RailEnquiry

Bilaspur : The Congress will legalise all encroachments of dam and project oustees in the state, including those of Bhakra dam oustees of Bilaspur and Una districts, if it comes to power in the state.They have rendered sacrifice for the development of the state and the nation and they deserve better treatment than others. This was stated by former Chief Minister and Union Minister for Steel Virbhadra Singh while replying to several queries of mediapersons regarding persisting problems of Bilaspur district being ‘ignored’ by the BJP Government.He said his government had earlier also waived all rehabilitation loans of Bhakra dam oustess; held a mini settlement in oustee colonies to save thousands of oustees from land encroachment court cases; Rs 13-crore Ali Khud bridge was constructed, work on Rs 32-crore Baghchhal bridge over Gobind Sagar was started for speedy development of backward Jhandutta and Naina Devi Dam oustee constituencies and foundation stone of the Rs 52-crore Berry-Dadollan bridge was laid to expand and develop Bilaspur, apart from plots being earmarking to the remaining oustees.But, he said, the BJP Government stopped the construction of Baghchhal bridge, did not add a single brick to Berry-Dadollan bridge and had not allotted a single plot to any oustee and was now biding time on framing a pro-oustee policy to legalise encroachments of oustees of Bhakra dam of Bilaspur town here despite court orders.Virbhadra Singh contradicted top BJP leaders who have been repeatedly declaring that “a leader from HP at the Centre is obstructing the inauguration of the country’s first hydro engineering college at Bilaspur because he wanted this college to be located at Rampur”. He said this was the product of a “sick and malicious mind” and was totally untrue.“Spreading lies is a major propaganda plank of BJP leaders,” he added. He said Bhanupali to Bilaspur-Berry broad gauge rail line would be taken up as the top  priority as it has been declared a “national priority project” and this survey would now be conducted up to Mandi-Manali and then still further to Leh.He gave an assurance that he would look into the latest survey of the four-lane Express Highway, which is said to have been done in a hush-hush manner, now bypassing and ignoring the interests of Bilaspur town.