He added that steps to implement the code will begin once the state government receives the draft from the UCC drafting panel.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. Credit: PTI File Photo
The draft of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for Uttarakhand is almost ready, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Friday.
He added that steps to implement the code will begin once the state government receives the draft from the UCC drafting panel.
“The drafting and compilation work of the UCC is almost complete. We will start taking steps towards its implementation and its various provisions as soon as its draft is submitted to us,” Dhami told reporters in Haridwar.
A UCC for Uttarakhand was one of the major poll promises made by the BJP in the run-up to the state assembly elections held last year.
After being voted to power for a second consecutive term, Dhami gave his nod to setting up a committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the UCC at the very first cabinet meeting headed by him.
The expert panel whose tenure was extended for a third time recently till December has taken opinions from 2.33 lakh people and different organisations, institutions and tribal groups before preparing the draft. The five-member committee got its first extension of six months in November, 2022 and second of four months in May this year.
The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has suggested a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) – a remote sensing method – to examine the surface in disaster-prone Himalayan state Uttarakhand. This has been recommended in a study report to examine the cause behind cracks that appeared across Joshimath – a tiny town en route to the Badrinath shrine.
“It is of utmost importance that LiDAR topographic mapping is done for the state. Planning of management and mitigation is convenient if bare-ground topography and the surface models are available to planners and decision makers,” said the report prepared by 10 scientists considered experts in Himalayan geology.
In January, more than 750 houses in Joshimath reported wide cracks, leading to panic and chaos. Further, cracks also appeared in the agricultural fields. Moreover, several establishments witnessed water oozing out of the ground. The Pushkar Singh Dhami government then ordered a study by expert institutes to ascertain reasons and recommend suggestions to prevent such cracks.
Scientists from Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT-R), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Geological Survey of India (GSI), and National Geophysical Institute (NGI) conducted research and study and have submitted separate reports to the Uttarakhand government.
CONSTRUCTION IN SPRING WATER ZONE
Most of the reports have blamed unchecked construction over the past few years in Joshimath, particularly in the spring water zones, and loose debris for the sinking of the land.
“Construction of buildings in spring zone did cessation of spring flow. Cessation of spring flow increases the pore pressure which ultimately rendered the burst of ground water in form of spring,” mentions a report by CGWB.
The report recommends that “construction activities in spring zone area should be immediately stopped. Emergence point of the springs which are covered with any concrete material should be cleared”. It adds that “trench along with the retention wall may be constructed at different topographic level so that ground water pressure may be dissipated”.
The Geological Survey of India underlined that the majority of the ground cracks, irrespective of their orientation, are located in areas that are densely populated and loaded with multistoried buildings.
“The other areas where it is scanty or no habitation has so far not been affected by the recent event,” said the GSI report, clearly suggesting that heavy construction is one of the reasons behind the sinking of Joshimath.
HYDROPOWER PROJECT GETS CLEAN CHIT
Interestingly, there has been widespread debate on whether tunnel boring machines used in the under-construction 520-megawatt Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower Project led to the cracks on the surface. The GSI report refuted such claims. It said 8.5 km of the 12 km-long tunnel had been excavated through drill machines and no blasting was done.
“Prima-facie the very question of any blast-induced damages attributing to the current situation is very unlikely,” the report mentions.
Besides, the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing concluded based on satellite imagery that subsidence in Joshimath may be due to the toe-cutting phenomenon, or slope instability as a result of seepage of local drainage water in the soil.
While September’s reinvigorated rains might’ve brought a break from the unusual heat that had settled in over the country, it also brought with itself a new wave of dengue over Uttarakhand and Karnataka, with the states scurrying to manage the mosquito-borne disease.
According to sources, Uttarakhand has recorded over 1,130 instances of the viral illness, claiming 15 lives in the Himalayan state so far. Dehradun accounts for a large share of these new cases, amounting to over 655 infections in the capital city alone.
