MUMBAI, July 16, 2013: Even as it latches on to the last remnants of hope, the Maharashtra government has moved to declare all the 158 missing pilgrims from the state "presumed dead" on a day Uttarakhand government deadline for finding the missing ended.

The state relief and rehabilitation department has forwarded a proposal to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan seeking monetary compensation of about Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the missing or 'presumed dead' and four other pilgrims who were actually reported dead in the region.

Another Rs 10 lakh has been sought for the families of martyrs and servicemen who were killed in the rescue operations following the June 16 Uttarakhand deluge. So far, the state has declared four citizens and three servicemen officially dead in the tragedy, including Wing Commander Darryl Castelino of the Indian Air Force who died in the line of duty. The four pilgrims died of cold and extreme weather conditions.

Senior officials said it could take time before the proposal gets approved since so far only 59 families of the 158 missing have registered an FIR with the local police, making it difficult for Maharashtra's authorities to complete the formalities for declaring all the missing as dead. The latest move, though, is only to set in motion the compensation process for victims' families.

"The existing rules allow a government to declare a missing person dead only after seven years. While the Centre and state governments are working around this rule, we are currently finding it difficult to declare all of them dead yet," said Suresh Dhas, state minister for relief and rehabilitation.

If the missing persons are found later, the family will have to return the relief money, said Dhas. The proposal is awaiting Chavan's clearance. Most missing persons are from Aurangabad revenue division (71) followed by Nagpur (44), Pune (28), Konkan (7), Nashik and Amravati (four each).

A total of 3,014 pilgrims had visited the affected areas when tragedy struck. Of these, the government has been able to trace 2,852 over the past several days of its relief and rescue efforts. The government had set up emergency helplines and centres in Uttarakhand and even deployed helicopters to ferry people back. "We have done whatever was possible to bring our people back to safety including opening of relief camps from June 17," said Chavan.

Meanwhile, the state assembly on Monday offered its condolence to the dead. 

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 16, 2013.