Kartik Lokhande's blog

‘Wounds, trauma will take time to heal...’ * Nagpur lad Nilesh Bharne, SP (Disaster Control) in Uttarakhand, saw the devastation in Kedarnath and came to conclusion that mammoth task lay ahead By Kartik Lokhande  “Devastation is massive. Trauma is too deep to fathom. Roads might be constructed in some time. What about the scars on hearts and minds? The wounds and trauma will take time to heal,” feels Nilesh Bharne, an IPS officer posted in Uttarakhand. Bharne, who hails from Nagpur city, is Superintendent of Police (Disaster Control) in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand. He saw it all -- destroyed landscape, slush-covered plains, raging rivers, semi-decomposed bodies, mass cremations, battered infrastructure, horrifying scenes of traumatised people waving frantically to get evacuated to safer places. He was entrusted with making arrangements for the most difficult task in the entire relief and rescue operations -- mass cremations of people at Kedarnath. Nilesh Bharne, SP (Disaste...

The Hitavada CityLine; June 27, 2013 Nagpurian providing ‘Rahat’ to pilgrims in Uttarakhand By Kartik Lokhande Relief is not about getting something. It is more about giving, extending a helping hand to those in trouble. This is exactly what a Nagpurian is doing in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand. Braving all odds including the inclement weather and inadequate support systems, Wing Commander Ravi C Pathak is heading a detachment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) engaged in ‘Operation Rahat’ to rescue people trapped and stranded at various places in the devastated region. Wg Cdr Ravi Pathak, who is Commanding Officer of Sarang helicopter display team based in Coimbatore, was in Hyderabad for a display on June 17. The same night, he got a call to move to Uttarakhand to execute ‘Operation Rahat’ launched to rescue and provide relief to people trapped in slush-covered areas near Kedarnath and other areas. Responding swiftly to call of duty, he and his team reached the designated spot by the...