On rescue boats and construction machines, that's how Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is touring his state to see first-hand the destruction caused by the torrential rains.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences' (MOES) latest bulletin on the rains has put Haridwar in the ‘Very heavy rain’ category, while most other parts of the state shall continue to witness moderate rain. In the past 24 hours, Dehradun has seen 74.2mm of rain, followed by New Tehri at 39.2mm and Pantnagar at 15.6 mm.
Clad in an orange life vest and a protective helmet, Dhami visited several areas in Laksar (Haridwar) from which harrowing images of the overflowing Sonali river waterlogging areas and destroying roads have emerged. A breach in the dam over the river near Kuan Kheda village caused the river waters to gush through numerous villages.
Dhami visited some of the most deeply impacted areas- Laksar Bazaar, Madarpur, Shahpur Basti, Prahaladpur and Hastmauli on Thursday.
The CM told THE WEEK, “The administration is on alert mode and working tirelessly. We are well-prepared to meet any eventuality. I have issued strict instructions that those who have been affected by the floods be provided all necessities- including milk for children on a priority basis. Rescue operations are on in full swing”.
He has also been constantly monitoring the situation from a control room set up in Dehradun. Orders have also been issued to formulate a flood management plan for the Sonali river as soon as possible. Directives were issued to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases too.
On his visit today, Dhami stopped to ask the affected about their problems as well as to assure them; Instructions were also issued to officials on the spot.
According to one estimate, about 50 homes have been completely wrecked while 200 more are in the path of the river’s fury. The worst of the merciless rains might be over for Uttarakhand as the monsoon trough at mean sea level now passes through Jaisalmer, Delhi, Lucknow, Muzaffarpur and Balurghat. It will then move to the north east, to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, as per a bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre of the MOES.
