Government announces compensation for kin of deceased in Chamoli glacier disaster
More than 125 laborers working in two hydraulic power projects were reported missing due to sudden flash floods in the Rishiganga Valley of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Returning from the affected areas, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat told a press conference in Dehradun in the evening that the bodies of 10 persons have been recovered so far in the disaster.
125 people missing, 16 saved
The CM said that the army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, NDRF, State Disaster Response Force and police personnel are engaged in rescue and relief work and the rescue work is going on in the two tunnels located in Tapovan where workers are trapped. ITBP personnel were able to reach 150 meters inside the tunnel with a rope. This tunnel is about 250 meters long. So far 16 people have been evacuated safely.
The family of the deceased will get compensation
CM Trivendra further said that the families of all those who died in the unfortunate incident will be given Rs 4 lakh as compensation from the state government. However, the reason for the flooding is not immediately known. But it is believed that the river was flooded due to the breaking of the chunk of ice from glacier.
Power project suffered heavy loss
Around 176 laborers were working in the 13.2 MW Rishiganga Project and NTPC’s 480 MW Tapovan-Vishnugadh Project at the time of floods. Apart from these, two policemen doing duty in the Rishiganga project are also reported missing. Both hydroelectric projects have suffered heavy losses due to floods. Top officials of both the projects are busy assessing the damage.
After the flood, an alert was issued in the surrounding areas of Alaknanda and Ganga rivers located in the entire Garhwal region. But by evening, the flooded Rishiganga river had reached normal water level, ending the alert situation. State Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said that there is no danger now and the water level in the Alaknanda river is normal.
