Chief Minister Harish Rawat expressed regret over the Opposition stalling proceeding of the first day of the four-day special Assembly session being now held at Gairsain in Chamoli district. “This is regrettable as the Opposition party should realise how we are taking development forward despite the Centre tightening its purse-strings regarding the interests of the State. We have managed to arrange Rs1000 crore from our own sources to take things on,” he said.
Referring to the CD issue, he said they could not do anything unless the original CD was handed over to them. “Police have already issued a public notice asking whosoever has the CD to hand it over to them. As per the law, we cannot proceed until the CD is authenticated forensically. BJP is interested in milking the issue politically instead of helping the probe to start on the right tracks by providing the master CD to police. They show they have scant respect for the parliamentary norms as they threw papers targeting the chair,” CM said.
Speaking on the development of Garisain, CM said the Government is all set to develop Bharadisain as a smart city in around five years. “We would develop it as a model city with the common people’s participation. This would be a new city after Gopeshwar and Tehri. Connectivity has taken a fine shape. We are now focused on finding place to house an air strip. Probably we would get such place in Dudhatoli,” Rawat said.
“To ensure drinking water for the locals, Chandra Sarovar would come up at Bharadisain. Water would be brought from Ramganga and other water bodies. Things would be completed in next 10 years,” he stressed.
Continuing, he said Vidhan Sabha building and MlA hostels have been put into places. “Now, emphasis would be laid on building the officer transit hostel at Gairsain. We would not go for any announcement unless and until proper infrastructure is put into place. I am for the establishment of a camp office at Gairsain. But things are not conducive as BJP in anticipation of rout in Bihar are on an aggressive mode. Post Bihar poll counting, things would turn shriller,” he said.
“Things would look up fast. In the coming days, you would reach Gairsain from Udham Singh Nagar in just three hours and in the coming days, the people will reach Gairsain from Kotdwar in three and half hour,” he said while asking the media to visit the stretch from Mahalchauri to Ramganga and see for themselves how things are improving in the sphere of connectivity.
He further claimed that Gairsain is at par with the capital in terms of electricity.
Asked for his reaction on the BJP-coined slogans like Gairsain would not work and Mandua Jhangora would not work, CM said that the slogans have exposed their true colours. “They are asking for Gairsain being declared as the permanent capital. But in reality, they are doing filthy politics. However, we would take them on board before declaring Gairsain the permanent capital. Things would be done through consensus,” CM said.