Tuesday, July 2, 2013

RSS in Uttarakhand, helping the Army and the People.

Massive relief operation by swayamsevaks

Swayamsevaks first to land in Kedarnath, prepared helipad for army helicopters

When local administration was found missing, the swayamsevaks provided vital information to army and other rescue teams

After relief work, swayamsevaks start taking stock of damage so that rehabilitation work could begin in shortest period

The Army jawans and RSS workers worked shoulders to shoulders with each other to rescue the stranded people and also to help the local people. The swayamsevaks not only ensured full supply of ration and other required material to the victims they also provided vital information to the army jawans, as the local administration was missing for this job. Brigadier Kapur confirmed in Joshimath that the Sangh swayamsevaks supplied them vital information and most of their information was correct and useful.

The swayamsevaks displayed an extraordinary courage on June 18 when they joined the first army team landing in Kedarnath through helicopter. Two swayamsevaks, Bijon Bisht and Yogendra Rana, were first to land in Kedarnath valley through a rope to prepare a helipad for army helicopters. After that a team of 50 swayamsevaks worked there day and night for relief and rescue. In other areas also the swayamsevaks were first to reach with relief. They prepared helipads for the army helicopters. They not only saved the lives of people along with the army but also provided meals and medicines to the victims.

The Sangh had set up a base camp for relief material in Dehradun under the banner of Uttaranchal Daivi Aapda Peedit Sahayata Samiti. The entire relief material collected from across the country through the swayamsevaks or the Sangh associated organisations workers was stored there and it was only from here that the material was sent to different areas of the state as per the local needs. Uttarakhand Prant Vyavastha Pramukh Shri Surendra Mittal and Mahanagar Karyavah Shri Anil Nanda were looking after the distribution work of relief material. Different teams of local swayamsevaks assisted them round the clock. Dispatching relief material too was an uphill task as all the trucks had been taken over by the state government. But the swayamsevaks did their work perfectly.

The biggest relief work was done in Maneri, Uttarkashi, where about 6000 people were fed everyday. It is a very prominent route for the pilgrims coming from Gangotri. Some people came after walking 50-80 kms. Around 10,000 people passed through it everyday. The swayamsevaks also ran many relief camps for the people on the traditional walking route of Gangotri. Relief camps were also set up in Dhanolti, Chamba, Tehri, Ghansali, Mayali, Vasukedar, Rudraprayag, Agastmuni, Badrinath, Guptkashi, Karnaprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath, Srinagar, etc. Many people were stranded at Sukhi village near Harsil. The swayamsevaks helped them reach Harsil so that they could be evacuated by helicopters.

The entire relief operation was looked after RSS Kshetra Pracharak Shri Shivprakash, Prant Prachar Pracharak Dr Harish and Prant Karyavah Shri Laxmikant Jaiswal. They ensured full supply of the material from wherever they received the call. Senior activists of Uttaranchal Daivi Aapda Peedit Samiti Shri Prem Barakoti reached Maneri by walking many kilometres and managed the relief operation there.