CHAOS IN BADRINATH NOT BECAUSE OF PILGRIMS thronging there BUT due to DEMOLITION OF SHOPS AND HOUSES arbitrarily TO COMPLETE BADRINATH CORRIDOR ?

There is tremendous resentment, anger and annoyance among the purohits and residents of historic Badrinath Dham in Garhwal, Uttarakhand where the houses, shops and residential and commercial structures were demolished arbitrarily under the guise of implementation of an over ambitious all weather roads project ( Badrinath Corridor) of the centre. The shops, houses and other buildings were razed to ground without abiding to the legal and other norms under the guise to complete the dream project under which not only thousands of trees were cut nearly 56000 numbers but lakhs of tons of silt, mud, stones and dust etc illegally drowned in the Ganges and its tributaries throwing to winds all the environmental norms. According to latest news the issue of arbitrary demolition of the houses and shops and other structures was taken up by the former CIC Uttarakhand and the leading advocate Rajendra Kotiyal who not only went to Badrinath and interacted with the affected purohits, the residents and small traders on 5 th May but also met the chief minister with a deputation airing their grievances later on but of no avail except so called empty assurances, just because it’s an overambitious prime minister’s project for the convenience of the pilgrims.

What is more shameful is the hard fact that the entire Godi media has not written or telecast a single story about the genuine plight and grievances of these hapless shopkeepers, purohits and local residents. Sounds shocking that in order to complete the centre’s dream project the houses and shops of poor people and purohits, are being demolished arbitrarily according to latest news. Lately according to a post of Subhash Sharma, senior journalist, in any master plan before completion it’s mandatory to fulfil four things (1) Initial information to be given regarding the proposals of master plan (2) To invite objections from the affected parties/ residents/ persons etc ( 3) To hear people in public (4) Publication of master plan finally. Now, the question arises whether before demolishing the shops and houses illegally acquiring their lands for the said Badrinath Corridor – has the authorities/ bureaucrats associated with it, abided by the above norms of master plan and if not then the responsible officers should come forward to put their point of view forth to substantiate their convention or ne prepared to face consequences said the FB post of journalist Sharma.

Meanwhile, the former Chief Information Commissioner of Uttarakhand and activist Rajendra Kotiyal has assured the affected parties that he will leave no stone unturned to approach the high court and supreme Court to seek justice for the affected parties and punishing the guilty for their illegal acts of demolition under the guise of completing the centre’s dream project at the expense of poor people.

Rajendra Kotiyal has catagorically said that he had brought the matter to the knowledge of the chief minister, member of parliaments, and MLAs etc but in view of the said project being the flagship project of prime minister Narendra Modi the entire bureaucracy is under pressure to complete it irrespective of the demolition even if they are arbitrary.

Mr. Kotiyal is of the clear opinion that construction of a corridor for the convenience of the pilgrims and tourists is welcome but not at the cost of environment, forests, trees, local populace and purohits whose existence is at stake. He said – though he is not against the corridor but would not tolerate the arbitrary demolition of houses and shops of purohits and petty shopkeepers by bureaucrats going against the norms of master plan and the project.

Kindly recall that there is total chaos in Badrinath these days not because of the pilgrims thronging the historic temple but in view of the ongoing illegal demolition of shops n houses of purohits.

According to sources these houses and shops are being demolished without giving them any time or notices . The majority of the shops are owned by purohits.