2,500 people await evacuation from Badrinath, rescue ops over

Around 2,500 people are awaiting evacuation from Badrinath, while rescue and relief operations at Kedarnath are over, ITBP Director General Ajay Chadha said here today.

He said around 31,000 people have been evacuated by ITBP so far, while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has managed to rescue 6,640 people.

"2,000 to 2,500 people are awaiting evacuation from Harshil, while 500 have been pulled out by us," he said, adding 560 people have reached Hanuman Chatti on foot.

"A foot over bridge built by Border Roads Task Force somewhere between Lambagarh and Hanuman Chatti had tilted due to force of flowing water and they are trying to repair it. We have built a rope bridge to help people cross the river there," Chadha said.

On the IAF helicopter crash near Gaurikund during rescue operations, he said 18 bodies have been located from the debris of the crashed chopper. "Search operations are on for the remaining two bodies."

The ITBP chief also thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had made a call to him appreciating the work put in by ITBP and NDRF for rescue and relief work in Uttarakhand.

"The Prime Minister expressed grief over the loss of life of our men in the chopper crash and asked us to provide full support to their families assuring us all possible support for the same," he said.

Rubbishing claims that ITBP personnel were forced to relocate from Goucher mess in order to accommodate Rahul Gandhi, Chadha said the Congress Vice President is an SPG protectee and as he had come to their area, it was their responsibility to ensure his safety.

"A number of people, including Chief Ministers and other VIPs, had stayed in the mess. It's wrong to say that somebody was evicted to accommodate Rahul Gandhi and they were left on their own," Chadha said.