Cabinet meet in Kedarnath a waste of money: BJP

Dehradun, Oct 16: Terming the upcoming meeting of the Uttarakhand Cabinet in Kedarnath a "waste of money", Opposition

on Thursday said it will not solve problems of the people living in the calamity-hit area.

"Taking the whole Cabinet to Kedarnath in helicopters is no more than a picnic and a waste of money," BJP state chief Tirath Singh Rawat said. "If the state government is really concerned about affected people, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues should go to the Himalayan shrine by road. That will give them a glimpse of the realities prevailing in the area," he said.

"Holding a Cabinet meeting in Kedarnath will not solve the problems of people living in the area. If the state government is really interested in rebuilding lives in Kedar Valley, it should initiate steps on the ground level," he said.

BJP: Cong should initiate steps on the ground level

Calling it a move to mislead people, the BJP wondered what came out of the state Cabinet's meeting held during Vijay Bahuguna's tenure in Gairsain and the one held recently in Almora under the chairmanship of Harish Rawat.

The much-talked about meeting of Uttarakhand Cabinet in Kedarnath will be held at the Himalayan shrine on October 21 in which the state government is likely to put its final seal of approval on the rehabilitation and reconstruction plan around the famous temple, official sources said earlier today.

It will be the Cabinet's second meeting this year outside the state capital after the one held in Almora.

PTI