HIMALAYAN TSUNAMI
KEDARNATH INTO A GHOST TOWN
The unprecedented rains
turned Kedarnath into a ghost town with bodies strewn all over. Rain water
gushed into the town from the summit behind the famous shrine, carrying rocks
and boulders and destroying everything on its path.The outer structure of the
temple, however, seems intact. While the mobile phone towers remaining intact,
there is no electricity due to which people were unable to contact their
families as their phones ran out of charge.A senior Uttarakhand government
official said 123 bodies have been recovered from Kedarnath where a team of
experts went to a take count of bodies strewn all over the place.Chief Minister
Vijay Bahuguna said Kedarnath has been totally evacuated of pilgrims now.
Having several brushes with death, survivors of the Himalayan tsunami which
left a trail of destruction in the hill state were all praise for Army, which
they said has given them a second life.
Sukhvinder Singh, a
Ludhiana native who was stuck for eight days on the way to Hemkund Sahib, said,
“I was en route to Hemkund Sahib when the disaster struck. The situation was
deteriorating with the passage of time…We were bit relieved when Army stepped in.
They gave us food and water and helped us in every possible way. Had they not
been here, we wouldn’t have survived.”Recalling his horrific experiences during
the past few days, Aman Bisht, who arranges treks to Hemkund Sahib every year,
said, “The road links were shattered and down there we had no bridges left. And
even if there was a road somewhere, it was broken. The Army has been very
supportive.”Another survivor from Punjab, who was rescued from Joshi Math, said
he was able to contact his family only with the help of army personnel.One
Sharan, who along with his family was rescued from Badrinath and brought to
Chamouli relief camp yesterday, said, “The situation is pathetic. Had the army
not been there, we would not have any chance of coming back ever.”Carrying
photographs, people in Dehradun are running from one hospital to other in
desperation to get some news about their relatives and friends as their
patience ran thin due to passage of almost a week since the tragedy struck.Family
members and friends of those, who are stranded or missing in the hill state,
have come to the capital city and are desperately searching hospitals and camps
to get some news about their loved ones.
They are also condemning “total absence” of sensitivity on part
of the administration.“I have come from Delhi in search of my parents and one
of our relatives. I last spoke to them on June 15, since then I have no news
about them,” said a man whose family had come for Kedarnath pilgrimage.
Another man alleged apathy on part of the government officials
and said that “priority is being given to foreigners while Indians are left
behind to die”.“My children have been stranded there for the last eight days
without food and water. They are borrowing phones to call us, but we are
helpless. Authorities are doing nothing, foreigners are being given priority in
rescue and relief work while Indians are being left behind to die of hunger,”
he said.“No Uttarakhand officials or any public representatives have reached here.
No credible information has been given to us by anyone or from anywhere,” he
added.Another youth whose relatives are stranded in Gaurikund said that his
relatives told him that around 2,500 people are stuck there with them.“I can’t
understand why despite unprecedented devastation, the tragedy has not been
declared a national calamity
so far,” he said.
Prof. John
Kurakar
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