Dehradun, December 3
In a historic decision today, the Uttarakhand government decided to give the maximum state advised price (SAP) for sugarcane in the country.

The state government announced to give Rs 192 per quintal for the normal variety and Rs 197 per quintal for early varieties of sugarcane in the state.

Announcing the decision, Uttarakhand Sugarcane Minister Madan Kaushik said that Uttarakhand, keeping in view the interests of sugarcane farmers, has decided to give the maximum state advised price in the entire country.

Interestingly, while other states announced their own state advised price, Uttarakhand found itself in a piquant situation on the issue of announcing support price for sugarcane.

Neighbouring Uttar Pradesh announced Rs 160-Rs 170 while Haryana decided to give Rs 180 to Rs 190 per quintal to its sugarcane farmers. Punjab announced Rs 175-Rs 180 whereas Bihar had Rs 162 and Maharashtra Rs 165 as their own SAP for sugarcane farmers.

The state government’s worries started after the Union government announced its Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for the season’s sugarcane at Rs 129.84 per quintal.

Uttarakhand, which is already facing a decrease in its sugarcane cultivation, found itself in a no-win situation. The problem was compounded by the recent amendment in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, that says that the difference between the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) announced by the central government and the State Advised Price (SAP) of sugarcane has to be paid by the state government and not by sugar mills.

After the central government assured to bring in the necessary amendment, the state government, facing an acute financial crunch, decided to announce its SAP. “The Union government has not yet taken back its ordnance, but we hope that they will do it,” hoped Uttarakhand Sugarcane Minister Madan Kaushik.

He added that already an agreement has been reached between the sugar mills of the state and the farmers’ cooperatives that the mills would be giving a price of Rs 215 to Rs 220 per quintal as price to the farmers for sugarcane and the difference between the SAP of Rs 192-Rs 197 and Rs 215 and Rs 220 would be paid by the mills as bonus to the farmers.

Madan Kauhsik claimed that it was the highest-ever SAP given by any state in the country and, even in Uttarakhand, there was an increase of 33 per cent from the last year’s SAP of Rs 148 per quintal.

He said that the state government has also ensured that mills make payment of the farmers within 15 days, otherwise action would be initiated against the erring mills.

“All mills, in the private as well as the government sector in the state, have started crushing sugarcane,” he added.

Nainital, December 3
District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli has asked heads of various departments to make use of the money availed by their respective departments on April 1 for carrying out developmental works on priority.

In a meeting held at Vikas Bhawan in Bhimtal to take stock of the performance of various departments with regards to the implementation of 20-point programme, Bagauli asked the persons responsible for carrying out construction activity of the community structures in rural areas to speed up the execution of their works.

Departments and said the departments, which had failed to utilise even 50 per cent of the funds availed by them, must ensure that the entire money was used to its optimum utility by December end.

With regards to the problems arising on account of delay in transfer of land from the Forest Department, the District Magistrate pointed out that the department that had come up with a developmental proposal should take it upon itself to get the land transferred from the Revenue and Forest Department.

Roorkee, December 3
With successfully taking over the reins of the Chief Minister’s post, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has been putting forth his vision for the development of Uttarakhand and has documented it in the form of “Vision-2020”. Since day one, Nishank has been focussing and stressing on this vision which is to make Uttarakhand the best state in the country and a prosperous self-reliant one, be it financially, culturally, technically, medically, resource wise or in terms of tourism potential.

And today Nishank unveiled the tools to achieve it, terming the youth of the state as the way to fully achieve the objectives of this vision. Underlining the importance of the youth power in making Uttarakhand the most prosperous and developed state, Nishank pointed out the pain of denizens of the hilly state for the non-utilisation of this land’s youth and water. “Jawani aur paani pahad ke kaam nahi aayi hai ab tak (youth and water are not utilised for this hill state till date). But we are trying to create resources and employment for the youth of this state so they get employment here only and give something back to their land,” said Nishank while speaking at the foundation day of the College of Engineering in Roorkee.

