With a control room set up in New Delhi, the State government is attempting to coordinate the safe return of the scores of pilgrims from Karnataka, who have been stranded for at least five days following heavy rains and landslips on the route to Kailash Mansarovar.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian authorities in Nepal are currently rescuing Indian pilgrims stranded along the route to the yatra — in the stretch between the border town of Hilsa and Simikot town. Simikot in Nepal has an airport, and commercial airlines have been gradually, depending on weather conditions, rescuing passengers and taking them to Nepalganj, a mid-sized town which is accessible to Lucknow by road.
Of the over 500 Indians stranded, officials at the Office of the Resident Commissioner, Karnataka Bhavan, estimate that around 100 to 150 are from Karnataka. A release has stated the number could be as high as 290. “There is no exact figure as of now, and those from Karnataka will be taken along with the others to Nepalgunj from where they can travel to Lucknow and back to Karnataka. But, we have activated control rooms, if the pilgrims have any difficult in logistics,” said I. Shambulingappa, Deputy Laison officer, Karnataka Bhavan.
Officials there are coordinating with authorities of the MEA and the Indian Embassy in Nepal. So far, none of the pilgrims from Karnataka is believed to be in any danger or have fallen ill. The control room has received more than 34 calls from panicked relatives.
At least 45 tourists are believed to be from Mandya and Ramanagaram districts.
N. Manjushri, Deputy Commissioner of Mandya, said while actual figures were hard to get, a tour organiser had told them that over 30 tourists from the district had been rescued and they are all safe. Another 15 are believed to be from Ramanagaram. Captain K. Rajendra, Deputy Commissioner of Ramanagaram, said: “So far, nobody has intimated the district administration on being stranded or trapped in Nepal. Hence, we do not have any confirmation regarding the matter.”
Among those stranded is 28-year-old B.N. Darshan, a native of Bukkambudi near Ajjampura in Chikkamagaluru district, who left Bengaluru on June 21. While his trip was for 12 days, he has been stranded in the Nepal towns for five days now. For his parents, Nanjunda Murthy and Uma, it was a harrowing week as their son had last contacted them on June 28. On Monday, however, they received a call from him, said Chikkamagaluru SP K. Annamalai.
Similarly in Mysuru, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar, said the district administration had received calls from those whose relatives are stranded there. “There was a call from a person in Periyapatna who said his mother was at the yatra and wanted to know her status. Details are being collated. I am told sick, weak, and elderly persons are being evacuated on priority,” he said.
Teams from Karnataka Bhavan have been despatched to help the rescued at Nepalgunj and Lucknow.