Lakhimpur Kheri admin writes to its Chamoli counterpart: No information on 29 missing people

It is learnt that the Kheri administration sent a report to Uttarakhand after conducting a complete inquiry on the missing persons and finding no information on their whereabouts. A team from the district administration also met their family members.

A glacial break at Joshimath in Chamoli district led to massive flooding in Dhauli Ganga and Alaknanda rivers, wrecking two power projects in the area as well as houses nearby. Several persons from Uttar Pradesh had been working on NTPC’s Tapovan Vishnugad hydro power project and the Rishiganga power project.

“Recently, we received a letter from authorities at Joshimath stating that they have learned that 29 people from Lakhimpur Kheri are missing in the flash floods. On the basis of the letter, an inquiry was conducted,” Additional District Magistrate Arun Kumar Singh said.

As part of the inquiry, officials of the district administration visited the kin of the missing persons in the hope of gathering some information on them. “We also publicised through newspapers, giving details of the persons missing and asking people to file their responses within 30 days if they have any information on them,” a senior official said.

With no information forthcoming in the stipulated 30 days, a report was prepared by Om Praksh, sub-divisional magistrate, Nighasan, in response to the letter sent by the Joshimath authorities.

“We have replied stating that there is no information on any of the 29 missing persons,” the ADM said.

Sources said the Chamoli administration sought information on the 29 persons as it wanted to expedite processing of the missing complaints. Their family members have, so far, not received any monetary help from neither of the two governments.

Four persons from Lakhimpur Kheri are already confirmed to have died in the disaster.