many still missing

LEH REVISITED
27 still missing, flood toll could go up
Jupinderjit Singh/TNS

Leh, July 22
The death toll in Leh cloudburst, which is being quoted as 257, could well be higher as 27 persons - all labourers from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Bihar - are still missing.

Though it is not uncommon to find fake claimants of compensation in such tragedies, no one has come forward to seek compensation for as many as 63 victims, including the 27 “missing” ones. The administration had to pay Rs 3 lakh each to the next of kin of victims. Now, the officials don’t know what to with the ex gratia money.

Of the total 63, the whereabouts of 27 persons are not known since the fateful night of August 5 -6 last year when the tragedy took place. Repeated communication with respective state governments has borne no fruit.

The remaining 36 were also outsiders (not from Ladakh). While six persons were from Nepal, five were foreigners and the remaining were labourers from different states.

“They have been identified. We have their addresses too but no one had come to claim the compensation. We have to keep the money on hold till someone gives us in writing that compensation wasn’t required,” said DC Leh T Anghok.

“But there is no news of the missing persons. Hopefully, they have survived and somehow managed to reach their native place,” he said. The J&K Chief Secretary had last week sent a reminder to the governments of Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Bihar regarding the missing persons.

Only Rajasthan has responded saying that the state government was trying to locate their next of kin.