Bengaluru: Officials from the state, who are in Kathmandu and New Delhi, have ensured a safe passage for 170 people from the state who were stranded in the mega quake-hit Nepal. Some of the passengers arrived in Bengaluru from New Delhi on Tuesday, while others are expected to reach the city by train on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Those still stranded in Nepal will either fly to New Delhi or take the land route to India through Varanasi and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The state government has sent five IAS officers to assist people from the state to get tickets for their return journey. Mr Ritesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, State Disaster Management Cell, said that with 170 people leaving New Delhi, there could be another 100-150 people from Karnataka still waiting to be evacuated from the quake-hit areas of Nepal.
“The state officials in Kathmandu have hired buses to transport the stranded to Varanasi and Gorakhpur. We have also arranged for transport through local operators to bring people to the Nepal border post, where inter-country vehicles are not allowed to cross. In the next three days, most of the people from Karnataka will either reach New Delhi or head to the state,” he said.
Mr Ramandeep Choudhary, IAS officer, stationed in Gorakhpur, said that talks are on with the UP government to get train and flight tickets for the stranded passengers, who are reaching UP by road from Kathmandu. “We are in regular touch with our officials in Kathmandu and we have been sharing the names of passengers coming by bus to Gorakhpur with the control room in Bengaluru,” he said.
Officials at the Control Room said the IAS officers in Kathmandu have been able to get assistance, but the situation at the airport and around Nepal capital was grim. “More quake victims are being pulled out of the debris, and the focus now is on to reach out to the people in distress outside Kathmandu. There is chaos everywhere and the situation at hospitals is the worst,” the officials said.
MEA calls SDMAs for meeting
The Ministry of External Affairs has called a meeting of secretaries of all the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to discuss the ongoing rescue operations in Nepal and to draw a roadmap for India to tackle such disasters in future.
Meanwhile, officials from the SDMA have clarified that the funding for quake victims should be made to the Chief Minister’s or Prime Minister’s Fund. “There are a number of organisations demanding funds. But we cannot guarantee that the money will reach the victims. The police will take action against those who are trying to collect funds by conning people,” the officials said.
RSS to send 100 experts to Nepal
The RSS which is in the forefront of the Nepal earthquake rescue and relief operation has requested its state unit to send around 100 expert professionals from various fields to help the needy and kick-start the rebuilding of Nepal. RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale who is coordinating the relief work has sent a specific request to the state unit in this regard.
Speaking to this newspaper, RSS Pranth Prachar Pramukh Mr. Vadiraj informed that they were instructed to send professionals and the needed equipments which could help the relief and rebuilding work in quake-hit Nepal. “Dattaji instructed the state unit to send professionals like doctors and engineers and also equipments which could be used for digging and construction work. So we are now coordinating with our cadres in this regard,” he said. “There is a need of experts to help the rebuilding of Nepal. Already 15 doctors from the city have left for Nepal,” he explained.
Meanwhile the RSS Karnataka unit has started receiving donations for the rescue and relief work in Nepal. It has started the fund collection drive in the name of RSS Sanchaalita Santrasta Parihaara Nidhi.
