Karnataka ex-min Shobha caught in flood fury
Uttarakhand: Former energy minister Shobha Karandlaje has been stranded for a third consecutive day in Uttarakhand with her plans to leave the flood-hit area unsuccessful after the car she was travelling in, got caught in the panicked exodus of cars and people, making their way down to Rudraprayag.
“I am hungry and alone,” Karandlaje, who was on a pilgrimage to Kedarnath yatra told BJP legislator Lehar Singh, when she called him on Tuesday evening to say she was safe, but unable to travel any further as the road was jammed with other cars. Traffic was at a standstill, and the only food she had were the snacks that she had in the car with her.
“She is about 30 km away from Tehri dam in Uttarakhand,” Singh said, adding “Shobha is a little disturbed because she was alone in the car and had to sleep in the car itself. Though the rains have stopped, due to vehicles jammed on the road for nearly 24 hours, she could not reach Rudraprayag”.
Roads leading to Kedarnath temple have been washed away in the heavy rains, Shobha reportedly told Singh.
In constant touch with her family members in her hometown — Charvaka of Dakshina Kannada district. Shobha's brother Lakshman Karandlaje said: "Except shortage of food there is no problem as she is in a reasonably safe spot. It seems there are about 75 people who are trapped in the same place where she is. The only way to contact her is her mobile," Lakshman Karandlaje told Deccan Chronicle.
"On Monday, she called us and told that she was stranded. Since then we have been in constant touch. She told us that everything was fine except shortage of food. The only food left is what she has kept in her car," Karandlaje said, who added that Shobha makes an annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath, and had left Bengaluru about 4 days ago to fulfill a vow. Nobody in the family accompanied her.
"She told us that the roads were closed on both sides after the landslide and the weather was so bad that even helicopters were finding it difficult to land. Rescue operations may be delayed. But as she is in a safe place, all of us, including our mother are not scared," Karandlaje asserted.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that nearly 150 people, who were enroute to Kedaranath had been stranded because of the floods in Uttarakhand. Bad weather made it difficult for the the state government to send helicopters to rescue the devotees from Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said.
One of the officials from the Uttarakhand home ministry said that about 200 people from different states have been rescued from Kedarnath and taken to safe place through canters. All the pilgrims have been provided with food and shelter. Once the situation comes under control arrangement will be made to send them back to their respective states. As of now, the officials are concentrating on looking after the pilgrims.
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