People of Ranikhet demand a District
With the establishment of Uttarakhand the people were expecting decentralization of power up to the village level. It was expected that many new Districts and Blocks would be created. Some years back the Congress Government of Uttarakhand had constituted a State Level Committee consisting of four members to go into this issue. It is understood that the Government examined this matter and it was felt that the creation of 4 new districts, i.e., Kotdwar with a population 1,35,000, Ranikhet (3,00,000) Didihat (2,25,000) and Kashipur (3,00,000) would be feasible. However after the defeat of the Congress Government the matter is still hanging fire. The people of Ranikhet have been demanding creation of a new District since 1955. In 1984 after a long drawn agitation for the creation of Ranikhet District the UP Government gave a written assurance. Again in 1994 a 56 days longs agitation ended with the assurance of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the then CM of U.P. and as a first step in this direction he ordered the posting of an Additional District Magistrate and Deputy Superintendent of Police. In 1997 Mayawati, the then Chief Minister of UP declared three districts i.e. Bageshwar with a population of 2,49,453, Rudraprayag (2,27,461) and Champawat (2,24,461). But Ranikhet could not find a place as a district. Ranikhet is an old Tehsil and has the necessary infrastructure required for a District Headquarter. The Government has sufficient land for the construction of Vikas Bhawan and other offices. The old District Board Dak Bungalow situated at Mall Road, Ranikhet which at present houses Grain Godown of the Government, has 96 acres of land, which may be used for the establishment of all the Offices and residential quarters at one central place. Now the Bharatiya Janta Party Government is in power. The people of Ranikhet have once again been appealing to the Chief Minister Major General (Retd.) B.C.Khanduri to kindly declare Ranikhet as a District. (D.N.Barola)