PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi
A day after the stakeholders- connected with the Char Dham Yatra commencing on April 19- threatened shutdown in Gangotri and Yamunotri, the Uttarkashi administration has geared up to resolve or mitigate the most urgent of the issues: commercial LPG cylinder crunch. Anticipating that the West Asia volatility will drag on and deepen the crunch fallout, the administration has drawn up an alternative plan of supplying firewood and coal as fuel to ensure that pilgrims and local businesses do not face any difficulties during the annual pilgrimage.
In a meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of the district magistrate Prashant Arya, detailed discussions were held on the smooth, safe and orderly conduct of the Yamunotri and Gangotri pilgrimages. It was clarified that adequate availability of firewood and coal would be ensured to ensure that food arrangements at major stops, hotels and Dhabas along the pilgrimage route are not affected.
The administration has directed the Forest Development Corporation to keep the timber depots at Purola Bazaar, Barkot Bazaar, Chinyalisaur (Dharasu Bridge), Uttarkashi Bazaar (near Shiv Temple), and Bhatwari Road operational. New timber distribution centres will also be set up at important locations along the pilgrimage route, including Janakichatti, Damta, Brahmakhal, Netala, Harshil, and Gangotri. The Forest Corporation’s Purola and Uttarkashi units have been entrusted with the responsibility of seeing to it that these centres operate sans disruption in this uncertain time.
The DM directed the sub-divisional magistrates and supply inspectors concerned to immediately ensure the availability of fuel at the identified locations. The municipality has also been given clear instructions to increase the storage capacity at the dam located at Dharasu bridge in Chinyalisaur. The DM underscored the need for effective coordination among the Forest department, Forest Development Corporation and Supply department.
Among those present at the meeting was the district chief development officer Jai Bharat Singh.
