[ Bengia Ajum ]
SEPPA, 10 Oct: A 15-member team of mountaineers, family members and local porters have left here in East Kameng district for Mt Khyarii Satam to resume search & rescue (S&R) operation for missing Everester Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao.
The team, comprising mountaineers Taru Hai, Tana Lui and Tagit Sorang, medic Dr Tedi Mra, and 10 local porters, started from here on 7 October, and had reached Yarchum, which is the confluence of the Kameng and the Wapriyang Bung rivers, at the time of filing this report.
It is reported that the weather condition in the area around Mt Khyarii Satam is quite bad. “There is heavy rainfall in the area. It is feared that even heavy snowfall will start very soon in the area,” said Yatok Mra Nilo, sister of Tapi Mra, who accompanied the team to the last village where the road reaches.
Meanwhile, the family members of Mra have claimed that the state government did not extend any help to resume the search operation.
“Families of both Tapi Mra and Niku Dao met Chief Minister Pema Khandu on 23 September. We had pleaded with the CM to help in inducting mountaineers Taru Hai and Tagit Sorang, along with Mra’s family members and 10 porters, into the Camp 2 area of Khyarii Satam. CM had assured all logistic support for the on-ground search for Mra and Dao,” claimed Yatok Mra Nilo.
However, she alleged that East Kameng DC Pravimal Abhishek Polumatla kept on creating hurdle after hurdle.
“The DC Seppa kept on creating hurdles. First, he asked us to take an undertaking. After that, we were again directed to sign a bond in front of the magistrate. Just when we thought all conditions put up by the DC had been met, the DC again asked to get NOC from the youth affairs department. Our time was wasted trying to fulfil the DC’s conditions. At that time the weather condition was also good to conduct search and rescue operations,” she added.
The imposition of Section 144 CrPC by the DC, strictly banning trekking and expedition activities in Sawa, Khenewa, and Lada circles, also delayed the search operation.
“We had to run from pillar to post to get the 144 CrPC lifted, and it was finally done on 5 October. We did not receive any financial help from the state government or the district administration to carry out this operation. The porters were collected from Saria and Yakli villages,” said Nilo.
She also expressed sorrow over the way the whole rescue operation had been carried out earlier. “After my brother Tapi Mra climbed Mt Everest, mountaineering became very famous in the state and many followed his path. This time also, he was on a mission to climb Mt Khyarii Satam with the aim of promoting it as a climbing destination. But sadly, the government has not given him due respect by conducting poorly planned search and rescue operations. We are deeply hurt,” she said.
She also alleged that the state government “did not give any requisition for helicopter to the Indian Army to drop the rescue team at the base camp.”
The district administration had called off a foot-based S&R operation on 6 September. Due to incessant rain, the porters, army personnel, and officers could not cross the Wapriyang Bung river, due to which the operation was called off.
On 21 September, an S&R operation being conducted with the support of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force was also called off by the district administration, citing bad weather.
The DA claimed that the rescue team had experienced multiple minor avalanches during their movements near the Camp 2 area.
Mra and Dao have been missing since 17 August, after they had set out to climb Mt Khyarii Satam.
