CHANDIGARH, JUNE 22
The Punjab Chief Minister,
Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, has convened an emergency meeting of Council of
Ministers at 6.00 PM on Monday, June 24, to review and expedite relief measures
for the hapless victims of the Uttrakhand flood tragedy.
Disclosing this, a spokesperson of the Chief
Minister’s Office said today that Mr. Badal is spearheading relief
operations with round the clock response, vigil and feedback mechanism.
Meanwhile, Members of Parliament (MPs) and
Members of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha (MLAs) belonging to the Shiromani Akali Dal
and the BJP today responded promptly and whole heartedly to the Chief
Minister’s appeal earlier in the day to donate on month’s salary towards relief
and rehabilitation measures for the victims and their families.
The Chief Minister is being briefed
by a team of senior police and civil officers of the Punjab government, apart
from a team of SAD leaders and functionaries who are coordinating in their
humanitarian efforts with the representatives of the govt. The SAD and BJP
workers have set up a network of langars and immediate and on-the-spot relief
camps for the victims.
The Spokesman said that dedicated fleet
of over 200 buses, including over a 150 drawn from various government
departments, including the Punjab Police, are plying round the clock for
evacuation and safe transit of the pilgrims and others being evacuated from
various far-flung flood affected areas.
More than 1000 pilgrims arrived at different
points in the state today through buses belonging to or detailed by the Punjab
government. Today 24 buses pour into Punjab, and caravans carrying
pilgrims are likely to keep rolling into the state day and night over the next
few days. These passengers are being taken to the district headquarters of
their respective places. The Chief Minister had directed the Deputy
Commissioners throughout the state to ensure that the passengers are not
made to wait at district headquarters and immediately redirected to the
villages and towns of their respective residences through specially
commissioned cars and other vehicles taxiing from district
headquarters to the interiors in that district.
Giving details of the buses that started
arriving since this morning, the spokesperson said that four buses each arrived at Patiala
& Ludhina and three each at Chandigarh & Amritsar and two each at
Bathinda, Faridkot and Sangrur District Headquarters.
The Chief Minister emphasized that at this
critical juncture the main job and mission of the state government was to
swiftly evacuate maximum number of pilgrims first from affected areas
Gobindghat and Joshimath to Rishikesh through Punjab Government's mini buses,
taxis and then further from Rishikesh to various places in Punjab at
through Big Buses. He further said that for this the state had already pressed
in 100 Mini Buses and Traxs besides 150 Big Buses besides 10 ambulances
equipped with all necessary medicine etc. under the supervision of senior IAS officers.
According to the information of senior IAS
officer Mr. A.Venuparsad monitoring the entire evacuation operation and camping
at Rishikesh, 30 Mini Buses and Trax vehicles were on the way from Rishikesh to
Joshimath for bringing the pilgrims. The other officers deputed at Rishikesh
include Mr. Sumer Singh Gurjar IAS and DIG Mr. Khubi Ram whereas Mr. KS Pannu
IAS and Mr. Kamaldip Singh Sangha are at
Jishimath. Two teams of senior officers
are camping at Joshimath and Rishikesh to coordinate the logistics.
The Chief Minister has described as
“Unethical and grossly insensitive” attempt of the Congress Party to humiliate
the grief of the hapless victims by politicising a natural tragedy. “Playing
with the sentiments of the innocent and suffering people in their hour of grief
is shocking beyond wards and utterly unbecoming of those entrusted by the
people function as custodians of their faith and interests.” Mr. Badal
appeal to the Congress Party to confine their politics to a genuine
representative of the people.
Mr. Badal also called upon the people to come forward to
render their service and contribute enormously towards the rehabilitation of
those who had suffered tremendous loss of life and property.
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