Dehradun: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has written to the Uttarakhand government to settle accounts with its Tourism, Public Works, Sainik Welfare, General Administration, and Disaster Management Departments and return the Rs 200 crore that it owes to the IAF.
The IAF wrote three letters to the state government, the first of which was dispatched from the Air Force Headquarters on August 27. The second letter was written on September 18, and the third on September 19, reminding the state government of the huge financial liability.
Despite the constant reminders, the military-dominated state failed to return a single penny to the IAF. Unable to bear the brunt of this financial stress, the state government was compelled to write to the Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) of the Disaster Management Department asking him to examine the pending liabilities.
On October 22, the government wrote a letter to ACEO Disaster Management informing them about the Air Force's letters and instructing them to take action. The Disaster Management Department has also penned letters to the other departments asking them to pay their respective outstanding amounts.
During natural disasters in Uttarakhand, Air Force helicopters frequent the state for relief and rescue activities, slapping huge expense cheques on the State Disaster Management Department.
Uttarakhand has a history of natural disasters, including floods, landslides, and earthquakes. Some of them include the 2020 Uttarakhand forest fires, the 2013 Kedarnath disaster, the 1999 Chamoli earthquake, the 1998 Malpa landslide, and the 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake among others.
According to the current figures, the State Disaster Management Department had to pay Rs 67 crore for relief and rescue work. A sum of Rs 24 crore has been paid, and Rs 43 crore is due.
Efforts are underway to get the loan waived by the Government of India by bringing the matter to the attention of the Chief Secretary, Radha Raturi, and Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami. Verification of the bills amounting to Rs 200 crore sent by the IAF is underway as they are almost 20-years-old.
What do experts say: Senior journalist Neeraj Kohli said the army has always contributed significantly to the state. Keeping that in mind, the state should pay back the army's dues on time, he said.
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