PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Uttarkashi/Dehradun After the flash flood in Uttarkashi on Tuesday, about 300 pilgrims from 10 states have been successfully rescued from the Dharali-Harsil region till Thursday. The rescue operation is underway with teams using Chinook and MI-17 helicopters to airlift people from remote and inaccessible areas. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Uttarkashi district hospital on Thursday and met the injured. He assured victims that the government is committed to providing support during this crisis. He directed officials to ensure that relief reaches every affected person without delay and emphasised the importance of swift and organised rescue efforts. The Disaster Management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman informed that 131 rescued pilgrims are from Gujarat, 123 pilgrims from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, 12 from Uttar Pradesh, seven from Delhi, six from Rajasthan, five each from Assam and Karnataka, three from Telangana and one pilgrim from Punjab. The evacuation efforts are being carried out in coordination with multiple State and central agencies. He informed that so far, 135 of the rescued individuals have been shifted to safer locations. Of these, 100 have been relocated to Uttarkashi and 35 to Dehradun. The remaining evacuees are being brought down in phases, depending on weather conditions and air support availability. Suman informed that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has also played a key role in the operation. A total of 205 individuals were safely shifted from Dharali-Harsil to the ITBP camp at Matli on Thursday. Relief and rescue teams are continuously operating from Matli and coordination between State disaster response units, SDRF and local administration remains active. He said that helicopters are not only being used to rescue stranded people but also to deliver food and relief supplies to the affected areas. Regular sorties are ensuring that essential items reach those still waiting for evacuation. The inspector general of SDRF Arun Mohan Joshi was also in Gangotri on Thursday to check the situation at the ground level. He informed that victims who are stuck in Gangotri like elderly individuals, children, the sick and those unable to walk properly, are being prioritised for evacuation from Nelang. Given the limited number of helicopter sorties possible from the Nelang region, such individuals are being identified and marked for immediate airlift. He stated that physically fit individuals are being evacuated via helicopters from Harsil to free up resources for those in greater need. Authorities are ensuring that basic services are available in Gangotri and other areas and all affected people will be shifted to locations where food, shelter, medical care and psychological support are being arranged, he added.
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