Bahuguna emphasizes on need to have food stocks for two months

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, whose administration is busy dealing with the impact of floods and landslides in the hill state, on Thursday stressed on the need to have food stocks for two months.

Bahuguna said so far at least 40 villages have been provided with relief material through helicopters and the effort will continue.

"We want that food stocks for two months should be made available and helicopters are engaged in it. And we have sufficient relief materials, which we have to send," said Bahuguna.

"We are struggling with the weather and nature. Our brave soldiers, police and other authorities are engaged in rescue operations," he added.

Meanwhile, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Ajay Chadha today disclosed today that 13 bodies of helicopter crash victims have reached Dehradun and legal formalities were being completed.

"Army commandos, para commandos and air force commandos, they have located 18 bodies and they are looking for the remaining two bodies. 13 of these bodies have reached Dehradun, legal formalities are being completed," said Chadha.

" So, as soon as all the bodies are recovered, we will let you know the further programme. Rescue work is going on. Today, luckily the weather is better than yesterday although it is not totally clear," he added.

At least 20 people were killed on Tuesday as the IAF Mi-17 crashed north of Gaurikund while returning from a rescue mission from Guptkashi and Kedarnath.

The IAF had started inducting Mi-17 V5 choppers only last year after ordering 80 of them from Russia.

This is the second incident of a helicopter crash this week in the hill state.

A private helicopter carrying relief materials for the rain-affected people in Rudraprayag district had crashed on Sunday near Gaurikund leaving the pilot injured.