PATNA, June 29, 2013: As many as 611 pilgrims from Bihar have been rescued in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, while 56 others are still missing. Principal secretary, state disaster management department, Vyasji said here on Friday that efforts were on to bring back these people.

According to information received here, the rescued pilgrims were mainly in the mountain terrain of Badrinath, Gaurikund, Guptkashi and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand.

Vyasji said that family members of all the rescued persons had been informed. "Till date, we have not received any information about the 56 missing people from the Uttarakhand government," Vyasji told reporters here on Friday.

The state government has already set up a camp office in Dehradun, which is headed by principal secretary, public health and engineering department, Ravindra Pawar. Besides, two senior Bihar government officers - ADG Dinesh Singh Bisht and joint labour commissioner Akhlaq Ahmad - are camping in Dehradun. Ten Bihar Administrative Service officers have been sent to Dehradun to assist in ongoing relief operations.

Bihar government has also made available a sum of Rs 10 lakh from the CM Relief Fund to the Uttarakhand government for transporting stranded Bihari pilgrims to safer places like Hardwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun. This amount can be utilized for providing them shelter and food as well, he said.

The state government had also expressed its desire to send helicopters as well as a team of doctors and medicine for the flood-hit. "But Uttarakhand government did not require these services. Still, we have kept a medical team of 20 doctors and medicines in readiness in case of any emergency requirement," Vyasji said.

For the treatment of traumatized people, the government has decided to provide counselling to the rescued people at sadar hospitals.

Earlier, disaster management minister Renu Kushwaha said the state government had set up a 24X7 control room here to coordinate rescue of the stranded pilgrims of the state since June 17. Control room has also been set up at Gaya and DMs have been asked to arrange for food and transportation for people returning from Uttarakhand. Compensation would be given to the affected families on production of certificate issued by the Uttarakhand authorities.

Source: The Times of India, DT. June 29, 2013.