For the first time in the history of 14-year old Uttarakhand, a three-day long Vidhan Sabha session was organised outside of the State capital Dehradun in a tent at Gairsain which began on Monday.
As the House assembled the leader of the Opposition demanded a debate on last year's flashflood disaster and the State Government's failure in reconstruction and rehabilitation in the devastated hilly areas. Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal assured them that their issue will be heard by the House during Zero Hour and asked them to allow the House to run the question hour. Interestingly, as the House began proceedings at 11 am the lights went off and the Speaker's voice was silenced.
Replying to the first question during Question Hour, which was asked by Congress MlA Navprabhat, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh said that three lPG gas power plants, including Shrawanti Energy Pvt ltd Kashipur, Beeta Infratech Pvt ltd, Kashipur and Gama Infratech Pvt ltd Kashipur, have been established in the State. To provide gas supply, the State Government had asked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to allocate gas to these power plants on May 21, 2012. Then the Union Government had told the state government that due to shortage of liquid Petroleum Gas (lPG), "we would provide you lPG in the year 2015-16."
In a supplementary question, Navprabhat asked that as Uttarakhand could not go ahead with its hydro power project due to environmental issues would the State Government ask the Union Government to allocate gas to the State as compensation. Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that he would apprise the new Union Government the sentiments of the the Vidhan Sabha and appeal to allocate gas to the State on a priority basis.