Timeline Refresh
The decision was taken at a high-level disaster management meeting chaired by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Last week, the Gujarat government had announced Rs 2 crore for the relief of those who were stranded in Uttarakhand after heavy rains, landslides and cloudbursts wrecked havoc there.
In today's meeting, held to take stock of the latest situation and chalk out plans for assisting those trapped there, a decision to grant Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the kin of those who had lost their lives in Uttarakhand was also taken, an official press release issued here said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today condemned the militant attack on an army convoy here, saying such strikes would not demoralise the security forces.
Immediately after the attack in which five army men were killed, the Chief Minister spoke to the Corps Commander of 15th Corps, Lt Gen G Singh, and expressed his condolences at the loss of lives.
"Such high-profile attacks are aimed at restoring the shattered morale of militants while trying to demoralise the security forces," he said. However, such strikes would not lower the morale of the security forces who have had great success in the past against militant groups, Omar said.
Defence Minister A K Antony today said the armed forces will continue their rescue efforts in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand till the last survivor is brought out safely.
In a meeting to review the ongoing operations to provide help to the affected people in Uttarakhand, the Defence Minister complimented the IAF and the Army for continuing their missions despite bad weather conditions.
"Our efforts will continue till the last survivor is rescued to safety," he said at the review meeting attended by the National Security Adviser, the three Services chiefs and top ministry officials.
The meeting is understood to have discussed briefly role of the armed forces in reconstruction work in the hill state after the relief and rescue operations get over.
Downplaying questions over the belated visit of Rahul Gandhi to Uttarakhand, Congress today said it was not necessary that all leaders visit the calamity-hit state together and hamper relief and rescue work.
The party also hit out at BJP for criticising the state government over the tragedy saying it has become an "obsessive compulsion disorder" of the latter to criticise.
"Rahul Gandhi is not going there as a VIP. He is going there as a citizen, as the Vice President of Congress to oversee that the relief materials reach in place. Rahul did not say I am a Rambo and I did this and I did that," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters as she tried to make a difference between Rahul's visit and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's tour of flood-hit area.
"There are some people who have it in their habit to publicise everything that do. Had he been able to do this during Godhra, the situation would not have gone to that extent," she said.
"Worst is over now. All are safe in Badrinath, Harsil and Gangotri. The army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and National Disaster Response Force
are present there. It will take two to three days to finish the rescue work. Kedarnath valley is almost evacuated," Bahuguna told PTI over phone.
As the state tries to recover from the floods and landslides triggered by the monsoon rain on June 16, Bahuguna said precautionary measures have been taken in the wake of the forecast by the weather office that heavy to very heavy rainfall will hit the state over the next three days.
"There are people stranded in Badrinath and Harsil but they are looked after. Army, ITBP and NDRF are present there.All the arrangements of food and water are made. As soon asthe weather permits, they will be evacuated," he said.
Bahuguna also said the state did not require helicopters from other states.
Andhra Pradesh government today said that eight pilgrims from the state were killed in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand out of the total 2624 tourists.
So far, 1500 pilgrims have either returned home or reached the AP Bhavan in New Delhi, a press release from the Chief Minister's Office said this evening. Another 140 persons were staying in the AP Bhavan. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was on a tour of Visakhapatnam, spoke to his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna over phone and discussed the rescue and relief operations.
He thanked the Uttarakhand government for extending all possible help to the AP pilgrims.
All pilgrims stranded at Hemkunt Sahib in flood ravaged Uttarakhand have been safely evacuated, Punjab state government officials said today.
Punjab Housing and Urban Development secretary A Venu Parsad, who is stationed at Rishikesh to oversee relief and rescue operations of pilgrims from Punjab said, till last night five thousand pilgrims have been safely dispatched to the state.
Divulging details of rescue operations, DIG Punjab Police Khubi Ram said a fleet of 36 mini buses has been sent from Rishikesh to Joshi Math to bring back the stranded pilgrims.
Punjab government has set up a base camp at Gurdwara Sahib in Rishikesh, which is 248 km from Joshi Math, Ram said adding that the Punjab Police is setting up its own wireless system at Joshi Math to enhance the communication network.
"We advise all VIPs not to visit Uttarakhand now. All agencies are engaged in relief and rescue efforts...Such visits hamper their works," he told reporters in New Delhi.
Shinde's advise came on a day when Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was visiting the disaster-hit hill state. The home minister said if any VIP does not listen to the advice he may not be given landing permission in Uttarakhand.
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The India international will contribute Rs 10 lakh which will be utilised for the benefit of the victims of the tragedy. "I have decided to contribute Rs 10 lakh. A part of it will be donated to the Prime Minister's relief fund and the remaining part will go to the Punjab government's relief fund," Harbhajan told PTI today.
According to the source, paramilitary reinforcements have been called in.
If convicted for this charge, Salman faces a 10-year jail term.
One person was killed and four others were injured when an SUV ran over a group of people sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.
Kerry distances the