Sr journalist and activist of CHAKBANDI no more ! Dies after cardiac arrest

Garhwal, Uttarakhand has today lost a senior journalist with progressive leanings who fought and wrote on people centric issues and actively participated in the movements of separate Uttarakhand, Chakbandi ( consolidation of land holdings in Uttarakhand ) and movements for free press, journalists’ security and bringing the late bludgeoned journalist of Amar Ujala’ Daily late Umesh Dobhal’s diabolical murdurers to justice.

A journalist of ethics, values, ideals and tranparency Lalit Mohan Kothiyal today breathed his last in the Base Hospital Srinagar, Garhwal after suffering from a massive cardiac arrest.

He was currently working as the Associate editor of the prestigious political magazine Regional Reporter founded and edited by veteran journalist late Umashankar Thapliyal.

According to sources , Kothiyal developed acute pain and uneasiness in his chest in the morning and was shifted to Base hospital at Srinagar Garhwal from Pauri township, where every effort to revive him failed, finally being declared dead.

One of the leading journalists’ of Uttarakhand primarily hailing from the Pauri Garhwal district Lalit Mohan Kothiyal was a well known journalist having contributed his impressive articles in various national dailies and regional periodicals on the burning issues of socio political, cultural and economic significance.

He was the secretary of Umesh Dobhal Smriti Trust , an organisation of journalists from Uttarakhand and other parts of India which held seminars every year in the memory of the late journalist killed by the then liquor mafia of Garhwal, Uttarakhand and also felicitate one of the leading scribes’ with an award for outstanding journalism n literature.

Apart from this, Lalit Mohan Kothiyal was also one of the chief architects’ alongwith the founder Ganesh Singh Garib of the significant Chakbandi Andolan ( movement for consolidated land holdings) for the socio economic and agricultural betterment, benefit n develooment Uttarakhand and its people.

Late Kothiyal was highly instrumental in organising talks, seminars and meetings on this issue and highlighting this cricial issue in the media through his writings and journalistic dexterity.

He succeeded in getting the CHAKBANDI issue approved by the government of Uttarakhand as the recognised programme of the state on which the government was actually devising a fool proof system to implement it in phased manner in entire hill state. Kudos to the tireless efforts of Ganesh Singh Garib n late Lalit Mohan Kothiyal to make this long standing dream a true success n reality by convincing the state government implement it in totality.

In the sad demise of Lalit Mohan Kothiyal Uttarakhand has lost a most ethical journalist, an author and relentless fighter and a social activist as well. In a way it’s an end of an era.

The Uttarakhand Journalists Forum while expressing its heartfelt tributes to this selfless journalist and activist urges upon the government of the state to compensate his bereaved family with adequate financial compensation and a government job to one of the eldest family members, probably his traumatic wife.