Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that efforts are underway on a war footing to rescue those who are trapped in a tunnel after a glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday.
Sharing details of the disaster in Lok Sabha, the Home Minister said, “About 25-35 people are feared to be trapped in the second tunnel of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) project. The efforts are underway on war footing to rescue them.”
“A total of 12 people of NTPC project were safely rescued from one tunnel. Fifteen people of Rishiganga project were also rescued at the time of the incident,” the Minister said.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has set up its control room and its 450 jawans are carrying out search and rescue operations, he added.
He said, “A total of five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the site. Eight teams of Army also there, one medical column and an ambulance are also positioned at the site of the incident.
“A diving team of Navy has also been deployed in the state,” he added.
Giving more details on the rescue operation, he added, “A total of 5 helicopters of the Air Force have also been deployed in the operation. One control of the Army has also been set up at Joshimath.”
The state government has announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh each for the next of the kin of the deceased, he later said. (ANI)
