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UP seeks to retain Hardwar, but not Udham Singh Nagar

The Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 1988, envisaging the creation of a separate hill state of Uttarakhand, was tabled in the state assembly for consideration today.

Later, Chief Minister Kalyan Singh moved a resolution seeking 26 amendments in the bill, including the exclusion of Hardwar district from the proposed state.

The three-day special session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature has been convened to adopt a resolution on the creation of Uttarakhand.

The bill was sent by the President of India to seek the opinion of the state legislature on the creation of the new state.

The debate on the proposed amendments will take place tomorrow after which the House will resolve to send the bill back to the central government for follow-up action.

The original bill had proposed an Uttarakhand comprising 13 districts, including Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar. The state government is seeking to change the composition to 12 districts, excluding Hardwar.

The chief minister, moving his resolution of amendments, also proposed to change the name of the new state from Uttarakhand to Uttaranchal. The original draft had mentioned Uttarakhand as the name.

According to the chief minister's amendment, the new state will comprise Pauri, Tehri, Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Udham Singh Nagar, Bageshwar, Champawat and Rudraprayag districts.

According to another amendment, Uttarakhand will get 20 per cent of the hydroelectric power generated by the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board and will have to pay the cost of production.

The Uttar Pradesh government has retained all the rights relating to power generation. According to an amendment, the rights and responsibilities relating to the present irrigation and hydroelectric projects or even those under construction in Uttarakhand will vest with Lucknow.

Kalyan Singh has also suggested that members of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (the Upper House of the state legislature) who are bona fide residents of Uttarakhand, should be made members of the interim Vidhan Sabha (Lower House) of the new state.

But in spite of the threat of withdrawal of support by the Shiromani Akali Dal to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition at the Centre, the state government has chosen to remain quiet on the issue of excluding Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed state.

Another amendment moved by the chief minister says that till a high court is constituted in the new state, the Allahabad high court's jurisdiction will continue to extend over its territory.

Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand can both start such water resource projects in their respective states as are not harmful to the interests of the other.

Also, according to one amendment, the Centre will provide Rs 500 million to build a capital for the new state. The original bill had put the onus for this on the Uttar Pradesh government.

According to the amendment on distribution of stores, both states will together solve any disputes. If problems persist, the Centre's intervention will be sought.

For any road bridge constructed by the Uttar Pradesh government in the territory of Uttarakhand, the right to collect road tax will not vest with the new state.

The assembly will discuss the bill tomorrow. It has to be returned to the President by September 28.

UNI

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