D E H R A D U N    E D I T I O N

20,000 govt employees boycott work

Dehradun, Febraury 19 As many as 20,000 employees of various corporations in Uttarakhand today boycott works while announcing an indefinite stir from midnight if state government failed to extend Sixth Pay Commission benefits to them.

The empty office of Uttarakhand Roadways in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Govt all set to present Vote on Account
Dehradun, February 19
The state government has completed all formalities to present vote on account in the forthcoming session of the Vidhan Sabha. This has put all speculations being made in a section of the media that the government was considering to present interim Budget in view of the Lok Sabha election.

Hoarding war: Cong replies in kind
Dehradun, February 19
Ahead of the Lok Sabha electoral battle, a ‘hoarding war’ has started between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition Congress in Uttarakhand.

2 leopard cubs found dead
Dehradun, February 19
Leopard casualties continue to grow in the state with as many as six, including two leopard cubs being killed in the past five days.

CM announces schemes for Uttarkashi, Tehri
Dehradun, February 19
Continuing with his mass contact programme ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister BC Khanduri today announced various developmental schemes for Uttarkashi and Tehri districts.

DAV, Doon Hawk enter final
Dehradun, February 19
DAV (PG) College and Doon Hawk team have stormed into the final of the ongoing 2nd PN Dhasmana Memorial Hockey Tournament being played at Parade Ground here. In the first semi final match of the day, DAV thrashed Garhwal Sporting by 4-1. DAV was in control of the match from the very beginning 

Players vie for the ball at the PN Dhasmana Memorial Hockey Tournament in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Subramaniam fashions CPCL’s victory
Dehradun, February 19
A well-struck 50 by D Siva Subramaniam of CPCL helped his team register a three-wicket-win over MRPL at the ongoing 29th PSPB Inter Mini Cricket League 2009 being held in Dehradun.

Nirmal is Woman of the Series
Dehradun, February 19
Little Master Cricket Club’s Nirmal Bisht was adjudged - “Woman of the Series” for the record 10th time at the late Hement Sarap Memorial Cricket Tournament that concluded in Nepal recently.

Holy man’s fast
Haridwar: Brahmachari Dayanand fast entered the 14th day on Thursday here. He is been demanding to make the Ganga pollution free. — TNS

Poetry session
Dehradun, February 19
The fourth day of the DAV (PG) College’s Union Week witnessed the much-awaited poetry session.  A large number of students poured in at the college campus to listen to the famous poets like Hari Om Pawar, Anil Chowdhari, Hukka Bijnori, Manju Dikshit and Gajendra Solanki and Praveen Shukla, who entertained all and sundry with their witty remarks and satirical criticism on various issues. — OC

20,000 govt employees boycott work
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, Febraury 19
As many as 20,000 employees of various corporations in Uttarakhand today boycott works while announcing an indefinite stir from midnight if state government failed to extend Sixth Pay Commission benefits to them.

“We will go for an indefinite stir from midnight if government fails to announce the pay panel benefits for us,” Ravi Pachauri vice-president Nigam Karmchari Mahasangh, said.

There are a dozen corporations in the state most of which are engaged in public welfare services.

While potable water and transport corporations are directly linked to public amenities, the stir at Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam that manages LPG depots in the state could lead consumers to troubles.

President of the Mahasangh, Dinesh Bhandari said the corporation employees will no more tolerate injustice and added that there will be no going back this time till their demands are was met.

Meanwhile, offices of various corporations situated at Dehradun gave a desolate look as employees kept off from the their routine work.

Significantly, with parliamentary elections round the corner, state employees and teachers have been staging protest rallies putting pressure on the state government to fulfil their demands linked to pay and perks. 

Govt all set to present Vote on Account
Raju William
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
The state government has completed all formalities to present vote on account in the forthcoming session of the Vidhan Sabha. This has put all speculations being made in a section of the media that the government was considering to present interim Budget in view of the Lok Sabha election.

Secretary, Finance, LM Pant today confirmed that the government would present vote on account to meet committed expenditure for four months in the session commencing from February 24. The state Cabinet gave its approval to this in its meeting held here on Wednesday. Sources said it has sent for printing today.

The speculations were on rife that the government might follow in the footsteps of the union as well as some state governments, including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, which have already presented their respective interim Budgets. Sources added that vote on account was natural especially in absence of the state annual plan for 2009-10, which has not yet been finalised by the union government.

The speculations about the interim Budget were attributed to perceived political benefits for the ruling BJP in terms of wooing the voters with new proposals and schemes ahead of the Lok Sabha election. As compared to this, vote on account is aimed meeting the committed expenditure on salaries, pension, ongoing schemes, loan and interest payments. As such, it is an account of expenditure volume. 

Hoarding war: Cong replies in kind
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
Ahead of the Lok Sabha electoral battle, a ‘hoarding war’ has started between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition Congress in Uttarakhand.

Hoardings put up by the Congress and BJP in Dehradun. A Tribune photograph

Vantage points on main roads in all major cities and towns including highways leading towards the hill state are dotted with hoardings of both parties.

While Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) started this ‘war’ two months ago by going on a massive campaign to highlight the achievements of his government.

Large number of hoardings citing the achievements of the Khanduri government had been put up. Most hoardings and cut-outs were specially erected and arrangements were also made to install neon lights so that even during nights, these would be prominently visible to the passerby.

With the Lok Sabha elections fast approaching, now the Congress has also started its campaign by coming up with their own hoardings and banners to highlight the achievements of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Congress hoardings and banners are also projecting party general secretary Rahul Gandhi as the young face of the party besides party president Sonia Gandhi.

According to Uttarakhand Congress leaders, the campaign is being handled by the All- India Congress Committee (AICC). They said that the state would get 3,000 hoardings and 7,000 banners in the coming days.

