7,500 pilgrims from Uttarakhand reach Punjab

With the arrival of 1,200 pilgrims here from Rishikesh tonight, the number of pilgrims evacuated from different areas of flood ravaged Uttarakhand and brought back to Punjab has reached 7,500.
More than 1,800 pilgrims were on the way to Rishikesh from Nagrasu Gurdwara in vehicles provided by the state government, an official spokesman said.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal lauded the role of rescue teams, including Punjab police personnel, for helping people stranded in Uttarakhand.
He instructed the state government teams stationed in the hill state to ensure the safe return of all pilgrims from Punjab.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minster Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the officers overseeing the entire operations for mandatory medical checkup of each pilgrim evacuated from the flood hit Uttarakhand and to provide the needful medical assistance.

A Venu Prasad, Secretary Housing, Punjab, said the chopper of Punjab government today evacuated more than 94 pilgrims from Badrinath, who were safely landed at base camp of Joshi Math.
Majority of pilgrims evacuated from Badrinath were of other states, he said.