Stranded Hemkunt Sahib pilgrims evacuated: Trust

All the Hemkunt Sahib pilgrims taking shelter in the two gurdwaras in flood-ravaged Uttrakhand have been evacuated, and they are on way back to their respective places.
Vice Chairman of Shi Hemkund Sahib Management Trust (SHSMT), Narinderjit Singh Bindra, said this today.
He told PTI over phone that the last sortie to rescue pilgrims from Gurdwara Govind Ghat, which is en-route to Hemkunt Sahib, was carried out this evening.
"There were only 70 pilgrims left yesterday, and the choppers carried out sorties throughout the day yesterday to rescue them to Gurdwara Govind Ghat," Bindra said.
He said that over 14,000 pilgrims have been evacuated from Gurdwara Govind Ghat and Gurdwara Govind Dham during the last six days.

The rescue operation was carried out with the help of two helicopters hired by the Trust and as many Army choppers, he said, adding that the focus now will be on shifting of pilgrims stranded in Badrinath to safer places.
"We are accommodating pilgrims of Char Dham Yatra in our Gurdwaras situated at Joshimath, Srinagar and Rishikesh, and there is no dearth of food and other relief material," he said.