While the Cabinet meeting was being held, Chief Minister Harish Rawat along with his wife Renuka Rawat paid obeisance at Kedarnath on Sunday. Rawat was also planning to visit Badrinath but could not go due to inclement weather so he returned to Dehradun on Sunday afternoon. State assembly speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal and State PCC Kishore Upadhyay had also gone along with him. He was welcomed by members of the local priestly and business fraternity.
In his statement released to the media, the CM said that he prayed to lord Kedarnath for prosperity and welfare of the state and its people. After participating in ritual he also reviewed the ongoing Yatra and administration preparedness in case of any exigency. He also issued some instructions to Rudraprayag DM about how he can provide more administrative support to make yatra more comfortable for the pilgrims. Seeing large number of people, the CM asked the administration to make additional arrangement for the pilgrims and their stay as well. To take feedback of the pilgrims about the yatra preparedness CM also interacted with them and assured them that their issues will be sorted our shortly. later he passed all the suggestions, which he received from them during interaction, to the DM as well. He also had lunch along with pilgrims in the canteen of GMVN during his visit.
The members of the local priestly fraternity submitted nine-point demand letter to the chief minister. The demands include the completion of safety wall for the temple as soon as possible, sanitation of Kedarpuri settlement and opening of connecting roads as well. They also demanded to disburse the compensation money to the priest who had left earlier as soon as possible. later CM Rawat assured them that their demand will be fulfilled shortly. He said that he wished to see Kedarpur as giant status. He reiterated that arrangement of char dham yatra is his first priority.
During CM visit Congress state president Pradeep Thapliyal, Suraj Negi, DM Dr Raghav langer, SP PN Meena, Kedarnath Temple committee executive officer Anil Sharma and GMVN & NIM Officials were present there.