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Vajpayee buys time till November 30 on Udham Singh Nagar row

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today constituted a three-member committee headed by Defence Minister George Fernandes to go into the Shiromani Akali Dal's demand to exclude Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal.

The committee has been asked to submit its report before the winter session of Parliament begins on November 30, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana announced after Akali leaders met Vajpayee at the prime minister's home.

The other members of the committee are Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Following is the full text of the joint communique issued at the end of the two-hour meeting between Vajpayee and the Akalis:

"Top Akali leaders Parkash Singh Badal, Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Surjit Singh Barnala held a meeting this afternoon with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to sort out the dispute relating to the future of Udham Singh Nagar district of UP.

"Also present at this meeting were Mr L K Advani, Mr George Fernandes, Mr Madan Lal Khurana and Mr Kalyan Singh.

"This meeting decided to set up a three-man committee headed by Mr George Fernandes and comprising of two chief ministers Kalyan Singh and Parkash Singh Badal to hold deliberations with all concerned and arrive at an agreed solution as to whether Udham Singh Nagar district should be part of the proposed new state of Uttaranchal or continue to remain in Uttar Pradesh.

"This committee has been asked to complete its deliberations and submit its report to the prime minister before Parliament's winter session commences on 30th November."

UNI

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