Rollercoaster ropeway

06-07-2009
Rollercoaster ropeway
Times of India
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIA&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&GZ=T

Last weekend, Gujarat's wildlife board cleared a rope-way for Girnar, which is to pass through the forest sanctuary. A project contemplated more than a decade ago by Keshubhai Patel as CM, chief minister Narendra Modi wanted to know why was it kept pending for so long. This is what Modi was told – former chief secretary PK Laheri opposed it for inexplicable religious reasons. Fist, he did not allow it as principal secretary to Keshubhai Patel, from 1998 to 2001. Then he opposed it as MD of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd, which he remained between 2001 and 2003. Again, he opposed it as Gujarat chief secretary, from 2003 to 2005. Therefore, Modi was told, began the roller coaster of trying to "overcome" the "negative file notings" by Laheri on the reasons why one should not have the rope-way. "Laheri was a powerful man. It wasn't easy to contradict him", a senior official who finally managed to bring the rope-way back to the track said. It seems convenient to find scapegoat in Laheri – even the poor Narmada canal networking is being called a "Laheri's legacy"!