadauria said, “We have unconfirmed reports of glacier break. Officials from the Border Road Organization and other have left for the spot to take stock of the situation. We cannot say anything until we get some real information.”

    Later, the CM himself took it to Twitter and stated that he has ordered ‘halting’ of projects in the area and alert has been announced.

    नीती घाटी के सुमना में ग्लेशियर टूटने की सूचना मिली है। इस संबंध में मैंने एलर्ट जारी कर दिया है। मैं निरंतर जिला प्रशासन और बीआरओ के सम्पर्क में हूँ।
    — Tirath Singh Rawat (@TIRATHSRAWAT) April 23, 2021

    Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar also informed through Twitter that team has been already dispatched to assess the ground situation but bad weather is the only hurdle to get information on the scale of any kind of damages. 

    The break is said to be near a road project in the border area which is being built by the BRO. 

    Scale of damages and loss of life is not known yet. The area largely remains sparsely habited or uninhabited apart from forces like Indo-ibetan Border Police, Indian Army and many other forces guarding the borders.

    जिला प्रशासन को मामले की पूरी जानकारी प्राप्त करने के निर्देश दे दिए हैं। एनटीपीसी एवं अन्य परियोजनाओं में रात के समय काम रोकने के आदेश दे दिए हैं ताकि कोई अप्रिय घटना ना होने पाये।
    — Tirath Singh Rawat (@TIRATHSRAWAT) April 23, 2021

    The higher reaches of hilly areas of Uttarakhand including the Niti Valley received 4-5 feet of snowfall. Officials from the BRO said that access points and roads have been blocked by snowfall which can delay their journey to the spot. 

    In February this year, a glacier break in Raini village of the district resulted in loss of 79 lives and damaged two power plants. Hundreds are still missing in the disaster. The February flashfloods also brought back memories of 2013 Kedarnath disaster. 

  • Uttarakhand floods: One more body recovered, toll now 62

    By PTI
    GOPESHWAR: One more body has been recovered from a flood-hit area in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, taking the toll in the glacial disaster to 62, even as search and rescue operations continued for the 13th day at the NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site.

    One body was recovered late Thursday night from the banks of the Alaknanda at Helang between Joshimath and Pipalkoti, Chamoli district police said on Friday.

    The body was found at a coffer barrage of the THDC, it said.

    With this recovery, the toll in the February 7 disaster has risen to 62 while 142 people are still missing, they said.

    The number of bodies recovered from the intake Adit tunnel of Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project where a massive search operation has been under way ever since the tragedy struck still stands at 13.

    Besides, 28 human limbs have also been recovered from different places in the affected area out of which one has been identified.

    Thirty-three bodies out of the 62 recovered so far have also been identified, police said, adding the DNAs of unidentified bodies are being preserved.

    The glacial burst over Rishiganga had triggered an avalanche which had demolished a 13.

    2 MW hydel project along the river besides causing extensive damage to the NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project along Dhauliganga.

  • Expert teams reach spot as efforts to drain lake pick up in Uttarakhand

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Efforts to drain out the lake that has formed 8 km upstream from Raini village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand after February 7 flash floods are on.  A team of ITBP and DRDO has reached the spot and will be camping there to assess the ground situation and the ways to drain the lake safely. Om Prakash, chief secretary of Uttarakhand said, “The teams of experts, scientists and ITBP are on the ground to assess the situation about the lake.

    We will soon decide the course of action based on their report.” The water is draining through three streams which have formed through rubble which is acting as a dam. The search operations also continue, with total 61 bodies recovered till date while 143 people are still missing. Nilesh Anand Bharney, in-charge of State Police Disaster Control Room, said two bodies were recovered from the Tapovan tunnel and one from Raini village on Thursday. 

    Meanwhile, several groups and outfits have come up with various demands in the wake of the flash floods. Shivanand Saraswati, founder of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan, has announced to go on fast-unto-death from February 23 against hydropower plants in Uttarakhand. A group of social workers have urged the government to register a case of murder and criminal negligence against NTPC, to order a probe headed by a retired high court or SC judge, and provide Rs 50 lakh as compensation and permanent job for one member of each of the aggrieved families. 

