Had Harish Rawat directed a study of Himalayan glaciers when he was the Union minister of Water Resources, the 2013 disaster in Kedarnath could have been averted. The State’s Tourism, Culture and Irrigation minister Satpal Maharaj said this in response to the war of words underway between the BJP and former CM Harish Rawat.
Maharaj said that Rawat had apologised for his decision as the then CM to declare the Ganga an escape channel in Har ki Paidi. However, he should also recall how many errors he had made during his term in office.
“Will Rawat explain why he took no interest in getting a study conducted on the glaciers when he was the Union minister of Water Resources? The mountain glaciers should have been studied during Rawat’s term at the Centre.
Had that been done, we could have averted the 2013 disaster. We have started this study now. However, geologist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology had warned before the 2013 disaster that the whole Kedarnath township would be swept away if the Chorabari glacial lake burst its banks.
Ignoring the warning, the then Union minister of Water Resources Harish Rawat took no interest in getting a study conducted on glaciers. Will he seek forgiveness for that too?,” questioned Maharaj.
He also questioned how a person not connected with the Uttarakhand statehood movement is now remembering Rampur Tiraha.