Army and the IndianAir Force were able to rescue all the 500 people stranded in and around Gangotri to safer places by Saturday evening. Except for 25 people, all those stranded in Gagariya on the Hemkund axis has beenevacuated.

Weather permitting the balance 25 will beevacuated at the earliest, said army authorities. Army troops, skilled in mountain rescueoperations, have also established contact with more than 1,000 people stranded in mountain folds in Jungle Chatti between Gauri Kund and Rambara on the Kedarnath axis.

As per the latest reports, Army helicopters have evacuated 350 people so far and search operations are continuing. Food and medicines have also been dropped. Two medical teams have now been established at Gauri Kund to treat patients. Besides, a composite relief staging area has been opened at Gauri Kund providing food, water and medicines to the people.

Early in the morning on Saturday, Army teams worked on preparing a helipad at Jungle Chatti which helped evacuation from one of the most dangerous and inaccessible areas of Kedar valley. This helipad is now being improved to facilitate landing of Dhruv helicopters. Army also constructed two helipads at Gauri Kund.

In Badrinath valley, a heli-bridge was created at Govind Ghat to transport pilgrims across the Alaknanda River. Helicopters did shuttle service from both the banks of the river as the temporary crossing made earlier had collapsed.

Army said it has operationalised the foot track between Govind Ghat and Lambagar on Badrinath road. Another column conducting road clearing operations from Badrinath to Lambagar successfully launched a foot bridge over Alaknanda this evening, thus opening the foot route from Badrinath to Govindghat. Road Govindghat to Joshimath is open to vehicular traffic.

On Gangotri axis, all stranded people have been evacuated and the road is now open for light vehicles from Gangotri to Harsil. Due to a series of landslidesbetween Harsil and Uttarkashi, Army is now moving people using ‘Staging Area’ concept. Across all landslides, people are being made to cross on foot and in between any two landslides, vehicles are being used. Two staging areas at Sukhi and Gangnani have been established to provide food and medicines to evacuated people.

Army column reached Barkot on Yamunotri axis on Saturday and the column would start evacuating people from Yamunotri by Sunday. As per the latest data, approximately 700 people are at Yamunotri.

In Tawaghat – Dharchula axis in Pithoragarh district, Army is in the process of establishing link up with approximately 1,000 people in Sobala valley andmedical teams and food has already been sent there on Saturday. Army column was able to evacuate all 45 children who were stranded at Pindari glacier in Bageshwar district. Search operations are on to link up with 10 to 12 people stranded on Sunderdhunga glacier.

Eight columns of Army have also been deployed in eight districts of North Western Uttar Pradesh. About 2,500 people have been evacuated to safer places in Pilibhit district and 260 people have been moved to safer places near Palwal.

Army has so far deployed 19 medical teams in Uttarakhand with each team led by a doctor. 45 satellite phones have also been deployed in various parts of the state to enable stranded people to contact their families. More than 2,300 people used Army communication facilities to talk to their loved ones at home.

Army so far has evacuated 18,500 people and deployed 10,000 soldiers for rescue and relief operations.

AIR FORCE

In a very innovative move, the IAF on Saturday established an aviation fuel supply bridge at Dharasu to give greater impetus to rescue operations which were severely restricted due to non availability of aviation fuel.

The first C 130J aircraft landed at Dharasu (a landing ground only 1,300 meters long) in the early morning today for the first time despite inclement weather. On landing the aircraft defueled 8,000 litres of fuel into an empty bowser which was airlifted on Friday from Sarsawa by a Mi 26 helicopter. With the availability of additional fuel now at Dharasu, the extraction, evacuation and rescue operations have picked up pace and the available helicopters are now able to make more number of trips.

Apart from the carrying fuel to Dharasu, the first C130 J on its return trip carried about 40 and the second about 100 injured and stranded pilgrims to the safer plains of Air Force Station Hindan. An emergency medical centre has been set up at Air Force Station Hindan for the medical check-up of all the arriving tourists for immediate attention.

The first two C 130J aircraft carried fuel to Dharasu while the third is carrying a Medical team of the IAF to attend to sick people at Dharasu itself before they are moved out to safer place.

Having paved the way for fixed wing aircraft landing at Dharasu, the IAF pressed its An 32 aircraft also into action. These aircraft are carrying Disaster Communication equipment vehicle, some more aviation fuel, Sudan pumps for refueling the helicopters and 4,200 kgs of bridging equipment of BRO. The heavy lift Mi 26 helicopter will also be airlifting the heavy equipment of BRO to facilitate road repair and construction work.

While the fuel bridging has given impetus to rescue operations, increased flying activity in the narrow valleys is posing a new challenge to traffic management and safe flying. IAF has inducted additional personnel to ensure smooth planning, coordination and execution of flying operations, be it Air Force, Army or civilian operators.

From the morning to 3 pm in the evening, the IAF has flown about 149 sorties in which 26,700 kgs of load and 1,355 passengers were airlifted.

In all, the IAF towards ‘Op Rahat’, has flown 768 sorties in which 1,03,350 kgs of load has been dropped/landed and 5,347 passengers airlifted.

The IAF is preparing for Sunday rescue operations, especially in the face of bad weather forecast by the Indian Met Department in next 36 to 48 hours.

Source: Micro Finance Monitor, DT. June 22, 2013.