The situation is even more dire in Karnataka, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed that the state has been grappling with 7,000 dengue cases over the past few days. Over 4,000 of these patients hail from Bengaluru.
Both state departments have begun immediate action to curb the further spread of the disease, including spraying medicines and cleaning areas with resting water.
Uttarakhand: Dengue outbreak sweeps through Dehradun, prompting urgent action
The Raipur area of Dehradun has been engulfed by a concerning dengue fever outbreak, with reports indicating that it has become a major hotspot for the disease.
An alarming number of residents in every household within the Raipur area are grappling with dengue-related symptoms, and the situation has escalated to over 500 confirmed dengue cases in this locality alone.
Uttarakhand CM launches logo and website for Investor Global Summit, aims to attract investments worth ₹2.5 lakh crore.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday launched the logo and website of Investor Global Summit in Dehradun.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Dhami said “This summit is a big opportunity for the state. We should take maximum advantage of this Investor Summit and bring maximum investment within the state.”
Investor Global Summit is going to be organised in Uttarakhand in December.
Dhami also launched a website for the event to give out details and information about the state government’s policies and the different sectors in which investments can be made.
The two-day summit to be held in Dehradun on December 8-9 has set a target of attracting investments worth ₹2.5 lakh crore in various sectors, including tourism and wellness, agriculture and horticulture, health and education, the chief minister said at the launch.
He said there is a positive environment in the state for investments. “Not only big industrial houses and groups are keen to invest in the state but also those already here are willing to expand their activities,” Dhami added.
“In the consultations held with potential investors in preparation for the summit, many valuable suggestions have come up and a majority of them have been incorporated into our policies,” he said.
According to the information received from the Health Department, Dehradun has the maximum number of four-hundred and eighteen (418) dengue patients while the toll in the entire state stands at six hundred (600)
Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun districts of the state are the most affected by dengue. File (For Representational purpose only) | Photo Credit: ANI
After nature’s havoc in Uttarakhand, dengue cases are now creating fear among the people as the state has crossed six hundred cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease.
According to the information received from the Health Department, Dehradun has the maximum number of four-hundred and eighteen (418) dengue patients while the toll in the entire state stands at six hundred (600).
Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun districts of the state are the most affected by dengue. In the aftermath of recent heavy monsoon floods that inundated parts of Uttarakhand, health officials are grappling with a significant surge in dengue cases.
Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people.Waterlogging in areas due to incessant rains has caused a preferable environment for Aedes mosquitoes to breed. These mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from August 22-24, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Meanwhile, four people died in a fresh landslide in Uttarakhand’s Tehri district.
SDRF carries out rescue work following a landslide in Uttarakhand’s Tehri district. (India Today)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange alert’ for heavy to very heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from August 22-24.
The weather body also warned of a moderate risk of flash floods in catchment areas of the Chamba and Mandi districts, predicting a wet spell till August 26.
Heavy rain can result in landslides, flash floods and increased water levels in rivers and drains, besides causing damage to standing crops, fruit plants and young seedlings, the weather office said.
The hill states have seen extensive devastation and deaths in the last few months due to incessant rainfall.
4 KILLED IN UTTARAKHAND LANDSLIDE, ROAD BLOCKED
Four people, including two women and a 4-month-old baby, were killed after being hit by a landslide in Chamba in Uttarakhand’s Tehri district on Monday, police said.
Four bodies have been recovered so far and a search is underway for another missing person, senior police official Navneet Singh Bhullaraid said.
Some more vehicles could also be trapped as the landslide hit a taxi stand near the Chamba police station, he added.
The death toll in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand rose to 88 on Saturday with the recovery of another body from the debris of a collapsed temple in Shimla
(Image: PTI)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange alert’ for heavy to very heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from August 22-24. This has further put the two states on alert due to the widespread destruction caused by incessant rainfall over the last few days.
The death toll in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand rose to 88 on Saturday with the recovery of another body from the debris of a collapsed temple in Shimla.
