A 55 - year old Yamuna Devi was trembling and in pensive mood, flooded by anguish as she and her family, on a religious pilgrimage from neighbouring Haryana, remained stranded for the third consecutive day in the devastating affected tough terrain of Uttarakhand.

As the skies cleared from time to time enabling a stepping up of rescue and relief operations and aerial survey by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh among others, many like Devi’s family knew that the massive rescue operations were hampered by the vast destruction of the roads caused by unprecedented rains and flash floods in northern India.

“Rescue operation was launched but roads have been bad. I am annoyed more with the authorities as they allowed tourists to visit these places when there were already some warning about heavy downpours,” says Yamuna Devi.

The State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who had to face the angry rage of protestors, has rather helplessly described the calamity as a “Himalayan tsunami”. Thousands are feared missing as the 380 mm rainfall – up by over a whopping 450 per cent - has been recorded in the region.

The scale of devastation left by the cloudburst and flash floods has been so massive that there were many others echoing similar sentiments. Another woman sat near Dehradun railway station, her knees apart underneath a dirty, stinking and torn sari. “All those who accompanied me are nowhere to be seen for last three days,” rued Gautami Jadhav from Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh recalling how the “unheard of” cloudburst had turned their pilgrimage to the shrine in the centuries - old Hindu holy town of Kedarnath into a nightmare.

The country stood as a mute spectator as the barrage of water, mud and rocks ceaselessly hit scores of towns and villages submerging homes and shrines, roads and bridges alike. As the disaster entered into the third and fourth day of the disaster, officials in the Uttarakhand capital amid babudom and political leaders caught napping and mudslinging admitted that residents of about 200 villages have gone missing and that the flashfloods submerged the ‘sacred’ but tough terrain Kedarnath - Rudraprayag region. About 50,000 people were feared stranded only in Rudraprayag and Chamoli while apprehensions abounded regarding the fate of 75,000 people in total regarding whom not much was known. In massive military operations conducted by Border Roads, army and air force about 80,000 people were rescued from the jaws of death; while medicos say many among these could suffer medical problems in the future and may even succumb to these.

The Congress Government in the tiny state, carved out of Uttar Pradesh, came under severe attack for allowing the tourists inflow despite initial warnings of heavy showers and early arrival of the monsoons. “There was some kind of callousness as the authorities allowed thousands of tourists to enter into danger areas,” lamented Yogesh Kumar in Delhi whose aging parents had gone on the trip and were stranded for hours before returning to Chandigarh with the help of army personnel.

The Hindutva BJP has tried to give a political and alleged ‘communal’ colour to the tragedy. “The Congress Government both in Delhi and the Uttarakhand state have been mute witness to the lack of infrastructure and modern facilities for Hindu pilgrims,” BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said in Delhi and wondered why there was “no early warning system”.

She also alleged that the guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have been violated. “The human misery is likely to worsen and the death toll may rise significantly once water recedes and relief teams are able to access the affected areas. Already a number of bodies have been recovered at the lower streams of River Ganges at Haridwar which has revealed the country’s lack of flood preparedness,” alleged a VHP volunteer Kundan Bisht at Dehradun.

The right wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad and RSS have alleged that hundreds of pilgrims have gone missing. “The famous Gouri Kund is washed away. Many hotels in the area along with people in them are missing. The number of the dead and missing may cross thousands,” VHP international vice president Pravin Togadia told Eastern Panorama.

However, it is a different matter that the victims also include a large number of Sikhs. Over 3,000 Sikh pilgrims were rescued from Hemkund Sahib and shifted to an army relief camp in Joshimath.

The Central Government – of course besieged with the burden of politics of handling a supposed ‘corporate India backed Moditva wave’ and for pushing the populist Food Bill - has awaken belatedly and after days admitted that there was a lack of effective coordination in relief and rescue work. The former Union Home Secretary, V K Duggal was appointed to coordinate relief and rescue operations with all the wings of the Government.

