 "Uttarakhand CM issues alert as weatherman predicts heavy rain")
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Wednesday issued a public alert after the Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall once again.
"The government has asked all the officials of district administration to ensure safety of the people living in the lower areas along the banks of rivers and also those residing in the mountainous regions to vacate their villages which are in danger and to put a complete stop to the pilgrimage to different shrines," said Bahuguna.
"As there are heavy rains in the region of Kumaon (eastern part of the state), the administration is on alert and people are asked to take precautionary measures," he added, when asked what type of alert has been issued.
Director of Meteorological Observatory in Dehradun, Anand Sharma, yesterday said that the forecast has ruled out any possible respite from rain in certain parts of the state over the next few days.
"We are monitoring the signal; if the signal persists then we will see if warning has to be issued, so we are still monitoring it and the models will get updated somewhere in the afternoon. Again if we see, but presently, today the night models, which they are indicating is, as compared to yesterday, it has decreased the rainfall," he said.
The Vijay Bahuguna Government has intensified its drive to rehabilitate people and restore damaged infrastructure in the affected areas. Teams from the electricity department and PWD have been deployed for restoration of power supply and damaged roads in rural areas. In several worst affected localities, water supply system has been restored.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been asked for restoration of the important roads to facilitate movement of traffic and speedy supply of essentials to the affected villages.