  • Uttarakhand disaster: Effigies for cremation, body parts fished out in search of victims

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Severed limbs and chunks of flesh fished out of muddy water. That’s what the rescue operation has been reduced to, 11 days after the disaster at the hydel power projects. Rescue teams have found body parts in the rivers Rishiganga, Dhauliganga, Alaknanda, their tributaries and other rivulets. In some cases, bodies were found over 150 kms away from the disaster epicentre.

    So far, 58 bodies and 24 body parts have been recovered. Nothing was found on Wednesday. For family members of the missing, DNA tests are the only hope. Many are cremating effigies of family members as a symbolic last rite. “Effigies are cremated in the Jaunsari community if bodies are not found. We did that following our tradition, knowing that it’s impossible to find the bodies,” said Sanjay Chauhan of Panjiya village.

    As operations entered the 10th day, identifying bodies and body parts is becoming the challenge. “It’s  a harrowing sight. Bodies are decomposed and disfigured. Family members are identifying them by articles worn, like watches, jewelery, belts and clothes in some cases,” said Navneet Bhullar, Commandant of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force.

    Unidentified bodies and body parts are being disposed off 72 hours after recovering them. Before that, officials are collecting DNA samples for identification in the future. Till Wednesday, 53 bodies and 20 body parts have been disposed off after performing last rites.

  • Uttarakhand glacier burst: Tapovan village grim as families lose hope

    By PTI
    TAPOVAN: As bodies are being continually pulled out of the muck-filled power project tunnel here, the atmosphere outside is getting grimmer with families of the missing people losing hope of seeing them alive.

    Every time a body is brought out of the adit tunnel, families waiting outside for over a week, take some time to pluck up the courage to see if the mortal remains are of a loved one or not.

    And the temporary relief of not finding a family member among the dead is brief as they are soon gripped by despair when they see rescue personnel battling through tonnes of sludge choking the tunnel and are reminded that eight days have elapsed since the calamity happened.

    Nine bodies have so far been recovered from the tunnel at Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site taking the toll in the tragedy to 54, while officials say 115 people are still missing.

    Out of the three bodies recovered from the tunnel on Monday one is of Satypal Singh Bartwal from Masoli village in Pokhri area of Chamoli district.

    “We hoped Satyapal would return alive. But now we will have to return home with my brother’s body. It’s unbearable,” said his elder brother in a choked voice.

    Over a dozen relatives of Bartwal including his brother, who had been camping at Tapovan village since the day the tragedy struck, broke down inconsolably after identifying the body.

    The crowd of disheartened relatives at the tunnel site has begun to disperse.

    Those who remain are found hanging around the mortuary where the bodies are being brought one after another.

    Relatives of Jitendra, a resident of Jammu brought out dead from the tunnel on Sunday are also packing up to leave.

    “Seven of us had come from Jammu after we heard of the glacial disaster in Chamoli on February 7 and my brother’s phone was switched off.

    We had been scouring different areas of Tapovan and Joshimath for four days in search of Jitendra until his body was brought out of the tunnel on Sunday.

    It’s tragic,” Jitendra’s younger brother Pavan said.

    Alam Singh Pundir’s body, the first to be pulled out of the tunnel on Sunday has also been handed over to his relatives who had arrived in Tapovan just a day after the tragedy in search of him.

    According to an official of the NTPC, the bodies that have been recovered since Sunday were found in the upside of the adit tunnel.

    The bodies being identified now appear to be those of people who were working in the inner parts of the tunnel at the time of the flash floods and apparently ran to the upside in an attempt to get out but got bogged down in the slush gushing in, he said.

    However, there are also some who have not given up hope.

    The father and father-in-law of Sateshwar Purohit, a resident of Soni village in Chamoli who worked as an electrician and went missing from the tunnel after the avalanche are an example as they are hopeful of his safe return.

    “We have absolute faith in God. Our son will definitely return,” his father said.

    Purohit lives with his family in Tapovan and has two daughters, one of whom is one-and-a-half-years-old.

