Rebuilding Uttarakhand after the damage wreaked by the disaster in June is a challenge for the Union and State Governments. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said this after laying the foundation stone for the headquarters of the Border Security Force battalion and State Disaster Response Force at Doodhli village in Doiwala, Dehradun, on Monday. He also inaugurated the BSF’s Adventure and Advanced Training Institute.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Shinde said that with 5,800 serving and about 10,000 retired personnel of the BSF belonging to Uttarakhand, the need for establishing its battalion HQ in the State had been felt for a long time.
“Generally, two BSF units are not set up in one State at the same time, but like MPs and MlAs try to extract the maximum from Government schemes for their constituencies, the BSF director general Subhash Joshi, who also hails from Uttarakhand, got this done in the State,” he said.
Shinde extolled the State Government for conducting the biggest air-rescue operation in a short span following the disaster in June. He said, “We will replicate Switzerland here in the reconstruction of damaged areas. I am happy to see the discipline with which the Amarnath Yatra is conducted in Jammu and Kashmir and that similar steps like registration of pilgrims have been taken in the pilgrimage to Kedarnath which was recently resumed. When I was Chief Minister, I avoided answering phone calls after 12 am and let my assistant handle them, but Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna answers my calls himself even late at night,” said Shinde while praising the CM. Responding to Doiwala MlA and former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal’s request to look into the installation of Doppler radars in the State, he said that he would look into the matter.
Shinde highlighted that the setting up of the headquarters of the BSF Battalion and SDRF will create job opportunities for the local youth. This will also facilitate quick response in future in case of a disaster. Training for rock climbing, rafting, para gliding will be given at the Adventure and Advance Training Institute. The state policemen will also be trained by the centre.
He said that the Union Government has taken the decision of giving the retired soldiers of para military forces the status of Ex Central Armed Para Military. A separate three-tier coach will be attached separately for the soldiers of para- military forces in seven prominent trains. Setting up the battalion HQ here will help serving the retired BSF personnel access facilities like education, medical care and canteen, he added.
Shinde also honoured the widows of five martyred soldiers and mother of one who died rescuing the disaster victims. He also felicitated BSF Commandant Rajkumar Negi for commendable work after the disaster.
Presiding over the programme, CM Vijay Bahuguna said that the disaster had hampered routine life and dealt a blow to tourism which was a major source of income for the people here. He added that the state government is making all out efforts to get tourism back on track. BSF DG Subhash Joshi thanked the CM and said that 20 acres land had been allotted in Doodhli for the BSF Battalion. The State government has given its acceptance to approve more land if required in future. BSF IG Ashok Kumar gave a presentation on work done by BSF after the recent disaster.
Earlier, Uttarakhand Director General of Police BS Sidhu and Doiwala MlA Ramesh Pokhriyal also addressed the gathering.