“Isolated very heavy rainfall likely over Uttarakhand during August 21-24; over Himachal Pradesh on August 23 and 24 and over northwest Uttar Pradesh on August 22 and 23, 2023,” the IMD said in its latest bulletin.
The Met has also warned of moderate risk of flash floods in catchment areas of Chamba and Mandi districts and predicted a wet spell till August 26. Heavy rain can result in landslides, flash floods and increased water levels in rivers and drains, besides causing damage to standing crops, fruit plants and young seedlings, the weather office said.
Meanwhile, the weather agency has also predicted heavy rainfall over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on August 24 and 25; and over Bihar till August 25. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on August 22 and 23, 2023, it said.
“Isolated very heavy rainfall is also likely over Assam and Meghalaya during 21st–25th and over Arunachal Pradesh during 23rd-25th August, 2023,” the IMD said on Monday.
As for South India, IMD said light or moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall or thunderstorm and lightning with isolated heavy rainfall activity is very likely over Tamil Nadu on August 22, 2023.
It is to be noted that the Centre on Sunday approved the release of Rs 200 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund as advance assistance to Himachal Pradesh to help the rain-battered state undertake relief measures for affected people.
A total of seven persons — all from Gujarat — were killed after a bus carrying over 30 passengers fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand on Sunday, an official said. The accident happened near Gangnani on the Gangotri national highway in Uttarakhand. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the police personnel engaged in the rescue work managed to pull 27 people alive from the wreckage.
Rescue workers remove the debris as a search operation continues in the aftermath of a landslide following torrential rain in Shimla in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, August 17, 2023. Credit: Reuters Photo
Climate change has a big role to play in the devastating monsoon fury – flash flooding and landslides – in the northern Indian Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
According to experts, weather conditions might have been favourable for heavy rains, but climate change has a definite role in the increasing intensity.
The flash flooding and landslides have caused millions of rupees worth of damage and killed several people across the two states.
The rise in extreme weather events is unprecedented, and they have been multiplying rapidly – and the monsoon 2023 is an apt reflection of what climate change impacts would do to the Himalayas if global warming goes unchecked, according to a paper collated by Climate Trends.
The atmosphere, land and oceans are all warming at a faster rate. The warmer it becomes, the more moisture the atmosphere can hold. This has led to more water being evaporated from the Earth’s surface. This increases the holding capacity of the air, which results in more droplets and heavier rainfall, sometimes in a shorter space of time and over a smaller area, the paper points out.
“The Shivalik range is the youngest and most fragile part of the Himalayas as they are made up of debris. Rocks are made up of sandstone and shale rock, which is the weakest form of any rock, and they cannot withstand heavy rains as their composition is of clay minerals.
A local caller informed the Police Control Room Pauri that Night Life Paradise Camp had been hit by a landslide following heavy rainfall in the region.
The local police force and SDRF are continuing an intensive search for the missing people at the spot. (HT Photo)
One person was found dead, while four others are feared to be trapped under debris after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall hit a camp in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, said officials.
According to the State Disaster Response Force, a local caller informed the Police Control Room Pauri on Monday that Night Life Paradise Camp had been hit by a landslide following heavy rainfall in the region.
“Yesterday a local caller informed the Pauri Police Control Room that Night Life Paradise Camp was hit by a landslide due to heavy rains in the Village of Jogiana, Mohanchatti. Screams could be heard from the camp where people are feared buried under the debris,” said the SDRF.
Subsequently, the SDRF Control Room was informed by Police Control Room Pauri regarding the said incident. Following this, along with the local police force, the SDRF team left for the spot to conduct the rescue, said officials.
Himachal Pradesh Rain Alert: As the hill states continue to witness monsoon mayhem and landslides, India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted isolated heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that a total of 60 people had died in rain-related mishaps since landslides and incessant rainfall befell the state on Monday.
As the hill states continue to witness monsoon mayhem and landslides, India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted isolated heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for next five days.
