Dehradun, June 17 -- The Uttarakhand high court on Monday expressed concern over the rising number of helicopter accidents during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra and called on the state government to take strict measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims. Before the start of regular proceedings on Monday, the division bench comprising chief justice G Narender and justice Alok Mahra raised pointed queries about the government's response to the repeated mishaps. Addressing chief standing counsel (CSC) Chandrashekhar Rawat, the court noted that weather conditions in the Char Dham region were adverse and questioned the rationale behind allowing heli services to continue under such circumstances. Rawat said that the court has not taken suo motu cognisance in the matter. "The court just raised some queries regarding the helicopter mishaps and I apprised the court of various steps that have been taken and are being taken," he said. He said that he apprised the court that the state government is taking the matter seriously. "I informed the court that heli services were temporarily suspended and that the government plans to implement a new standard operating procedure (SOP) to enhance safety protocols. I also informed the court that helicopter operations are governed by the guidelines of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The court has not issued any formal directions or orders in the matter," he said. While the court refrained from issuing any formal order, it directed the government to adopt stringent safety measures to prevent further tragedies....