Demand for separate Rawain dist intensifies in Uttarkashi; mahapanchayat held

Uttarkashi: A long-standing demand for the creation of Rawain valley in Uttarkashi as a separate district, with Purola village as its headquarters, has again cropped up as the district formation struggle committee organised a mahapanchayat on Friday to discuss the need for the district, its social and geographical significance and strategies to reinforce their demands. Representatives and villagers from Rama, Kamal Sirai and Mori gathered at the meeting held at the Kamal Ganga riverbank playground in Purola.The meeting follows several years of protests seeking the formation of Rawain district – encompassing the area from Radi Top to Arakot bordering Himachal Pradesh – where residents, including those of Damta, Purola, Naugaon and Mori, continue to face difficulties in reaching the district headquarters in Uttarkashi town due to its challenging geographical conditions. "Villagers have to travel long distances even for minor administrative tasks," said convenor of the struggle committee and district president of Congress' scheduled caste cell Prakash Kumar.A delegate of the committee also submitted a memorandum to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami through sub-divisional magistrate Mukesh Ramola on Friday. "If the govt does not take appropriate action on this demand soon, the people of the region will be forced to resort to agitation again," said Kumar.