Gaurikund, base camp for pilgrims, an appalling story of neglectful govt
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, June 18
The Kedarnath shrine has been the focus of the government in reconstruction and restoration activities after the natural disaster in 2013, while Gaurikund, the key base camp for trek to Kedarnath, that also saw large scale devastation has witnessed little reconstruction efforts.
Gaurikund is important as the motorable road for Kedarnath pilgrims ends here and they subsequently walk 14 km to reach the temple. Gaurikund has been a hub of activities for the pilgrims till the 2013 natural disaster caused large scale devastation there.
Gaurikund, a small town in Ukhimath tehsil of Rudraprayag district, has a population of about 600, which primarily earns its livelihood from the Kedarnath yatra. Gauri village that forms part of Gaurikund played an important role in relief and rescue operations providing succor to a large number of pilgrims in distress.
The places of pilgrimage such as Karmkund and the Gauri Mai Mandi in Gaurikund were severely devastated in the disaster and infrastructure such as the old bus stand and the Soneprayag bridge were completely washed away. But while the focus has been on the Kedarnath shrine from the relief and reconstruction point of view, the plight of Gaurikund is still to get attention.
Gam pradhan of Gaurikund Rakesh Pratap Goswami expressed concern at the neglect of Gaurikund with regard to reconstruction activities. He told The Tribune that Gaurikund that was completely destroyed in the Kedarnath disaster had been neglected in reconstruction activities. He said residents of Gauri village in Gaurikund even gave their ration and clothes to the pilgrims in distress during the disaster. Goswami accused the state government of ignoring them.
Kushalanand, a shopkeeper at Gaurikund, said over the phone that the government had made no sincere efforts to restore Karmkund that was washed away in flash floods. Shopkeepers and villagers had made temporary arrangements for bathing for pilgrims at Karmkund but the administration had taken no measures. “There is a tradition that pilgrims have a bath in the hot spring of Karmkund before they proceed further on the trek to Kedarnath,” he added.
Kushalanand said a temporary bridge had been constructed in Soneprayag while the construction of a permanent bridge there had been delayed.
Goswami said they had even submitted a memorandum to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi when he came to Gaurikund after the Kedarnath disaster. “Besides Rahul Gandhi, we also gave a memorandum to Chief Minister Harish Rawat seeking speedy reconstruction activities in Gaurikund. However, we are still to get a response from both of them,” he added.
Narottam, sarpanch of Gaurikund Van Panchayat, echoing similar sentiments said the government was yet to take up the urgent issue of construction of a security wall along the Mandakini. It is strange that even NGOs seem to have forgotten Gaurikund.
