CHAMBA
The Manimahesh Yatra is in danger because of the severe weather and torrential rainfall in Himachal Pradesh. In recent days, four devotees have lost their way and suffered from inclement weather while trekking the Kugti.
Many devotees stranded in Manimahesh
However, their bodies have not yet been removed safely. The administration teams have been attempting to transport the dead to Bharmour for the past four days, but the operation has failed because of the hazardous roads, rain, and fog.
The deceased’s family was comforted by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who also announced the formation of a special team led by DSP Khazana Ram. It consists of local people, police, home guards, and a climbing crew. As soon as the weather improves, this crew will be dispatched to the track to collect the dead.
There are still around 700 believers stuck in Bharmour. The Center has been asked to assist the state administration, and the Air Force has been asked to supply five or six more helicopters. Since Friday morning, pilgrims have been airlifted by two government-hired private helicopters. It could take many days to securely evacuate everyone because each helicopter can only hold five passengers.
The devotees are being taken to Kariyan in Chamba following the rescue. From here, government buses take pilgrims from Himachal to Nurpur in the Kangra district, while those from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir are taken to Pathankot. The government has verified that all passengers have been safely transported to Bharmour and that no one is currently stuck between Mani Mahesh Lake and Bharmour.
It is well known that the roads and bridges in the Chamba district were destroyed by the intense rain that fell there from August 24 to 26. In some locations, the road between Bharmour and Chamba is entirely damaged. The road route is the only remaining means of transporting the pilgrims in such a scenario. The administration and government now rely entirely on the airlift operation.
The Army’s MI-17 chopper reportedly assisted in airlifting these dead to Pathankot, where they were given to their relatives. One pilgrim came from the district of Hoshiarpur, one from Gurdaspur, and two from Pathankot. These remains were stranded in Bharmour following the yatra deaths because to poor weather and roadblocks.
