Convening assembly session in Gairsain waste of money: Bhatt

Opposition BJP in Uttarakhand today opposed convening a session of the state assembly in makeshift tents at Gairsain in Chamoli district saying it would be sheer waste of money.
Questioning the justification of spending crores of rupees over ferrying government functionaries including ministers and officials in choppers to the remote place in Chamoli hills for a session of the legislature, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt said it would be better if the state government spent the amount over carrying out development work in hill areas.
"The state government is going to spend Rs 4 crore out of Gairsain Development Council on the forthcoming session. It would have been better if it spent the amount on development in the hills," Bhatt said in a statement here.

The BJP leader accused senior officials of blowing up huge amounts of money by going in helicopters to Gairsain in the name of taking stock of preparations there for the upcoming session of the House.
Terming the upcoming session as an expensive excursion trip to the hills of Chamoli, Bhatt said he had doubts whether having a session of the state Assembly there would serve any serious purpose.
The state assembly session is scheduled to begin in Gairsain on September 21 in keeping with the state government's decision to convene one session of the state assembly there every year.
An emotive issue for Uttarakhand, Gairsain represents the aspirations of the hill people who want it to be declared as the permanent capital.