Monday, 30 October 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The chief spokesperson of Uttarakhand Congress Garima Dasauni has said that the recent statement of BJP MLA from Ranikhet Pramod Nainwal is an insult of the Uttarakhand High Court. The HC in its observation on the horticulture scam had made mention of Nainwal after which he had claimed innocence.
She said that Nainwal is trying to shift the blame of his misdeeds to others. Dasauni said that the fact that Nainwal had to convene the press conference in a hotel showed that the organisation had not allowed him to talk to the media in the State party office. Elaborating on the Horticulture department scam, Dasauni said that in a counter affidavit filed in the HC by the chief horticulture officer of Nainital RK Singh, it is stated that 2,402 saplings of apple monoclonal rootstock were given to Satish Nainwal- the MLA’s brother- under the Chief Minister Horticulture Mission (CMHM). She said that the cost of one sapling is Rs 465 and under the CMHM 50 per cent share was to be given by the MLA’s brother which was not paid to the department.
She said that the MLA and his sister who is block Pramukh of Betalghat had given a certificate to the CHO that 100 per cent saplings had survived. Dasauni said that the non-payment of the money by the MLA’s brother is a theft from the State exchequer. The Congress leader said that as per the norms more than 70 Nali of land is needed to plant 2,402 monoclonal rootstock of apple but the land jointly owned by the MLA and his brother is only 41 Nali. She claimed that the MLA’s brother grabbed the land of Revenue, Forest and PWD for developing the orchard. The Congress leader said that the Pushkar Singh Dhami government which boasts about zero tolerance for corruption should welcome the CBI probe in the horticulture scam so that truth prevails and culprits punished.
