Uttarakhand floods: Kedarnath safe but will be shut for a year

[1]

 
New Delhi: The single piece of good news amid the widespread devastation in rain-battered of Uttarakhand was that the revered shrine of Kedarnath is safe.
 
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that there was a lot of debris around the shrine that will have to be cleared. The shrine, he added, will remain out of bounds for pilgrims for one year. The CM was speaking to reporters after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who undertook an aerial survey of the region.
 
Delhi to give Rs 10 crore, Chhattisgarh to give Rs 5 crore, Modi announces Rs 2 crore
 
New Delhi/Raipur/Ahmedabad: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 crore for flood-affected people of Uttarakhand. "We have decided to provide a financial aid of Rs 10 crore to Uttarakhand to help the flood-affected people," Dikshit said. 
 
Chhattisgarh Chief minister Raman Singh on Wednesday announced an assistance of Rs 5 crore to Uttarakhand, where heavy rains and landslides have created havoc.
 
"Chief Minister Raman Singh has announced to release Rs 5 crore from the CM's relief fund to Uttrakhand government for the relief and rehabilitation of victims of the disaster," an official said here.
 
"The CM has also said that he will talk to Uttarakhand chief minister to extend every possible help for relief and rehabilitation in the northern state, besides providing medical aid and food grains in near future," the official added. 
 
The Gujarat Government would provide Rs 2 crore to Uttarakhand administration for relief measures in the hill state and depute its officials to coordinate rescue works. The aid amount would be provided to the Uttarakhand Government from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
 
A decision to this effect was taken at a Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, a statement issued by the State Information Department said. A helpline number (079-23251902) has been launched for Gujarat-based pilgrims and tourists who are stranded in Uttarakhand, the statement said.
 
Modi has also written a letter to Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, urging him to attach additional coaches in Gujarat-bound trains from Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi to ensure safe and early return of stranded tourists.
 
He also demanded launch of special trains for the stranded people. Modi appealed to Kharge to start emergency counters at Delhi, Haridwar and Dehradun stations to facilitate return of passengers and provide necessary information. Besides, people should be provided free food.