Terming Uttarakhand as the paradise in not only India, but also in the entire world, the Chief Minister said the need was to make state a leading one in all fields. “From engineering, information technology, agriculture, religious, tourism, financially, power generation and by generating new resources we can achieve the desired results”.

His vision further got boost up with state cabinet ministers Madan Kaushik and Prakash Pant termed it as imperative to make the state reach the pinnacle in every field which it deserves and owes, while focusing on the need of the Vision-2020.

State Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Pant said without vision and pre-planning nothing substantial could be achieved and this vision could not be achieved by one person, but by collective effort from all those who were born in Uttarakhand and those who resided here.

He cited examples of lakhs who died in first war of Independence in 1857 and those who suffered pain and struggled during the Uttarakhand agitation and urged youth to not let their sacrifices go in vain.

While Urban Development Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik said the state boast of a distinct identity and having all resources at its disposal with the need only to had pride and would to make Uttarakhand the best state.

Earlier, newly built state-of-the-art civil engineering building was inaugurated by the Chief Minister and about 81 students were honoured for excellent performance in academic studies.

Dehradun, December 3
With the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) raising objections to the design of a hotel to come up at Garhi Cantt, near here, the first five star hotel project in the city is expected to get delayed further.

The state government is providing 10 acres under public private partnership mode to Emaar MGF Company that has tied up with the Inter Continental Hotel Group, Singapore.

The land given on a lease for a period of 39 years will not only house 100 guest rooms, but a convention complex together with space to be developed for promotion of tourism activity as per the creativity of the company.

It is believed that the Emaar MGF Company is keen to build a mall in the remaining space that is in variance with the MDDA bye-laws and the company would be clearly going against the proposal that calls for developing a space for promotion of tourism activity and not commercial activity.

Before beginning the construction, the plan outlay has to be approved by the Tourism Department, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and MDDA.

“We are at odds with the design that the company has suggested, it is not as per our satisfaction. We will be holding discussions with them and come out with a settlement that will agreeable to us and will also make good business to the company,” said Utpal Kumar, Tourism Secretary and CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board.

The private company as per the agreement has to pay an annual lease rent of Rs 15.63 lakh for a period of 39 years and the government is expected to earn a revenue Rs 7.5 crore per year. 

Dehradun, December 3
To ensure traffic discipline on roads, the Uttarakhand Police Complaint Authority has favoured entrusting rights of issuing challans to lower rank police personnel in the state.

The authority in it’s recommendation, that are being submitted to the Principal Secretary (Home), said the traffic rule violators took undue advantage of this inability of the lower-ranked cops to issue challans.

“If not enough the lower-ranked cops should have the right of challaning to the tune of, at least, Rs 500 to Rs 1,000,” said the recommendation, pointing out that this would make people to realise their fault.

Former IAS Madan Singh and one of the members of the authority said, “Earlier the constable-ranked cop used to be less educated, but this is not the case at present time. They are well qualified and the right of issuing challans by them would strengthen the Traffic Police Department.”

The authority has prepared four recommendations and a copy of this letter would also be sent to the Uttarakhand Director-General of Police.

According to the authority, which has received over 250 complaints against police personnel in a year time, if these recommendations are implemented, the flow of the complaints would significantly come down and the working of the cops would also improve.

The authority in another recommendation says that a very few policemen are aware of the existence of this authority. Only senior police personnel know of this while middle-level police employees are unaware of it.

This is due the less number of available Act books in the department. There should also be provision to provide them with personal Act copies if they desire at a genuine cost.

The knowledge of the Rules and Act would instill cops with feeling of responsibility, rights and efficiency, besides making them more answerable.

The authority also feels that to reduce the mental tension of the cops there should be some source of entertainment for them. There should be facilities of library and reading room in the police headquarters, police lines, police stations and police posts to avoid the boredom of cops. The authority in another recommendation stressed upon the community policing saying that it brings efficiency in any democratic system.

Dehradun, December 3
An eerie atmosphere prevailed at the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) today, when two factions, the one comprising BJP supporters led by president of the Swachkari Karamchari Sangh (SKS) Somu Selwan and Karamveer and the other of Congress supporters, of the SKS narrowly escaped coming to blows. They were cautious of absence of higher-ups, Mayor Vinod Chamoli as well as the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) on the premises.

