CM visits flood-hit areas, promises to heal people's wounds

Two days after taking over as Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Harish Rawat today visited the flash-flood-hit districts of Chamoli and Rudrapryag and said separate disaster management officials with administrative and financial powers will be appointed there to provide succour to people.
Announcing this at a public meeting at Tharali, Rawat said he was here to heal the wounds of people and promised that no effort will be spared to ensure that relief reached their doorstep in the affected areas.
He directed the officials accompanying him to conduct a survey of affected villages to find out if they have got compensation and promised to come again within two months to find out whether compensation has reached them.

He also warned officials that there should be no complaint of uneven distribution of compensation when he visited the area next time.
Rawat said problems that have been brought to his notice by the affected people will be resolved on a priority basis.
At another meeting at Pipalkopti in the district, the Chief Minister announced setting up two new Tehsils -- one each at Narayanbagad and Jilasu.

A base hospital will be set up in Gopeshwar whereas a pharmacy and BPharma institute will come up in Pokhri. A campus of Shreedevsuman University at Gopeshwar will also be established, he said.

He promised to develop the herbal institute at Gopeshwar and sanctioned funds for construction of a stadium at Pipalkoti.
Rawat who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the hill state on Saturday replacing Vijay Bahuguna was on his maiden visit to the interior hill districts, which bore the brunt of the natural calamity in June last year.
He was accompanied by the two women members of his Cabinet -- Indira Hridayesh and Amrita Rawat.