By Our Staff Reporter
Rudraprayag, 25 Apr: Local people in Kedar Valley, led by the Teerth Purohits, have threatened to launch an indefinite bandh and strike in Kedarnath from 10 May onwards in protest against “improper” construction work in progress there. They are angered by the ‘callous and careless attitude’ of the construction agencies engaged at Kedarnath Dham. This warning comes at a time when the preparations for the Char Dham Yatra are at a peak and the Yatra is due to begin soon. The Kedar Sabha and the Teerth Purohit Samaj as well as the traditional rights holders have filed a complaint against the construction agencies and the authorities in this regard. They claim that the construction agencies are leaving the pits unrepaired in front of the buildings in Kedarnath making the movement of the locals very inconvenient. In the complaint submitted to the Superintendent of Police, immediate action has been demanded in the matter. The local people have threatened an indefinite bandh in Kedarnath from 10 May, the day when the portals of the Kedarnath shrine are due to open for this season in case no corrective course of action is taken in this regard.
Kedar Sabha President Rajkumar Tiwari reminded that that reconstruction work is going on in Kedarnath after the disaster of June 2013. The people associated with Kedarnath are cooperating with the administration in every possible way, but in the name of reconstruction, the administration is arbitrarily playing with their rights and entitlements and has been very callous in its approach.
Tiwari claimed that, over the last few days, large pits have been dug in front of the residential and commercial buildings of the pilgrims and rights holders in Kedarnath, which is beyond comprehension. These pits are posing a threat to the preexisting building. He also claimed that when officers and employees are questioned in this regard, they choose not to even share any information. Nor are the locals assured of any corrective course of action by the agencies. Hundreds of families of Kedar Valley are dependent on the Yatra and, in case the pits are not filled up, they can’t earn any money during the Yatra season. The locals have got the right to land in Kedarnath, but at present that land is not in their possession. He added that the locals are being harassed without any reason by the administration.
Kedar Sabha General Secretary Dr Rajendra Prasad Tiwari also claimed that Kedar Sabha has held a meeting to discuss the future strategy in this matter. In protest against this action of the government and administration, all the traders in Kedarnath will keep their hotels, lodges, dhabas, shop buildings and rest houses closed on 10 May. Deputy Superintendent of Police Prabodh Kumar Ghildiyal admitted that the Teerth Purohits had come to the Police with their problems. He added that details are being sought in this regard.