Their fight notched a step when the faction supporting the Congress filed an FIR against the other group for breaking the lock of the office, which they had put a day before to prevent the entry of members of the other faction.

The complaint was lodged against Selwan, Karamveer, Ashok Rajouri and Mukesh, all BJP supporters in the SKS, at the Dhara police post for breaking the lock.

After breaking the lock, a few members of the Selwan group were seen sitting there for a couple of hours. The other group stood outside waiting for the police. But, the police did not come.

Hari Om, member of the SKS and Congress supporter, said: “We do not accept the authority of sangh president Selwan, who has lost all rights to take any decision after his tenure came to an end two years ago.

The new election is deliberately not being held to give Somu a long rope to hold the chair. This is undemocratic and we will fight against it”. He also said they would wait for the Mayor, who has gone to Delhi and the MNA to come back in the DMC by Tuesday, and decide the future course of action after meeting them.

The other faction, led by Selwan, was inconspicuous by its absence after breaking the lock.

The uproar began on Wednesday when Selwan advocated postponing the SKS protest against delay in the implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission for 15 days after he met the Mayor.

But, the other faction, including representatives of the Nagar Vikas Karamchari Mahasangh and the Akhil Bhartiya Safai Mazdoor Sangh, opposed it vehemently. They accused Somu of being hand in glove with the Mayor and thus misleading others through his arbitrariness.

They also demanded to go on a protest immediately. The matter snowballed into heated exchange of accusations. The faction of Congress supporters locked the office, saying that the door will open only when after the election of new president of the sangh.

The wrangle took place in the absence of the Mayor as he had left for Delhi in afternoon.

Dehradun, December 3
Waking up after months, the police today took the stock of encroachment in front of the shops in all busy markets in the city.

The police force, led by City Superintendent of Police Jagat Ram Joshi, visited all city markets, including Paltan Bazaar and Hanuman Chowk, and asked shopowners to remove the encroachment from the front of their respective shops.

The SP, City, said, “We will give them warning and if in a week’s time they don’t remove the encroachment, action will be initiated against them”.

Earlier in the day, the SP had a meeting with the association of traders in Kotwali police station to conduct a drive along with them.

“The SP assured us that he won’t put any pressure on shopowners and will just give them warning to remove the encroachment. We joined them in the cause and asked the shopowners to remove the 8-to-10 foot encroachment they have made in front of their shops so that the matter can be solved amicably,” informed Umesh Aggarwal, senior vice-president of the Regional Traders Union.

Meanwhile, the SP also held a meeting with ragpickers at Madrasi Colony under its “Fearless Drive” which is being conducted in all districts of the state this month.

“This meeting was to make the ragpicker realise that they are also an essential part of the societies and if they face any problem they can inform the police.

“They were also told to get verification done and inform the police if they spot any suspicious person in their locality,” the SP said.

Nainital, December 3
The Bhimtal area of the district was in shock today as it came to know about the rape of a teenager.

According to the police, the 15-year-old victim of Dhulai village was lured by Lalit Prasad from a wedding, which she was attending near the adjoining Mehra village on December 1.

The accused, accompanied by his friend Jeetendra Kannaujia, persuaded her to join them for a drive and took her to a secluded spot, where Lalit allegedly raped her.

Dehradun, December 3
Wild animal attacks continue to take its toll in Uttarakhand. After a spate of bear attacks in the past few days, a teenaged girl has been mauled to death by a leopard in the Khatima region of Udhamsingh Nagar district in Uttarakhand. She went to the jungle near her village to collect firewood when she was attacked by a prowling leopard.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening when 17-year-old Seema, along with other villagers, went to nearby Suarai jungles to fetch firewood and was suddenly attacked by the leopard.

Though other members of the group raised an alarm, the wildcat dragged her deep inside the jungle. Later, the villagers recovered her half-eaten body from the forest, forest officials said.

Human causalities in wild animal attacks, particularly by leopards, have seen an increasing trend this year.