Missing Ranchi man’s family anxious, plans to visit Nepal
Roshan Kumar
Ranchi
The Jharkhand government has written to Central government agencies and Indian consular authorities in Nepal seeking details of workers, tourists and other people from Jharkhand who may have been affected by floods and landslides in the Himalayan country.
On Wednesday, in the massive flash flood that wreaked havoc across three districts of Nepal the death toll rose to 177, with many people, including more than 300 Indian tourists, reported missing in one of the country’s worst disasters in recent years.
Sources said that the Jharkhand government has written to the Consulate officials, Protector of Emigrants and Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata seeking information on people from the State stranded or affected by floods and landslides.
“We have written to MEA and other agencies seeking information on Jharkhand residents stranded in Nepal. So far only one person’s details have been obtained through his family. We are yet to get a reply from the Central government agencies and departments,” said Shikha Lakra, who handles the Migrants Control Centre under the Labour Department of Government of Jharkhand.
A 41-year-old Ranchi man is one of 288 people missing after flash floods swept through parts of Nepal. The flash floods, triggered by an earthquake and an avalanche, have killed 359 people and left 1,500 people missing.
Ramprasad Ghosh, a resident of Hyder Ali Road in Ranchi, had travelled to Kathmandu two months ago to work on a hydropower project. His family last spoke to him via a social media call on Tuesday.
“We had our last conversation with him through a social media call on Tuesday. When we saw the news of the flash floods, we tried to contact him through various sources since Wednesday morning, but he is still untraceable,” his 75-year-old father, Ranjit Kumar Ghosh, said.
Also, the Union government has asked all state Chief Secretaries to arrange details of persons who are likely to be missing following Wednesday’s devastating flash floods in Nepal.
According to sources, the Union Home Ministry has asked chief secretaries to look for persons who are likely to be missing, making it an urgent requirement.
The move is aimed at assisting the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which is making efforts to establish contact with families who may have been affected by the incident.
The Centre’s request is intended to facilitate quicker communication and coordination with families as authorities work to ascertain the whereabouts and safety of those who may be missing.