    As relatives visit their home to urge their mother to not lose hope, the girls listen without blinking their eyes.

    While Purohit’s wife is hopeful, she has her doubts as seven days have passed since she last heard from her husband when disaster struck.

  • Uttarakhand calamity: Three more bodies recovered, toll climbs to 53

    By PTI
    DEHRADUN/TAPOVAN: Three more bodies were recovered on Monday from the flood-ravaged Tapovan tunnel, taking the toll in the glacial disaster in Uttarakhand to 53.

    The bodies were recovered this morning from the Adit tunnel at the NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad project site, Chamoli District Magistrate, Swati S Bhadauria, told PTI.

    Rescue efforts are now underway at the Silt Flushing Tunnel (SFT) only with the help of excavators as a camera or a pipe cannot be inserted due to mounds of sludge and water choking it, the district magistrate said.

    The SFT at Tapovan where drilling was completed on Saturday night in the hope of inserting a camera to locate those believed to be trapped inside is also badly choked with slush and water, she said.

    Rescue or recovery is possible only with the help of excavators now, she said.

    Officials said over 150 people still remain missing after the February 7 devastation, possibly triggered by an avalanche in the upper reaches of the Alaknanda river system.

    A surge of water in Dhauliganga and Rishiganga rivers had ripped through two hydel projects.

    Asked about the chances of survival of those missing or trapped, the district magistrate said, “We must always try to be hopeful when the circumstances are adverse.”          

    Around 30 people, who were at work inside the tunnel when the flashflood occurred, are believed to be trapped inside the SFT at Tapovan.

    The last rites of those pulled out dead after DNA sampling and other formalities have also been going on and compensation cheques are also being distributed among the next of kin of the deceased.

    Families of those from outside Chamoli district killed in the tragedy are being paid compensation of Rs 4 lakh each through bankers cheques by the concerned district administration.

    Over 500 ration kits carrying foodgrains and essentials have already been distributed among residents of over a dozen villages that were cut off from the district headquarters following the disaster that struck a week ago.

    Electricity supply has been restored in all affected villages except Pang where solar lanterns have been provided to residents for the time being, she said.

    The agencies involved in the Tapovan rescue work include the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force.

  • Body of missing J&K resident recovered from Uttarakhand disaster site

    By PTI
    JAMMU: The body of a missing foreman from Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir has been recovered from the flash flood-hit Joshimath area in Uttarakhand, officials said on Sunday.

    Jitender Kumar Kotwal was among two persons from the union territory who had gone missing after the calamity struck the Joshinath area in Chamoli district last Sunday.

    Earlier, the body of an engineer from Srinagar, Basharat Ahmad Zargar, was found at the disaster-hit site on February 12.

    READ| Uttarakhand floods: Sunday off saved lives of labourers from Jharkhand

    “Body of Kotwal, a resident of Bhara Seri village of Doda, has been recovered and identified by his relatives,” an official said.

    Kotwal was working as a foreman at Rishiganga hydel project and had left his village one and a half months back to join his work, he said.

    The NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project had suffered extensive damage in the flash flood, which also demolished the Rishiganga hydel project.

  • Meet three key women officials working on rescue efforts at Chamoli

    Express News Service
    TAPOVAN: The district magistrate of Chamoli, Swati Bhadoria, has been working constantly since the devastating flashflood struck the state on Sunday, answering on an average of 100-150 calls daily.

    Unprecedented as she called it, she said, “More than mine, hundreds of other lives have been affected irreversibly. I am trying to do as much as I can.”

    Her three and a half year old son, Abhyuday, was able to join her in Joshimath only on February 10, three days after she had rushed to Tapovan where the flashfloods wreaked havoc.

    A Btech degree holder in electronics and communication, the officer faced the the verbal and physical heckling by the media, and the local residents calmly.

    On asking how she did that, she said, “I have to focus on my work which is — rescue and relief. One should not lose cool because that will affect efficiency. Also, I understand what the people are going through and we all are trying to help each other as much as we can.”

