Monsoon session adjourned without discussing Dharali disaster despite assurance by govt: Congress

Gairsain (Uttarakhand), Aug 20 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya said it was unfortunate that the Monsoon session was adjourned despite the government assuring in a Business Advisory Committee meeting that the Dharali disaster would be discussed on Wednesday.

Arya also refuted allegations by the ruling BJP that the session ended due to Congress's "disruptions" in the House and said he and and Congress MLA Pritam Singh have submitted their resignation from the membership of the assembly's Business Advisory Committee to Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan.

The House was adjourned sine die before lunch on Wednesday, ending a monsoon session that lasted just one and a half days.

Congress MLAs have been protesting alleged rigging in the state panchayat elections and "deterioration" of the law and order situation and even spent the night inside the House in protest.

Dhami criticised Congress legislators, saying their repeated disruptions during the Monsoon session did not even allow a discussion on the Dharali disaster that claimed several lives.

Arya said a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the assembly was held on Monday evening, in which the agenda for Tuesday was decided, and after this, it was decided to hold a meeting again on Tuesday so that various issues, including the Dharali disaster, could be discussed on Wednesday.

However, there was no meeting on August 19, he said. "So we have submitted our resignation from the Business Advisory Committee to the Speaker of the Assembly." He alleged that the government had already made up its mind not to continue the session and accordingly, the session was adjourned within two days, which was "unfortunate".

Arya also alleged that money and muscle power were used and government machinery was misused during the recent panchayat elections. The Congress has alleged "rigging" by the BJP in the panchayat polls in Nainital district and claimed there was widespread violence.

"We were demanding a discussion on this by stopping the work of the House but the government kept saying that the matter is sub judice," he said. The Uttarakhand High Court is hearing a petition filed on the matter.

In a criticism directed at the state government, Arya added that the condition of people affected in the floods and landslides in Dharali, Uttarkashi, remains the same.

A devastating flashflood in the Kheer Ganga river on August 5 demolished nearly half of Dharali -- the key stopover en route to Gangotri with many hotels and homestays, and neighbouring Harsil, where an Army camp bore the brunt of the flood fury, barely giving time to the victims to run to safety.

A total of 69 people went missing, including nine Army personnel, 25 Nepali nationals, 13 from Bihar, six from Uttar Pradesh, eight from Dharali, five from areas close to Uttarkashi, two from Tehri and one from Rajasthan. PTI DPT SKY SKY