Dehradoon, 21 June 2013
Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi reached Dehradoon today evening. Speaking to media persons here, Shri Modi said that there are 100 different groups of Gujarati visitors stranded at various places in calamity-hit areas of Uttarakhand at present.
“We are trying to air-lift them. We are arranging a plane to bring them to Ahmedabad. People can once reach Ahmedabad and go to south, Rajasthan etc places too,” Modi said.
Modi said one team from Gujarat led by state Relief Commissioner is in Uttarakhand for last few days.
“I have sent a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Minister and spoken to him over telephone for more than once and offered him any help in relief and rescue works. I have asked a medical team to stay on stand-by mode,” Modi said adding that he would meet Uttarakhand Chief Minister and government officials during his visit.
Shri Modi said the natural calamity that struck Uttarakhand has the proportions of a national tragedy.
“In this hour of crisis, the whole country stands in solidarity with the hill state. We will do all we can to lend a helping hand to the state government to deal with this crisis,”
The Chief Minister reached Dehradoon airport at 8.00 pm. He heard calamity-hit Gujarati families at the airport itself and sent seven Gujarati women to Ahmedabad in same plane in which he arrived at Dehradoon.
Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Major Bhuvanchandra Khanduri and other leaders discussed the situation of calamity-hit state with Gujarat Chief Minister at the airport.
Gujarat Chief Minister held a review meeting with the Gujarat government team led by Relief Commissioner that has been in Dehradood for last few days.
Relief Commissioner Shri Punamchandra Parmar and other officials told Chief Minister that work to send calamity-hit Gujarati families back to Gujarat through train and planes has started already.
