BJP blames U'khand govt for scale of tragedy

The three-day session of Uttarakhand Assembly began today with a debate on the mid-June calamity with BJP blaming the state government's "delayed response" for the largescale devastation.
"We have always been saying that the disaster was natural and not caused by the government. But the trail of death and devastation left by the tragedy definitely had something to do with the government's slow and delayed response to the crisis," Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt said initiating a debate in the House on the issue.
The number of deaths and scale of devastation would have been smaller if the state government had awoke to the magnitude of the crisis in time, he said.

Recounting his experience during his tour to affected areas, he claimed that relief was taken to Tilang village 27 days after the tragedy.
"This reflects the slow response of the government machinery to the tragedy which may be a factor behind such a large number of deaths," he said.
"The flashfloods shook the entire nation but the state government initially was not aware of its colossal nature.

There was not even a single government official at Kedarnath to guide devotees to safety when the deluge occurred on June 16-17. This may also be the reason why so many deaths occurred," he said recounting the tales of survivors at the Himalayan shrine.

He also demanded a clear-cut answer from the government on recovery of 185 bodies from Kedar valley earlier this month, saying on what basis did it claim to have cleared the valley of bodies in July itself.
Raising the issue of firing during a party at the residence of state agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat last night, the BJP MLA said it was shocking to see that at a time when disaster-hit people of the state are crying for succour people in government were busy throwing bashes.
"This is an instance of holding a party over dead bodies. The incident of firing in the middle of the party is still more shocking," he said.

Demanding a judicial probe into the firing incident, he said the gun used for firing should be seized and the licence of its owner, no matter who he is, be cancelled.