CVM Rawat apprises Shah of relief, rescue operations in flood-hit Joshimath

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday apprised Home Minister Amit Shah of relief and rescue efforts being carried out in Joshimath after a recent flash flood that claimed at least 68 lives. According to an official release, he urged the Union minister to establish a glacier and water resource research centre and provide a helicopter for keeping an eye on disaster-prone and border areas of the state.

Rawat sought the deployment of an IRB battalion in Gairsain for better disaster and border area management.

He sought deployment of a special team equipped with anti-drone technology in view of the forthcoming Haridwar Kumbh starting April 1.

Rawat also underlined the need for an annual budgetary allocation of Rs 20-25 crore for state police modernisation, the release said.

Shah appreciated the urgency with which the state government launched relief and rescue operations in the flood-hit areas of Chamoli district and gave his in-principle agreement to the demands put forward by the CM, saying all possible help will be extended to Uttarakhand, it said.