Special drive to be launched to haul up bodies in Kedar valley

A special drive using advanced technologies will be launched in the Kedar valley after the snow melts to pull out skeletons if any from under tonnes of debris lying in the area which was the scene of a massive devastation during the June 2013 calamity in Uttarakhand.
"Since the valley is an environmentally sensitive zone, deep excavation might not be possible to look for skeletons. Therefore, technological help shall be required after the snow melts," Chief Minister Harish Rawat told reporters during a visit here yesterday.
Even after nine months of the disaster, the exact extent of loss is yet to be ascertained as the damage was done to lives and property on a massive scale, he said.

Hundreds of pilgrims perished in Kedar valley and thousands went missing after June 2013 calamity. The state government has already started paying compensation to the kin of those who are missing presuming them to be dead.
The chief minister said he was confident that the damaged roads to the Himalayan shrines will be completely repaired and the char dham yatra will begin on time.
The char dham yatra is scheduled to begin on May 2 with the opening of the Gangotri shrine.