Focus on rescue, post-mortem later: Manish Tewari

The Centre on Thursday said its priority was rescue and relief measures in flood-hit Uttarakhand and any post-mortem of the tragedy would be done later.

The Centre on Thursday said its priority was rescue and relief measures in flood-hit Uttarakhand and any post-mortem of the tragedy would be done later.

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"Our focus now is rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures. A post-mortem of the tragedy can be done later," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told reporters.

Responding to another query related to a central package for the flood-hit state, he said it would be taken up when the situation is under control.

"We need not get into a debate on whether there was a warning about the floods," said Tewari.

There have been reports that environmental degradation and deforestation due to large scale hydro power and other projects was responsible for the floods that ravaged many areas of the hill state.

Thousands are said to be missing in Uttarakhand after unprecedented rains and cloudburst led to landslides and flash floods. More than 100 people were killed and over 60,000 have been stranded.