Restrictions on entry of vehicles into Mall Road vex residents

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 30

Social activists in Mussoorie have termed plans to ban entry of vehicles owned by locals inside Mall Road by the Municipal Council as violation of basic human rights. They have decided to oppose the move vehemently.

Social activist Ajay Uniyal, addressing mediapersons at the press conference held at a hotel in Mussoorie, said the proposed winter-line carnival scheduled to be organised from December 25 to December 31 would also be opposed as it was being organised with the intent of "decimating the culture of the state and promote other cultures".

Uniyal, speaking to the press, said the State Human Rights Commission has also termed the move to ban the entry of vehicles of locals inside Mall Road as violation of their human rights. He said the increase in entry fee for entering Mall Road was also a violation of the High Court directions as a CBI inquiry is on and the Municipal Council can take no such executive decision in the wake of such a probe.

Uniyal said on the Mall Road, barriers used to remain open in the past for public in winters from December 1, but the decision of the Municipal Council to continue with the entry ban was against the interest of the people here. Uniyal alleged that the increase in the Mall Road entry fee was being effected to embezzle funds collected through the exercise. He said plans to lay down cobble stones on Mall Road will also be opposed as that would risk the lives of commuters, especially two-wheeler and rickshaw owners.

Uniyal said the Municipal Council had assigned Rs 17 lakh for repair of the Mall Road, that has been dug up for laying down the underground electricity cable and the plans to lay down cobble stone on the same road were nothing but misuse of tax-payers' money.

He said the plans of the Municipal Council and the district administration to organise the winter carnival will also be opposed and if the administration does not pay heed to their demands, they would be forced to take a legal recourse.

Devi Godiyal, president of Uttarakhand Andolankari Manch, Mussoorie, alleged financial irregularities during construction activity taken up during renovation of the Shaheed Sthal at Jhoola Ghar and demanded a probe in the matter.

He said the figurines of the martyrs placed at the Shaheed Sthal do not match the faces of the deceased, thus showing disrespect to the family members of the deceased, and this matter should also be probed.

Another social and cultural activist Anil Godiyal said the winter-line carnival was not part of the town's culture as it was known only for autumn festival. He alleged that the carnival was being organised with the intent of destroying the traditional culture of the state. He also alleged that regional artists were being paid a paltry sum in comparison to the artists brought from Mumbai and Delhi under a conspiracy to undermine the hills' culture and this would not be tolerated further.