Rains, cloudbursts, floods from Aug 23-26 predicted
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/KISHTWAR, Aug 21: While several agencies including- NDRF, SDRF, Army, J&K Police and GREF intensified their joint operation to trace the missing Machail Mata pilgrims and some locals of Chashoti on the 8th consecutive day, the District Administration Kishtwar allowed only 15 pilgrims/devotees with the Chhari (Jyot) of Mata Machail for the shrine from base camp Gulabgarh, in Paddar Sub Division this morning.
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Officials monitoring rescue operation at the cloudburst site said that the multi-agency search operation to trace 36 missing persons in cloudburst-hit village entered the eighth day today. Big boulders were creating trouble to operate with the JCBs and other earth movers at the site. They said big boulders are being broken by using explosives and also with the help of rock breaking machines provided by the GREF. At least half a dozen such machines are engaged in cutting rocks.
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“It is believed that some bodies could be deep under the debris beneath these big boulders spread all over the site near the village after rolling down from the mountain during cloudburst on August 14. Though the search operation continued at the site but no dead body could be traced during last two days,” the officials said.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Pankaj Sharma said that on the 8th day of the tragedy today, Chhari of Mata Machail with only 15 devotees was allowed towards the Shrine from base camp Gulabgarh. He said the Chhari Yatra earlier used to be accompanied by over 7 to 8 thousand people.
“Respecting to the religious sentiment of the people and keeping alive the old tradition, only 15 pilgrims with Chhari were allowed this time. They crossed devastation-hit Chashoti village around 12 noon and reached shrine at Machail in the evening along with security. They will return tomorrow to the base camp. But the yatra, officially is still suspended,” the Dy Commissioner said.
The death toll in the natural calamity that struck the last motorable village en-route Machail Mata temple on August 14 during the yatra stands at 65, including three CISF personnel and one Special Police Officer (SPO) of J&K Police. More than 100 people were injured and rescued.
“The search operation by multiple agencies has been intensified to trace 36 missing persons. Operations are underway at the most affected sites by separate teams. A few machines/ JCBs have been moving from the down stream from Gulabgarh side,” a senior official said.
The focus of the operation has been laid at three locations — the major impact site near a langar, the area where houses were washed away, and the Bhuat nallah in Gulabgarh area.
A team comprising NDRF, SDRF and police personnel is conducting a search operation along the entire 22-km stretch of the stream from Chashoti to Gulabgarh, following the recovery of two bodies downstream over the past two days. Another team has been deployed at Dool dam to keep eye on the washed away bodies. Two teams are also searching for the missing people along the Chenab river from Dool to Paddar, he added.
Specialised heavy-duty trucks have been deployed in the Chashoti to assist in rescue operation. Authorities are using such vehicles to ensure swift evacuation and provide relief in the affected areas, he said.
The rescue teams from the 13th Battalion of NDRF are actively carrying out search operations along the river-nallah bed, working tirelessly to locate and retrieve missing persons.
The official said while the death toll stands at 65, some body parts of the missing people have been recovered, and the DNA identification process has begun.
Senior IAS and IPS officials, deputed on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, are supervising the operation on the ground.
Army engineers have built a small bailey bridge over the Chashoti nullah, restoring much-needed connectivity to the village and the Machail Mata shrine.
The Army has also inducted a couple of all-terrain vehicles as part of efforts to intensify the rescue and relief operation.
The rescuers also carried out over half a dozen controlled explosions to blow up giant boulders hampering the search.
The annual Machail Mata yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5, remained suspended for the 8th consecutive day today.
Meanwhile, a MeT official said that hot and humid weather with brief spell of rain at a few places will be experienced during next 24 hours in the region.
From August 23-26, light to moderate rain; thundershowers at many places with heavy rain at a few places of Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua and Rajouri and Kashmir Division (Anantnag/ Kulgam), with moderate to intense showers over Poonch, Ramban and Doda will be experienced. Cloudbursts, flash floods at few places are expected besides landslides/mudslides and shooting stones. The Government has issued advisory for the people to stay away from the rivers/streams/ Nallahs and loose structures. From August 27, the weather will improve, the official said.
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