Union Home Secy reviews rescue, relief works in Uttarakhand

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Thursday reviewed the progress of rescue and relief works being carried out by the Uttarakhand government and central agencies following a glacier burst in the state.

The relief works are being carried out at the site of the NTPC hydro project at Tapovan on the Dhauliganga River, which was impacted by the glacier burst that occurred in the upper catchment of the Rishiganga river in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on February 7.

"The Union home secretary reviewed the action required for regulating the flow of water from a temporary obstruction which has formed upstream from the project," an official statement said.

The secretary of the DRDO has been asked to depute experts for analysis of the situation and for taking appropriate remedial measures in co-ordination with the central and state agencies.

The home secretary assured all possible help and assistance from the central agencies to the state government as and when required by them, the statement said.

The meeting was attended by secretary of the power ministry, director generals of Indo-Tibetan Border Police and National Disaster Response Force, members of National Disaster Management Authority, chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation, chairman and managing director of NTPC and scientists from various central agencies along with other senior officers of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The chief secretary of the Uttarakhand government joined the meeting with his team of officers through video conferencing.