Dehradun, February 8
The trade cell of Uttarakhand unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has come up with a 16-page booklet containing satirical cartoons that depict the plight of the common man on account of price rise under the UPA regime. 

The booklet contains almost three-dozen cartoons that describe the problems being faced by the common man due to rise in the prices of vegetables, fruits, household goods, clothes etc. 

One of the cartoons depicts a woman selling her gold pendant to buy one-kg flour. Another one shows a student telling his teacher that he has got only one copy for all subjects, as his father can’t afford more. Besides, it also contains a comparative chart of the price of vegetables and other grocery items during the NDA and UPA regime, respectively. 

“After a lot of deliberations, we concluded that a booklet containing cartoons is the best way to highlight the issue of price rise. Subsequently, we hired four to five cartoonists from New Delhi and the booklet was published,” said co-convener of the trade cell Jaydutt Sharma.

Sharma said the booklet was circulated in the recent ‘vyapaari mahasammelans’ organised by the Trade Cell in Haldwani and Dehradun. “Now the booklet is being distributed at the national executive meeting of the BJP, currently underway at Nagpur,” he said

The booklet would be circulated countrywide and the party’s Delhi office would be publishing more copies of it, he added. 

The state BJP trade cell convener Vijay Prakash said initially 1,000 copies were printed. “As the general elections are approaching, we plan to distribute the booklet on a large scale among the general masses,” he said. 

Dehradun, February 8 
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already announced its candidates for all the five seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Congress does not seem to be in a hurry to do so.

"It is a decision to be taken by the Central party election committee and the names of prospective candidates have been sent by the state party unit," said state Congress Chief Yashpal Arya said.

However, going by the initial campaigning by some senior Congress leaders, it seems that the party would repose faith in the sitting MPs or the leaders who had been contesting for their traditional seats.

Vijay Bahuguna, Congress member of Lok Sabha from Tehri Garhwal, has been moving in the vast constituency for the past one month. He has been addressing small gatherings and has been in contact with ground-level party functionaries.
At a function held in Dehradun on Sunday, he was able to win over a local municipal councillor. Vinay Kohli, an independent councilor from Karanpur area, today joined the Congress in his presence.

Similarly, it is believed that Satpal Maharaj, a former Union minister, would be party candidate from Pauri garhwal seat. He lost to Lt. Gen. TPS Rawat (retd) in the February 2008 by-election by a slender margin.

But the situation is still murkier in Kumoan region. Since Almora seat has been reserved, there is a tussle between the groups of former Rajya Sabha MP Harish Rawat and veteran ND Tiwari to have their own candidate from the seat. 

In Nainital, sitting Lok Sabha member of the party KC Singh Baba is a front-runner along with Tilak Raj Behad, a Congress legislator from Rudrapur. ND Tiwari, the Andhra Pradesh Governor, would have a major say in the choice of the candidate from his home constituency. For Haridwar seat, that has been de-reserved, there are many leaders in the fray. 

There is also pressure from the Samajwadi Party that holds the seat to get it in a seat-sharing formula. However, the state Congress has opposed any tie-up with the party.

Meanwhile, the challenge for the Congress election committee would be to keep rival factions united so that the party emerges victorious from maximum constituencies. 

Dehradun, February 8
To show solidarity with those protesting at New Delhi for better post-retirement benefits, the ex-servicemen of the state today convened a meeting at the Gandhi Park.

Addressing the gathering, Brig KG Behl (retd) said defence personnel spend the prime of their lives in the service of the nation, yet they find little support after retirement. He said there is no proper ex-servicemen rehabilitation policy of the Centre or the respective state governments across the country.

Referring to the demand of one-rank-one- pension, Brig Behl said the demand had its basis on the principle of equity and justice and was not just a matter of monetary gains. He said two armymen of the same rank, having the same number of years of service but having retired at different times find a big difference in their pension amounts. 

The one-rank-one-pension rule was the only solution to check this disparity, he opined.

Most of the participants at the meeting rued the fact that the Central government has done nothing in this regard. Lt Gen (retd) KK Khanna, Maj Gen (retd) VK Sharma, Col BM Thapa and Dr Bimal Kant Nautiyal were other prominent former defence personnel who participated in the rally. 

Dehradun, February 8
Bowing under public pressure for decisive action, the state wildlife authorities have finally declared the tiger that killed a woman in the buffer area of Corbett Tiger Reserve on Thursday as man-eater. “The tiger has been declared as man-eater, but with conditions that it should be caught with all precautions and only be shot as a last resort,” principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr RBS Rawat said today. 

The victim Bhagwati Devi (55), wife of a Dikuli inter-college teacher Bhuwan Chandra Nainwal, was killed by the tiger near Ghazaria forest area in the buffer zone of Corbett on February 5. 

