New Delhi : Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, appreciating the Indian government’s efforts to conduct search-and-rescue operations for people missing after flash floods in Nepal and urging the Centre to further intensify the operation.
In his letter dated August 29, Tharoor said Indian nationals remained missing following the flash floods that struck Nepal on August 26. He acknowledged India’s prompt response, including the Prime Minister’s outreach to the Nepalese leadership, the dispatch of relief material in four consignments, and the deployment of Embassy teams on the ground.
Tharoor also praised Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and the Embassy team for working continuously to assist affected Indians. He said a group of people from Tibet who had received assistance at an airport had personally conveyed their gratitude for India’s efforts.
However, citing a briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs, Tharoor said around 320 Indian nationals remained unaccounted for, in addition to several people of Indian origin. He added that hundreds of people were reportedly stranded on the Chinese side of the border, including pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar.
According to Tharoor, ground reports indicated that several stretches along the Tibet-Nepal border, including areas around Timure and Rasuwagadhi, had not yet been reached by search teams. He said many people could still be alive, but the window for rescue was narrowing.
Five Suggestions for Intensifying Rescue Operations
Tharoor said that although Kathmandu had agreed to accept limited foreign assistance for tunnel rescue, DNA testing and forensic work, India should urgently send additional specialised resources. He made five specific suggestions:
- Immediate deployment of a full National Disaster Response Force contingent, along with the necessary equipment, instead of sending only a limited number of experts.
- Deployment of an Army engineer task force equipped with earth-moving machinery and Bailey bridges to help reopen the Pasang Lhamu Highway, which is crucial for reaching affected areas.
- Deployment of Indian Air Force heavy-lift helicopters to Rasuwagadhi and Nuwakot so that rescue equipment and personnel can reach locations where roads have been damaged or become inaccessible.
- Use of ground-penetrating radar, thermal-imaging equipment, sniffer-dog squads and dedicated satellite surveillance to locate survivors and identify priority search areas.
- Specific and sustained search operations along the Timure–Rasuwagadhi stretch, which Tharoor said required particular attention.
Tharoor said he had been hearing from families whose relatives remained missing since the floods. He noted that the families had first expressed gratitude for the assistance already provided before seeking further action.
“I hope we can ensure that no one is left unreturned, and that whatever can be moved now rather than after another round of evaluation is done,” Tharoor said in the letter, urging the government to act with urgency.
The letter was also copied to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.