During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Uttarakhand, disaster-hit villagers from Dharali met him at the state guest house in Jolly Grant Airport. Overcome with emotion, they shared their painful experiences of the devastating August 5 disaster that destroyed their lives.
Kameshwari Devi, who lost her young son in the tragedy, could not utter many words. Tears streamed down her face as she said the disaster had taken away everything—her family’s livelihood and her elder son Akash.
Those who met the Prime Minister included Gram Pradhan Ajay Negi, BDC representative Sushil Panwar, Mahila Mangal Dal president Sunita Devi, and Kameshwari Devi. With tearful eyes and heavy voices, they recounted the horrifying scenes of destruction.
Ajay Negi lost his cousin and several close associates, while Sushil Panwar lost his younger brother and his entire family. Sunita Devi said her home, homestay, and orchards—all her lifetime savings—were flattened in moments. Among the missing, only Akash’s body has been recovered so far.
Negi told the media he handed over a detailed report of the destruction to the Prime Minister and demanded rehabilitation of Dharali, employment opportunities for affected families, and waiver of farm loans. He said PM Modi assured them that both the Centre and the state government are working together to ensure rehabilitation and support for every victim. The meeting highlighted that the disaster left not only physical damage but also deep emotional scars.
