Press Trust Of India / Port Blair January 14, 2005
The Integrated Relief Command (IRC), overseeing the relief and rescue operation in the tsunami-hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands, today said the biggest peace time operation by the combined services was now “over the hump” and reconstruction of the devastated archipelago would begin soon.
“I am fully convinced that we are over the hump now and can soon start reconstruction,” commander-in-chief of the IRC Lt gen B S Thakur, who would hand over his mantle to lt Gen Aditya Singh tomorrow to take over his new assignment as vice-chief of Army staff, told reporters here.
Thakur said his stint as the commander of the massive operation was “very humbling” since he was commanding an outfit that rose wonderfully to combat such huge disaster.
“This is very satisfying as well. I have a huge sense of achievement,” he said at a farewell party.
The irc has been lauded widely for its successful ‘operation madad’ in the islands that saved thousands of lives and rescued thousands of marooned after the tsunami struck here.
Thakur said the peace time operation could not be compared to the war exercises he had earlier overseen since the resources in this operation were limited coupled with the geographical challenge that the islands offered.
Reconstruction work soon
Press Trust Of India / Port Blair Jan 14, 2005, 22:07 IST
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