Uttarakhand avalanche incident: Centre reviews status of artificial lake formed in Chamoli

`The Union Home Secretary reviewed the action being taken to allow for more flow to the water and removal of some obstructions which have formed at the site of the artificial lake,` said the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Union Home Secretary also assured continued help and assistance from Central agencies to the State Government.

New Delhi: The Union Home Secretary on Monday (February 22, 2021) chaired another meeting to review the status of the artificial lake which has formed in the wake of the avalanche incident in the upper catchment of the Rishiganga River in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.

Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand who joined the meeting through video conference along with his team, informed that based on the physical assessment of the artificial lake made on-site by multiple scientific agencies and satellite data, there is no imminent danger as the volume of water is less than expected and is flowing through a natural channel which has been widened. 

"The Union Home Secretary reviewed the action being taken to allow for more flow to the water and removal of some obstructions which have formed at the site of the artificial lake," read the Ministry of Home Affairs' official press release.

Secretary Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the State administration have been asked to keep a continuous watch on the situation in coordination with Central and State agencies. 

The Union Home Secretary also assured continued help and assistance from Central agencies to the State Government as and when required by them to handle the situation arising out of the temporary obstruction.

The meeting was also attended by  Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Member Secretary of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), DG National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Chairman DRDO, senior officials of the Ministry of Power, Officers from the IDS Headquarters, and scientists from various Central agencies along with other senior officers of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised him of the situation. 

So far, 68 bodies have been recovered, of which, 39 have been identified and 29 are yet to be identified. Over 140 are still missing in the tragedy that struck Uttarakhand on February 7 when a glacier burst in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli district. It led to massive flooding in the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers which damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.