Munsiyari festival wastage of public money, say parties

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, December 4

As Chief Minister Harish Rawat inaugurated the three-day festival at his Assembly constituency segment in Munsiyari here yesterday, the opposition parties have raised a question on the organisers saying that when there was no tourist season in Munsiyari, the festival is merely wastage of public money.

“At a time when the town is reeling under cold wave conditions and the temperature less than 3°C during nights, what was the use of organising such a festival at Munsiyari,” said Rudra Singh Panda, a senior BJP leader.

Even the Chief Minister, who was suffering from cold before inaugurating the festival, suggested that such festivals should be organised in the beginning of November from next year.

“The state government will organise the festival from next year,” said Rawat after inaugurating the festival.

Addressing a gathering at Namik village today, the Chief Minister appealed to the villagers to grow traditional crops like madua and others for which he assured villagers to provide irrigation facilities.

“The traditional crops like madua, gahat, phaphar, palthi and other cereals not only provide food security to villagers but also give them encashment as these crops are in a great demand in the state and the country,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister fled to Pithoragarh to console family members of Gangolihat MLA Narayan Ram, who lost his son two days back due to heart stroke.

The Chief Minister made several announcements at Munsiyari, Namik and Sainranthi villages. It includes construction of several roads and track routes in linking tourist places and irrigation canals for Sainranthi village. “We hope these announcements will come on ground within a year,” the Chief Minister said.