4 missing West Bengal trekkers traced in Himachal
KULLU, SEPTEMBER 11
Rescue teams today traced four mountaineers of West Bengal who went missing on Wednesday while scaling Mt Ali Ratni Tibba (5,458m) near Malana village of this district.
Didn’t take cops permission
Editorial: Trekking tragedies
The missing persons were professional mountaineers and had not taken any permission from the administration or the police before undertaking the expedition. Kullu Divisional Forest Officer said permission from the Forest Department was necessary to use the forest area and pitch tents. The copies of approved permissions are sent to the SDM, DSP and other officials concerned for information.
The rescue teams started search operation on Friday and reached the base camp at Wachem yesterday. Two Air Force helicopters were pressed in the search and rescue operation today. A team of the NDRF was also dispatched yesterday to assist in the rescue operations.
AdvertisementKullu SDM Vikas Shukla said the trekkers were safe and they would reach the base camp today along with the rescue teams. They would reach the roadhead at Malana tomorrow.
The missing persons were professional mountaineers and had not taken any permission from the administration or the police before undertaking the expedition. Kullu Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Angel Chauhan said permission from the Forest Department was necessary to use the forest area and pitch tents there. The copies of approved permissions are sent to the SDM, DSP and other officials concerned for information, he said.
Despite the administration advising caution regarding trekking during inclement weather, trekkers continue to embark on such expeditions. Often, the local administration is not informed. Many professional mountaineers, too, are not bothered about making SOS arrangements.
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