As per the IMD, the hill states, including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are set to witness isolated heavy rainfall for the next five days. The Northwest India is set to witness light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms, as per Met department’s prediction.
Landslide in Himachal Pradesh
On Tuesday, eight houses and a slaughterhouse were razed in a landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, which led to trapping of two people under the debris. On Monday, two landslides already claimed 16 lives. Since Sunday, heavy rains in the state have prompted landslides and cloudbursts.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel conduct rescue operation for 20 people trapped inside the house due to waterlogging in the Ambagh area following heavy rainfall, in Rishikesh on Monday. ( (ANI Photo))
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Rishikesh in Uttarakhand recorded the highest rainfall in the country in a span of 24 hours on Monday morning.
Rishikesh received 42.00 cm of rain in last 24 hours, the weather department said.
Rishikesh was followed by Kangra in Himachal Pradesh which received 27.00 cm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, the IMD said.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) IMD said, “In the last 24 hours, intense rainfall has drenched various parts of India. Rishikesh in Uttarakhand takes the lead with a whopping 42.00 cm of rain, followed by Kangra, Himachal Pradesh at 27.00 cm. Stay safe and stay informed!”
Normal life has been disrupted in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rainfall for a past few days.
According to a report by ANI, following heavy rains in Himachal, over two dozen people, including seven in Solan after a cloudburst, nine in Shimla temple collapse and seven in Mandi district, lost their lives and several are feared trapped.
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed condolences over the deaths in Solan district and directed authorities to ensure all possible assistance and support, the report said.
Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and CM Sukhu inspected various areas in Shimla following tragic landslides.
In Uttarakhand, Badrinath national highway in the Pipalkoti area in Chamoli district was blocked due to debris triggered by a landslide, following intermittent rainfall, the ANI report said.
A cloudburst in a village in Himachal Pradesh killed seven people, while incessant rains in Uttarakhand triggered landslides and caused river Beas to swell. Schools and colleges were closed in these states.
Seven members of a family were killed after a cloudburst hit a village in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district, an official said.
The incident occurred at Jadon village late on Sunday night. Two houses were washed away and six people were rescued, Solan Divisional Commissioner Manmohan Sharma said.
The deceased people were identified as Harnam (38), Kamal Kishore (35), Hemlata (34), Rahul (14), Neha (12), Golu (8) and Raksha (12), Solan Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh said.
In Shimla, 25 to 30 people were feared to be trapped under debris after a Shiva temple collapsed in Summerhill area due to heavy rainfall. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu told India Today that nine bodies were pulled out from the rubble.
According to the police, there were nearly 50 people who had come to worship at the temple amid torrential rains.
A fire brigade team was present at the spot. The police and a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team were involved in rescue operations.
These incidents came as heavy rainfall continued to pound Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand in the past 24 hours, with landslides blocking key roads, washing away bridges, forcing the closure of educational institutions and causing water levels of rivers to swell.
In Himachal Pradesh, a conductor of a private bus suffered injuries after a tree got uprooted and fell on a vehicle in Shimla.
A bus was damaged after a tree fell on it following heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla. (Photo: PTI)
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that all schools and colleges in the state would be shut till August 14 (Monday) due to the incessant rains.
A total of 621 roads, including a maximum of 236 in Mandi, 59 in Shimla and 40 in Bilaspur district are currently closed for vehicular traffic, according to the state emergency operation centre.
A key stretch of the Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh has been affected by recurring landslides over the past two weeks, officials said.
Incessant rains for the past 48 hours have caused havoc in all parts of the Hamirpur district, leading to a spate in river Beas and its tributaries. The worst affected are the areas where the nullahs of Maan and Kunah are located, officials said.
The rains and landslides have caused widespread damage to crops, fertile land and official and private buildings in all parts of Hamirpur. The district administration has warned people not to venture out and avoid going near the Beas river bank and nullahs.
Since the monsoon’s onset in Himachal Pradesh on June 24, the hill state has so far suffered losses to the tune of Rs 7,020 crore and 257 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents, the emergency operation centre said.
