Chamoli (Uttarakhand), Feb 28: A massive avalanche struck Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday left at least 42 workers engaged in road construction near Mana village, close to the India-Tibet border, trapped under the snow, and a multi-agency operation has been launched to rescue them, officials said.

According to reports, 57 workers were present at the site when the avalanche occurred. While 15 have been rescued and rushed to an army camp in critical condition, efforts are underway to locate the remaining trapped workers.

Rescue operations are being carried out by multiple agencies, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Army.

An Army statement said, the avalanche struck around 7.15 a.m. near a BRO camp, approximately 3 km ahead of Badrinath Dham, where workers were clearing snow for army movement. The Army’s swift response teams, including over 100 personnel from the Ibex Brigade, doctors, ambulances, and heavy equipment, were immediately mobilized.

An army official stated that ongoing snowfall and intermittent smaller avalanches are slowing rescue efforts, which are being conducted with extreme caution. The General Reserve Engineer Force (GERF) is also working to clear the road between Joshimath and Mana, while additional medical resources from Joshimath are being mobilised.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on X: “Spoke to Chief Minister @pushkardhami ji, DG ITBP, and DG NDRF regarding the Chamoli avalanche. Our priority is to safely evacuate those trapped. The local administration is engaged in full-scale rescue efforts. Two NDRF teams are also en route.”

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy, stating: “Sad news has been received about workers being buried under an avalanche during BRO’s construction work near Mana. Rescue operations by ITBP, BRO, and other teams are in full swing. I pray to Lord Badri Vishal for everyone’s safety.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also posted: “An unfortunate avalanche has struck the Mana area in Joshimath, affecting the BRO’s GREF camp. I have spoken to CM @pushkardhami. The administration is providing all possible assistance, and the Army is leading rescue efforts with all available resources.”

District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari has directed officials to expedite the rescue mission. He confirmed that 57 workers were engaged in clearing snow for army movement when the avalanche struck. So far, no fatalities have been reported.

A team of the SDRF has been dispatched from Joshimath, while a high-altitude rescue team remains on standby at Sahastradhara helipad, awaiting improved weather for aerial deployment. The Army has also been contacted to clear blocked routes in Lambagad.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Uttarakhand and other hilly regions, warning of extremely heavy snowfall – up to 20 cm – until late Friday night.

Rescue teams continue to battle challenging conditions as efforts intensify to locate and save the trapped workers.

New Delhi, Feb 28: The parents of RG Kar Medical college doctor, who was raped and murdered on the hospital campus on August 9 last year, on Friday said that Mamata Banerjee-led state government is responsible for their daughter’s tragic fate. They also accused the state government of passing the buck and failing to deliver justice, even a year after the horrifying case of rape and murder that shook the entire nation.

The parents of the murdered woman doctor of R G Kar hospital said this after meeting the CBI director, regarding the ongoing probe into the crime. They recently traveled to Delhi to raise their concerns before the investigating agency.

“We met CBI Director Praveen Sood and discussed the verdict given by the Sealdah Court. We also sought clarity on what the CBI has done so far in the investigation and requested the director to ensure my daughter gets proper justice. The supplementary chargesheet, which was scheduled for submission in court, was also a point of discussion,” said the victim’s father.

Raising concerns over procedural delays, he added, “We have not even received my daughter’s death certificate yet, so we urged the CBI director to help us obtain it. He assured us of his support.”

The grieving parents slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her recent remarks, in which she accused the CBI of not handling the case properly. “Mamata Banerjee is misleading the people and voters. She never questioned why her own police failed to act promptly. Instead, she always blames the CBI and other agencies,” the father stated.

He also alleged that the state government deliberately tried to suppress the case. “Mamata Banerjee’s police did nothing for four days after my daughter’s death. She instructed all stakeholders to stay silent and even arranged for my daughter’s body to be cremated at 2:00 a.m. that night.”

Hinting at a larger conspiracy, he said that the Chief minister must take accountability for inordinate delay in justice.

“As both CM and health minister, she had the duty to ensure my daughter’s safety but failed. I believe there is a bigger plot behind this crime, and she is responsible for it.”

The body of the 31-year-old second-year postgraduate student, who was raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the hospital, was found on August 9. The police later said that multiple lacerations and wounds were found on her body.

New Delhi, Feb 28: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on health services in the national Capital, during the erstwhile AAP government’s regime, was tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Friday.

The Central government auditor’s report on the health department’s expenses under the AAP dispensation, is one of the dozens of reports that the BJP government has vowed to present in the House, to expose corruption under the previous regime.

In the CAG report tabled on Friday, the Mohalla Clinics, one of the flagship projects of the Kejriwal administration as well as government hospitals came under scathing criticism for the gross irregularities, inefficiencies, price escalation and under-utilisation of funds.

A couple of BJP legislators, speaking on the CAG report in the Assembly, tore into the former AAP government and accused it of promoting corruption and malpractices in health departments.

BJP MLA Harish Khurana slammed the AAP government over cost escalation and overpricing of several projects, due to delays.

He said that the CAG report clearly shows the array of irregularities that took place under the AAP government.

“In 11 years of their rule, they built just three hospitals and also incurred huge losses to the exchequer. In 11 years of their governance, only 3 hospitals were either built or extended. Indira Gandhi hospital suffered 5 years’ delay, leading to escalation in cost by Rs 314 crore. Similarly, Burari hospital saw cost escalation by about Rs 41 crore,” Khurana said.

“In total, an additional expense of Rs 382 crore was made on construction of three hospitals,” he pointed out.

“The funds provided by the Centre to the state government in fighting the Covid pandemic were also mismanaged. They were blaming the Centre over shortage of funds but the facts reveal that state government was responsible for bungling up,” said Khurana, son of former Delhi CM Madan Lal Khurana.

The CAG report highlights the ‘dire conditions’ of Mohalla Clinics, the much-touted dispensaries started under the stewardship of former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Earlier in the day, AAP leaders protested outside the Assembly against the suspension of 21 lawmakers, this week. Ex-Chief Minister Atishi, now Leader of Opposition, also wrote to Speaker Vijender Gupta to flag the ‘severe blow to democratic values’.