JAIPUR: Even as chief minister Ashok Gehlotrushed to Uttarakhand on Friday for an aerial survey of the rain-affected areas, relatives of hundreds of missing pilgrims from Rajasthan felt helpless and prayed for the the safe return of their near and dear ones. 

The government officials said that over the past two days, 271 people have been rescued and have left for Rajasthan. 

Kuldeep Ranka, secretary, state disaster management and relief department (SDMR) said as per the website of Uttarakhand police, about 105 people hailing from Rajasthan have been rescued. Two buses with 92 people are coming back to Jaipur. One bus with 50 people has left for Dholpur and 18 other survivors have left for Jodhpur in different vehicles. 

"Thirty-eight people from Rajasthan are being treated at various medical camps set up at Haridwar and Dehradun," said a police officer. 

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot visited two camps at Dehradun set up by the state government and inspected the rescue and relief work being undertaken there. He issued directions to the officials to be on alert and provide every possible help to the victims. Food, medicine and other emergency facilities are being provided, a state government official said. 

However, relatives of those who are missing were inconsolable. Tinu Kumar, a resident of Muralipura told TOI that 21 members - most of them from his family had gone on pilgrimage and are missing since June 18. 

"There is no information about their whereabouts. I don't know what to do. We are constantly calling up various control rooms and government officials, however, they have been of no help," said Tinu. Similarly, Rajendra Agrawal said that his Uncle Sugan Chand and family from Jamawaramgarh area have been missing since June 15. 

"We had gone to the chief minister's residence enquiring about my uncle. They took our cell numbers and we were assured that we will be given updates from time to time, however, we have heard nothing from them so far," said Agrawal. 

There was no confirmation whether any of the pilgrims from Rajasthan who are missing are dead. "We are completely dependent on Uttarakhand government for information on death toll. The government there and the army are focusing on rescuing people," said an official. 

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