Chennai, Jul 12 (IANS): Tamil Nadu's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran on Wednesday said that the state government was in the process of rescuing Tamil people stranded in flood-hit north Indian states

In a statement, he said that 12 calls were received in this regard at the State Emergency Operations Centre in Chennai and efforts to help stranded Tamils are underway under the guidance of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

The minister said that following media reports on Amarnath pilgrims from Tamil Nadu stranded due to a landslide on their return, Tamil Nadu officials have contacted the officials of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and were informed that the road connecting Jammu and Amarnath via Pahalgam was closed for two days but reopened later.

“Steps are being taken to ensure the safe return of the Tamil pilgrims,” Ramachandran said.

He also said that the 12 students who were on tour to Himachal Pradesh and stranded due to floods and landslides have reached Chandigarh. The minister said that immediately after complaints from the parents of these students were received, officials got in touch with the Himachal Pradesh Disaster Management Department as well as District Magistrates of Kullu and Mandi. He said that the state government has received information that the tourists were safely accommodated but they were incommunicado as the telecommunication infrastructure in the area was affected.