Indian Air Force airlifts two critically ill patients from Leh to Chandigarh for treatment

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An Indian Air Force transport aircraft airlifted two critically ill patients from Leh to Chandigarh for treatment, officials said.

While one patient was a victim of a road accident, another was experiencing cardiac issues, they added.

The Indian Air Force further said that its "quick planning and execution" along with the local civil administration helped to save two lives.

"Responding to an urgent request for casualty evacuation, an An-32 transport aircraft of the #IAF airlifted two critically ill patients from Leh to Chandigarh for treatment. Faced with marginal weather, the quick planning and execution by IAF and local civil administration were instrumental in saving two lives, one a victim of a road accident and other experiencing cardiac issues," the IAF said in a post on 'X'.

Earlier on Saturday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed its personnel and MI-17 choppers in a dousing operation in the mountains surrounding Nainital where a forest fire was raging.

Meanwhile, the firefighting operation in Uttarakhand's forests with the help of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter continued for the second day on Sunday with the blaze being brought under control in several areas, officials said, reported PTI.

The state reported eight fresh forest fires in the last 24 hours, gutting 11.75 hectares, compared to the 23 such incidents damaging 34.175 hectares from Friday evening to Saturday evening, the forest department said in its daily bulletin, reported PTI.

Since November 1, 2023, Uttarakhand has so far recorded 606 forest fires in which 735.815 hectares of forest land were gutted, the bulletin said.

No major fire broke out in the forests over the past 24 hours, Kumaon's Chief Conservator of Forest Prasanna Kumar Patro said, reported PTI.

In the Kumaon region, fires are raging at two to three places in Nainital district and at one place each in Champawat, Almora, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar, Patro said, reported PTI.

The fire in the forests of Ladiyakata and Pines area on Nainital-Bhowali road have been extinguished with the help of the IAF helicopter that was deployed on Saturday, he said.

After the forest fire in Nainital reached dangerously close to the High Court Colony and the Air Force base containing sensitive equipment on Friday, an IAF helicopter was brought in to help quell the flames, reported PTI.

The forest blaze in Nainital and adjoining areas is gradually being brought under control after the deployment of the IAF helicopter on Saturday morning, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said after reviewing the situation in the Kumaon region on Saturday night.

Patro said efforts are on to extinguish the flames at other places and they will be brought under control soon, reported PTI.

He attributed the recent spike in forest fire incidents in Kumaon to increased dryness due to heat wave in the lower areas of Champawat and Nainital districts of Uttarakhand bordering Nepal.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)