Haridwar, February 5
With the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) deciding to contest for all five parliamentary seats of the state, here today, the choice for voters in the state has increased. The party has also appointed in-charges for all the constituencies.

Newly appointed state president of the Dal Chaudhary Rishipal Baliyan, while announcing the party’s decision today said: “We want to become a third front in the state. Our party will focus on farmers in both the plain and hill areas, as they are pillars of this new state.”

He lashed out at the BJP government for not releasing payments to sugarcane farmers despite announcement of rates. He rued that while the legislators have all the perks, the poor farmers are dying in penury.

The party has also decided to take up the Gairsain capital issue during polls. “We demand that the government should disclose the Dixit commission report, and if it can’t we propose that Gairsain be declared as the capital,” said Chaudhari Devpal Rathi, vice-president of the state unit of the party.

Meanwhile, those announced as incharges include for various constituencies Devendra Bahuguna for Pauri Garhwal, Dr M Saha for Tehri Garhwal, B Rajendra for Nainital, Geeta Sharma and Prema Upreti for Almora, DevPal Rathi for Haridwar and Ved Prakash Pal for Dehradun.

The Dal will announce the names of all the five candidates by February-end. Till then, a campaign to induct new members will be carried out at the village and block level. Their national head Chaudhari Ajit Singh is also expected to visit the state soon.

On the question of RLD-BJP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, youth wing chief Kazi Chand said it is only limited to UP and the party head Ajit Singh has decided to contest alone in Uttarakhand. He informed that soon a new executive working committee of the state unit would be elected. 

Dehradun, February 5
Even as the state is finding it hard to fund development projects, its irrigation department has made a case for deferring various schemes for which funds are provided by the Union government under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).

In a move that has stunned officials of the department, irrigation secretary Vinod Fonia has written to the Union water resources ministry to revise implementation period of 39 new minor irrigation schemes from 2009-10 to 2010-11, instead of 2008-09 to 2009-10. According to AIBP guidelines, the implementation period of these schemes is two years. If the union ministry entertains the request, the development activities would suffer for want of funds, said officials.

These schemes, involving a total cost of Rs 81.55 crore, have already been submitted to the Union government in August, 2008, for approval. The funds are meant for construction of canals and lift irrigation in Tehri, Rudarprayag, Uttarakashi, Pauri, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar districts.

According to the copy of the communication sent in December, 2008, the Union government did not accord approval to the schemes till then, so these should be deferred as their implementation would not be possible in the stipulated time frame.

Officials are of the view that there was no need for such a communication as the funds were to be utilised during the implementation period of two years. The unused funds in the first year can be carried forward to the next year. The balance of Rs 38 crore, being utilised in the current financial year on the ongoing schemes, since last year is a case in point.

In the meeting called by Fonia in November, 2008, the state’s executive engineers had told him that funds could be partly used this fiscal in case of any delay in their approval.

Interestingly, Fonia communicated with the Union ministry concerned directly without approval of the state irrigation minister.

The development would not have taken place had Fonia discussed the matter with the minister who is believed to be unhappy over this, said officials. When asked, Fonia admitted differences with the minister but declined to explain them.

Dehradun, February 5
In a first case of its kind, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Dehradun, today arrested the father of a serving senior ONGC officer who has been charged of getting employment in the reserved category on the basis of a false adoption deed.

Vishnu Kant Sharma, father of the accused officer Suveer Kumar, was arrested from his residence at 220, DL Road, this morning. He was produced before the magistrate of the designated CBI court, who sent Sharma to judicial custody.

The CBI had registered a case against both of them on March 31, 2008, on the basis of secret information. The designated CBI court had issued non-bailable warrants after a chargesheet was filed against them recently.

Accused Suveer Kumar, who studied at two prominent schools in Dehradun, obtained a scheduled caste certificate in 1983 showing Prem Singh, a peon in DAV (PG) College, Dehradun, from where he did post-graduation, as his father (the said person is no more alive). He also used the certificate for obtaining a false adoption deed.

Moreover, the investigation showed that he was overage at the time of forging the deed. According to rules, one can be eligible for adoption only up to the age of 15 years.

On the basis of this, Suveer gained employment in ONGC in 1990 as an executive officer, Level II. Subsequently, he was promoted to Level III. At present, he is posted at ONGC work centre at Chand Khera, Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.

