PUNE, June 23, 2013: Around 275 pilgrims from Pimpri-Chinchwad who had gone for the Char Dham yatra are still stranded in Uttarakhand after the flash floods, but safe.

Omprakash Bahiwal, chief of natural disaster management cell of the civic body said, "The civic administration started a helpline on Wednesday for relatives of people stranded in Uttarakhand after the flash floods. We have received 162 calls on the helpline from all parts of the country and a few calls even from the US and Germany."

He said that those manning the helpline provided counseling to people and also phone numbers of state government officials involved in the relief operations in Uttarakhand. He said information was also being given on roads that are safe to travel to come out of the flood affected areas.

Meanwhile, a medical team of office bearers of Arogya Sena and local volunteers will leave from Pune for Uttarkashi on Wednesday. They will first reach Dehradun and then go to Uttarkashi via Badkot. They will provide medical care to people in camps located along their route and will carry 20 types of medicines.

The International Human Rights Protection Bureau (India), Pune branch, will send a team of volunteers to Delhi to help the pilgrims who will arrive at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.

The bureau has convened an emergency meeting of youth volunteers who want to participate in the relief and rescue work and those who want to provide assistance for this work. The meeting will be held on June 25 at Nana Nani park, near Omkareshwar temple, Shaniwar Peth. The bureau workers will provide detailed information about the relief work to be done. Those wishing to participate have been asked to register with Kailas Gaikwad on 9822350187 between 10 am and 5 pm.Box: Pimpri Chinchwad helpline numbers

Kiran Gaikwad, public relations officer, Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation: 9922501442

Omprakash Bahiwal, chief of natural disaster cell: 9850728366

Source: The Times of India, DT. June 23, 2013.