The authorities have already ordered suspending of famous char dham yatra (4 religious place visits) of the Hindus and the Ministry of External Affairs has cancelled the internationally famous Kailash Manasarovar Yatra due to torrential rains and floods in Uttarakhand.

Since the safety and security of the Yatris (travelers) is of paramount importance, the Ministry has decided to cancel batch numbers 2 - 10 of this year’s Kailash - Manasarovar Yatra, an official announcement said.

The Mansarovar yatra, held from June 9th to September 9th, is organised by the Ministry and the trip also covers parts of China. The Yatra, an annual feature, involves trekking at high altitudes of up to 19,500 feet, under inhospitable conditions and rugged terrain. In 2012, a record number of 774 Yatris had undertaken the Yatra.

“Travel into Kedarnath and Rudraprayag and adjoining places during May-June is common. In fact, the State Government encourages religious tourism. This time the monsoon came about 15 days early and hence such a tragedy,” said Sanjay Rawat, a tour operator in Dehradun.

The State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who had to face the angry rage of protestors, has rather helplessly described the calamity as a “Himalayan tsunami”.

Thousands are feared missing as the 380 mm rainfall – up by over a whopping 450 per cent - has been recorded in the region.

The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who made the aerial survey of the affected areas on the third day, expressed his apprehensions that there would be more loss of lives as official estimates already suggest that over 102 lives have been lost till July 19th – 20th.

The casualty figures jumped to over 550 by June 21st and over 680 by June 23rd and could easily cross a few thousands. “The death toll is likely to be around 1,000,” Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna told reporters.

“So far, more than 10,000 people have been rescued and are being provided food, clothing and shelter. Many persons still remain stranded. The maximum damage has been in Kedarnath and its vicinity,” the Prime Minister said on the third day after his aerial survey.

He also announced a special Rs 1000 crore disaster relief for the State of Uttarakhand. But all these seemed to have come only too late too little.

Penny Wise Pound Foolish

As an aftermath of the devastating calamity various relevant issues to ‘disaster management’ in India are coming to light. One finding has been that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has rather become a de-facto ‘rehabilitation centre’ for retired babus and defence personnel.

Headed by the Prime Minister in the capacity of Chairman, the NDMA has one Vice - Chairman who enjoys the rank of a cabinet minister and eight members, mostly former bureaucrats and defence personnel, who are given perks and salaries in the rank of ministers of state. It has a Secretary, four Joint Secretaries and over 130 employees but when it comes to a concrete role in the field during crises, there has been ‘little use’ in terms of response to natural or manmade disasters.

As living testimony of how paperwork, clauses and by - laws seem to make a mockery of the entire system, insiders suggest that while in earthquake prone zones the central ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has to work on these, there is so called the hyped 74th constitutional amendment under which municipalities have the powers. “So, in the process, none acted properly and thus the real estate business boomed in the hills and today we have the catastrophe,” remarked an officer associated with the NDMA.

Search amid chaos:

In the chaos and confusion and great human misery, thousands searched for their near and dear ones. Helpless people plunged into social networking sites. A Facebook page for rescue and relief in Uttarakhand was created with pleas for help to find missing people. “This havoc is a result of massive deforestation and mining,” lamented one netizen.

In some places like Agasta Muni with a population of about 2 lakh, the administration is facing a shortage of shortage even as survivors complained about absence of food in other places also.

Rain Rain – Thy Name is Tragedy Over 4800 guides and their ponies, 1000 palanquin bearers have gone missing. The Tourism department said they did not have information of about 700 hotel and tourism officials 1,000 shopkeepers and around 100 priests. At least 10 Government guesthouses run by the temple committees were destroyed. The destruction also left number of key roads and bridges submerged. Fifty metre bridge at Lambagarh washed away. The Rudraprayag-Gaurikund Road was the worst affected. Songanga bridge at km 70.30 has been washed away while the other at 35.60 Rawanganga was also damaged. The Jauljibi–Munsiyari road was closed for days.

Family from Shillong lost in Uttaranchal

The kin of the family from Shillong, which went missing at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand after the Himalayan Tsunami have sought the support of the East Khasi Hills District administration in locating the missing family members.

