Talking about the plight of the elderly, Help Age India said in many villages the elderly were left behind when people fled the deluge, especially in Kalimath near Kedarnath.
Save the Children, another NGO, is planning to create child-friendly spaces in the state as incidents of trafficking are high. In these places, the scores of children stranded in the floods can be safely left with trained caregivers.
"The focus is right now shifting from tourists and pilgrims to the local communities. The devastation is huge; the rehabilitation and relief work should be proper and focussed. Due to incessant rains, the small bridges which connect villages have collapsed. It will be tough to reach the villagers who are cut off, but we will continue our rehabilitation work," Devendra Tak, national manager, Save the Children, told IANS.
