Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, state BJP president, feels that no decision should be taken in a hurry as haste can make waste. Shri Nityanand Swami, the first Chief Minister of the state, said that a Commission had already been working on this issue. “Let the Commission study all the pros and cons and take its final decision. No one should try to affect the Commission by any agitation. This is a very serious and sensitive issue. Demands for making Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Rudrapur and several other cities the capital of Uttaranchal have been started in the state, which can result in another big agitation. The opinion of the Commission should be accepted unanimously,” he said. Shri Vinod Barthwal, senior Samajwadi Party leader wants Dehradun as the capital. On the other hand, the Maidani Sabha has launched its agitation in favour of Haridwar as the capital.
Meanwhile, the one-member commission of Justice V.N. Dixit has sought a second opinion from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for recommending a new site for the capital of Uttaranchal. Shri Dixit had earlier received an expert opinion from the Uttaranchal Geological Mineral and Mining Directorate, which had ruled out Gairsain as the permanent capital, stating that its soil condition was not suitable. “The ground soil is very fragile. The proposal for establishing a large number of structures in this area for the creation of the capital of Uttaranchal will require huge amounts of civil works for which the rocks of this area are not strong enough,” the GM&M report said.
Shri Dixit said, “As per government norms, the land required for the capital is 500 hectares but this much area is not available in Gairsain.” Opinions may differ today but Dehradun has its own advantages when it was adjudged the interim capital shortly after inception of the nascent state of Uttaranchal. Close proximity to Delhi, a well-phased network of roads, a railhead and an airstrip on its outskirts have strengthened Dehradun’s claims as the capital.
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