Dehradun, November 28
As part of a statewide protest against rising prices, workers of the state BJP, led by their president Bisan Singh Chufal and a former Chief Minister, Major-Gen BC Khanduri (retd), staged a dharna at the Gandhi Park here today.

Addressing the gathering, Chufal said the inflation had reached all-time high ever since the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was re-elected to power at the Centre. “It is the common man that is suffering due to the skyrocketing prices of essential food items,” Chufal said, adding that there has been no efforts so far on the part of the Centre to rein in the prices of essential commodities.

Echoing similar sentiments, General Khanduri said the increase in the prices of edible items like vegetables and pulses had hit both poor and middle class the most.

He also took the opportunity to yet again accuse the Centre of meting a step-motherly treatment to Uttarakhand. He said the UPA government was deliberately exhibiting such an attitude towards BJP-ruled Uttarakhand.

Many prominent BJP leaders participated in the dharna. 

Dehradun, November 28
“The price of potatoes, which I bought at Rs 20 per kg last month, have risen to Rs 30-35 per kg. Tomatoes are for Rs 40 per kg and eggs Rs 5 per piece.

“The present price-rise scenario forces each one of us to think twice before buying. I see no scope for a decline in prices in the near future,” said Asha Negi, a housewife.

This quote echoes the disappointment in every common man’s heart. The price rise of vegetables, fruits and other utility items has made holes in many pockets.

While the price of basic things like potatoes, tomatoes, onions, sugar and lentils have touched the sky, poultry and dairy products have made commoners gawky before buying.

Not only are veggies and fruits vanishing from the dining table, but also eggs, which have always been a good source of protein and energy, are disappearing from the houses of the common man.

Pradeep, an egg seller near the railway station, said, “Earlier, I used to make huge profits as two eggs sold for Rs 6 and many persons would come to buy these.

“Now, fewer people consume eggs as two pieces sell for Rs 10. This has made my business plummet”.

“Eggs come at Rs 48 a dozen. The whole crate, which earlier sold for Rs 150, is now sold at Rs 200,” he added. According to sources, the retail price of eatables has risen by 14 per cent within one month.

The reasons behind the hike in the prices of vegetables, lentils and poultry products are the increasing price of inputs like seeds, manure, fertilisers and implements.

“It is high time that the government steps in to control prices. Otherwise, a day will come when people will only be able to dream of buying and eating these,” said Manish Jha, a consumer.

Dehradun, November 28
Seeking better amenities for Dehradun city, the Uttarakhand Congress today staged a massive demonstration, which saw a huge participation.

Led by senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana, Congress workers alleged the condition of civic amenities in Dehradun was turning from bad to worse. They said while the area falling under the Dehradun Municipal Corporation had increased manifold, there had been no comparative increase in the service infrastructure of the corporation.

“While the corporation catered to a population of 2.5 lakh in 1998, today it is serving a population of 5.5 lakh,” said Dhasmana. He said the corporation faced a shortage of employees at every level.

“There is just one health officer, one sanitary inspector, one zonal sanitary inspector, 49 supervisors and a total of 1,245 sanitary workers, which are quite less taking into account the vast area falling under the corporation,” he said, adding that there was a sorry state of affair in civic arrangements

While seeking Chief Minister’s intervention, the Congress workers submitted a memorandum to the officer concerned. They have asked the Chief Minister to direct his subordinates for coming up with a new administrative setup for the corporation and getting recruitments done on the basis of norms of the Engineering and Health Departments.

Demanding recruitment of more employees in the corporation at the earliest, Congress workers also threatened to further intensify their agitation if their concerns were not addressed to at the earliest. 

Nainital, November 28
The jinx on the Mohaan cattle fair continues ever after it was called off by the administration on November 24.

Now, it is the officials of the zila panchayat who have a problem at hand related to the fair. The problem relates to transportation of animals that were abandoned by the sellers once they got their money and the administration decided to close down the fair.

According to sources, a large number of cattle heads were abandoned by their sellers once they got their money after a deal.

However, the purchaser could not take the cattle heads with them as they were not issued the receipts and other papers by the time the fair was ordered closed.

So now, it is the zila panchayat employees who are transporting the cattle heads to a cattle pound in Bazpur.

Officials said that as many as 78 cattle heads had been transported by Friday night and a large number of these continue to roam around as stray cattle around the site of the fair.

