The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Death of Youth in Dumper Mishap Admn launches drive against illegal miners Tribune News Service Nainital, December 6 An uneasy calm prevailed in the areas around Ramnagar today even as the administration in a move to pacify agitated population raided places where illegal mining was allegedly taking place. The town had seen sporadic violence over the past two days with people even gheraoing elected representatives. The trouble had started when a youth got buried under an overloaded dumper which was carrying illegally mined material from the Kosi river bed. The vehicle had overturned near Puchri village on Saturday night when the 25-year-old youth, identified as Amit Bodai, was out for a walk on the road. The youth worked as a fitter in an industrial unit in Kashipur. He was declared dead on arrival at the local hospital. This led to an angry mob of people going ahead to torch the dumper and a trailer. The mob also had a heated exchange of words with police personnel who had reached the spot. The police withdrew from the scene and the personnel of the Fire Brigade reached the spot to check the spread of fire. The police then arrested the driver of the overloaded dumper identified as Asraf Ali following a complaint lodged by the father of the deceased. Sunday morning saw administrative officials and local legislator Deewan Singh Bisht drawing the ire of the local population when they had gone to the house of the deceased to offer their condolences. In the evening the people bolcked traffic on the Kashipur-Buakhal national highway. They were alleging that owner of the dumper Mohammad Sharief had been issuing threats and demanded his immediate arrest. Most of the agitators who had resorted to the traffic blockade were women. The accused was arrested later in the evening which saw the situation improving. It is learnt that an angry mob had also damaged four other vehicles belonging to Sharief. The agitators pointed out that vehicles carrying illegally mined material had caused of several accidents. They alleged that the administration and the Forest Department have failed to check illegal mining in the region which had turned into a life-threatening menace for the population residing those areas. This morning too raids were carried out and four illegal stocks of mined material were seized.
	54th Death Anniversary Tributes paid to Baba Saheb Tribune News Service Dehradun, December 6 Tributes were paid to Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar on his 54th death anniversary by Uttarakhand Chief Minister (CM) Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank here today. He laid a wreath on his statue at the Clock Tower. While praising him, the CM said Dr Ambedkar played an important role in the development of modern India. He urged people to follow Baba Saheb’s principles. Other than him, members of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee paid homage to Baba Saheb. To mark the occasion, they organised a seminar at Ravidas Dharamshala. Surya Kant Dhasmana, senior Congress leader, speaking on the occasion said India had become the most powerful country only due to the Constitution formed by Dr Ambedkar. He further said it was Baba Saheb only who asked people to get education and fight for their rights. Dhasmana mentioned that people needed to stay alert from those who were trying to change the establishment by Dr Ambedkar. Former councillor Sagar Singh said they should move in the footsteps of Dr Ambedkar and help the poor and weaker sections. Members of the Mahanagar Congress Committee, Dehradun, also paid tributes to him at the Congress Bhawan. Harish Virmani, president of the committee, said Dr Ambedkar played the role of God to people who belonged to the Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes. HARIDWAR: On the death anniversary of Indian Constitution-maker Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar, several tributary functions and meetings were held across the district to pay homage to the visionary leader who fought all his life for the upliftment of the backward and socially downtrodden section of the society. At the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) city office in Shivalik Nagar, floral tributes were paid to Baba Saheb remembering his immense contribution to the nation in drafting the Constitution, his role in the Independence movement, as a social-political figure and a human being who worked for the poor strata of the society. Party activists also held several other homage functions at their sub party offices and at the garlanded the statues of the legendary politician. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members too paid tributes to Ambedkar, widely regarded as the man behind the comprehensive Constitution that the Indian democracy has. At the party district office at Devpura, a discussion forum was organised in which speakers shed light on the life and role of Baba Saheb as he was fondly called by his followers. Paying floral tributes, district party chief Om Prakash Jamdagni said Ambedkar played a pivotal role both pre-and post-Independence paving way for a uniform society where no discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed or status existed. At the city Congress unit office in Subash Ghat, a meeting was held where party workers focused on the achievements of Dr Ambedkar and the need of his ideology in today’s time. The meeting was presided over by city chief OP Chauhan, while all city unit executive members participated in the tribute paying meeting. In a unique gesture, students of different colleges also gathered together, lighted candles and paid floral tributes to the great statesman and social reformer at Ambedkar Nagar in Jwalapur. Seeing the young students offering tributes at the Ambedkar Park, local people felt quite happy and appreciatd the gesture of the youth. “This was not such a big work done by us, but just something we felt we could do as a mark of respect to the great visionary who worked all his life for the country and the downtrodden. Hope we also leave behind trifle issues and live in a secular world where human beings are respected, not their caste or status,” said ABVP member Mahima, also PG student in SMJN College, while paying floral tributes.
