Addressing people’s perception about Kedar Valley Development Authority, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has said that the Opposition is making all efforts to misguide the people because the Authority would not have administration over Kedarnath temple.
He further said that to address public grievance, which he elicited while meeting people at Guptkashi on Tuesday, Bahuguna said that the State Cabinet is going to meet on October 18.
Talking to the media persons, Bahuguna said that he met people who had property in Kedar valley and discussed about how the State can help them. “Now, the State Government would bring their suggestions in the upcoming Cabinet meeting so that we would be able to make full proof policy for their rehabilitation.”
Following on the issue of pre-fabricated houses, Bahuguna said that initially the State Government had disbursed them `two lakh as compensation and `four lakh was supposed to be paid if any victim does not want to take pre-fabricated house.
“Now onward, the State Government has decided to pay them `five lakh in place of Rs four lakh. For this, they will have to get their land certified by the concerned Sub Division Magistrate (SDM), who is supposed to issue certificates about the land fit for construction.” It means earlier they were supposed to get a mere `six lakh, including `two lakh compensation, but now they will get `seven lakh.
During interaction, Chief Minister Bahuguna came to know that more that two to three families were residing in a house before disaster. Realising their problem, the State Government has decided to give them separate compensation amount so that they can build their separate house. For instance, if a two or three brothers’ family was residing in a house, then the State would give them `five lakh each as compensation so that they would be able to build their own house.
Replying to media query that Union Cabinet Minister Jaipal Reddy had said that the weather department had alerted the Uttarkhand Government, but the State could not react as per the alert, the CM said that the weather department had given specific alert about Phailin five days in advance.
To provide relief to the class IV land holders, which is a Government land and given to the migrated people on lease by the State, the State Government had constituted Cabinet sub committee. The committee, with four Cabinet Minister Yashpal Arya, Harak Singh Rawat, Preetam Singh and Surendra Rakesh, had a meeting with the chief minister and submitted their report on Tuesday. Now, the report will be produced before the Cabinet. They discussed about Government grant act, Class IV land and Schedule Caste, who were given land on lease for five year in Haridwar district.
CM Bahuguna disclosed that Cabinet Minister Anand Sharma had visited to Kedarnath. He was accompanying with Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya and Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat. During their visit, he reviewed the relief and reconstruction work progress. On November 4, the Kedarnath shrine will be closed.
The Archaelogical survey of india (ASI) has made inspection of the area and Geological Survey of India (GSI) has submitted their report. Both institutions have been preparing their detailed maps, which will be produced before the Cabinet committee led by Prime Minister and the State Government will follow it. For the construction of a separate route for Kedarnath i.e. incoming and outgoing, GSI is working. After closure of the shrine, road construction work will continue.
The State Government has decided to provide house to the disaster affected people. “For this, we are taking the help of GSI and to reconstruct the shops and building in Kedar valley, the State Government is going to make an arrangement of special package for them. The proposal will be brought before Cabinet.”
He made it clear that the Kedarnath Development Authority was established for the creation of infrastructure and basis amenities in Kedar valley. He also appealed to the people to beware of ‘false propaganda’ of the Opposition.