The kin of the family members had met the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills Sanjay Goyal in this regard and had handed over the names and pictures of the missing family members to the Deputy Commissioner.

The Deputy Commissioner, on his part has informed that the information has been forwarded to the authorities in Uttarakhand and that an official letter asking for the Uttarakhand authorities to aid in locating the missing family members had been sent.

The six missing members of the family – Shigan Agarwal (80), Kasturi Devi Agarwal (70), Satya Narayan Agarwal (58), Hiramani Agarwal (50), Mahabir Prasad Agarwal (47) and Saroj Agarwal (45) are residents of the Garikhana locality of Shillong and had gone on a pilgrimage to Kedarnath.

The kin of the family had said that some of their family members had gone as far as Dehradun in an attempt to get information relating to the location of the missing family members.

EP Desk

TRIPURA donates Rs 1 Cr to Uttrakhand CM’s Relief Fund

The Tripura Government has announced a contribution of Rs 1 crore for the victims of the floods and landslides in Uttarakhand.

This was declared by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in the State Secretariat  after a cabinet meeting held recently.

Expressing his Government’s deep sorrow for the victims and affected people in the disaster Sarkar said: “The natural disaster that took place in Uttarakhand is undesirable and beyond imagination and in such a critical time the people of our nation should stand by them. Today our cabinet has discussed the situation and paid tribute for all those who lost their lives in the tragedy and are grieved for their families. We pray for an early recovery for all those who are injured and are undergoing treatment. Moreover, the Government has decided to donate `1 crore to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to provide relief to flood affected victims in the State.”

He added that the unprecedented human tragedy in the State called for quick response in terms of relief for the stranded pilgrims and the unfortunate residents of the affected areas.

Sarkar also appealed to the people of Tripura to contribute towards the relief of the victims of the floods and landslides in Uttarakhand.

Earlier Tripura Governor Devanand Konwar contributed an amount equal to one month of his salary amounting to Rs 1.10 lakh for the victims of the floods and landslides in Uttarakhand.

The Governor has expressed his deep sorrow for the victims and affected people in the disaster.

Unprecedented heavy rain and landslides since June 15th ravaged the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, claiming hundreds of lives and affected thousands of people.

Hundreds of people are still stranded across the State waiting to be rescued.

EP Desk

14 pilgrims from SIKKIM stranded in Uttarakhand

A total of 15 pilgrims from Sikkim, who were stranded in the worst affected Kedarnath area in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, were evacuated to Srinagar 20th June. However, a group of 14 pilgrims from Aho - Yangtam village of the State are still stranded in Uttarakhand, stuck at Gaurikund. Pandit Narayan Khatiwara along with his group are still awaiting rescue at Gaurikund but informed they were all safe and not in imminent danger. Gaurikund is the base camp for the Kedarnath trek and pilgrims halt here for a night before starting the 14 km trek to Kedarnath temple during the Char Dham yatra. Gaurikund is the final road head towards Kedarnath and from here one continues their yatra towards Badrinath.

KB Upreti of Lingdok who was rescued on 20th June was part of a 15 pilgrim group and he has said that he had never seen such devastation on such a scale in the 60 years he has been on this planet. He said he still suffers from trauma caused by the destruction he has seen. The pilgrims, all hailing from the East Sikkim area of Lingdok ward II, are in touch with their family members.

Family sources said that the pilgrims, six of them women, had set out for Char Dham yatra, which started on June 9th and were stranded in an area below Kedarnath town following the flash floods. The 15 pilgrim group, which is stranded with about 500 other pilgrims, was facing food and drinking water shortage and anxiously waiting for relief materials distributed by the rescue teams.

The Sikkim Chief Secretary R Ongmu has written to the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand Subash Kumar, appealing for help for the safe return of the pilgrims, official sources said. Furthermore, anyone whose relative from Sikkim have been stranded at Uttaranchal may contact Home Department officials of the Government of Sikkim on the number 03532204751 for any assistance.

Anoop Rai