	Now, Nadi Bachao Abhiyan focuses on Devsari project Our Correspondent Pitthoragarh, December 6 Encouraged by the closure of the Lohari Nagpala hydroelectric project on the Ganga, the Uttarakhand Nadi Bachao Abhiyan will now focus on the 262-MW Devsari hydroelectric project being constructed by Sutlej Hydroelectric Corporation on the Pindar river in Chamoli district. “We had mobilised more than 4,000 villagers against the project in July this year, which led to the postponement of peoples hearing for the third time,” said Radha Behan, a leading Sarvodaya worker and leader of this campaign. According to the organiser of this campaign, in Uttarakhand their workers are not only mobilising people in all 16 affected villages in Deval block of Chamoli district against this project but also staging a dharna against the proposed hydro electric projects on the Pindar, Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers in Uttarakhand. “We have raised a slogan calling for the private companies to leave Uttarakhand on the lines of Mahatma Gandhis’ slogan of “Quit India” in 1942 against the British,” said Radha. The Uttarakhand Nadi Bachao Abhiyan is going to organise a meeting of its workers involved in various campaigns of protecting natural wealth of the state like forest and rivers for local societies in February, 2011, which will focus on decreasing water flow in local rivulets and rivers and opposing the big dams proposed on these rivers. The workers of the abhiyan had filed a writ in the Nainital High Court last year demanding a ban on the construction of big dams on rivers of Uttarakhand on which the High Court had sought explanation from the private companies executing the projects. “Our workers will continue their non-violent struggle to save properties of Uttarakhand for local people despite the contractors involved in the construction of these project have started lobbying against the campaign through political forums,” said Radha.
	Timber Allotment Forest Corporation, Dept cross swords Seema Sharma Tribune News Service Dehradun, December 6 The Uttranchal Forest Development Corporation (UFDC) is distraught over the slackness shown by the Forest Department in providing its annual allotment of timber by jumping the deadline in the past few years. Meanwhile, the Forest Department has also pulled up the corporation for not been able to utilise even its previous allotment. According to sources at the UFDC, the Forest Department should provide the allotment from main lot, the site decided as per the work plan made in advance by the District Forest Officer for collecting felled/ hollow/ sick/ old trees, from July to October. For subsidiary lot, which depends upon accidental circumstances such as storm, torrent rainfall etc that leads to natural felling of massive number of trees, the deadline period is December as per the mutual understanding between both departments. But this year, the Forest Department has not been able to meet its October deadline, a trend that it has been following for the past six years. The insiders also indicated that after such a tumultuous rainy season, thousands of trees would have fallen in the forest area, but still the Forest Department was dilly-delaying over the allotment. In numerous incidents, it had resulted in the pilferage of trees by villagers or traders in connivance with Forest Department officials. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) RBS Rawat said the department had already given 1,37,000 timber trees to the corporation and was in the process of handing over the rest 1 lakh more timber trees by December end. He also said his first priority was to provide timber to homeless and rain-affected people, as they had collectively been provided around 10,000 trees for various purposes by the Forest Department. He slammed the corporation for not been able to adhere to its target of utilisation of the allotment by April. He asked them to first set their house in order before targeting the Forest Department. Amidst volleys of charges, allotment graph had been registering unequal highs and lows. From 2007 onward, the allotment had been decreasing each year. It was 3.37 lakh cubic metre in 2007-08, 2.72 lakh cubic metre in 2008-09, 1.82 lakh cubic metre in 2009-10 and 1,37,000 lakh cubic metre in 2010-11 as of now. This year, the total allotment and the future promise of one lakh more trees are not presenting a rosy picture. In 1999, the corporation got whopping 4 lakh cubic metre, which Rawat said was all due to a storm that the state witnessed only in that year which led to enormous felling of trees. In 2002-03 and 2005-06, it was allotted 3.15 and 3.31 lakh cubic metre as well. This tight-handedness on the part of the Forest Department is telling seriously upon the financial health of the corporation, for which the timber is the biggest source of revenue making. In 2007-08, the corporation earned a revenue of Rs 310 crore from timber, which went further down to Rs 282 crore and Rs 273 crore in subsequent years. By December this year, the corporation has already incurred a dent of Rs 12 crore in its revenue. Anil Kumar Dutt said if the corporation did not have timber allotment above 3 lakh cubic metre, then it would become difficult for it to pay the salaries to its 3,000 workforce. He said, “The mining revenue has already come down from Rs 75 crore to Rs 50 crore due to ban on mining in Dehradun. The profits from timbre, too, are thinning down with each passing year. Our expenditure has almost doubled up with the complete salary structure with emoluments of over 3,000 employees jumped from Rs 40 crore to Rs 75 crore due to the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations. The UFDC has still not been in debt, but if the present scenario continued for another three years, then we certainly are in a big mess.”
