JOIN USBhimashankaralinga Shivacharya Swami, head of the Kedarnathpeeth in Uttarakhand, has announced that a committee has been formed in Karnataka to take steps for restoring the flood-ravaged Kedarnath.
Addressing reporters here, the seer said that the Kedarnath Kshetra Vikas Samithi, comprising 56 members will be led by Minister for Horticulture and president of Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha, Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
"To facilitate the pilgrims coming from Karnataka, the committee has also started the construction of a Yatri Nivas at Rishikesh. The building, with 50 rooms, is expected to be completed within one year. The Maharashtra government has come forward and granted an amount of Rs 10 crore for the building work and restoration efforts in Kedarnath. We fear that about 20,000 bodies still remain under the debris in Kedarnath,” he said.
The seer complained that a conspiracy had been hatched by a few to defame the Veerashaivas working in Kedarnathpeeth. However, he was not ready to provide more information on this.
Former Director General and Inspector General of Police Shankar Bidari, who was present at the press conference, said that besides the Central and Uttarakhand governments, the government of all states should come forward and undertake the restoration work. “The damaged roads from Rishikesh and Kedarnath should be restored at the earliest,” Bidari said.
Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore, Belgaum MP Suresh Angadi and others were present. During the press conference, the Rambhapuri Mutt seer from Balehonnur announced that the Mutt would provide Rs one lakh for restoration works in Kedarnath.