Uttarakhand floods: Parliamentary panel hits out at NDMA

The National Disaster Management Authority came under heavy scrutiny of a parliamentary panel on Thursday over its performance during the relief and rescue operations in the recent flood in Uttarakhand. HT reports.

The National Disaster Management Authority came under heavy scrutiny of a parliamentary panel on Thursday over its performance during the relief and rescue operations in the recent flood in Uttarakhand.

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Several members in the standing committee of the home ministry also raised doubts over the death toll submitted by officials to the panel.

Members slammed the panel for its tardy approach and questioned its effectiveness to handle such crisis.

The meeting was called to hear home secretary Anil Goswami on recent disaster in Uttarakhand and the rescue and rehabilitation activities being undertaken.

According to sources, the home ministry officials put the death toll at 580 that included the death due to helicopter crash. But several members, especially from the opposition camp, contested this figure and accused the centre of suppressing facts.

Sources, however, added that the panel is likely to come down heavily on the NDMA and may seek an overhaul of the functioning in its report.