CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal are constantly monitoring the evacuation of Pilgrims stranded at various places of Uttrakhand and other relief measures and are fully seized of the gravity of situation arising out of massive natural disaster.
Till the last reports came in today, a total of 357 pilgrims including 355 belonging to Punjab were airlifted from Uttrakhand. While evacuating the stranded Pilgrims from Uttrakhand Old people, Children and Women were being air lifted on priority and they are being brought at Rishikesh.
The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has thanked the Army Authorities and Uttrakhand Administration for extending their support for the rescue and relief operations.
The Chief Minister has already extended the leave of all those employees who have been struck in various places in Uttrakhand in this massive catastrophe and also exempted all such employees from election duty.
The Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is also minutely monitoring the air-lifting and other relief operations and has already spoken to Chief Minister Uttrakhand Vijay Bahuguna and offered total support of the Punjab Government in this massive evacuation and relief operation.
The Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today pressed a fleet of buses from Punjab to Rishikesh to bring back Pilgrims to their native towns in Punjab at State cost.
Meanwhile the Punjab Government has setup a 24X7 Control Room to address any query of the Public regarding pilgrims or other updates about the rescue operations. The general public can contact incharge Control Room at phone number 0172-2740397 for their queries and updates.
The Punjab Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister have prayed for the safe return of all persons stranded at various places in Uttrakhand. They have also offered all assistance to Uttrakhand authorities in this massive relief operations.