PM Modi takes stock of Nepal relief mission

Addressing a joint press conference on Tuesday evening, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar,Defence Secretary RK Mathur and Home secretary LC Goyal apprised media on the latest on relief and rehabilitation carried out by India. “We have some progress in terms of relief supplies going in. According to last reports, the remaining six tourists from Assam have been handed over to their kin, while seven more Indians have been found dead,” said Jaishankar.

“The airport has largely got decongested, not many people are now waiting at the airport. The bus route is probably the best way to return to India now, as least affected by weather. Approximately 4,000 people left in 80 buses today. We are sending buses with relief material and those buses are bringing back people from Nepal. Around 100 more buses are expected to leave from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. Different countries are involved in this rescue mission,” he added.

While Defence RK Mathur said, “A total of 342 Indians have been evacuated by the IAF, bringing the cumulative number to 2,865. We intend to use both Kathmandu and Pokhara as bases from where helicopters can fly to badly-hit  areas and rescue people. Three field hospitals with 45 beds are operational where surgeries have started. We have evacuated around 741 Nepali people and managed to distribute relief material of 24 tonne. Also, we have managed to evacuate 19 mountaineers from Lukala.” 

“Three NDRF teams reached Nepal on Tuesday and three more are reaching the same day. Altogether there will be 16 teams stationed there. As per inputs from DG, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), 251 foreign nationals have entered India through land route. Three ministers would be visiting Bihar soon,” said Goyal. 

The meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee chaired by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth was also met on Tuesday to take stock of rescue and relief efforts. Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Radha Mohan Singh and JP Nadda will go to Bihar on Wednesday to take stock of the situation and coordinate relief efforts. Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh has arranged free insulin for diabetes patients among the earthquake victims in Nepal.