'There will always be hiccups given that the Namami Gange programme is spread over different sectors and involves several agencies.'
So far, 15 bodies have been recovered from the debris, while 12 persons are still missing.
Central government employees can now go skiing in the sylvan surroundings of Gulmarg or rock climbing in Manali, all while enjoying a special casual leave granted by the government which will also bear the expenses for their outing.
Landslides at Dabrani and Nalupani areas cut off Gangotri in Uttarkashi district from the rest of the country, stranding nearly 300 pilgrims in the middle of nowhere.
Nearly 500 pilgrims are still stranded at Gangotri in Uttarkashi district as fresh landslides triggered by heavy rains have blocked the road at Dabrani, they said.
Arijit Banerjee and Tusharendu Kabi of Airit Mountaineering Federation went missing after summitting the Kedardom (6830 Mt).
To trek in a pristine winter under zero degree conditions, head for Harsil.
With weather clearing up, relief operations on Sunday gained momentum in Uttarakhand as the government came out with a roadmap for clearing tonnes of debris and extricating bodies in Kedarnath and adjoining areas ravaged by flash floods over a month ago.
In North India, the sweaters and shawls are out and the coals are burning. The entire region has been hit with a cold wave and the upper areas have even experienced snowfall. The temperatures have dipped in the nation's capital, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and other northern states. And even as bone-chilling conditions are set to engulf most parts of northern India, weather experts warned that they are just a taste of the biting days to come. Here are some images of the biting cold.
The government on Thursday said no outbreak of any water, food or air-borne disease has been reported from the flood-affected areas of Uttarakhand.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today accused the National Democratic Alliance government of turning the programme to clean Ganga as a "Hindutva project" by attempting to polarise politics through the initiative on the holy river.
Authorities in Chamoli district said the toll may climb as about 50 persons from different villages in the area are missing and rescue operations are on.
With the weather clear at most places across Uttarakhand over the past few days, 64 more bodies were found lying over the ridges in Kedar valley and cremated with necessary rituals, a senior police officer said on Thursday.
Fresh incidents of landslides, cloudbursts and house collapses were triggered by moderate to heavy rains in most places in Uttarakhand on Tuesday.
Fearing outbreak of epidemics, the ministry is sending a high level team to review the public health measures in the area
Filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan on his Oraalppokkam win, and why he is keen on retaining the independent spirit of his films.
Incessant rains over the past two days in eastern Rajasthan have led to a flood-like situation in the region and severed road connectivity to many areas.
The intense cold wave conditions accompanied by snowfall have left 24 people dead in Uttarakhand.
This is the first time after 25 years, that Himachal received snowfall on Christmas day, officials said.
An overcast sky and low visibility at places on Wednesday did not come in the way of air rescue operations in rain-hit Uttarakhand, even though a thin veil of early morning fog briefly delayed flight of choppers from Sahasradhara helipad and Jollygrant airport.
At least 50 major landslides occurred in just four road stretches in calamity-torn Uttarakhand, where hundreds of pilgrims are feared to have perished in flash floods, an official said.
So far, the Central Sector has never seen active hostilities, remaining peaceful even through the 1962 war. A reason for the Central Sector having remained peaceful is the towering Himalayan watershed that defines the border.
A tiny village in the Gangotri area and a self-discovery vacation...
We once again present a special feature on the ten worst earthquakes that had shaken the world and caused immense damage in the past 25 years.
The high hills of Himachal Pradesh received snowfall leaving tourists delighted.
The Garhwal region collectively has deposits worth Rs 2,100 crore and advances worth Rs 1,000 crore.
After a brief suspension due to bad weather early in the morning, the rescue operations in rain-hit Uttarakhand resumed on Sunday on a war footing to evacuate 22,000 pilgrims still stranded in high altitude areas amid a MeT department warning of light to moderate rains in the region from Monday.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said Ganga cleansing programmes have been going on for over three decades with almost no impact on the ground and wondered whether the government wanted to do something during this tenure or would it spill over to the next term.
Inclement weather badly hampered cremation of bodies and removal of debris at Kedarnath on Friday besides affecting distribution of relief in over 200 segregated villages where people have lost their homes and are faced with acute foodgrain shortage.
Over 200 pilgrims were taken to safety from Badrinath today with the Uttarakhand government saying that only 500 more remained there with adequate food and medical care even as disposal of bodies in affected areas and transportation of relief material posed a fresh challenge.
With the majority of pilgrims evacuated from Badrinath, disposal of bodies lying in affected areas and transportation of relief material to locals in flooded villages on Sunday posed a fresh challenge to authorities in Uttarakhand.
As fuel prices continue its northward march with petrol and diesel being sold at Rs 80.73 and Rs 72.83 per litre in the national capital, at least 21 opposition parties, led by the Congress have staged a Bharat Bandh protesting the rise in fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee.
'For lakhs of people in the flood-afflicted state, battling against the elements is taking a huge toll. This is the time of the year that apples ripen, rice starts being harvested and preparations start in full swing to put aside some of the food stocks for the long winter months ahead. At this moment, though, people there believe if they can succeed in coming out of this calamity in one piece they will have won the war,' says Rashme Sehgal.
'What struck me was how content the hermit seemed in his little cave, not at all self-conscious in proclaiming that it was the grace of Shiva that had brought him to Tapovan and it was Shiva who would look after him.'
The Alams saw the magical spot while on a drive to the hills. A few years later they set up home and a small hand woven shawl business, hiring local weavers, using local wool and natural colours made of root, stem and flower.
The recent tragedy confirms the view of humanitarian aid as a political weapon
For 36-year-old Tehri-resident Vijender Singh Negi, hanging from the Kedarnath temple bell while standing over floating corpses in neck-deep water for nine straight hours proved a life saviour.
'If the RSS should be saluted for choosing such a scholarly statesman to address its highly trained cadre, one must also praise Pranab Da's sagacity for having gracefully accepting the invitation, thus disapproving any ideological apartheid,' says former BJP MP Tarun Vijay.
Imposing a blanket ban on construction of houses and commercial establishments along the banks of rivers, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Monday announced setting up of a statutory body to look into planning and development of the flood-hit areas of the state.
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