Himalayan disaster: SC steps in, calls for all-out rescue efforts

The Supreme Court has directed the union and Uttarakhand governments to make all-out efforts to rescue the thousands of people stranded due to flash floods and provide them food and drinking water.

A bench of justices A K Patnaik and Ranjan Gogoi directed the governments to deploy sufficient helicopters to rescue flood-affected people in the area.

"We direct as an interim measure that all stranded people be provided immediate relief by the state and district authorities by giving them food, medicines and other essential things including fuel," the bench said.

It asked the centre and National Disaster Management Authority to provide all required resources to the state government.

The court passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer, Ajay Bansal, seeking its direction to the central and state governments to rescue people stranded in the state.

The bench also said that authorities should not discriminate among the affected people in relief and rehabilitation operations after the petitioner alleged that government agencies are neglecting people stranded in the pilgrimage destination of Gangotri.

It also asked the centre to file a report on the relief and rehabilitation work in the state on 25 June when the case will be taken up for further hearing.

"We also direct, depending on the availability of helicopters, sufficient number of helicopters be deployed for picking up the stranded persons," the apex court said in its order.