HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of tourists, pilgrims and other citizens from the state in Nepal following sudden floods and flash floods, state Revenue, Housing and Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said on Thursday.
The government has preliminarily identified 23 Telangana residents believed to be stranded in Nepal based on information provided by their family members, relatives and close associates, Ponguleti said.
Details of the 23 people have been sent to the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), he said.
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The state government is coordinating with the MEA, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and Nepalese authorities to ascertain their whereabouts and current condition and provide assistance wherever required.
Special helpline, control room set up
Following Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's directions, a special helpline and coordination centre have been set up at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi to monitor the situation in Nepal, Ponguleti said.
A special control room has also been established at the Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat in Hyderabad under the General Administration Department's Non-Resident Indian (NRI) division. Officials are collecting information from families of affected people and coordinating with the authorities concerned.
A teleconference was held with disaster management officials on Thursday to review the situation in Nepal and assess how many Telangana residents could be there.
Ponguleti said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with central authorities.
"The Telangana government is monitoring the situation in Nepal with utmost alertness and seriousness," he said.
"Based on information provided by family members, relatives and close associates, we have preliminarily identified 23 Telangana residents."
"We have sent the details of the 23 people to the Centre. We are continuously coordinating with central authorities regarding their whereabouts and safety," he added.
He appealed to families of any other Telangana residents who may be stranded in Nepal to immediately inform the government.
Families have been asked to provide the affected person's name, passport details, mobile number, last known location in Nepal, travel or tour operator details and contact numbers of family members. The government will coordinate with the authorities concerned and take steps to provide necessary assistance, he said.
Officials at Telangana Bhavan are in regular contact with the MEA, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and Nepalese authorities, Ponguleti said.
"The Telangana government will remain alert and provide all necessary assistance for the safety of every person from the state until the situation returns to normal," he said.
Telangana Bhavan helpline numbers
- 9871999044
- 9949351270
- 9618597969
Telangana Secretariat control room
Families of Telangana residents stranded or affected in Nepal can contact:
- S Lakshminarayana, Assistant Secretary: 9885371189
- K Srinivas Reddy, Section Officer: 7997959754
- E Chittibabu, Section Officer: 9440854433
Ponguleti expressed deep concern over the situation in Nepal and said the state government would take all possible measures to ensure that Telangana residents caught in the disaster receive assistance as soon as possible.
He also appealed to the families of Telangana residents in Nepal not to panic.