Jai Ram Thakur, Anil Sharma spar over sports complex delay

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 3

Though there had been a little snow this winter, Rs 12.05 crore was spent on snow-clearance work by various government agencies.

Replying to a query on the expenditure raised by Rakesh Singha during Question Hour, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the money had been spent by the Shimla Municipal Corporation, the PWD and the NHAI.

“A sum of Rs 2.85 crore has been spent on the purchase of 76 attachments so that the snow-clearance work is not outsourced,” he said. The CM admitted that the stretch between Narkanda and Batnal was the snow-bound area and hence there was the need for a retaining wall.

Intervening during a query by Anil Sharma over the site selection and delay in construction of a sports complex with an indoor hall and hockey astroturf ground in Mandi, Thakur said there had been a considerable delay of three years. “There is no extra land available with Nerchowk medical college, so a site has been selected by the DC and the forest clearance was sought for it,” he said.

He said if the MLA had a suitable site in mind, he could discuss it with the DC as there should be no more delay in the project.

Earlier, replying to a query, Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania said Rs 4.75 lakh had been deposited for obtaining the forest clearance and the maps had also been prepared. Since no other land was available, 80 bighas had been identified at Jola, eight km from Mandi.

Replying to a query by Ramesh Dhwala on the steps taken to encourage farmers to take to commercial cultivation of medicinal herbs and plants, Health and Ayurveda Minister Rajiv Saizal said the Uttarakhand policy was being examined.