The local youthfolk concerned about the environment of the State capital are hopeful that in his tenure as the Chief Minister, Harish Rawat will ensure the execution of the task he had directed for the revival of Dehradun streams during his tenure as the Union Minister for Water Resources.
Members of Making A Difference by Being the Difference (MAD) group had met Rawat during his tenure as the Union Minister and had sought his intervention for reviving the dying streams of Dehradun. After giving a verbal assurance, Rawat directed his private secretary to forward the petition by MAD to the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee. In the letter dated January 24, 2014, Rawat’s private secretary has requested the NIH director Dr RD Singh to look into the possibility of undertaking a study to assess the behaviour of streams in the area and submit the report in two months.
MAD founder chairperson Abhijay Negi said that the group had undertaken various activities for generating public awareness and bringing about positive change in various spheres including environment and civic sanitation among others. last year, the group had organised a run to elicit attention to the need for saving the drying and dying streams of Dehradun. later, the group met then CM Vijay Bahuguna to seek a study on Dehradun’s climatic, aesthetic and water resource aspects. However, no positive response received from the Chief Minister’s Office. later the group organised a programme with the then Union Minister Harish Rawat attending it and promising full support in facilitating such a study by the NIH.
“In this third year of MAD’s operations, this is perhaps the most defining moment. A group of school and college going students have managed to get a serious research sanctioned from the Union Government on Doon’s streams. Rawat has shown to his contemporaries what political will means and what it can do. We are all elated and are in festive mood given this time-bound effort” said Abhijay.