Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 6

Army personnel involved in rescue and relief operations in three disaster-affected villages of Bastari, Udma and Pattarkot in Pithoragarh district have been withdrawn today as the NDRF, SDRF and ITBP teams continue their search operation to trace bodies of seven missing persons in the area.The Army contingent from the 8 Assam regiment was the first to reach Bastari village on July 1 this year. “We have been deputed for 72 hours to rescue the injured but we worked for over 92 hours and rescued five persons from debris, besides some animals. We have also coordinated with the local administration and other rescue agencies such as the NDRF and the SDRF, besides the local police in the search operation for bodies,” said Col J Chaudhari, Commander of the Army rescue contingent.Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who visited the disaster-affected villages, also ordered to form a coordination committee to give suggestions on the mode of rehabilitation of the affected villagers. The committee, chaired by the Pithoragarh District Magistrate, comprises Gram pradhans from all disaster-affected villages, block pramukh of Kanalichina block and will submit its report to the government in 10 days.According to the Pithoragarh district administration, after the Chief Minister’s instruction, some more JCB machines have been put to work on the spot to search for seven missing villagers of Bastari, which will continue for two days.“The process of declaring the missing as dead will start, if the bodies will not be found in two days,” said district administration sources.