Some district-based senior Congress leaders led by former MlA Amrish Kumar recently met Chief Minister Harish Rawat and asked him to act on some matters that are leading the common people to suffer. The officials’ apathy are making them suffer, they told the CM.
Acting on it, Chief Minister instructed the chief general manager of Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan to reduce the late payment fine as the amount would add to the common people’s woes. It may be mentioned that in 2002 the collection of water tax was transferred to Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan from Nagar Palika Haridwar after many irregularities and charges of unjustified rates were reported to the State Government in terms of direct complaints. Since 2013, Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan fixed the provision of fine at the rate of five percent per month. However, the local people, the Opposition parties and many other organisations are opposing the rate.
Interacting with the media persons, Amrish Kumar said that CM has asked the GM of Jal Sansthan to send proposals to have the rate reduced from 5 to 1 to 1.5 percent per month. He added that it will be notified very soon by the concerned department. He further said that CM has agreed to hire the services of a consultancy firm just after the completion of Ardh Kumbh which will study and produce a detailed survey report on how to improve things for the pilgrims who in their millions throng the holy city all the year round on the occasion of religious congregations and others. Amrish Kumar added that the focus would be on permanent construction, stoppage of misuse of funds and the like.
Amrish Kumar further said that in another important decision, CM has ordered the MD of State Roadways to make the necessary arrangements for plying of roadways’ local buses from Bahadrabad to Shivalik Nagar where BHEl Main Hospital is located.
Besides, Rs 92.10 crore has been sanctioned by CM under the special component plan in which construction of drainage line in Valmiki Basti of Jwalapur, construction of roads from Vlmiki Basti – Trimurti Chowk- Subash Nagar and construction of Dhobi Ghat in Jwalapur area figure.
Replying to a question, the senior district Congress leader said that such strings of announcements on the part of the CM have nothing to do with myopic politics. These are serious issues which were placed before CM over a year ago.