Dehradun, December 17
Some of the councillors of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) today met the Chief Minister to ensure that strict action is taken against the safai karamcharis, who misbehaved with them on Thursday.

The Chief Minister told them that he would make sure that the accused were punished. The councillors have yesterday announced to resign from the post if no action was taken against the culprits soon.

Earlier, the police also recorded statements of five councillors who had reported against the safai karamchari, who allegedly abused and attacked them, including Amita Singh, Neeraj Sethi, Sachin Gupta, Rajinder Rawat and Santokh Nagpal, in the meeting hall yesterday. The police also visited the residences of the safai karamchari to record their statements.

The karamcharis had cross-reported in the police station stating that councillors used caste-based remarks against them. Though the police was yet to register the case against the councillors, as they required to verify that anybody used the words or not.

The corporation had suspended Hari Om after the report against his misbehaviour turned out to be positive late yesterday evening. President of the Safai Karamchari Union Somu Thelwal requested both the parties to compromise, but the decision was still pending.

Sources claimed that the Safai Karamchari Union has warned the nigam that if the police arrested any of the karamchari, they would go on strike from December 22.

Dehradun, December 17
The Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) is contemplating legal action against four local bodies and three government and two private hospitals for failing to put up a waste-management system.

Initially, the UEPPCB had issued a show-cause notices to all nagar palikas/nagar panchayats and one corporation, but a majority of them said they were in the process of setting up a solid waste-management system.

“However Bhawali, Haridwar, Vikas Nagar and Doiwala local bodies did not reply to the show-cause notice and as such the board would be taking a legal action under the Municipal Solid Waste Rules (Ministry of Environment and Forest),” said Amarjeet Singh Oberoi, Environment Officer, UEPPCB.

Similarly, after issuing show-cause notices to three government hospitals and two private hospitals, the board is also contemplating legal action against these establishments that have still not put up a biomedical sorting system at their respective premises.

“We were in favour of the closure of hospitals both private and government that were not properly disposing of biomedical waste, but at a meeting of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee held in November, the matter of non-compliance of hospitals was discussed and it was felt that the closure would adversely affect patients therefore here too legal route would be taken,” said Ankur Kansal, Assistant Environment Officer.

The Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) Management and Handling Rules, 1998, mandate hospitals to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect on human health and environment. “We issued notices under Sections 15, 16 and 17 of the Environment Protecton Act to defaulter 41 private clinics and government hospitals on March 31. They were given 45 days’ time to comply as per the rules but three government and two private hospitals have not replied so far,” added Kansal.

In the hills, the biomedical waste is still being disposed of through deep burial arrangement. “We want to ensure that hazardous waste is not transported long distances. For this reason the deep burial arrangement to get rid of the waste is preferred,” said Dr Suman Arya, Joint Director (Medical Care).

The total biomedical waste generated per bed per day in major hospitals in Uttarakhand is 180 gm in the plains and 140 gms in the hills. In the small hospitals it is 150 grams in the plains and 110 grams in the hills.

Dehradun, December 17
Rajesh Gulati (38), who murdered his wife and kept her body parts in a freezer for two months, was sent to a 14-day judicial remand by Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Kanwar Amninder Singh here today. He will now be produced in the court on December 20 for his confessional statement.

Earlier the CJM court had sent him to a four-day police remand, which completed today.

The cops also took him today two his two houses in Doon for investigation. The police also took the freezer in which he had kept his wife Anupama’s body parts for two months in its custody.

The two houses were thoroughly searched by the cops. The police enquired the neighbours and Gulati for getting more information. The accused had recently bought a house at Race Course worth about Rs 35 lakh and had plans to settle down there.

He was putting up on a rented accommodation with his twins and wife at Idgaha, Prakash Nagar locality, where he brutally murdered his wife. They were in a few days to shift in the new house but Gulati did the unforgettable before that.

Meanwhile, the police during the four-day remand of Gulati recovered a decayed left foot of Anupama from a rivulet near Deer Park on the Mussoorie Road. He was also taken to Shiv Mandir but the police couldn’t find anything there.

Dehradun, December 17
Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat has termed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank as a “rollback Chief Minister” for his habit of going back on his decisions following public anger or due to fear of legal action.