Officials are particularly annoyed at the Hindutva organisations that had been agitating for the closure of the fair on the grounds that the cattle being sold were headed for slaughter.

“If they are so concerned about the cows and the oxen, why don’t they come forward to take care of these abandoned animals. They just wanted an issue, raised a noise and packed up when the fair was declared closed,” said a peeved employee.

The employees, who have been deputed the task of transporting the animals, have come from outside Mohaan and are having a tough time arranging for transport.

The administration had moved in to put an end to the fair for the current year on November 24 following indictment of the contractor organising the fair on charges of various irregularities.

Animal rights groups, including Maneka Gandhi-led People for Animals, had lodged protests against the manner in which animals were being handled at the fair.

Senior Congress leader Dhirendra Pratap, who had been countering the campaign launched by various Hindutva outfits seeking a closure of the fair on the grounds that it was providing bovine animals for slaughter, has objected to the closure of the fair and has sought compensation for the farmers who sustained losses.

According to him, the closure of the fair two months before the scheduled time is going to cause a lot of hardships to the farmers who had come from as far as 400 km away to purchase cattle.

Pratap had called off his dharna on Sunday following an assurance from the administration that people purchasing cattle at the ongoing fair would not be harassed.

Dehradun, November 28
The annual function, journey to paradise-end of term programme-2009, was held at Doon Girls School here today. The Dehradun Boys also participated in the cultural fiesta. Both schools prepared Rythmic Potpourri to entertain the crowd.

The event commenced with a welcome song based on Raag Bhairavi, but the main attraction of the ceremony was colours of India, which comprised Garhwali, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Goan dances while concluding classical dance on Vande Matarm ignited the spark of patriotism and nationalism.

Kathak dancer Upma Shukla presented her genre of art through 45 children of Class III, IV and V with different mudras. The last programme was ‘The Prodigal Son’, composed by renowned musician Bobby Cash.

The prestigious Tek Chand Trophy of All-Round Proficiency along with the cash prize was awarded to Richen Angmo (DGS) and Shivam Tiberwal (DBS).

John Mason, former Head Master-The Doon School was the chief guest. CP Dang, chairman DGS and DBS, I Goswami, Director DGS and DBS, UC Pandey, Dean DGS and DBS, Monosha Datta, Headmistress DGS, Bobby Cash, Composer and Musician, Jyotsana Brar, Principal WGS and Lahiri, Principal WBS were also present at the function.

Roorkee, November 28
Even as only one month remains in the commencement of the Maha Kumbh in the religious capital of the country, Haridwar, the authorities concerned are yet to wake up to the problems being faced by residents here.

Roorkee, which is considered to be the “Gateway of Uttarakhand” will be the first place to receive crores of pilgrims coming to participate in the mega fair.

However, the preparations to meet the influx of devotees are yet to begin here. In the name of development, the widening of National Highway-58 by merely a few feet seems a mere formality.

According to the officials concerned, it would not serve any purpose. They said the road should have been minimum six-laned to meet extraordinary rush of vehicles during the mela.

Though the authorities have made plans to bifurcate the rush of pilgrims on various routes, still Roorkee will be the most affected place during the Kumbh, feel the local residents.

An alleged step-motherly treatment to this town in terms of development works under the Kumbh budget is also an issue with the local politicians as well as the local people. The authorities concerned have been maintaining that a proper budget to meet the requirements had not been issued by the Central government. The issue had even rocked the Rajya Sabha recently when certain MPs had confronted the government on the matter.

Earlier, it was claimed that all roundabouts and the surroundings along the highway would be beautified to welcome the pilgrims. The project to install fancy lights on the highway poles was also under consideration. However, everyone is silent on the issue now.

According to reports, a fund of only Rs 20 lakh has been received under the Kumbh budget for the town. The demand of local people that the town should be included in the mela area does not seem to be met by the authorities.

“We never hoped that the town will be ignored like this,” said Hemant Mehndiratta, a local resident. 

Dehradun, November 28
An NGO, Citizens for Green Doon, has taken politicians’ oft-repeated excuse, “wish of the public” to wash their hands from their accountability, quite seriously.It has taken steps to literally know and create opinion on the wish of the public on six issues most pertinent to the environment protection in the state.

