NEW DELHI, June 24: Defence Minister A K Antony today said the armed forces will continue their rescue efforts in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand till the last survivor is brought out safely.
In a meeting to review the ongoing operations to provide help to the affected people in Uttarakhand, the Defence Minister complimented the IAF and the Army for continuing their missions despite bad weather conditions.
“Our efforts will continue till the last survivor is rescued to safety,” he said at the review meeting attended by the National Security Adviser, the three Services chiefs and top ministry officials.
The meeting is understood to have discussed briefly role of the armed forces in reconstruction work in the hill state after the relief and rescue operations get over.
IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne also sought to reach out to the people stranded in the upper reaches of the state saying, “our helicopter rotors will not stop churning till such time we get each one of you out, do not lose hope and hang in there.”
IAF has deployed 45 of its choppers in relief operations along with the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft which are supplying fuel and transporting stranded persons from there to Delhi.
IAF today flew 116 sorties of its various choppers and rescued 1,095 pilgrims.
In one of the biggest helilift operations undertaken, the IAF since June 17 has airlifted 10,731 persons flying 1,163 sorties and dropping or landing 1,84,262 kg relief material and equipment.
The Army also continued its operations in the state despite continuing bad weather and used both choppers and land route to evacuate people.
“In Badrinath sector, 281 people moved by land route after the construction of Burma bridge across Alaknanda at Lam Bagar on Joshimath-Badrinath road. Army today created Heli Bridge at Lam Bagar in addition to the foot bridge,” the Army said.
It said approximately 1,400 people are awaiting evacuation at Harsil, 50 at Dharali and 60 at Jhala on Uttarkashi axis and approximately 5,000 people are still there at Badrinath.
The DRDO today said it is also helping out those stranded by providing them food packets and water.
“Three tonnes of ready-to-reconstitute food (Sooji Halwa, Upma, Vegetable Pulao), ready-to-eat (Chapati, Dal), ready-to- drink (milk, flavoured milk and water), from Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore, is being airlifted from Bengaluru,” it said.
From Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior, a team of scientists with first-aid kits, detection kits as well as insect repellents have been sent to affected areas. (AGENCIES)
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