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UP, Uttarakhand to withdraw court cases against each other, says Dhami
Certain long pending issues have been settled on the spot while in some cases, officers on both sides would meet in 15 days to close them, says U’khand CM
LUCKNOW The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments on Thursday agreed to withdraw all court cases filed against each other, mainly over the division of properties and assets, and decided to resolve them through mutual cooperation.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed this after two back-to-back meetings with his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath.
“An understanding has been reached on all matters that had lingered on for 21 years. All cases pending in the court would be withdrawn by both states and settled through mutual talks,” said Dhami.
He also visited the UP BJP office and attended several functions, including the concluding ceremony of Uttarakhand Mahotsav.
“Chief minister Yogi Adityanathji is like my elder brother and all pending issues between the two states were discussed heartily and a consensus was reached to settle them through mutual cooperation. Certain long pending issues have been settled on the spot while in some cases, officers on both sides would meet in 15 days to close the issues,” added Dhami.
“I share an emotional bond with UP. I was born here, all my academic certificates – right from high school to intermediate, graduation and post-graduation as well as law, carry UP’s stamp. I still remember that I had cried a lot when I first left for Uttarakhand. We are common people, share a common heritage and that is why decided to quickly wrap up all pending matters between the two states,” he said.
Uttarakhand was carved out of UP on November 9, 2000. Since then, the long pending issues had dragged on despite change of governments. Since 2000, while UP had seen five chief ministers discuss the issue – beginning with then UP CM Rajnath Singh followed by Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav and Yogi Adityanath while Dhami was the 10th Uttarakhand chief minister to have taken up the issue of division of assets and liabilities between the two states.
Since 2000, the hill state had seen various CMs including Nityanand Swami, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, Vijay Bahuguna, Harish Rawat, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Tirath Singh Rawat right till the present CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The Uttarakhand CM also gave a breakup of the issues.
“There has been this issue of 5,700 hectares land of irrigation department and 1,700 houses that fall between the borders of UP and Uttarakhand. We intend to close these long pending issues quickly. That’s why we have decided that on this issue of land settlement, officers on both sides would meet in 15 days. After joint surveys, we will decide mutually. Whatever UP needs would be handed over to it and the rest would be with Uttarakhand,” he said.
“There is the old barrage in Champawat district on the Indo-Nepal border which would be reconstructed. The barrage at Kiccha that was damaged due to natural calamity on October 18 and 19 would also be reconstructed. The UP transport department would pay ₹205 crore to Uttarakhand and forest department of UP would pay ₹90 crore as dues to Uttarakhand while the properties of housing department and dues would be shared equally by both the states and the bus stand at Kiccha would be transferred to Uttarakhand,” he added.
“Alaknanda Hotel in Haridwar would also be transferred to Uttarakhand in a month’s time. Chief minister Yogi Adityanathji too would pay a visit there,” said Dhami, adding that the NoC requirement for adventure sports on the Upper Ganga Canal had been waived off.
Have requested Yogi to campaign in U’khand polls, says Dhami
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that he has requested his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath to campaign in the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly elections. When asked if Adityanath will campaign during the Uttarakhand elections, Dhami said, “Yes, definitely. Why won’t he? He has to come. He will go everywhere. We have requested him, he will come there.” Adityanath held a meeting with Dhami where senior officials from both states were also present at the meeting. This meeting comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and Uttarakhand Assembly elections that are slated to be held next year. Currently, the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in both states. ANI
