Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday announced Rs.10 crore for reconstruction of all religious shrines, including Kedarnath Temple and Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, which have been badly damaged in the recent flash floods in Uttarakhand.
Badal, who flew to Dehradun Friday to meet his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna, assured all help to the government of the hill state in the aftermath of the calamity which left over 1,000 people dead, a spokesman of the chief minister said here.
"We are with the aggrieved and calamity-stricken people of Uttarakhand, and will extend full help in their rehabilitation and in task of reconstruction of the hill state," Badal said.
Badal said the Punjab government would send a consignment of 10,000 tonnes of wheat flour (atta) and rice, 100 tonnes of sugar, besides 10,000 blankets. The relief supply would be sent on July 9, he said.
Following a request by Bahuguna, Badal also promised to send 10,000 woollen sweaters and pullovers for the victims, especially for women and children. He also said that dry milk powder would be sent.
Various agencies of the Punjab government, especially the Punjab Police, had mounted rescue operations immediately after the calamity and rescued over 8,000 pilgrims from the state. Hundreds of pilgrims from Punjab, headed for Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, were stranded there.