In Dehradun, 600 hoardings and 2,000 banners will be put up while Nainital will get 400 hoardings and 1,000 banners. Six hundred hoardings and 1,000 banners will be put up in Udham Singh Nagar district while Haridwar district will have 300 hoardings and 1,000 banners.

Other hill districts of the state will also get their share of hoardings and banners. It is estimated that the Congress will spend more than Rs 1.2 crore on the publicity campaign.

However, Uttarakhand Congress leaders said that it was only to highlight the achievements of the UPA government and not part of the election campaign since no appeal to the voters has been made.

By starting their campaign early, both parties will escape the Election Commission’s regulation of putting the expenses for such publicity in their election expenses.

2 leopard cubs found dead
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
Leopard casualties continue to grow in the state with as many as six, including two leopard cubs being killed in the past five days.

The latest in series were the deaths of two more leopards in Panisain village in Pauri district on Wednesday evening. The Forest Department officials were yet to ascertain the cause of death of these leopards and have directed subdivisional officer Thalisen to probe the matter.

The residents of Panisain came across the bodies of two leopards - one male and one female - near a temple in the civil forest area.

The matter was reported to the Diva forest range authorities, which subsequently sealed the bodies and brought them to Dhumakot for postmortem.

“While no physical injury marks were revealed in these leopards, we are awaiting the postmortem report to get to any conclusion,” divisional forest officer DN Semwal said, who did not rule out being the case of natural deaths.

On February 14, a leopard died at the Kedarnath forest division near Gopeshwar due to bleeding after getting himself entangled in a trap laid by villagers. This incident was followed the deaths of two cubs of pneumonia in the Sisuli village of Nainital on February 16, while another leopard died in the Barkot range of Dehradun forest division on the same day. On February 17, a 10-year-old pregnant leopardess died in Maat village of Almora forest division due to stomach infection. Three fetuses were also found in deceased leopard stomach. Now after the previous day’s Panisen incident, death toll of leopards has reached six that, too, within a short span of five days.

CM announces schemes for Uttarkashi, Tehri
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
Continuing with his mass contact programme ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister BC Khanduri today announced various developmental schemes for Uttarkashi and Tehri districts.

Khanduri announced developmental works worth Rs 40 crore for Uttarkashi and Rs 70 crore for Tehri district today.

The developmental schemes include roads, small hydroelectric projects, schools and colleges.

He said his government believed in making only those promises that he could fulfil.

Highlighting the decision of his government to provide 10,000 houses free of cost to poorer sections of the state, he claimed that his government was committed to provide transparent and corruption free administration.

He further said his government had asked the union government to sent its’ team to assess the damage done to the crops in the hills due to drought like situation so that small farmers could get compensation. BJP legislators from these districts and party candidate for the Tehri Lok Sabha seat Jaspal Rana were present. 

DAV, Doon Hawk enter final
Vishal Thakur

Dehradun, February 19
DAV (PG) College and Doon Hawk team have stormed into the final of the ongoing 2nd PN Dhasmana Memorial Hockey Tournament being played at Parade Ground here.

In the first semi final match of the day, DAV thrashed Garhwal Sporting by 4-1. DAV was in control of the match from the very beginning and dominated the game through out the proceedings of the first half, but failed to score a goal as it ended as a goalless half.

In the second half, DAV came back with a different strategy and scored the first goal of the match in the 46 minute. Rahul Bangwal neatly placed the ball in the opponent goalpost. Rahul Chauhan scored the second goal for DAV team in the 47th minute to make it 2-0. Garhwal Sporting tried to make a comeback in the match through a goal in the 50 minute through Naseer stick and made the score 2-1. But the goal stuck by Sharad Negi and Ravi Patwal in the 60th and 69th minute helped DAV take an invincible 4-1 lead in the match.

In the second semi-final, Doon Hawk defeated Sports College by a huge margin of 5-1 in a one sided affair. Taiyab opened the account for the Doon Hawk team in the third minute of the match making it 1-0.

Nadeem further increased the score in the 15th minute with Kharag Bahadur Thapa scoring in the 46 minute of the match to make the score 3-0 in favour of Doon Hawk. In the second half Saleem and Anil Bhandari further increased the goal margin for their team making it 5-0. For Sport College, Aman Ali scored the solitary goal in the 22 minute of the match. 

Subramaniam fashions CPCL’s victory
Our Correspondent

Dehradun, February 19
A well-struck 50 by D Siva Subramaniam of CPCL helped his team register a three-wicket-win over MRPL at the ongoing 29th PSPB Inter Mini Cricket League 2009 being held in Dehradun.

Batting first, MRPL piled a total of 145 runs in its allotted 40 overs.

Shrath Budale stuck 40 runs, Sathyanaran made 18 and Gautam made 16 runs.

For CPCL team J Kamarajan and S Venkataramanan picked up three wickets each. M. Dhakshinamurthy took two wickets for CPCL.

In rely, CPCL reached the target in 34.3 overs. D Siva Subramaniam made 53 runs, M Ummar made 19 runs and G Krishanmurthy made 18 runs. 

Nirmal is Woman of the Series
Our Correspondent

Dehradun, February 19
Little Master Cricket Club’s Nirmal Bisht was adjudged - “Woman of the Series” for the record 10th time at the late Hement Sarap Memorial Cricket Tournament that concluded in Nepal recently.

She was also given a best bowlers’ award at the tournament. Nirmal scored 31, 49 and 47 runs and took eight wickets in three 20-20 matches.

Nirmal Bisht had also given an outstanding performance at the Bangladesh tour where she played innings of 81, 89 and 81 runs against Bangladesh team in different matches.