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The pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri was suspended after the roads leading to them were hit by fresh landslides following heavy rains on Monday, leaving hundreds of pilgrims stranded.

Landslides struck the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway at several places including Govindghat, blocking vehicular traffic. The Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway has also been hit by landslides at Chhatanga area, official sources said here.

The yatra to Gangotri temple remained suspended for the second consecutive day as the landslides that hit the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway at Sainj in Uttarkashi district on Sunday have not been cleared so far.

Fresh landslides have also hit the highway at Helkugad and Netala, the sources said.

PWD, BRO and police personnel are working round-the-clock to clear the debris and reopen the road for vehicular traffic.

Meanwhile, administrative teams have been sent to the affected areas to take care of the stranded pilgrims, they said.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rains continued to lash most parts of Uttarakhand with Uttarkashi receiving the heaviest rainfall at 84 mm, followed by Bhatwari (72 mm) on way to Gangotri temple during the past 24 hours, Met Director Anand Sharma said.

Chamoli recorded a rainfall of 58 mm, Purola 40 mm and Kausani 30 mm, he said.

The Met department has predicted light to moderate rains at many places in the state and heavy rains at isolated places in Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts during the next 24 hours.

Central team to assess damage in U'khand

Central government teams are here on Thursday to make an assessment of the damage caused by landslides, cloudbursts and floods following incessant rains in various parts of Uttarakhand this month.

Source:http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Quick-View/690758/

BJP asks for Rs 5,000-crore package

NEW DELHI: With heavy incessant rains and landslides wreaking havoc in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, a senior BJP delegation, led by NDA working chairman L K Advani called on the Prime Minister on Monday.

Demanding immediate help from the Centre, the BJP leaders asked the Prime Minister to declare Uttarakhand as a disaster-struck State and the release of a Rs 5,000-crore package for the state.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, stated one of the members from the BJP delegation Tarun Vijay, was ‘very responsive.’ Going beyond politics, he extended full support and all possible help in the meeting, which lasted for about half-an-hour. He directed the Cabinet Secretary to be in touch with the state authorities.

In the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, the BJP said that Uttarakhand had been struck by an unprecedented disaster with incessant rains.

In the last 24 hours, more than 61 people had died from Almora to Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Nainital and other far-flung areas.

It said that in the last one month massive landslides, floods, water logging, flash floods and cloud burst had resulted in the loss of 150 human lives and the damaging of private and public properties worth Rs 5,000 crore. In August, 18 children died in a cloud burst rendering hundreds homeless in Pithorgarh.

The delegation urged that the Western Command of IAF be directed to provide four helicopters - 2 Chetak and 2 MI 17 - to Uttarakhand government for a fortnight for food, medical and other relief-related aid.

The delegation apprised the Prime Minister of the threat from the Tehri dam, which had attained its maximum permissible level and incessant rains in the upstream of river Bhagirathi and Bhilangana presenting a serious threat.

In the downstream areas, the river Ganga had already crossed the danger level while other major rivers in the state such as Yamuna, Gomti, Kosi and Saryu, all flowing above danger level.

Besides the financial assistance of Rs 5,000 crore, the BJP leaders sought additional support to strengthen and reinforce the Border Road Organisation and also the NHAI.