A team of Indo-Tibetan Border Police reached remote Murenda, where an artificial lake was formed after the recent flash flood, in Chamoli on Wednesday. The team carried out a special operation to clear logs and minor obstacles from the lake. Earlier on 13 February, a joint team of the State Disaster Relief Force and National Disaster Relief Force had reached the lake site and provided a ground report to the state government.

After the flash flood the formation of a lake has attracted the attention of scientists, geologists and environmentalists. In a move to monitor the water level of Rishiganga a water level sensor and alarm system was installed and its successful trial was conducted recently.

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According to information provided by ITBP, “Indo- Tibetan Border Police team reached Murenda where a lake was formed after the recent floods in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. The team established the base camp, selecting a location for Helipad. Another team with DRDO team to reach soon.”

According to the Central Water commission the size of the lake is 350 Mts in length, with a height of 60 Mts. The SDRF/NDRF team observed that debris has created a field of about 500-700 Mts on the front part of the lake. The team found the large patch, formed by ice, debris and boulder, smooth. With the DRDO team reaching soon, scientific study of the lake will be conducted to present an accurate picture of the situation prevailing there. High speculation prevails about the lake.

Search and rescue operation is going on at war footing in the flash flood hit areas of Tapovan and Reni villages since 7 February. Rescuers started search and rescue work in many new points on Wednesday. So far 58 bodies have been recovered from the flash flood hit area.

NTPC Limited has started releasing compensation to the affected families of Tapovan power project workers, who lost their lives in the natural disaster that hit the hill state on 7 February. Vimla Devi, who lost her husband Narendra, was provided a cheque of Rs 20 Lakh on Monday.

NTPC has accelerated completion of all modalities to fasttrack distribution of compensation; the company has decided to hand over compensation from its end to the families of its deceased workers as per ex-gratia list released by the Uttarakhand government.

Rescue operation at site is in full swing for the tenth consecutive day with extensive coordinated work being carried out by multiple agencies to reach those trapped in the tunnel.

A press release by NTPC states, “It is to be stated here that the Tapovan project had stood like a rock against the tsunami like flood and bore the brunt of nature’s fury. In the process, the barrage of the project saved many villages downstream from being swept away.”