The weather office has issued a yellow warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in the state from August 14 to 17 and predicted a wet spell in the state till August 19.
UTTARAKHAND
In Uttarakhand, landslides triggered by incessant rains have blocked traffic on various roads, including national highways, affecting the movement of people, officials said.
Rishikesh-Chamba National Highway was blocked for traffic due to a landslide near Kunjapuri Bagardhar in Tehri while the movement of heavy vehicles was stopped on Rishikesh-Devprayag-Srinagar National Highways at Sakhnidhar.
The Ganga in Haridwar was flowing above the danger mark at 294.90 metres.
In recent weeks, leopard conflict incidents have been reported from Almora, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, and Tehri districts. (Representational image/News18)
The number of leopards has grown in Uttarakhand since 2015, reveals the population estimates of the felines released on Friday. This comes a week after tiger numbers were shared for Uttarakhand and other states. The data released by the forest department suggests leopard population estimates stand at 3,115 in Uttarakhand.
The last estimates for 2015 counted 2,335 leopards in the Himalayan state. In mathematical terms, the growth has been around 29% in the past eight years. The figures are critical since Uttarakhand is one of the states that witnesses frequent man-leopard conflicts.
Data collected by the forest department underlines that between January 2000 and June 2023, a total of 508 people were killed in leopard attacks and more than 1,800 were injured. However, a total of 1,658 leopard deaths were also reported from June 2001 to date, many due to accidents or mutual fights, among other reasons.
Chief wildlife warden Samir Sinha expressed concern about the growing incidents of conflict. “The leopard population estimates will help us understand the problem areas and we will try to mitigate the situation,” he told News18.
Elaborating on the methodology, Sinha said the estimation was conducted jointly by the Wildlife Institute of India and the forest department. The team used trap cameras and kept a record of the physical sightings.
Of late, on the growing man-leopard conflict, the experts have been divided on whether the urban population is venturing close to forest areas or the growing number of leopards is forcing them to move close to human habitations for food.
Anup Sah, an expert on the big cats and member of the state wildlife board, feels it is urbanisation that has to be blamed for conflicts. “Saving human lives is a concern, at the same time, and much more challenging, as far as saving leopards and tigers are concerned,” he said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), predicted “heavy to very heavy” rainfall over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh during the next five days.
Rains lashed many places in Uttarakhand on Sunday, triggering landslides that blocked several roads. (PTI)
Rains lashed many places in Uttarakhand, triggering landslides that blocked several roads, while the flood situation in Delhi improved on Sunday with some roads, including Bhairon Marg, opened for vehicular movement.
However, in fresh cause for concern, the water level of the Yamuna was on the rise again. The river, which has been in spate since last week, was at 205.76 metres at 11 am on Monday morning, according to a Central Water Commission worker.
In the hill state of Uttarakhand, the Ganga crossed the danger mark in Devprayag and breached the warning level in Haridwar due to the heavy release of water from the dam on the River Alaknanda.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), predicted “heavy to very heavy” rainfall over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh during the next five days.
The Dehradun Meteorological Centre has issued an ‘orange’ alert, warning of heavy rain, in all 13 districts of Uttarakhand on Monday. Rains lashed many places in Uttarakhand on Sunday, triggering landslides that blocked several roads, including the Badrinath national highway.
An ‘orange’ alert is issued as a warning for extremely bad weather with the potential for disruption in commuting with road and drain closures and interruption of power supply.
Amid an ‘orange alert’ issued in Uttarakhand, heavy rains resulted in two casualties. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster control room and urged Char Dham pilgrims to stay updated with the weather conditions before starting their journey.
Heavy rains lashed various parts of Uttarakhand on Sunday amid an ‘orange alert’. (Photo: Representative Image)
Two people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy rains lashed various parts of Uttarakhand on Sunday amid an ‘orange alert’ issued by the Met office for several districts.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster control room here to review the situation and advised Char Dham pilgrims to proceed on their journey only after taking a weather update.
