 "Chavan, Bahuguna discuss rescue measures in Uttarakhand")
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Monday discussed with his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna the situation arising out of the recent deluge in the hill state which has left several hundreds dead, many missing and thousands stranded.
"Maharashtra has already provided all possible help and I have offered any further help that the Uttarakhand government may require to tackle this crisis," Chavan told media persons shortly after the meeting held in Dehradun.
He said he had discussed the relief and rescue measures underway in that state with Bahuguna.
Chavan, who was camping in New Delhi for three days, had attempted to go to Dehradun Sunday but had to turn back due to inclement weather conditions.
Among the first states to rush to help Uttarakhand, the Maharashtra government has also placed two state government helicopters at the disposal of the hill state to help in the rescue and relief measures.
Chavan said that though the Uttarakhand government would utilise them, they would prioritise the aircraft for lifting people from Maharashtra stranded at various locations in the hill state.
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Out of the total 2,949 tourists-pilgrims who were stranded in different parts of the state, the combined operations have helped rescue 2,100 people safely, Chavan said.
Two people - one from Mumbai and another from Raigad - in the state have lost their lives, he said.
"Around 475 people from Maharashtra are stranded in and around Badrinath. But all the roads to Badrinath have been totally washed away in the floods and they can only be rescued by army helicopters," he said.
At the present rate of relief operations underway, Chavan expressed hope that all the people would be rescued within the next two-three days if good weather continued.
Meanwhile, a 30-strong contingent of senior officials from the state is camping in Dehradun and Haridwar where the state government has set up two special cells to help the tourists and pilgrims from Maharashtra.
The contingent includes top civil servants, doctors, transport authorities and revenue department officials, he said.
Besides, the entire team of Maharashtra Sadan in the capital, led by the resident commissioner there, is co-ordinating the relief measures for the victims.
A vast majority of the people from the state have been either evacuated or traced since the deluge of last Sunday, and a few hundred have already returned safely home in batches in the past couple of days.
Though official figures are not available, a few hundred people have still not been traced despite efforts by the officials.
The Maharashtra government has extended Rs.10 crore to the Uttarakhand government to cover the expenses for rescuing people from the state.
The Mumbai Congress has chipped in with another Rs.1.1 crore for the purpose and more funds are likely to be garnered from the state for the relief efforts, official sources indicated.