The Tamil Nadu government today said it is taking all steps to safely bring back 10 pilgirms from the state stranded in Nepal.
Hailing from Kanchipuram in the state, 10 pilgirms to the Mukthinath temple are stuck in Jomson in Nepal following heavy rains and landslides there.
After a section of media reported it and based on a representation from the son of one of the pilgrims, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered officials to get in touch with the officials of the Indian Embassy in Nepal, a government release said.
The 10 pilgirms were part of a larger group of 19. Of them, nine managed to reach nearby Pokhara.
First Secretary of the Indian Embassy Pranav Ganesh told the Tamil Nadu government that the weather in Jomsom has not improved.
He said the stranded pilgrims could be taken by helicopter from Jomsom to Pokhara, from where they could reach Kathmandu by a flight.
Ganesh asked the Tamil Nadu government to bear the helicopter fare of Rs 2.10 lakh for the pilgirms, the release said.
"The Chief Minister has ordered immediate remittance of Rs 2.10 lakh to our embassy and has instructed officials to bring back the pilgrims safely," it said.
She directed the officials to bring them to Delhi, house them at Tamil Nadu House and make arrangements for their return to Chennai.
