The Nainital High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Justice Umesh Chandra Dhyani has admitted the public interest litigation filed by Rural litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RlEK), Dehradun challenging the free accommodation, security and various other facilities being provided to the ex-Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand.
According to a statement released by RlEK, while admitting the PIl filed by RlEK, the HC bench issued notice to the State of Uttrakhand to explain within four week’s time as to under which Act and what law the former Chief Ministers of Uttrakhand are being provided free housing, electricity, water, maintenance, servants, large security and two red beacon vehicles with pilots.
The High Court has also asked whether the bill of fuel for the vehicles of ex- Chief Ministers was also paid from the State treasury. RlEK filed the case in the court pleading that all this is being provided to the ex-CMs for life from the public exchequer without any Act or law to facilitate such provisions.
The statement issued by RlEK states, “On the one hand the State is reeling under severe shortage of housing and finances and on the other hand large amount of money is being recklessly spent on the former chief ministers who have practically no contribution in the welfare of the state. To top it all, they are also being provided office staff without any contribution from their side.”
The ex-CMs of Uttarakhand include the late Nityanand Swami, ND Tiwari, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri.
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He acknowledged that in some cases which occurred in the city, police are yet to find about motives of the criminals especially in the daylight murders of two women in the state capital recently.
Dehradun police have taken several measures for reducing crimes and if necessary more steps will be taken for restoring confidence of the Doon residents, he added.
ryIJzsrIJ.IJ hIJ e facilitated to redress their problems. While the cultural programmes have been cancelled and are now slated to be held elsewhere, the stalls set up as part of the festivals will remain.
The festival in Ramnagar was to be held from October 3 to 7 but observers question how the Minister and MP continued advocating this event in the face of strong public opposition. It is not practical to undertake activities purportedly for encouraging tourism when the locals themselves are opposed to such events.
The Minister states that such events are vital for publicising the State’s culture but observers question whether performances by artistes from outside Uttarakhand can promote the State’s culture.
Rawat and Maharaj are known for advocating other impractical ideas like aping Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir to establish a tulip garden in Uttarakhand and copying night safaris in Singapore to start the same in the jungles of Corbett tiger landscape in the name of encouraging tourism.
While department officials are reluctant to disclose how much was spent on this event which turned out to be a failure, experts and those involved in the tourism business believe that in stead of aping concepts which other destinations are famous for, the Minister should stop ignoring Uttarakhand’s cultural and environmental wealth and try to capitalise on it in stead of packaging it like already existing tourist attractions outside Uttarakhand.
At a time when well planned measures are needed to convince tourists to visit Uttarakhand, such ill-planned events do more harm to the tourism. While the Minister and BJP leaders trade allegations, it remains to be seen whether the State Government will take any practical measures to encourage tourists to visit Uttarakhand apart from advertising the secure State of tourist destinations post-disaster.
The impact of Government efforts will become evident from Saturday onward when the pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath is resumed.