Kozhikode/Shirur: Arjun in Ankola is still not yet traced out. The central government will deploy army personnel for the search of Kozhikode man Arjun and two others who went missing in a massive landslide at Shirur in Karnataka’s Ankola. A team of 40 soldiers from Belagavi, joined the search on Sunday afternoon, visuals from the spot confirmed it.it is reported that the Karnataka government has sought the help of ISRO to obtain satellite images of the area during the landslide. ISRO chairman Dr S Somanath told MP K C Venugopal that the satellite images would be provided.
Karwar MLA told media that NDRF and SDRF personnel resumed the search for the missing persons on Sunday around 7.30 am. He noted that the officials in charge of the rescue operation were worried about the mudslide in the area. He revealed that the army personnel are expected to reach Shirur by 11 am. It is alleged that senior officials are not coordinating the rescue works properly. Arjun’s brother Abhijith told Manorama News that no senior official reached the spot yet. He added that the rescue team was waiting for the order from the district collector to resume the search on Sunday morning.
Arjun, a lorry driver went missing in Shirur on Tuesday. Amid the searches under NDRF and Navy, his family on Saturday said they have lost faith in the ongoing rescue work and sought deployment of the Army to find him.
The family, talking to reporters outside their home here, said they have sent emails to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking deployment of the Army to carry out the rescue work. Another alternative proposed by the family is that the Karnataka government permits volunteer rescue workers from Kerala to go there and assist in the operations to find Arjun.
“If they (Karnataka) cannot carry out the rescue on a war footing, let the Army and the people from Kerala with more efficient equipment take up the mission. There are people from Kerala with latest equipments and are willing to go there and carry out the rescue work,” the family said as the fifth day after Arjun’s disappearance draws to a close.
His sister and mother said that they initially had faith in the authorities there and therefore, they kept quiet and waited.
“But they have delayed the rescue work. They have not shown the urgency required. We have lost faith in them. Therefore, we have emailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Suresh Gopi sir, and the Kerala Chief Minister,” they said.
Earlier in the day, Arjun’s sister had said that the Karnataka police were informed on July 16 itself that he was missing, and later further details, including his truck’s GPS location, were communicated to them, but to date, there is no information available about his whereabouts.
“If there is so much delay, what hope should we hold on to? If they did not have the requisite facilities there, they should have brought it from where the same is available,” she said.
Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran, who visited the family in the morning, told reporters that the rescue operations were expedited following effective intervention from the Kerala government and prominent political parties in the state.
“Hope it will be fruitful,” he said.
He further said that besides a team of Motor Vehicle Department officials from Kerala, a police team from the state was also present at the site where the landslide occurred and they were providing regular reports about the status of the rescue efforts. The minister also said that equipment like ground penetrating radar and metal detectors have reached the site to help with the rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan said rescue efforts were being overseen by Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar. He said that the adverse weather conditions were hindering the rescue efforts as there was a risk of further landslides due to the rains.
“There is no lack of effort from the Karnataka government’s side,” he said.
Karwar MLA told media that NDRF and SDRF personnel resumed the search for the missing persons on Sunday around 7.30 am. He noted that the officials in charge of the rescue operation are worried about the mudslide in the area. He revealed that the army personnel are expected to reach Shirur by 11 am. It is alleged that senior officials are not coordinating the rescue works properly. Arjun’s brother Abhijith told Manorama News that no senior official reached the spot yet. He added that the rescue team was waiting for the order from the district collector to resume the search on Sunday morning.
Arjun, a lorry driver went missing in Shirur on Tuesday. Amid the searches under NDRF and Navy, his family on Saturday said they have lost faith in the ongoing rescue work and sought deployment of the Army to find him.
The family, talking to reporters outside their home here, said they have sent emails to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking deployment of the Army to carry out the rescue work. Another alternative proposed by the family is that the Karnataka government permits volunteer rescue workers from Kerala to go there and assist in the operations to find Arjun.
“If they (Karnataka) cannot carry out the rescue on a war footing, let the Army and the people from Kerala with more efficient equipment take up the mission. There are people from Kerala with the latest equipment and are willing to go there and carry out the rescue work,” the family said as the fifth day after Arjun’s disappearance drew to a close.
His sister and mother said that they initially had faith in the authorities there and therefore, they kept quiet and waited.
“But they have delayed the rescue work. They have not shown the urgency required. We have lost faith in them. Therefore, we have emailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Suresh Gopi sir, and the Kerala Chief Minister,” they said.
Earlier in the day, Arjun’s sister had said that the Karnataka police were informed on July 16 itself that he was missing, and later further details, including his truck’s GPS location, were communicated to them, but to date, there is no information available about his whereabouts.
“If there is so much delay, what hope should we hold on to? If they did not have the requisite facilities there, they should have brought it from where the same is available,” she said.
Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran, who visited the family in the morning, told reporters that the rescue operations were expedited following effective intervention from the Kerala government and prominent political parties in the state.
“Hope it will be fruitful,” he said.
He further said that besides a team of Motor Vehicle Department officials from Kerala, a police team from the state was also present at the site where the landslide occurred and they were providing regular reports about the status of the rescue efforts. The minister also said that equipment like ground penetrating radar and metal detectors have reached the site to help with the rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan said rescue efforts were being overseen by Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar. He said that the adverse weather conditions were hindering the rescue efforts as there was a risk of further landslides due to the rains.
“There is no lack of effort from the Karnataka government’s side,” he said.
He further said that the family would be anxious and distressed as they have been waiting for several days for information about Arjun.
Arjun’s family had on Friday said that his phone was ringing that morning and the GPS tracker on his truck was emitting a signal, placing the vehicle somewhere underneath the massive mound of mud and rock debris. On Friday, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan got in touch with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah over the issue.
According to the family, they last spoke to Arjun on Monday after which there has been no contact from him. Six bodies have been recovered after the landslide incident on July 16. Vehicular traffic has been temporarily suspended on National Highway 66 following the landslide.
With the advent of an army of 40 in three vehicles, sends an optimistic message. They reached equiped with the paraphernalia of military in force and forte.
