Kaylong, (QNN) July 14
The Border Roads Organisation was instrumental in evacuation of over 300 tourists standard in Chandra Tal lake in in district Lahaul and Spiti district. Pertinent to mention that information about the standard tourists at Chandra Tal Lake was given to BRO at its Shimla Headquarter about 10 p.m. and the marshals of BRO sprung into action. It was learnt that teams of BRO started from Keylong and Manali that were at distance of about 100 kilometer from the Chandra Tal lake where over 300 tourists were stuck in rough weather conditions. The delay in rescue could have resulted in number of deaths following rough weather, lack of food, ice chilling cold and low level of oxygen.
It was learnt from the reliable sources that the rescue teams of BRO reached at Chandra Tal lake at about 2:15 a.m. on July 13. A team member of BRO said that clearing 3to 5 feet thick layer of snow was challenging in the wee hours due to darkness. He said that on reaching Chandra Tal lake tourists were found in very helpless and doomed condition. On seeing BRO teams there many of them broke into tears with hope of life, he added. Significantly, all tourists were rescued in ten hours operation of BRO and were brought to village Losar.
Notably, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had made an aerial survey to access the situation of tourist at Chandra Tal. He had assured them that they would be rescued soon to safer places. CM had also appreciated the operation of BRO and said that it would not be easy to rescue tourists without timely help of BRO authorities and Jawans. He added that the mission was accomplished with absolute efficiency. Significantly, state government contacted BRO headquarters at Shimla and appraised of the situation and conducted rounds of meetings to handle the situation emerged following inclement weather conditions.
Meanwhile all tourists standard in Chandra Tal and even in Sangla valley were rescued and shifted to safer places.
(Hill Quest Bureau: Kaylong)
Watch rescue operation