RANCHI: Jharkhand assembly speaker C P Singh has appealed Governor Syed Ahmed to extend a helping hand to the victims of flood-hitUttarakhand and also coordinate the individual efforts of common people. In a letter to the governor on Friday, he said though the responsibility of rising to the occasion rests on every member of the society, the governor being the chief of state during President's Rule, should come forward to help the victims.

Singh said thousands of pilgrims from Jharkhand are stranded in Kedarnath, Badrinath and Hemkund and whatever effort is being made is too little and too late. "We can understand the anguish of the family members who have not been able to establish any communication with their near and dear ones. Government should take the initiative of gathering information and communicating the same to the parties concerned," he said.

Asking the governor to constitute a special cell to extend all possible help, Singh requested him to come up with a mechanism in order that individual offers for help could also be made available to the victims. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Balmuchu also approached the governor, asking him to ensure that an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each is given to the family members of the victims of the disaster.

Ranjeet Tibrewal, president, Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries ( FJCCI), has also offered help. "Since the Uttarakhand government has refused help in the form of manpower, we are ready to extend help in any other form required," he said.

Source: The Times of India, DT. June 22, 2013.