Now Reading: Stalin questions Vijay government over Tamils missing in Nepal floods
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Stalin questions Vijay government over Tamils missing in Nepal floods
Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's government on Thursday over 37 Tamils missing after flash floods in Nepal, asking what action had been taken and…
Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's government on Thursday over 37 Tamils missing after flash floods in Nepal, asking what action had been taken and how many calls the government helpline had received. A total of 57 pilgrims from a Kumbakonam agency and 49 from a Chennai agency were on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra when the floods hit near Tibet on Wednesday. Minister Rajmohan told the Assembly that 20 pilgrims are safe, but the whereabouts of 37 others remain unknown.
Opposition parties including AIADMK and Congress demanded rescue efforts, with Congress calling for a helicopter to be sent to Nepal. Vishnu Ramaswamy, whose mother and two sisters are among the missing, said he last spoke to them on August 26 at 6.15 am and has been unable to contact them directly since. The state government said efforts are underway to ascertain the pilgrims' locations.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is a high-altitude pilgrimage that crosses into China's Tibet region through the Nepal border, an area prone to sudden flash floods during monsoon. The Indian government maintains a 24-hour control room for such emergencies, but family members have reported difficulty reaching state helplines. The Tamil Nadu government last updated the Assembly on 57 pilgrims from a Kumbakonam agency, while a separate Chennai agency took 49 others. With 37 still untraced as of Thursday, the opposition has forced a debate on disaster preparedness and consular response. The next update from the state disaster management authority or the Ministry of External Affairs will clarify whether the missing pilgrims are stranded or accounted for.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
