BJP's Uttarakhand, UP governments discuss to end state disputes

NEW DELHI: The chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have decided to find amicable solutions to disputes over the control of various properties including canals and dams, now that the BJP is in power in both the states as well as at the Centre.

Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath on Monday and sought his help in resolving issues pertaining to contentious division of properties between the two states since Uttarakhand was carved out of UP in 2000.

Adityanath has directed UP government officials to prepare a note with help from the officials of Uttarakhand government, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.


They said it has been decided that the note should contain the views of both the states on all contentious issues, there should be a discussion at the level of chief secretaries of both the states and there should be a deadline for resolving the disputes between the two states.

The Uttarakhand CM, who was accompanied by senior officials of his state, had brought a detailed note of all such pending issues between the two states, relating to various departments including power, irrigation, home, hydropower, secondary education, tourism and home, one of the persons said. In case the two states fail to reach a consensus, they may turn to the Centre for help, the person said.

Earlier, in December 2014, the then CM of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, had raised the matter with his UP counterpart Akhilesh Yadav, but to no avail.

Officials in Uttarakhand’s irrigation department said that UP continues to control more than 26 canals in Haridwar and nine canals in Udham Singh Nagar district of the state.

“Uttarakhand’s irrigation department is also looking for UP government’s consent for a memorandum of understanding for the construction of Jagrani dam,” an official said.

Rawat sought Adityanath’s help in ensuring proper division of properties between UP Jalvidyut Pa r i yo j a n a ( L t d ) a n d Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam (Ltd), as well as between UP C o o p e r at ive Bank and Uttarakhand Rajya Sahkar Bank.

Uttarakhand’s home department is looking for transfer of a big piece of land from UP’s home department in Uttarakhand’s Dharchula town. The dispute over the ownership of a hotel in Haridwar is pending before the court.

Uttarakhand may have reasons to hope for a concrete solution to the pending issues with UP also because Adityanath hails from Uttarakhand, one of the persons cited earlier said.