The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Union and the Tamil Nadu government to “file status reports on the steps taken to trace 85 people from the State who remain unreachable” following the floods in Nepal.
Food, refreshments and air tickets were provided to the rescued persons at government expense. The Tamil Nadu government told the court that “305 people from Tamil Nadu had travelled to Nepal, most of them for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Of these, 220 had been traced and confirmed to be safe, while 85 remained unreachable.
It said families of those who remained untraceable had also been offered travel and other assistance to visit Kathmandu at government expense. Several groups of rescued pilgrims reached New Delhi and were subsequently taken back to their native places, the government said.
It said 21 of the 57 pilgrims who travelled through Kumbakonam-based Super Yatra were safely rescued and brought back. During the hearing, the state furnished details of the rescue and repatriation efforts.
Officials from Tamil Nadu House are stationed in Kathmandu and are coordinating with the Indian Embassy, Nepalese authorities and relatives of the pilgrims, the state said.