Since then, locals have been pressuring the Corbett authorities for prompt action. During the last two days they have even blocked the National Highway and gheraoed the office of director of Corbett Tiger Reserve. 

On the other hand, Wildlife Preservation Society of India Uttarakhand head Rajendra Aggarwal has challenged the state wildlife authorities decision. “The victim had ventured into the buffer zone of Corbett and was vulnerable to such an attack,” he said. Meanwhile, Corbett Tiger Reserve warden DS Rawat said combing operations have been started in the area and a cage to trap the man-eater has been laid. 

The declaration of a tiger as man-eater comes at a time when the National Tiger Conservation Authority had sounded a red-alert against poachers at tiger reserves of the country, including Corbett. This had been done following a rise in the number of tigers killed in various reserves. 

Dehradun, February 8
The 14th century rock edict in Kalsi on the Yamuna bank, a few kilometres from the city could have been this little town’s road to fame, attracting tourists from India and abroad.

The authorities have been keen to develop the area into a Buddhist centre, that could also emerge as an important Buddhist travel circuit, but for the encroachments in the form of houses near the monument that have blocked all efforts of archaeologists.

But for the signage and boards put up by the ASI declaring it to be a protected monument, a visitor can easily give it a miss. “Close to 19 families live in houses that are in close proximity to the monument.

The families, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, settled here in 1947. “We have asked the district administration to give us settlement rights along the periphery of the monument in order to develop the area into a green belt.

The entire area can gain prominence attracting Buddhist scholars to carry out research.

“In fact intensive digging is underway in the surrounding areas for archaeological purposes,” said Dr DV Sharma, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Dehradun circle.

A protected monument under the upkeep of the ASI, a brick house has been built for housing the edict. Even the route leading up to the monument is not without it’s share of problems.

“If one is lucky to read the signage, the journey leaves a lot to be desired-broken road, narrow route interrupted by houses. Even a die-hard traveller can be tempted to abandon the plan. But reaching there is rewarding as the monument has so much to offer,” said Geeta Rana, a tourist.

Scholars complain the location and encroachments are taking the sheen off the monument that is of historical importance. “In Uttarakhand, it is the only rock edict containing the dharma message in the Brahmi script and installed on the orders of Emperor Ashoka.

“King Ashoka got his 14th edict engraved on rock, that was discovered by John Forest in 1860 AD.

The edict is in the Prakrit language and Brahmi script. It speaks about the principles of Buddhism or dharma sandesh.

“The locals know the edict as Chatta Shila,” said Manoj Saxena, assistant archaeologist, Dehradun circle.

In comparison with the Junagadh edicts, archaeologists find the Kalsi edict by far the best as climatic conditions have so far not harmed the inscription.

During the course of excavation, remains of 10th century Shaivaite temples were also discovered nearby. These remains have been kept near the edict.

“A comprehensive study needs to be undertaken of the area as evidence gathered during the excavation of the area suggests a thriving town may have existed during that period.

“In my opinion, a thriving city, a few kilometres from Kalsi, may have existed roughly during the 10th century. We need to carry out extensive studies,” informed Dr Sharma. 

Dehradun, February 8
To tackle the problem of poor eyesight among children, the State Blindness Control Society has made schools the focus of its awareness campaign.

Doctors involved with the project carried out eye check-ups on 16,457 children between April to November 2008.

“More and more children are facing eyesight problems. During our visit to various schools, we found that the problem remains undetected because there are no proper check-ups in villages. We are emphasising on regular check-ups among children. If the problem is not taken care of early, children start experiencing headaches, which also affects their performance at schools,” said Dr Harish Chandra, coordinator of State Blindness Control Society.

During the course of the programme, 621 children were found to be suffering from eye-related problems. The society distributed 217 spectacles among schoolchildren, out of which 100 were given free of cost to wards of BPL card-holders.

To disseminate information among teachers, volunteers from the society held training workshops for as many as 1,010 school teachers. They were trained to detect early signs of eyesight problem in children and educate them on the importance of a nutritious diet.

Besides, the society is also targeting aged persons. In Uttarakhand, the total percentage of cataract cases is 0.56 per cent. The target of the society during the 11th Five-year plan is to bring it down to 0.4 per cent.

“As in the case of children, in the villages and semi-urban areas there is very little information about cataract, which is a serious problem among the aged. Several patients agree to undertake operations only when their condition becomes serious, which poses many risks.

“We have undertaken a major information dissemination drive keeping this in mind,” said Dr Chandra.

