Chennai: All 19 pilgrims from Chennai, who undertook a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Nepal and were stranded in Simikot due to bad weather, are safe, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
The government is taking all steps to ensure safe return of all the pilgrims from Tamil Nadu. While 18 pilgrims have already reached Lucknow from Simikot via Nepalkunj this morning, another person was expected to reach Lucknow later in the evening.
Responding to an issue raised in the House by leader of the Opposition and DMK working president M. K. Stalin, Palaniswami said efforts are also on to ensure the safe return of four pilgrims from Krishnagiri, who went for yatra and got stranded in Simikot. In addition, one of the six pilgrims from Theni district, who went to Nepal for yatra, died due to breathing problems while returning as he could not complete the yatra.
The deceased was identified as Ramachandran (60), a retired headmaster and his body was kept at Kathmandu hospital, he said. Ramachandran’s son and daughter have reached Kathmandu, where two officials from Tamil Nadu House Delhi deputed by the Chief Minister are coordinating with the Indian Embassy and Nepal Government for safe return of all pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, and also to bring the body to his native place by tonight or tomorrow.
Explaining the steps taken by the government, the Chief Minister said immediately after hearing about the incident, the state government contacted the external affairs ministry and the Indian Embassy in Nepal and found that 19 Chennai pilgrims were stranded.
Two officials from Tamil Nadu house have been sent to Simikot to make arrangements for their safe return. As the weather conditions improved, 18 pilgrims were flown to Lucknow via Nepalkunj this morning and the others would return via the same route this evening.
All the 19 pilgrims would fly from Lucknow to reach the city tonight, Mr Palaniswami said. Raising the issue, Mr Stalin sought to know the steps taken by the government to ensure the safe return of the stranded pilgrims.
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