Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

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November 2021

100.00

In its short, 21-year history, the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand has seen power alternate as much between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress as amongst the claimants to the top seat, a trend that began with the very first chief minister, Nityanand Swami, displaced by a rival faction within his party, the BJP. In all this toing-and-froing for the loaves and fishes of office, it is the state and its development that has taken a beating. With yet another round of assembly elections looming, it comes as no surprise that the voter is exasperated and exhausted, and yet to really see something worthwhile on her plate despite years of agitating and struggling to break away as a separate unit from erstwhile status as a part of Uttar Pradesh and far from the seat of power in Lucknow.

Thus, the number of “ghost villages” whose residents have migrated to the plains in search of a viable and secure future continues to grow. If there has been development, it has largely been lopsided and favouring areas close to the three or four large towns in the state. Even something as basic as a permanent capital—Dehradun was anointed as an interim solution—continues to evade the rulers of the state who have yet to take a call on shifting away from the lures and bright lights of the present centre of power to Gairsain up in the mountains. Politics has played a part in this decision too as it is midway between the two dominant hill districts of Kumaon and Garhwal. To placate the public, lip service continues to be paid towards making Gairsain the permanent centre of power without much being done about it on the ground.

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Tatsat Chronicle magazine and its 360-degree digital platform, including a live website with daily updates, Social Media channels, and a fortnightly newsletter in digital format.