Kailash Mansarovar yatra: Rescue efforts underway

The number of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims who are stuck on the Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilsa route of the yatra has gone up to almost 1575. On Monday, 2nd July 2018, this statement was confirmed from the Indian Consulate in Kathmandu. While 525 are stuck in Simikot, 550 are stranded in Hilsa and 500 pilgrims in Tibet side.

The help of Nepal Army has been sought to airlift the stranded pilgrims, said the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.

The embassy said “The Embassy is looking at various alternatives for evacuating stranded pilgrims from Simikot, including searching for alternative routes (Simikot-Surkhet/Simikot-Jumla/Simikot-Mugu). All these routes, however, appear to be as difficult as Simikot-Nepalganj. The Embassy is also trying to press in services of Nepal Army helicopters for evacuation.”

Also read: First batch of Amarnath pilgrims leave for Kashmir

There was also landslides caused by heavy rains have cut off access to most of the routes.  Also there is difficulty to initiate air rescue operations due to bleak weather in Nepal. Commercial flight operations have also been halted at airports due to the cold and wet weather conditions. Well, the services of the Nepal Army helicopters for evacuation is been tried by the consulate.

We have set up hotlines for pilgrims and their family members who will provide information in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages. /5 #IndiansStrandedInNepal

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018

Swaraj tweeted the phone numbers of consular representatives stationed on the yatra route. As a 24/7 hotline number has been set up for the pilgrims and their family members with representatives versed in Indian languages such as Tamil, Telugu Kannada and Malayalam.

Pl RT
Pranav Ganesh First Secy +977-9851107006
Tashi Khampa +977-98511550077
Tarun Raheja +977 9851107021
Rajesh Jha +977 9818832398
Yogananda +977 9823672371 (Kannada)
Pindi Naresh +977 9808082292 (Telugu)
R Murugan +977 98085006 (Tamil)
Ranjith +977 9808500644 (Malayalam)

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018

Stranded pilgrims are been taken care of by keeping in touch with consular representatives stationed in Nepalganj and Simikot who are arranging facilities such as lodging, food, water and medical assistance.

The embassy said in its statement “The Embassy representative in Simikot has pressed in service of available medical practitioner in Simikot to get a health check-up done for all elderly pilgrims. In case of any medical complication, they are being given preventive medication and medical counselling of dos and don’ts.”

Local tour operators have been asked to try and hold back pilgrims in Tibet since civic and medical facilities are inadequate on the Nepal side.  More over, they have been directed to clear up the situation in Hilsa on priority basis owing to inadequate infrastructure.

The Karnataka Emergency Operation Center informed the Indian Embassy in Nepal of the stranded tourists and asked for their help in the matter, this was last night.

Also read: 290 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims from Karnataka get stuck in Nepal