    ALSO READ | Chamoli rescue mission: Delay, disruption render changed strategy futile

    She thanked her staff and her husband Nitin Bhadauria, a 2011 batch IAS officer who is also posted in Uttarakhand.

    Dy Inspector General of Police, Neeru Garg

    Deputy-inspector-general of police Neeru Garg misses Pihu, her nine-year-old daughter who she had to leave with her mother in Haridwar.

    “She waits for my video call along with my three pets. I explained to her why I have to be away from her. She is having her mock tests so I have to help her in studies too and assure her that I am there for her,” said the 2005 batch IPS officer.

    The officer visits Tapovan and Raini everyday starting her routine at around 7-8 am only to return at around 11 pm.

    “These are unprecedented times and we all are working as a team, as one unit. I miss my daughter but I see that this calamity has taken away family members of hundreds,” said Garg.

    Known as no-nonsense officer among bureaucratic circles and a hard task master, her skills were tested when the flashfloods hit Raini and Tapovan.

    Aparna Kumar, DIG, ITBP

    Aparna Kumar, DIG, ITBP described as a walking manifestation of resilience and hard work reached on the spot and stayed for over 10-12 hours constantly monitoring the situation. 

    The credentials of the 2002 batch IPS officer, range from being the first woman ITBP officer to successfully scale the South Pole in 2019 to completing the prestigious seven summits’ challenge by scaling all of the seven top peaks of the seven continents.

    A proud recipient of Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2019 says, “Right now I want to save those men. Rest all is background noise.” 

  • Chamoli disaster: Sirens, confusion ensue at rescue spot after water levels of Rishi Ganga rise

    Express News Service
    TAPOVAN: At the spot of the Tapovan tunnel rescue mission located near the Dhauli Ganga, more than 50 journalists and top officials were caught off guard by a warning call at around 2:10 pm. 

    “They said water levels are rising. Bhago Bhago yahan se!,” screamed a man amidst the gathering.

    “I saw muddy water flowing rapidly. That meant there was a huge inflow from the higher mountains. I was scared for myself and for everyone. I called up and told my friend in Tapovan. I did not want what happened on Sunday repeat,” said Sohan Rana from Raini village who alerted people in Tapovan.

    Mohan Singh, another resident of the village where the Chipko Movement started in 1973, said, “We saw a lot of water flow in Rishi Ganga. This was not the case yesterday. The dry patch was now overflowing with muddy water. This cannot be without water flowing in from the upper reaches like it did on Sunday flash floods. We cannot take any chances right now. We started making calls to everyone we knew was anywhere near the river.”

    The people fled the spot while sirens, whistles and shouts filled the area struck by one the worst flashfloods of Uttarakhand.

    The rescue operations were suspended temporarily only to resume after two hours at around 4 pm with excavators clearing the tunnel and the multi-agency rescue mission starting work.

    Rescue personnel, workers and engineers trying to install a trolly bridge on river Dhauli Ganga started running towards high slopes.

    “I got a call that the water was rising in Rishi Ganga at an alarming rate. I disconnected the call and shouted ‘Bhago Bhago’. I could not think of anything else,” says Rajesh Singh of Joshimath who was at the rescue spot with a friend.

    Ravinath Raman, commissioner of Garhwal division who was one of the officials conducting the press conference which got disrupted said, “I immediately ordered everyone to leave the spot. We cannot take any chance,” said Raman.

    The officials who were present in the press conference included commissioner of Garhwal division, district magistrate of Chamoli district Swati Bhadauria, the commissioner, Yashwant Singh Chauhan the superintendent of police, Neeru Garg the deputy inspector general, Colonel DS Negi from the Indian Army, Ujjawal Bhattacharya, RP Ahirwar from NTPC Limited and atleast 30 men from State Disaster Response Force and various other departments.

    Chauhan, who was the only one refusing to budge even after the siren went off shouted on top of his voice, “Pehle andar (inside the tunnel) walon ko bahar nikalo. Sab beh jaenge. (Get the men working in the tunnel first else they will be washed away.)”

