CHANDIGARH: A man from Punjab's Tarn Taran Sahib district and his two relatives from Uttar Pradesh have gone missing in Nepal since August 26 after the devastating floods. They were working at the Trishuli Upper Power House Project for the last six years.
The missing persons were identified as Shamsher Singh, Bhupinder Singh, and Rashpal Singh.
Shamsher Singh, Bhupinder Singh were employed as crane operators while Rashpal worked as a truck driver.
There is no information about the whereabouts of the three men so far. The incident has left the families deeply worried.
Shamsher is married and has two daughters and a son. His family approached the village panchayat, Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner, and the local MLA urging them to take up the matter with the Centre.
Shamsher's wife Baljinder Kaur said the last time she spoke with her husband was on August 25. Thereafter, his phone was unreachable. "He told that he was on duty and everything was fine. Of the other two missing one was my brother and other was my nephew. she said."
Kaur said till now no official has contacted them.
Shamsher's relatives, brother Gurjant Singh and uncle Kulwant Singh, said the three had lost contact after the floods. "Since then, there has also been no contact with Bhupinder and Rashpal, too,” they said.
Kulwant said the family members have travelled to Nepal but have not been able to find the three men.
Meanwhile, the village panchayat has also written to the government and administration, urging them to initiate efforts to trace the missing persons and provide all possible assistance to their families.
Himachal Pradesh man missing after floods
Sukhvinder Rattan (32) of Una district in Himachal Pradesh, who was working as a mechanical engineer at the Trishuli Hydro Project in Nepal, has also gone missing after the floods.
Rattan's family is making continuous efforts to contact and locate him but has not succeeded so far. They have approached the central government and local MP Anurag Thakur.
Rattan is married and has an 18-month-old son. His father, Husan Lal, said that his son previously worked in Bhutan before the company transferred him to Nepal. "Rattan had returned to Nepal on August 15 after three months’ gap,’’ he said.
"One of my nephew also lives in Kathmandu. He was in touch with my son, but still there is no clue of Rattan. My elder son, Virender is also an engineer in Dubai, reached Kathmandu to search for his brother and is currently trying to gather information,’’ Lal said.
Lal added company officials had informed the family that rescue operations at the project site are underway.
Rattan's father claimed that the administration has not yet contacted the family. However, he has spoken to some leaders from the BJP and the Congress.
Lal said the leaders have requested a photograph of Rattan and details regarding the Trishuli Hydropower Project from the family to coordinate with the relevant agencies in Nepal.
Una sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Mittal said that higher authorities have been informed about Rattan's missing.
The state government has established control rooms in all districts to assist people from Himachal stranded in Nepal and their families.
The State Disaster Management Authority stated the government’s priority is to provide relief and rescue assistance to citizens stranded in disaster-affected areas and to bring them back safely to their home state.
The disaster has killed hundreds and left thousands missing, with hydropower projects and other infrastructure among the facilities badly hit. Nepal’s official figures have continued to rise as rescue teams search affected areas.