Bengaluru, Aug 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kannadigas stranded in Nepal on Saturday urged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to arrange an airlift, citing the risk of landslides and the difficult 12-15-hour road journey back.
Shivakumar, who interacted with a group of pilgrims from Karnataka through a video conference, assured them that he would assess the situation and take necessary steps to ensure their safe return.
The Chief Minister spoke to a group of pilgrims, including women, who had travelled from Karnataka to Nepal and were stranded amid difficult conditions. He asked them not to worry and assured them that the state government was with them.
During the interaction, Shivakumar asked the pilgrims about their present location and the difficulties they were facing.
One of the pilgrims said the group had reached Darchan after travelling from the Kailash base. They were scheduled to travel to Nyalam, where immigration formalities would be completed before they entered the Nepal border.
The pilgrim said the road journey from there was risky due to landslides and could take between 12 and 15 hours.
"There are landslides on the route, and it is risky. The journey would take 12 to 15 hours. There is a possibility of landslides and also a chance of getting stuck. If we are airlifted from that place, it would help us," the pilgrim told the Chief Minister.
Responding to the request, Shivakumar assured the group that he would discuss the possibility of an airlift and assess the situation before taking a decision.
"I will talk about this, and I will certainly do it. You don't lose courage. I will analyse the situation and certainly initiate a step," he said.
Shivakumar further reassured the stranded pilgrims that the Karnataka government would stand by them and ensure their safe return.
"We are there for you. Don't worry. We are here for you. You have gone on a pilgrimage and got stuck. It's okay; we will take care," he said.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to arrange accommodation for all Kannadigas arriving in Delhi before they travel onward to Bengaluru.
The Karnataka government is coordinating efforts to bring back Kannadigas stranded in Nepal amid challenging conditions caused by floods and landslides. The interaction video has been released by the Chief Minister's Office.
It may be recalled that as many as 17 people from Karnataka, including Infosys Public Services CEO Lax Gopisetty, remained untraceable in Nepal till Saturday, following devastating floods and landslides that have disrupted communication and transportation across several parts of the country.
The Karnataka government is expected to release details of the missing persons later in the day as locations of some have been established while the whereabouts of others still remain unknown.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had said the state government was making round-the-clock efforts to trace Kannadigas who were stranded or unaccounted for in Nepal.
“We are tracing people.... many are not tracked. Information about 17 persons needs to be obtained; it is not available,” Shivakumar had said.
Source: IANS
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