The Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Govind Singh Kunjwal, has said that absence of provision of wood for cremating the bodies of those who died in the flood disaster in Bastadi village of Pithoragarh district is a shameful situation which shows that the administration has not learnt lessons from the June 2013 disaster. The officials need to be sensitive in such cases, he stressed.
Addressing the media persons here, Kunjwal said that the local and State administration should be taking concrete measures for tackling disaster scenarios. He said that the villagers had to go to the extent of blocking traffic to protest against the scenario wherein wood was not being provided even for the funeral pyres of the disaster victims. The Vidhan Sabha speaker said that he had directed the administration officials concerned to prevent such incidence of insensitivity from reoccurring in the future.
Responding to a query regarding the demand being raised for making Gairsain the permanent capital of the State, Kunjwal said that those raising this demand should also explain why the necessary solution could not be reached upon during the term of the BJP-led State Government regarding the issue of the permanent State capital.
He said that Gairsain is connected with the sentiments of the public. The Vidhan Sabha building and other infrastructural and related facilities are in the process of being developed at Gairsain. With basic facilities and infrastructure developing, the way will gradually become clear to facilitate decision on the permanent State capital. He averred there was no kind of corruption being orchestrated in the execution of construction works in Gairsain. Congress MlA and Mahila Congress state president Sarita Arya and local party office-bearers were among those present on the occasion.