Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday visited Har-ki-Pauri here to monitor the preparations for the Ardh Kumbh to be held in 2016. The district administration swung into action once it was known that the Chief Minister would arrive, to ensure fool-proof security for him. Barricading was put up at all major points. The dog squad was also pressed into service. One patrolling boat from 40 PAC Battalion was kept on a standby mode for any emergency. Besides, all the ghats of Har-ki-Pauri were evacuated.
It seems that the Chief Minister is out to make the most of the Ardh Kumbh to milk it electorally in the next Assembly election slated for 2017. However, he had received flak from several quarters after he had at the eleventh hour deferred his Haridwar trip two days back, citing inclement weather. The Chief Minister was scheduled to arrive here at 11 am. However, his chopper landed at Swami Dayanand Stadium late. Accompanied by the senior officials, he reached Har-ki-Pauri around 12:45 pm. He stayed there for 20 minutes. However, he did not talk to the media. Neither did he meet the social activists and the Mahants who had gathered at Subhas Setu to receive him.
Interestingly, several senior officials, including the Managing Director of Uttrakahand Power Corporation limited S S Yadav, Chief Engineer R S Bharkal, Executive Engineer UPCl, SIDCUl and many others appeared at Har-ki-Pauri ghat to explore the possibility of under-grounding the cable of 220V/440V running wire, keeping in view the upcoming Ardh Kumbh, just before the Chief Minister arrived.
Sources said that the Chief Minister had directed them to do the work around two months back. “They were so long hibernating. Suddenly, they woke up to keep things straight when the Chief Minister was there,” an observer said.