Haridwar/Dehradun, February 8
With the Valentine week starting from February 8, the so-called traditionalists and purists and saviours of the culture have started issuing warning against the youths to desist from the day of love. But this time they may face resistance from several organisations as they have come out in open in favour of the Valentine celebrations, though they want it to be in the decency limits.

To keep an eye and nab on the couples during the Valentine’s Day several Hindu organisations have started preparing to form strategies to stop the lovers from being together on the day. Shiv Sena workers here have been issuing statements that they will keep a tab on the couples on this day. They will be watching in parks and busy shopping areas and if any limits of decency found crossed by the youth they will tackle it themselves.

Meanwhile, there is good news for people who want to celebrate the day as few organisations have come in their support. The National Hindu Kranti Dal (NHKD) has come open against the so-called ‘defenders’ of the moral values. The NHKD has said that it will oppose the organisations which exploit the hapless girls and boys in the name of culture and the moral values.

“The pseudo mentality of some people should not come in celebration of a day dedicated to love. We will see that innocent ones don’t face brutality from some anti-valentine outfits,” said a NHKD member.

Meanwhile in Dehradun, the fervour and the excitement seem to be missing among youngsters especially when Valentine’s Day is few days away. Usually in anticipation of Valentine’s Day the youth in Dehradun begun celebrations in advance, creating a buzz around romance that starts with Rose Day that was observed yesterday. However, there are no long queues outside the florist and gift shops.

“My shop is located near a school, however, very few students turned up to buy flowers to observe Rose Day. Last year my shop was flooded with youngsters and sale was exceptionally good on Valentine’s Day,” said Giresh Gulati owner of Charandas, a florist shop.

The recent Mangalore incident also seems to have had its effect on the youngsters. Ankit Pawar, a XI class student of Goverdhan Vidya Mandir, said, “Valentine’s Day is a special day for us to express our feelings towards our friends, but the Hindu right wing outfits like the Shiv Sena and the Ram Sena are against it. We are not sure what our response would be if a similar incident occurred here”.

Haridwar, February 8
The excise department seized illegal liquor from a car, here today. As sale and use of liquor is prohibited in the city the liquor mafia smuggle it here and sell it at double the price.

In the 12-km range of the Haridwar Municipal Committee limits, the sale and consumption of the liquor is totally banned but illegal sale of liquor is a constant challenge for the administration.

On a tip off, a car (HR 99CJHQ-1-7515), was bound from Bahadarbad to Haridwar, was nabbed by district excise officer TK Pant. Tribhuvan (23) and Navin (25) were caught red- handed. The two were carrying 19 caskets of liquors that had a total 238 bottles.

The police team was led by inspector Girish Joshi, sub-inspector Hisham Singh Rawat, head constable Sanjay Kamboj, Chandra Prakash Bhatt and Jagmohan Shetty. 

Meanwhile, Kotdwar police has arrested four persons for smuggling liquor, here last evening. The police has also seized the truck carrying liquor as well.

According to Kotdwar police station in charge PS Rautela, said the Special Operation Group and the local police seized 70 cartons of liquor being smuggled in to the state at the Uttar Pradesh border.

The truck (UP 14 D/ 5280) was transporting illegal liquor from Merrut to Uttarakhand. Four persons were arrested in this case. The persons are truck driver Shravan Giri, Ramraj (Merrut), Anuj Kumar (Gaziabad), Ashok Kumar (Rishikesh). They disclosed that the liquor was being taken to Dhumakot town, which is the constituency of CM Khanduri. 

Dehradun, February 8
A seminar regarding the Beat Policing system was held at the Kathgodam police station in Nainital yesterday. DGP, Uttarakhand, Subhash Joshi presided over the seminar, which was attended by the police officials of the Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts.

The Beat system was introduced in some police stations of Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun in November 2008 for the purpose of community policing. SP, Nainital, Mukesh Chauhan said there were 73 Beats working in the four police stations of Nainital district. “They are at Haldwani, Kathgodam, Lalkuan and Ramnagar.

Two Beat officers had been appointed on each Beat and they had almost done 70 per cent verification work in their respective Beats,” he said.

The DGP in his speech instructed the officials that every person should know the name of the Beat officer, his phone number and the number of villages coming under the jurisdiction of his Beat. “People can use the Beat Box, set up at public places, to send their complaints to the police,” said Joshi.

He added that in the coming two-three months, they would provide a wireless set to one Beat officer from every Beat.

The DGP announced that they would be celebrating a five-day “Jan Sahbhagita Saptah” from February 18 to 22.

“During this week, the Beat Policing would undertake a ‘Public Police Plan’, which could help selecting people who could provide the maximum information to the police,” he revealed. SSP, Udham Singh Nagar, Deepak Joshi; SSP, Nainital, Deepam Seth were also present on the occasion.