Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh to withdraw order to make Gairsain state’s 3rd commissionerate

On the fresh surge of Covid-19 cases, the CM said that no complete lockdown will be imposed in Uttarakhand but restrictions will be introduced on arrival of people from states and cities where a high number of new cases and infection rate has been recorded.

Speaking about the Kumbh Mela, the CM said guidelines issued by the Centre will be followed and sanitizers and masks will be arranged at the state borders.

On March 4, then CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, while presenting the Budget for the next financial year in the state Assembly, had sprung a surprise by declaring Gairsain as a new administrative division of the state — a third commissionerate after Kumaon and Garhwal. It was announced that the Gairsain division would comprise four hill districts — Almora, Bageshwar, Rudrapyarag and Chamoli.

Trivendra’s announcement had faced opposition from within his own cabinet, with BJP MLAs, MPs and the party organization demanding a review of the decision. A few BJP MLAs also complained to the party central leadership that Trivendra had taken the decision without consulting cabinet colleagues and the legislature party and that the announcement has upset voters in certain districts like Almora.
Eventually, the BJP central leadership replaced Trivendra with Tirath on March 10.