People have to express their opinion in favour or against the suggested ban on tree felling, shifting of the capital, phasing out of vikram vehicles, privatisation of collection and disposal of garbage, ban on plastic and big dams in Uttarakhand.

Dr Nitin Pandey, member of the NGO, said for voting, six polling booths would be set up at Astley Hall in Standard Bakery, Standard Bakers in Rajinder Nagar, Capri Trade Centre on the Chakrata Raod, Hatibarkala Market, Sai Mandir on the Rajpur Road and LIC Building on the Haridwar Road, from 2 pm to 5 pm on November 29. Results of the voting will be declared by evening at Kumar Foods, near Universal Petrol Pump.

Dr Pandey said through this referendum, people would talk about these issues.

This would generate a mass awareness. After this, he believed, it would not be easy for politicians to shrug off these issues. The members of NGO would be present at these voting booths to help people.

He indicated towards the alleged involvement of forest officials in tree felling case by a contractor near Kanak Hall.

The NGO also filed a case against it in the High Court. Pandey said, “The forest officials did not say anything for two months when the case was under the District Magistrate for inquiry. It was just four days ago, they claimed that the contractor was cutting trees with the permission of the Forest Department.

“Their silence on the issue for over two months clearly raises suspicions. We are going to take it up further”.

Florence Pandhi, the other member of the group, blamed concerned authority for making an attempt, which was foiled by the timely intervention of their NGO, to shrink the size of Parade Ground to fell the tree growing on the peripheral line.

“The contractor had started digging within the line and constructing a new wall. This left out the tree zone out.

“When we intervened, then the work was abruptly stopped, which was patently illegal. No authority can tamper with the public parks and open spaces in any state without taking permission from Ministry of Environment, New Delhi.”

Dehradun, November 28
It is a common sight to see a large number of riders driving bikes, cars and scooters without number plates on the city roads. The traffic police needs to pull up its guard to nab these violators.

The guts of the hoodlum have risen to a great extent. These violators escape easily by flouting traffic rules while traffic officials seem to be heading nowhere to bring them to book. There are a number of two-wheelers who flaunt flashy and customised number plates on their vehicles.

Traffic ASP Sweety Aggarwal said, “We have begun a campaign to punish the violators. Till now, we have seized many vehicles and raised chalans from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000”.

She said, “The number plates written in Hindi and artistic font styles are unauthorised and stern action will be taken against the violators very soon”.

While denying the accusations, traffic Inspector Virender Rawat said his department was vigilant to work against the law breakers. They had seized more than 40 to 45 vehicles without number plates this month and had raised chalans of about 20 bikes and cars.

“We have given 15 days’ time to new vehicle owners to put ‘A/F’ on the vehicle to avoid any inconvenience. But after the lapse of the stipulated period, violators will be penalised with Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, according to the kilometres covered by the vehicles,” he added.

Dehradun, November 28
The much-awaited set of low-floor buses of Tata company, suitable even for the disabled and geriatric population, that will be pressed into use during the Kumbh Mela are now docked at the Dehradun Roadways workshop.

The buses have been provided to the state government under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) and will run on Haridwar, Nainital and Dehradun roads.

“We are undertaking inspection of eight buses at the roadways workshop, after which they will be sent to Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela,” said Anup Rawat, Regional Manager(Technical), Uttarakhand Transport Corporation.

These buses have been made as per international guidelines. Of the eight buses, four are of 44-plus-one seater and four of 27-plus-one seater. In all, Haridwar will get 40 big and 20 small buses. While Dehradun will get 30 big and 30 small buses, both Haridwar and Dehradun will receive 60 buses each and Nainital 25 buses.

The Nigam will undertake the maintenance of the buses. A sum of Rs 27 crore will be spent on the entire project.

Besides the Kumbh Mela area, the route on which the buses will run is being finalised and all the work will be complete by December-end.

In order to operate the buses in Nainital, a separate route plan is being drafted covering the suburban areas as well.

Dehradun, November 28
The two men had a clash over property and reportedly one of them also fired a few gunshots in the air here late last night under the Kotwali police station.

Arsh and Sahim had been at loggerheads over the ownership of a shop. Both claim it to be his. Both had a heated argument over the issue yesterday, following which they reportedly came to blows.

Arsh who has a licensed pistol reportedly fired a few gunshots in the air. However, the Station Head Officer of the Kotwali police station denied that any fire shots were made or any clash took place.