While locals and activists continue protesting in Gairsain demanding the establishment of permanent State capital there, the general public opinion in Dehradun and other parts of the State too is largely in favour of making Gairsain the permanent state capital.
College student Anshul Bhatt opined, “I believe Gairsain should be the permanent capital of Uttrakhand. It is a major issue that is linked with the development of the mountainous and rural areas.
If Gairsain is made the permanent state capital, people will not leave their homes for cities in search of better education, medical facilities and job opportunities.
More value will be accorded to the villages,” he said.
Expressing his views journalist Harsh Tyagi said that making Gairsain the state capital will help develop all parts of the state.
“The State Government should stop dithering on this issue.
The basic reason for continued delay on this issue is that most ministers do not want to work in the rural areas.
No political party wants to resolve such a matter even though it is politically important too.
One can only hope that the current agitation in support of the demand would bring about at least some change,” he added.
Activist and writer Gajendra Nautiyal said, “Government officials in general don't even like the narrow mountain roads which the village folk traverse.
How can we expect them to work from thereIJ Dehradun used to be a good education hub.
But the crowding after it was made the provisional state capital has degraded its value. The government should give utmost importance to this issue,”he stressed.
A Government school teacher, Chandrakant Sharma said, “Being a teacher in a village area I know how officials work to help the common public.
If Gairsain is made the permanent state capital, the officials too would be bound to discharge their duties more seriously.
The local residents too will desist from migrating if their requirements are met in their native place.
With Gairsain as the state capital, there might even be reverse migration back to the rural mountainous areas,” he opined.
local resident Aditi Kaul said that the demand for separate state was raised to facilitate development in the mountainous regions.
The people have been protesting in support of the demand for making Gairsain the state capital mainly because they desire development, she said.