Scars of devastation still visible in U’khand
19 Aug 2013 5:42 AM IST
The rain ravage that started in mid-June and halted pilgrimage tour is still having its presence felt in the higher hills. Since then, not a day had passed by when there is no news story of nature’s fury in one corner or the other.
From Kedarnath to Badrinath, Gangotri to Yamunotri, the story of devastation is same, although the victims vary. The scars of devastation and destruction can be seen on the faces of villagers living in higher hills, who are facing oddities of life for no fault of their own.
Nearly 322 villages are totally cut-off due to damages to the roads. Although, state government claimed that relief and rehabilitation is on war footing, but several roads in the disaster-hit villages are still blocked. Twenty roads are blocked in Rudraprayag district and in Chamoli district, 67 roads are obstructed. The district administration claimed that the work is in progress to rebuild and open the roads.
Former CM Major General (retired) Khanduri told that from the current situation, it seems that monsoon clouds will remain here by the end of second week of September.
The Rudraprayag-Kedarnath highway is broken at several places. The Kedarnath 14-km trek route has not been repaired yet. In that milieu, serious questions arise over the possibility to perform traditional pooja on 11 September.
Kedarnath MLA Shaila Rani Rawat said that the situation in Kedarnath region is pathetic, but the state government is doing its best to bring normalcy.
‘The villagers living in the disaster-prone zones are shifted to safe places with all the basic amenities. The PWD and BRO are working round the clock to build and re-construct broken roads, but the continuous rain is hampering the ongoing relief work’, she said.
‘It is easy to target state government for lackadaisical attitude, but come here and see the real situation. We can’t send officials and workers to work in dangerous zone to endanger their own life.
When the monsoon will be over, we will expedite the relief and reconstruction work at the maximum level’, she further added.
However, whatever may be the situation; the traditional puja will be performed on the Kedarnath shrine on the fixed date as announced by the state government.
From Kedarnath to Badrinath, Gangotri to Yamunotri, the story of devastation is same, although the victims vary. The scars of devastation and destruction can be seen on the faces of villagers living in higher hills, who are facing oddities of life for no fault of their own.
Nearly 322 villages are totally cut-off due to damages to the roads. Although, state government claimed that relief and rehabilitation is on war footing, but several roads in the disaster-hit villages are still blocked. Twenty roads are blocked in Rudraprayag district and in Chamoli district, 67 roads are obstructed. The district administration claimed that the work is in progress to rebuild and open the roads.
Former CM Major General (retired) Khanduri told that from the current situation, it seems that monsoon clouds will remain here by the end of second week of September.
The Rudraprayag-Kedarnath highway is broken at several places. The Kedarnath 14-km trek route has not been repaired yet. In that milieu, serious questions arise over the possibility to perform traditional pooja on 11 September.
Kedarnath MLA Shaila Rani Rawat said that the situation in Kedarnath region is pathetic, but the state government is doing its best to bring normalcy.
‘The villagers living in the disaster-prone zones are shifted to safe places with all the basic amenities. The PWD and BRO are working round the clock to build and re-construct broken roads, but the continuous rain is hampering the ongoing relief work’, she said.
‘It is easy to target state government for lackadaisical attitude, but come here and see the real situation. We can’t send officials and workers to work in dangerous zone to endanger their own life.
When the monsoon will be over, we will expedite the relief and reconstruction work at the maximum level’, she further added.
However, whatever may be the situation; the traditional puja will be performed on the Kedarnath shrine on the fixed date as announced by the state government.
Next Story
