“The tourism sector of Dharamshala and its surroundings was deteriorated during the Congress government regime, because of the negligible interest taken by the then local MLA Sudir Sharma, who was also a minister, ” said Food, Civil supplies & Consumer Affairs minister Kishan Kapoor. Kapoor was addressing a press conference in Dharamshala on Friday. Minister alleged that Sharma encouraged local hoteliers for illegal constructions, with a word of promise that the same would be regularized by their government at later stage. These owners are under fire now , when their establishments were closed due to a cut in the supply of water and electricity. Kapoor said,” how could Ex minister ask us to clear our policy on these illegal constructions, when he (Sharma) remained silent spectator, even when he was holding the town and country planning portfolio in the previous government.”

Kapoor said, “Now our government has given relief to these hoteliers. Now, one can construct four stories in place of two in core areas like Mecleodganj, and the water and electricity shall be connected to the area of the building, which clears the law of construction, so that, though partial , one can run his business.”

Consumer Affairs Minister Kishan Kapoor alleged Ex minister and MLA of Dharamshala that as he (Sharma) belongs to Baijnath and not Dharamshala, he only helped the people of Baijnath area. Kapoor said,” World Para Gliding was taken to Bir, whereas it could be possible in Dharamshala. All most all the out-source employees of Municipal Corporation were engaged from Baijnath. The summer festival of Dharamshala was not staged for last 5 years.”

Kapoor said,” Sudhir Sharma politicised the Central University for the last five years and did nothing on the ground, whereas we will transfer the land in Dharamshala to Central University in April and the foundation stone shall be laid in Dharamshala for CUHP soon.”

When asked, if the 70% of the CUHP shall be built in Dharamsala or not, he kept mum.

The state Congress has already announced to submit a memorandum to the President of India tomorrow, against any move to shift the majority of campus of the proposed Central University of Himachal Pradesh to Dehra from Dharamshala.

The university campuses are to be constructed in Dehra and Dharamshala. The matter had been hanging in the balance for the past eight years as the BJP wants 70 per cent of the campus in Dehra and the rest in Dharamshala, while the Congress wants majority of the campuses in Dharamshala.

"It is the right of Dharamshala to have the major portion of Central University of Himachal Pradesh. The land was made available by our government in Dharamshala," Congress leader Sudhir Sharma said.

Dehra, about 70 kilometres from Dharamshala, in Kangra district falls under the constituency of BJP MP Anuraag Thakur.

By Arvind Sharma

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