Chief minister Harish Rawat visited Govindghat in Chamoli district on Monday and directed departmental officials to complete the remaining works on the route to the lakshman temple and Hemkund Sahib before the start of the pilgrimage slated for June 1.
During his visit, the CM was gheraoed by women from Pandukeshwar and Govindghat complaining about flood protection work not being completed two years after disaster struck the region. The people are facing problems due to the hospital and school buildings not being constructed so far, the women complained.
Arriving here by helicopter in the morning, Rawat reviewed preparations for the pilgrimage and said that air service would be started for pilgrims from Ravigram near Joshimath and Govindghat for which the administration has started preparations. A temporary helipad would be constructed at Hemkund for use in case of emergency, he said.
In order to encourage local crops, products made from the kidney beans, amaranth, potato, apple and vegetables grown by people in the area will be sold through women self-help groups. The Gurudwara committee will also purchase these local products to provide local dishes to pilgrims.
The CM was informed that the Public Works Department had completed construction of the road from the Gurudwara to Pulna while the construction of Sulabh Shauchalaya would be completed soon.
Four rain shelters and 40 steel benches have been set up. Nine garbage bins have been placed on the route while 74 labourers are working on the road construction. Joshimath municipality head Rohini Rawat demanded construction of a safety wall stating that boulders from the rockslide at Marwadi had created a lake in the river which was threatening Joshimath. The Chief Minister directed officials to submit an evaluation for this.
He also directed officials of the power, water and other departments to ensure uninterrupted facilitation of service. Badrinath MlA Rajendra Singh Bhandari,Uttarakhand State Minorities Commission chairman Narinder Jit
Singh and additional chief secretary Rakesh Sharma among others were present on the occasion.