Talking to media persons here today, Rawat charged that the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government had utterly failed to perform and the people who suffered during the monsoon disaster continued to suffer. He charged that the Chief Minister had taken back many of his decisions like those on hydro-electric projects, Citurgia land use change and compulsion of local dialects in class IV recruitments.

“Out of total Rs 612 crore given by the Central government for disaster relief, the state government has spent only Rs 180 crore and that too in specific areas on the instructions of certain ruling BJP leaders,” Rawat alleged.

The union minister said that the Union government is ready to bring in changes in the Minimum Wages and Contractual Labour Act in the unorganised sector. “We are ready with the proposed changes and these would be brought in the next session of Parliament,” he announced.

Rawat said minimum wages throughout the country would be on a par. The Union Minister said the wage board for journalists and non-journalists would be giving its report before December 31. “The board has been asked to give its report in one go,” he added.

Dehradun December 17
The cavalcade of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank hit a stray dog just in front of the Chief Minister’s residence here yesterday. The convoy of the Chief Minister was in such a tearing hurry to attend a function at city’s one of the public schools that none cared to look whether the dog was dead or alive.

As some passersby informed the People For Animal (PFA), an organisation of animal loving people, they sent their ambulance to take care of the injured dog. It was brought to the veterinary hospital for treatment.

“The dog was in a bad state when brought here yesterday late in the evening. It had no external injuries but was suffering by hindquarter paraplegia (paralysis in its lower limb). Till now we have provided it with immediate treatment of nerve tonics and infrared therapy along with the proper massage, but unfortunately the dog will not be able to recover fully,” said Dr Arif Khan, the doctor at the People For Animal Veterinary Hospital attending the dog.

“Apart from the disability to stand, sit, run or walk properly, the dog will not be able to even perform the orgasmic activities and will have to lead rest of his life on special wheel chair. It needs soft bedding, regular massage by turpentine oil, injection of nerve tonics and physiotherapy to regain the loss tissues,” he added.

While talking to The Tribune, Gauri Maulekhi, PFA state representative, said: “It is sad to see the unkind aspect of the most responsible person of the state. The Chief Minister himself or any of his assistants would have waited to help the dog with medical aid.”

“I urge people who can come up with some help. The treatment of the dog is going to be quite expensive while it would need special wheel chair for the rest of his life,” asserted Gauri.

Dehradun, December 17
The Uttarakhand Expo 2010 and Northern India International Trade Fair 2010 are showcasing skills and traditional as well as functional art forms of Jammu and Kashmir.

The trade fair, which is organised by the Industries Association of Uttarakhand, under aegis of the India International Trade and Event Organisers and Pacific Creative Society, is witnessing many visitors. The hand-weaved garments from J&K are captivating maximum visitors, leading to brisk business in the fair.

The shawls, suits, scarves, stoles, jackets, sweaters and carpets are prime stuffs picked by ladies at the fair, while dry fruits like apricot, almonds, kahwa (Kashmiri tea) and saffron are altogether appreciated.

The trade fair is not only restricted to garments and decorative items, the jewelry items made of pearls and semi-precious stones are sweeping the hearts of the ladies. Meenakshi Pearls has come all the way from Hyderabad with its elegant and exquisite designs made from pearl, red coral (moonga) and onyx.

“We are one of the oldest dealers of pearls and semi-precious stones in India. Our jewellery is exported to Dubai, USA, Kuwait, Karachi and many other places. Apart from exporting, our jewelries is also donned by the actresses in the television serials. We also deal in manak pana, kundan sets, chokers, rani haar and antique sets,” informed Subhash Aggarwal, aka Bruce Lee, the owner of the Meenakshi Pearls.

At the inauguration of the mela, Governor Margaret Alva highlighted the need for strengthening traditional art forms of India. The participating states in the trade fair include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Goa, Sikkim, Haryana, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Karnataka and Uttarakhand.

Speaking to The Tribune, chairman of Indian International Trade Event Organisation, Saras Mela-2010, BS Negi said, “The trade fair has made a brisk business over a week’s time, while provided platform for more than 200 artisans from all over the country.”

Dehradun, December 17
Veteran socialist leader and ideologue Surendra Mohan (84) died this morning at his Delhi residence. Surendra’s career in politics was like a roller coaster ride and had a long connection with Dehradun.

