Nearly 526 persons from various parts of Rajasthan are still missing, according to the state government. Though they refused to come on record, some senior government officials felt that 200 (out of 526) were feared dead. The rescue operation in Kedarnath is over and in other areas rain has again put a brake. Relatives of missing pilgrims will meet respective district collectors on a daily basis to get a feedback.
“Our officials are in touch with the calamity management team and the relief department. The list prepared by us after information provided by the collectors suggested that nearly 526 pilgrims from Rajasthan are missing since June 16,” said Kuldeep Ranka, secretary, state disaster management and relief department on Wednesday. However, some relatives are hoping against hope while some feel that hope is on the wane.
“We have been looking for them at hospitals, relief camps,” and are in touch with army officers. We have shown their photographs to these officials and tallied it with the bodies retrieved so far, but no one has confirmed their deaths,” said Rajesh Agarwal from Alwar whose brother-in-law and his wife are missing.
Govt Not in a position to collect information
Some relatives of the victims are hoping against hope though some feel that the hope they are harbouring is on the wane.
“We have been looking for them at hospitals, relief camps and are in touch with Army officers. We have shown their photographs to these officials and tallied it with the bodies retrieved so far, but no one has confirmed their deaths,” said Rajesh Agarwal from Alwar whose brother-in-law and his wife are still missing.
However, the state government maintained that over 2,000 stranded pilgrims in Uttarakhand were brought back safely and they were taken home in 67 buses provided by the government.
Though a team consisting of 38 IAS, RAS and medical officers are continuously monitoring the situation in Uttrakhand’s Chamoli, Joshimath, Gauchar, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun, the state government is not in a position to collect much information on these missing pilgrims.
Given the lack of information, it is not clear whether the missing pilgrims became victims of the horrifying incident or they are still stranded in unaccessible terrains. The government has also no information whether they are already rescued and being provided treatment in hospitals or relief camps.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/No-information-on-526-pilgrims-from-Rajasthan-govt-says/articleshow/20806334.cms