New Delhi [India], March 1: BJP National General Secretary and the party’s in-charge for Uttarakhand, Dushyant Gautam, provided an update on the ongoing rescue operations in the state following the deadly avalanche in Chamoli. He emphasized the crucial importance of saving lives and praised the continuous efforts of the rescue teams and the state government under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Speaking about the efforts, Gautam said, “Rescue operations are going on continuously. It is our duty to save lives, and the rescue teams and state government under the leadership of CM Dhami are on their toes.”
On the same day, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak spoke about the efforts being made to assist Uttar Pradesh workers trapped in the avalanche. He said, “The Uttarakhand government is making continuous efforts to rescue workers from Uttar Pradesh who are trapped in the incident (avalanche) there. We are in continuous touch with the Uttarakhand government. We pray to God for their safe return home. We are also in touch with the relatives of the workers.”
The District Magistrate of Chamoli, Sandeep Tiwari, confirmed that four army helicopters had been deployed to rescue the eight workers still trapped under the snow. So far, 47 out of the 55 trapped workers had been rescued. “We have brought seven people to Joshimath Hospital, and they are under treatment. They are under doctors’ observation. Three of them are stable…I hope that the remaining people will also be rescued soon,” Tiwari added.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to review the rescue operations. “Respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district,” CM Dhami posted on social media.
The workers, who were employed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), got trapped under snow when the avalanche struck on Friday. Teams from the NDRF, Indian Army, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been working on a war footing in a joint operation. The search for the remaining eight trapped workers continues with renewed intensity.
The Uttarakhand government has issued helpline numbers for the public: Mobile No: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone No: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free No: 1070.