New Delhi, Apr 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the entire country applauds the heroic efforts of those involved in the rescue after a ropeway accident in Jharkhand as he interacted with the personnel of various agencies and civil society members who took part in the operation. Over 60 tourists were trapped in cable cars midway for over 46 hours at Trikut Hills, about 20 km from the famous Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar in Jharkhand since Sunday after a ropeway malfunction that resulted in trolleys colliding.
They were evacuated by combined teams of the Indian Air Force, Army, ITBP, NDRF and the district administration. Three persons died in the tragedy. Modi said the country is proud that it has such a skilled force in the form of Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and police force, which have the capacity to bring the people of the country out of every crisis safely.
The prime minister interacted with the personnel involved in the rescue operation and sought to know about their experience.
The entire country applauds heroic efforts of those involved in the rescue operation in Deoghar, he said.
Modi said that in such a crisis, response time is critical for success, and people feel reassured when they see the personnel in uniform. “People have a lot of faith in the uniform. Whenever people in distress see you, they believe that their life is now safe, new hope awakens in them,” he told them. The prime minister expressed satisfaction that the needs of the children and the elderly were always kept in mind during the operation. He also appreciated the resilience of the passengers who showed patience and courage, and commended the local people for their dedication and sense of service. Modi expressed sadness that the lives of three people could not be saved and said, “Our deepest sympathies are with the families of the victims.” He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
“For three days, round the clock, you completed a difficult rescue operation and saved the lives of many people of the country,” Modi told the rescue personnel. “I also consider it to be the grace of Baba Vaidyanath ji,” he added, referring to the famous temple of Lord Shiva in Deoghar.
Modi appreciated the constant improvements in the forces with every such experience, and praised their determination. He reiterated the government’s commitment to keep the rescue forces updated in terms of resources and equipment.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also present during the online interaction, said various agencies worked in coordination to complete the rescue operation with minimum harm. There is now an integrated setup at every level to react to contingencies and protect lives at all times, Shah added.