UKD (Airy) yatra against mass migration from hills

Tribune Reporters

Pithoragarh, June 14

The UKD (Airy) has cautioned  against the increasing  mass migration from the hill region  in the absence of  basic facilities. It started a Chetawani Yatra from the Taleshwar Temple, near Jhoolaghat  town, on the Nepal  border  in Pithoragarh district today. 

“In the first phase of the Chetawani Yatra  in the district, UKD workers from Githgara, Jhoolaghat, Kanari, Majirakanda, Gaurihat, Baralu, Jakh Pant and Sirkuch  villages will reach Pithoragarh town via Moonakot the next day,” said Pushakar Singh Dhami, a senior leader of the party.

Senior  UKD leader Kashi Singh Airy addressing party workers at several villages said in the absence of solid and appropriate development policies for hill villages since the formation of the state, migration from hill villages had increased manifold. This was a negative development for the country from the point of view of border security. “Youths in these villages are unemployed and frustrated today in the absence of a proper economic direction in the last 15 years,” he said.

Airy also opposed the construction of the Pancheswar Dam on the Kali river at the place of same name. They said it was a conspiracy against villagers who had been waiting for a motor road to their villages since Independence. “The dam has diverted the attention of the governments towards the construction of road and rail network proposed along the river to link these villages with the mainstream and to get the country strategic benefits at this part of the borders with China and Nepal,” he said.

The UKD leaders said the state government was making false announcements of development in the state to befool people before the Assembly elections of 2017. “We are yet see development happening in accordance with any announcement by the state government till date,” said PS Dhami, a senior UKD leader.

According to UKD sources, another batch of the Chetawani Yatra reached Munsiyari via Bram and Madkot today. The party workers led by Chandra Shekhar Kapri started their journey from Tapovan in Dharchula and crossed over to Munsiyari through Jauljibi town on the Nepal border.

Protesters seek CBI probe into disaster relief scam 

Dehradun: Members of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Airy) held a protest against the state government here on Sunday in support of their demand to hand over investigation of the Kedarnath disaster relief funds scam to the CBI. The protesters were demanding declaration of Gairsain as the state’s capital without any delay. They alleged that the Congress government was not working to address issues such as migration, exploitation of natural resources and unemployment in the state.

Earlier, irked UKD workers tried to reach the Chief Minister’s residence to register their protest against the allegedly deteriorating  condition of the state. They were arrested in the middle of their protest at Kanak Chowk amid slogan shouting. Party president Pushpesh Tripathi said, “The state has turned into a scam capital of India, but instead of punishing the culprits, the state government is trying to cover up. It is painful that even after 15 years of the state’s formation, Uttarakhand does not have a proper capital. Both the national parties, the BJP and Congress played with sentiments of masses, but now, the UKD will launch a campaign against them and provide a people-friendly government,” he added.

UKD’s senior leaders Kashi Sing Airy and BD Raturi were present at the protest site.