Dehradun, 22 February (HS): The Uttarakhand Assembly heated up with debate on the education system in hilly areas and the threat posed by wild animals on Saturday.

Opposition MLAs criticized the government for neglecting education, highlighting issues such as teacher shortages, fake enrollments, and poor infrastructure. They called for urgent reforms, with Congress MLA Pritam Singh urging concrete actions.

In response, Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat assured that no schools would close and set a goal for full literacy by 2026, noting that 18,714 out of 20,823 sanctioned teacher positions have been filled.

The discussion also addressed the fear of wild animals, particularly in the Khatima constituency, where Deputy Leader of Opposition Bhuvan Kapri reported incidents involving wildlife and called for solar lights to enhance safety. Opposition MLA Lakhpat Butola emphasized that wildlife issues, especially with monkeys and other animals, are driving migration from the mountains.

Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal acknowledged the state's rich wildlife and outlined compensation measures for victims of wildlife attacks, which have increased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. He also mentioned efforts to sterilize monkeys and the installation of over a thousand solar lights in vulnerable areas, alongside initiatives for bio-fencing and a corporate fund to support these efforts.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar