New Delhi:
The Uttarakhand government has requested the central government for 100 tonnes of bleaching powder to help dispose of the carcasses of animals killed in the recent floods, a health ministry official said today.
Director General of Health Services Jagdish Prasad told IANS that the request was made at a high-level meeting attended by Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.
A large number of mules and horses, used to ferry pilgrims to the holy shrines of
Kedarnath and Badrinath, perished in the flash floods in the Uttarakhand along with hundreds of pilgrims and visitors.
Mr Prasad said central health ministry teams have been sent to all 13 districts of the state, but no threat of epidemic has been detected as of now.
Three central public health teams have been posted to the state and are deployed in the affected areas of Chamoli and Joshimath, he said.
A two-member public health team from Delhi has reached Dehradun and has been placed at the service of the state health authorities.
The incessant and intense rains that hit Uttarakhand over three days from June 14 triggered flash floods and landslides, leading to hundreds of deaths; nearly 3,000 are missing.
Over 100,000 people have been evacuated so far.