    When asked why he did not leave, he said, “Did you see the Army men leaving or any men from any other forces. We are trained to try to save others first. We know how to act instead of panic. Of course I was careful and confident that I can run and climb the high ground fast enough.”

    Meanwhile, the news of a formation of a lake from the blockage of Rishi Ganga river trickled later in the day.

    This was later confirmed by the officials.

  • AAP demands higher compensation to Uttarakhand tragedy victims in Rajya Sabha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A demand for raising the compensation for the victims of the recent flash flood in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, which killed at least 35 people, was made in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

    Raising the issue through a zero hour mention, AAP MP Sanjay Singh claimed 173 persons are still missing and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are carrying out rescue operations.

    However, a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for those who lost their lives in the disaster by the central and state governments is inadequate, he said.

    “The compensation amount should be at least Rs 25 lakh,” Singh said, adding that the compensation should also be paid for the property damaged in the disaster.

    Meanwhile, AAP MP Narain Dass Gupta raised the issue of only one entry/exit gate to most metro stations being operational in the national capital despite lockdown restrictions being lifted.

    This, he said, leads to long queues at stations such as Central Secretariat and Patel Chowk.

    Since no new coronavirus case was reported in the last few days in the city, he demanded allowing commuters to use all four gates at the metro stations.

    BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav demanded the use of Hindi as a language of transacting business in the Supreme Court and regional languages in high courts.

    He said while the Law Commission in its 216th report stated that the use of Hindi in the Supreme Court and high court is impractical, the Chief Justice of India had in January 2016 informed the government of the rejection of a proposal to use Hindi and other regional languages in the apex court and high courts.

    A total of 98 per cent of the population uses Hindi or other regional languages for conversation and so they should be given a preference, he said.

    Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala also associated himself with the issue.

    CPI(M) MP Jharna Das Baidya sought introduction of new train services to two localities in South Tripura district, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sought extension of benefits under the special category to Saharia tribals living in Sagar and Bhopal divisions of Madhya Pradesh.

    BJP leader Amar Patnaik raised the issue of ‘unfair’ fixed charges on account of renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO).

    “All the states do not have the same potential for generating all kinds of renewable energy.

    Some states have higher potential for solar, some have high wind intensity and some have high hydro potential but the recent circular, which has been issued, fixes and mandates that all of them would be put together under an RPO trajectory including solar, non-solar, hydro, wind.

    ” He sought states to be allowed the freedom to determine the renewable energy sources they want to exploit.

    BJP MP DP Vats wanted an increase in vacancies for induction of war widows as well as states giving more Ex gratia employment to them.

    Congress leader L Hanumanthaiah demanded autonomy to Kannada Classical Language Institute in Mysuru, while CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem raised the issue of civilians living near military establishments in Kozhikode in Kerala not being allowed to construct or renovate their residential properties.

    “As per the amended guidelines released by the Ministry of Defence dated October 21, 2016, there are 193 stations where a no objection certificate is needed for construction works within 100 m from the outer wall of the defence establishments.

    “In Kerala, only the Kannur station is included in it and the Military Establishment in West Hill, Kozhikode is not there in the list of 193 stations.

    So, there should not be any restriction in construction existing in that area,” Kareem said.

    But the military authorities of Kozhikode station are not allowing people for construction, repair or renovation of their own houses or buildings, he said seeking the government’s intervention in the issue.

    BJP MP G V L Narasimha Rao demanded setting up of a National Research Centre for chilly crop at Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh to help the development of new varieties and imparting post-harvest technologies.

    Congress MP Rajeev Satav raised the issue of vacant posts of chief commissioner of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability and chairperson of National Trust for persons with disabilities.

    Through special mentions, Congress’ Chhaya Verma demanded approval and release of funds for the Ram Van Gaman Path project in Chhattisgarh.

    TMC leader Abir Ranjan Biswas raised dismal state of national highways in north Bengal, Rakesh Sinha (Nominated) demanded construction of Satyagrah Sthal at Pusad in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra and TMC’s Dola Sen sought providing adequate allocation to National Infrastructure Pipeline.