Jaipur, June 24, 2013: A fresh batch of 290 pilgrims returned here by road from floods-hit Uttarakhand on Sunday. In total, 884 Rajasthani pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand have reached their homes safe over the last four days.

The pilgrims are being brought back by buses of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation arranged by the State government. So far, 26 buses have been used to bring back the pilgrims.

“14 Rajasthan Administrative Service officers, three Rajasthan Police Service officers and 19 tehsildars have been stationed in the affected areas under the leadership of a senior IAS officer,” said Kuldeep Ranka, department of Disaster Management and Relief.

Besides, 7 other RAS officers have been stationed at a disaster relief camp in Dehradun.

“37 people from the State are being treated at Dehradun’s Jolly Grant hospital while a total of 322 people are being attended to at relief camps set up in Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun,” said Mr. Ranka.

Affected persons were also being provided financial assistance and 65 people had been provided with Rs. 2,000 each by the government, he said.

The State has sent three trucks each of food and medicines to Uttarakhand.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, along with State Congress chief Chandrabhan Prasad, had met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 24, 2013.