Dehradun, February 5
The state Women Commission has instructed Haryana Cadre IPS officer Shashank Anand and his wife Dipti Singh, who is SDM, Gangolihat, in Pithoragarh district of Kumaon, to appear before the commission on February 17.

Dev Ram Singh, lawyer of the commission, said that Dipti had sent a complaint to the commission accusing her husband and in-laws of demanding dowry and torturing her.

“Taking note of the complaint, both Shashank and Dipti have been summoned on February 17,” he said. On the complaint of Dipti, the Pithoragarh police had recently booked Shashank, his mother and sister under the Dowry Act, SC/ST Act and other sections of Indian Penal Code.

The investigating officer in the case MS Farswan, DSP, Dharchula, Pithoragarh said that they had recorded the statement of Dipti.

“As claimed by Dipti, Shashank had visited Gangolihat on December 5, 2008. The watchman of the PWD guest house there has confirmed that Shashank stayed there,” he said.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that SP Pithoragarh Puran Singh Rawat has written to IG Kumaon Ashok Kumar to get the matter probed by the CBCID. 

Dehradun, February 5
At a time when LPG has become indispensable for households, Dehradun-based NGO Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) has successfully experimented with alternative cooking gas prepared from kitchen waste.

For the past six months, waste consisting of leftover food and vegetable peels is being used in the kitchen of the NGO head office here in Suyra Lok colony on Rajpur Road.

“We are using about one and half kg waste for the purpose. It is mixed with 5 litres of water and put into a water tank through a specially designed hose. The gas produced lasts around two hours if used continuously.” said kitchen manager Ramesh.

“This quantity is sufficient for a small family of four members,” he added.

Buoyed by the success, RLEK chairman Avadesh Kaushal said that they might reduce the use of LPG in their kitchen to almost negligible in the next three months.

The NGO consumes around 8-10 cylinders a month to prepare food for about 50 people including its staff and guests daily. The requirement increases drastically when it conducts training programmes. About 200 people are served food on these occasions.

The NGO got the idea when it conducted a training programme for rural women last year.

Haridwar, February 5
Two workers died on the spot after the cable of the lift-cum-trolley, in which workers were carrying goods, snapped and the trolley crashed to the ground at the Rockman Industries main plant at SIDCUL here today.

Another person was injured and was undergoing treatment at the city hospital.

At about 9 am, Sushil (20 years), a resident of Puranpur, Sumit (21), resident of Monana Iqbalpur, and Nitin were transporting goods by the lift. When the lift was about to reach the highest floor, the cable supporting it broke.

The workers and company management took the three victims to the city hospital where they were referred to district hospital. On the way, Sushil and Sumit succumbed to their injuries.

Company officials closed the entire plant and didn’t allowed the media to enter. The employees demanded instant compensation for the victims and adequate safety measures in the plant.

Shankar Bisht, purchase manager, said that the company would soon give appropriate compensation to the victims. A review of the safety measures in the plant would also be conducted, he said. 

Dehradun, February 5
Saleem’s all-round performance could not prevent a 68-run defeat for ITM at the hands off Graphic Era Institute at the 57th District Cricket League here today at Survey Stadium. Saleem made a 33 runs and claimed three wickets in the match.

Graphic Era’s top-order batsmen were in good nick and they scored freely against ITM bowlers to pile up 226 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

Graphic Era openers Shalesh and Mandeep contributed 48 runs in seven overs.

Mandeep made a blistering 64 runs off 62 balls smashing seven fours and one six in his innings before he was stumped off Shazard’s bowling.

Second-down batsman Varun too chipped in with 44 runs at a run-a-ball hitting four fours and two sixes. Graphic Era set a 227-run target for ITM team. For ITM, Saleem and Amit scalped three wickets each.

ITM batsmen found it difficult to handle the pressure and were all out for 158 runs falling short by 68 runs.

Opening batsman Avdesh and middle-order batsman Saleem did give it a fight but could not help their team win the match.

Avdesh made 39 runs off 58 balls and Saleem made 33 runs. No other batsman showed any resistance against the outstanding bowling by the Graphic Era team. Sidharth, Gurmeet and Amit took two wickets each.