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Journalism of Courage
DEHRA DUN, OCT 8: The Centre’s decision to choose Dehra Dun as the temporary capital of the new state of Uttaranchal has sparked off a flurry of activity in the hill town.
The Dehra Dun district administration had earlier identified 35 government buildingsand renovation work has already begun at several of these places. The administration has also decided that Vikas Bhavan, a state government building, will house the new legislative Assembly. Work is on to create chambers for the Speaker and Governor, as well as a press gallery in the new building. Similarly, a portion of the Circuit House, which has not been used for the past several years, is to be converted into the residence of the Chief Minister. And all this will cost the yet-to-be-born state nearly Rs 11 crore, if the district administration’s figures are anything to go by. It has so far got Rs 5 crore to start the work and the rest will follow in the coming months.
Indeed, the order received by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary fromthe Union Home ministry, renovation work on all the identified buildings should begin immediately and completed by November 1.
In case the buildings and land have to be transferred from CentralGovernment departments, the case should be taken up with the concernedCentral Ministries, the letter says. The Uttar Pradesh government has also been advised that in case the alienation of Central Government buildings gets delayed, alternate arrangements should be made.
However, many officials here believe that the state government buildings are not fit to house the new Assembly, the Governor and the Chief Minister’s residences. Some of them argue that the historic building of the Forest Research Institute — which has an excellent assembly hall, complete with a press gallery and spacious bungalows — should have been taken over to house the Assembly and official residences of the Governor and Chief Minister. “Aashiana”, the Presidential summer retreat in Dehra Dun could also have easily been converted into Raj Bhavan, they point out.
Meanwhile, a ministerial sub-committee of the Uttar Pradesh government on economic affairs is due to meet on October 11 to decide about the number ofemployees to be transferred to the secretariat of the new state.
