580 dead in 'unprecedented' Uttarakhand calamity: Govt

Expressing sadness over loss of 580 precious lives in "unprecedented" Uttarakhand devastation besides another 5,400 people going missing who are feared to be "no more", the government today said it will take all possible measures to prevent any such tragedy even as BJP members staged a walk out.
Replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on the Uttarakhand tragedy, Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran said, "Lessons will be taken from the tragedy so that losses are reduced and a disaster resistant India" is made adding that the tragedy was "an unprecedented disaster, beyond imagination".
Assuring members, who attributed the natural calamity to ecological imbalance created due to unchecked construction in the hilly region, Ramchandran said government is committed to strengthen its disaster management cell besides providing ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of the deceased.

He said, "580 people have lost their lives and another 5,400 people are still missing who appear to be no more."
However, BJP members, dissatisfied with the reply staged a walk out after Bhagat Singh Khosiyari demanded from the Minister whether he, as per opposition demand, will appoint a judicial inquiry to find out why the warnings of the calamity were ignored by the state government.
Khoshiyari said the hill state has suffered a loss to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore due to recent flash flood and wanted to know whether the Centre will provide Rs 13,900 crore demanded by it.

Earlier assuring the House of all possible measures to strengthen infrastructure in calamity-torn region, Ramchandran said to review the work related to rehabilitation and reconstruction, a Cabinet Committee has already been constituted under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Paying tribute to 20 personnel from IAF, ITBP and NDRF who lost their lives while rescuing people, he said armed forces did a commendable job and performed "Herculean" tasks.