Military help sought for Teesta rescue

Rafts engaged for the search in the Teesta on Monday. Picture by Passang Yolmo 

TT, 16 July 2019, Siliguri: The Bengal government on Monday sought the help of the army and the navy to search for two tourists and the driver who had gone missing in the Teesta following the fall of an SUV into the river in Sevoke near here on July 10.

The request was made following a demonstration by a section of residents of Sevoke and taxi drivers to protest the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the state government in the rescue operation.

Initial reports had suggested there were two tourists from Rajasthan in the SUV but later, their relatives said three persons and the driver had gone missing. The body of one tourist, Aman Garg, was found downstream near the Teesta Barrage in Gajoldoba later.

After the accident, the National Disaster Relief Force teams were engaged for the search. However, two other tourists and the driver are yet to be traced. Nor has the vehicle been found.

On Monday, a section of the locals and cab drivers, under the banner of an organisation affiliated to the INTUC, demonstrated in front of the police outpost in Sevoke.

The protest made Darjeeling district magistrate Deepap Priya P. inform the state government that the NDRF was unable to trace the missing people. Then, a senior government official wrote to the army and the navy, seeking deployment of experts and divers to carry out the search.

Sources said the Teesta had swollen following heavy rains and hence, the rescue operation was facing difficulties.

A number of streams and rivers in north Bengal breached their banks and flooded several localities in North and South Dinajpur districts since Sunday night.

Assam floods Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took stock of the floods in Assam on a day Con- gress MPs from the state protested outside Parliament, demanding the declaration of the deluge in the state a national problem.

Thirteen people died and 42.86 lakh people were affected by the floods in Assam till Monday. Thirty out of total 33 districts have been hit by the deluge.

Bihar situation At least 44 persons, including children, have lost their lives so far in the deluge that has hit 12 districts of north Bihar affecting over 27 lakh people.

The toll is expected to rise further as information from the hinterland reaches district and state headquarters