New Delhi/Dehradun:
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has dubbed as "inaccurate" the state Assembly Speaker's claim that more than 10,000 people may have died in the flash floods and landslides that were triggered by torrential rain in the state two weeks ago. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that more than 900 people have died in the massive calamity.
Here are the latest developments in the story:
Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had, earlier in the day, said, "As per my information and bodies being seen by the people, I can say the figure can cross the 10,000 mark." He said he arrived at the estimate after seeing the enormous scale of devastation while touring the state.
But the Chief Minister rejected that claim. "Don't know where the Speaker got this figure from... details on casualties will be declared truthfully," he told NDTV. Mr Bahuguna has stated that over 1,000 people may have perished in the state.
Over one lakh people have been rescued so far from the state in heroic efforts led by the Army and the Air Force. But over 3000 are still missing, while more than 1,000 are still stranded. According to an interim report, the state has also suffered a loss of Rs 700-800 crore in the floods, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar said.
Harsil has been completely evacuated with the Air Force today flying out the remaining 12 pilgrims from the area. 842 pilgrims have been airlifted from the holy town of Badrinath after rescue operations were briefly halted due to bad weather this morning. Nearly 500 people, who are still awaiting rescue, are in Army camps, with access to food, water and medical aid. (Full coverage)
Air Force will begin a partial de-induction of its choppers from July 2 although an adequate strength will remain in the state for rehabilitation work.
In Kedarnath, the epicenter of the devastation, mass cremation of bodies is being conducted to minimise the chances of an epidemic outbreak. 34 bodies have been cremated so far. The union health ministry has assured that no outbreak of disease has been reported from any part of Uttarakhand, although there have been cases of diarrhoea in Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag.
A team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India will survey the 1,000-year-old temple at Kedarnath - one of the four pilgrimage centres in the state - to assess the extent of damage to the shrine and prepare a roadmap for restoration work. (Read) "Tourism is Uttarakhand's lifeline, it will be restored," the chief minister told NDTV.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is also planning to airlift excavators onboard special Mi-26 helicopters to Kedarnath for clearing boulders and debris accumulated there.
According to the NDMA, roads between Badrinath and Rambara, Joshimath and Govindghat and Kund and Chamoli via Okhimath and Chopta have been repaired and opened for vehicular traffic. However, roads connecting Guptkashi and Gaurikund as well as Uttarkashi and Gangotri are yet to be opened.
Efforts are being made to ensure supply of relief material to over 600 villages in Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts, which have been for nearly two weeks. 2,379 metric tonnes of wheat and 2,875 metric tonnes of rice has so far been dispatched to these villages.
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