The weather office has forecast intense spells of rain at isolated places in Nainital, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Dehradun, Tehri and Pauri districts on Sunday.
“I appeal to the devotees that in case the weather turns bad, they should stop their yatra and follow the forecast of the Meteorological department,” he said.
Incessant rain triggered landslides, blocking a number of roads, while the water level has risen in several rivers, including the Ganga.
A 50-year-old man was killed when his vehicle got trapped under the debris following a landslide in Rudraprayag district. The deceased was identified as Anil Bisht. Two other vehicles were also damaged, the official said.
In another incident, a youth was killed and three others were injured while transplanting in a field in the Kandyal village of Purola tehsil of Uttarkashi district. The deceased has been identified as Abhishek (20).
Dhami directed the officials to maintain constant communication and coordination with the districts experiencing excess rain so that emergencies can be dealt with on time.
An earthquake measuring 2.5 on the Richter scale hit Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi on the intervening night between Saturday and Sunday. The quake struck at around 12:45 am. The India Meteorological Department said the epicenter of the quake was a forest in Siror village under Bhatwadi tehsil.
So far, there haven’t been any reports of any casualties or loss of property yet.
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The BJP legislature party meeting decided to select the next chief minister of Uttarakhand is expected to be held in Dehradun on Monday.
“All newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly will take oath at 11 am in Vidhan Sabha, tomorrow,” Uttarakhand BJP chief Madan Kaushik said.
“The meeting of Legislative Party will be held in the evening. Thereafter, the Chief Minister’s name will be announced,” Kaushik had said.
Meanwhile, Pramod Sawant, Goa’s interim Chief Minister, announced on Sunday that the decision on the swearing-in ceremony will be made during the Legislature Party meeting Monday evening.
He stated that Bharatiya Janata Party observers will travel to Goa on Monday to attend the Legislature Party meeting, news agency ANI reported.
“I went to Delhi yesterday, BJP observers will be coming in Panaji tomorrow for the Legislature Party meeting. The decision about the swearing-in ceremony will also be taken in the evening tomorrow,” Sawant informed ANI.
As Dhami was the face of the elections, giving him a second chance, despite his loss, is being considered, said sources. (Twitter)
The 11-day stalemate over the selection of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party leader in Uttarakhand seems to be inching towards an end, as the party has scheduled the meeting of the legislature in Dehradun on Monday evening.
Even as the suspense on the name of the CM continues, Uttarakhand BJP leaders confirmed the newly elected chief minister will take the oath with 11 cabinet ministers at the city’s Parade Ground at 11 am on March 23.
Central observers Rajnath Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi will reach the capital on Monday and announce the name of the new legislative party leader. Pro-tem speaker Banishar Bhagat will take the oath at Raj Bhavan. Later, Bhagat will administer the oath to the newly elected members at the Vidhan Sabha.
Even as the BJP cadre in the state is anxiously awaiting for the next chief minister of the hill state, hectic parleys went on in the national capital.
Acting chief minister Pushhkar Singh Dhami, former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and BJP president Madan Kaushik called on home minister Amit Shah, BJP national general secretary (organization) BL Santosh, among others.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the CWC meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. (Image: News18)
The four-hour Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting concluded on Sunday with senior members requesting party president Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead from the front. The meeting was held to introspect the Congress’s crushing defeat in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur – leading to renewed demands from several quarters for a change in the party’s leadership.
One of the demands made at the meeting was more accessibility of Congress leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, which has been one of the major complaints of party members. Another demand raised by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was fixing responsibilities. Azad, however, also made it clear that neither he nor any of the dissenting G-23 members are against the Gandhis.
According to sources, Sonia Gandhi, while addressing the meeting, said Gandhis are ready to step down and take responsibility for the election defeat. “I am often told that some of you feel we three are responsible for the state of affairs. If that is how you feel, then we three (Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka) are willing to sacrifice and step down,” she was quoted by sources as saying at the meeting.
