BETTIAH
Five more migrant workers from West Champaran have died in the October 18 landslide in Uttarakhand’s Nainital, taking the toll from the Bihar district in the tragedy to eight, officials said on Thursday.
Dhiraj Singh Garbiyal, Nainital’s district magistrate (DM), confirmed the recovery of their bodies from Jutiya village in Ramgarh block of Nainital district.
On October 19, bodies of three migrant workers from West Champaran were recovered at Mukteshwar near Nainital town.
“As per information available with us, nine people from West Champaran were living in a house that collapsed. While identification of five bodies have been established, search for three others is underway,” said the DM, adding that one of the occupants, identified as Rajan Sah, survived the tragedy.
“Efforts are on to send the bodies to their native villages. However, we are facing huge challenges owing to inundation in the area,” Garbiyal said.
“Family members of some of the deceased have already reached Jutiya village. We are persuading them to cremate the bodies at the place of the incident as there is a risk of decomposition of bodies,” said an official who wished not to be identified.
Meanwhile, Bihar’s tourism minister Narayan Prasad has written to Nainital DM, requesting to send the bodies of the deceased at the earliest.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Bihar’s tourism minister Narayan Prasad has written to Nainital DM, requesting to send the bodies of the deceased at the earliest.
{{/usCountry}}The five deceased have been identified as Dhodha Yadav (40), Sandeep Kumar (20), Ajay Kumar (19), Dhamu Mukhiya (35) and Anil Choudhary, all residents of villages in Bairiya block of West Champaran.
“A sum of ₹4 lakh will be given to the next of kin of each of the deceased as compensation,” said the Nainital DM.