	543 cadets take part in IMA parade Tribune News Service Dehradun, December 6 The Indian Military Academy (IMA) with 543 gentlemen cadets showed tremendous enthusiasm, vigour and zeal to put up an excellent parade in front of an august gathering here today. Gentlemen cadets marched in elegantly singing the IMA song. Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor, IMA, Major-Gen GS Bal, SM, VSM, reviewed the parade. The parade precedes the passing-out parade to be held on December 11 this year. The General was also instructor as a Major at this academy in 1986. He congratulated all gentlemen cadets for choosing this noble profession and asked them to be ready for all types of challenges. In his address to thegentlemen cadets, he emphasised on intellectual development, values and ethics. The reviewing officer also emphasised on the current challenges and the role of the Indian Army in nation building. He said the Army was the pillar of strength on which the democratic norms partially rested. “We must continue in our efforts towards building a strong and stable nation,” he added. On the successful completion of pre-commission training, gentlemen cadets will pass out from the IMA on December 11 this year. This includes four gentlemen cadets from Bhutan. The parade marched on the tunes of “Col Bogey” and “Sare Jahan Se Achchha Hindustan Hamara”.
	Home Guard Day celebrated Tribune News Service Dehradun, December 6 The Civil Defence Organisation celebrated the Home Guard Day at Bannu School here today. Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had to be the chief guest, but owing to some work he couldn’t come. Home Guards DIG SL Shah later unfurled the flag to start the function. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dehradun, Ganesh Singh Martolia was also present on the occasion. Personnel of the Civil Defence Organisation and Home Guards welcomed the DIG and the SSP. They were given a floral welcome by the personnel. Civil defence personnel and Home Guards, who had done brilliant work in their respective areas, were also honoured on the occasion. The SSP in his address praised them for their work. He said civil defence personnel and Home Guards were an important link between the police and the public. They always appeared whenever required. A wing leader of the civil defence said there were about 1,200 personnel in the district and out of them about 300 were mostly on duty. He said they informed the police in the event of any mishappening and helped the police whenever required. CM fails to turn up Home Guards who were to hold a parade on the Home Guard Day were a dejected lot for no one reviewed their parade. Chief Minister Nishank had to review the parade, but didn’t turn up. The Home Guards then thought the DIG, Home Guard, would review their parade. However, he also didn’t turn up. This perturbed the Home Guards waiting since morning. The Home Guards had been practising for the parade for a long time and no one reviewing it hurt them and they boycotted today’s function. “What to talk of fulfilling our demands, mainly the hike in salary, they are not even bothered to pay heed to the good work we are doing,” voiced a disappointed guard while leaving the venue with his mates. “We have been rehearsing for the parade for the past several days. We all were so thrilled to perform in front of the CM. But he didn’t come. At least the DIG, Home Guards, should have reviewed the parade,” added another Home Guard.
	Two held for murder of Kashipur businessman Tribune News Service Nainital, December 6 The police claims to have worked out the case of murder of a Kashipur businessman who was found strangulated on the Rampur highway on November 26. While two accused, including the mastermind, have been nabbed, the third accused is still at large. On Saturday afternoon, the police managed to nab one Vimal of Thakurdwara from the taxi stand on the Court Road as he was trying to reach the court premises to “surrender”. It is learnt that Vimal has confessed to have strangulated Sachin Gupta with the help of his friend Javed. He has allegedly told the police that both Javed and he had abducted Gupta at the instance of one Akhil Aggarwal, who resided in the same locality where Gupta lived. The two had allegedly demanded a ransom from the family of the abducted businessman. Failing to deal with the mounting police pressure and fearing arrest, the two had gone on to strangulate Gupta on. They had allegedly dumped the dead body near the Mundhapande area on the Rampur highway. The police had already rounded up Aggarwal on the basis of suspicion raised by the father of the deceased. A resident of Rahamkhani Mohalla of Shyam Nagar, Gupta had gone out on a pleasure trip on the evening of November 24. When he did not return, his family members had launched a hunt only to find his motorcycle near the government hospital. His father had allegedly received a call from an unknown person stating that his son had been abducted and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh. When Gupta’s body was found, the local police had sent the shirt being worn by the deceased to Kashipur as it bore the name of the tailor who had stitched it. This was the only clue available regarding the identity of the deceased. It was through the shirt that the family members of the deceased could be approached and his body identified. The police claims to have recovered the rope used for strangulation and the mobile phone of Vimal. Efforts are on to nab the third accused Javed. Thieves decamp with temple idols, bells Residents of Narayanpur Mulya village of the Pirumdara area, near Ramnagar, have approached the local police alleging theft of brass idols and a large number of bells from the Bhumya Devta Temple in the village. The villagers alleged that some miscreants had broken the locks of the temple on Saturday night and fled with the idols and bells. The accused had allegedly decamped with three big brass idols, one big and 50 small bells from the temple. Local devotees discovered the theft yesterday morning. The locals alleged that similar thefts had recently taken place in the Devi Temple in Kaniya and Shiv Temple in Himmatpur.