Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 27 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday directed state Home Secretary Ashish Kumar to lead a team to Nepal and coordinate the rescue of Tamils stranded there following flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, according to a state government press release.
The Chief Minister held a consultation meeting at the Secretariat to review the rescue efforts for Tamil Nadu residents who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Yatra and were stranded following the flash floods.
According to the press release, a total of 103 people from Tamil Nadu travelled to Nepal in two groups. The first group comprised 54 people from Tamil Nadu and three from Puducherry, while the second group consisted of 49 people from Tamil Nadu.
The state government said emergency telephone numbers have been announced to assist stranded Tamils and enable their relatives in Tamil Nadu to seek information about them.
“Swift measures are being taken to rescue the stranded Tamils with the help of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Nepal, the officials of Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi and Travel Agencies,” the release said.
The Chief Minister directed Ashish Kumar to travel directly to Nepal and coordinate the rescue operations. He also instructed officials to immediately arrange for the return of the 20 Tamils who have already been rescued to their hometowns.
He further directed officials to trace the whereabouts of those who remain out of contact, expedite rescue operations and provide necessary medical assistance.
The Chief Minister also directed Ministers Aadhav Arjuna, Rajmohan, K. Thenarasu and R. Vinoth, along with Commissioner for Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils and Rehabilitation R. Sathish, IAS, and other officials, to camp at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi to coordinate the rescue operations.
A medical team will provide necessary medical assistance and psychological counselling to the Tamils rescued from Nepal, the release said.
The meeting was attended by Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity Minister Rajmohan, Minister for Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils K. Thenarasu, Chief Secretary Mu.
Sai Kumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, K. Manivasakan, IAS, Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, IPS, Public Secretary E. Sundaravalli, IAS, and Commissioner for Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils and Rehabilitation R. Sathish, IAS, among other senior officials.
Tamil Nadu’s Special Representative in New Delhi K. Venkata Narayana and Home Commissioner R. Jaya, IAS, also participated in the meeting through video conference.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while briefing the media on Thursday, said the 21 rescued Indian nationals are from Tamil Nadu and had travelled for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
“As of 1300 hours today, we have been able to rescue 21 Indian nationals. This group of 21 people are from Tamil Nadu,” Jaiswal said.
He added that the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the rescued group and has assured them of all possible assistance.
“Our ambassador has spoken to people in the group and has assured all possible help. They are coming to Kathmandu, hopefully, and then arrangements will be made for their travel back home as soon as possible,” he said.
According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the death toll has risen to 258, while 910 people remain missing or out of contact. (ANI)
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