He was a prominent student of the DAV College here in early 1950s and obtained his master’s degree in sociology. In the college, he had a magnetic socialist persona that attracted and fascinated many students and soon he gathered a group of students, who became nucleus of Samajwadi Yuwak Sabha.

This political formation soon became much stronger and several presidents of the students union such as Raja Ram Uniyal, Chandramohan Joshi and Raj Kanwar became its stalwarts.

Mohan moved to Delhi and became a full-time functionary of the Praja Socialist Party and held many posts in the organisation. He did not believe in electoral politics and as such did not contest elections.

He was an avid reader of political philosophy and wrote veraciously both in Hindi and English. In due course, he acquired the honorific of socialist ideologue. He did not marry until very late and lived in a room in Vithalbhai Patel House, courtesy one of the party MPs. He continued to live there even when he married Manju Mathur much later.

He was one of the most active leaders during the agitation against Emergency. He played an important role in the formation of the Janata Party, which included Jan Sangh and other opposition groups. When the Janata Party came to power, Mohan was elected as a member of Rajya Sabha, which he remained for six years. As the Janata Party general secretary at that time, Surendra wielded much power and in view of his seniority, he was allotted a spacious bungalow at Teen Murti Lane, Delhi.

Luckily power neither went to his head, nor even tempted him. He was also chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission. He continued to live a simple and austere life. Wife Manju became his devoted companion and nurse. She would ensure that he followed regular eating habits and lived a healthy life.

Surendra leaves behind a son and a daughter, both are professional journalists and also married to their colleagues. Surendra was cremated at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi this afternoon.

Haridwar, December 17
Shedding light on the Gita, noted spiritual guru Pushpnandan Maharaj termed the holy book as provider of mental, physical or spiritual solace.

Addressing devotees at the ashram, Maharaj said every verse written in the Gita has come from Lord Krishna and in this fast-paced life, if one wants some solace and inputs to sail through hardships of life, then Gita is the best path. Earlier, the religious function commenced with chanting of bhajans and religious songs. — TNS

Haridwar, December 17
Attending the religious Sai Sandhya function dedicated to Sai Baba in Jwalapur late night, Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly Harak Singh Rawat urged people to follow the teachings of Sai Baba to make life successful.

The Sai evening was also coordinated by a large number of Muslims too from the suburban Jwalapur Colony giving the message of religious diversity of the city and country.

Relating to Sai Baba’s faith and philosophy which never discriminated with persons on any ground, Dr Harak Singh said, “Baba always said we all are one and gave the teaching of respecting others’ religions”.

At the Sai Bhajan Sandhya noted singer Vinod Dimri made the atmosphere religious-spiritual with his singing of Sai bhajans at the venue situated near the Mata Vaishno Devi temple at Kathaira Bazar.

Meanwhile, Nav Yuva Vyapar Mandal members presented Dr Harak Singh, who is a legislator from Pauri Garhwal’s Lansdowne Assembly, with a Sai Baba statue and shawl. Among the coordinators and association members were Sachin Kumar Chauhan, Vikas Chaudhari, Punit Goyal, Harpreet Singh, Mohan, Anil, Mohti, Hitesh, Rajev, Tilak, Gaurav, Jugal, Vikki, Rafi Khan, Meharbhan Khan, Fakira Khan, Naeem Qureshi and others.

Pitthoragarh, December 17
In what could be a sad reflection of the state government’s social security schemes and lack of plan to protect only primitive tribe of the state, the Ban Rawats or Ban Raji, a family of this endangered tribe is spending its day and night on mercy of local people in Didihat town after being injured in forest.

The family of Aan Singh is unable to work as labourer. “I had gone to collect fodder for my cattle and fell from a tree three months back. Neither I can get assistance from anywhere, nor my 82-year-old mother Gokuli Devi can get old-age pension,” said Aan Singh, who is living in Didihat town after the incident that disabled him, as he could not get any alms from his own community of poor people.

“The primitive community of Ban Rawats living in the Kuta area of Ghandhura forest have neither fertile land to cultivate, nor they know other methods of livelihood. They only depend on their daily labour. The state government should work for development of the tribe,” said social worker based in Didihat town Mahesh Pant.

The Ban Rawat community has not been covered under any social security plan and the old citizens of this community are not getting any old-age pension. “This three-member family neither has sufficient food to eat, nor cloths to protect against biting cold of the Didihat area,” said Pant. “Due to lack of finances, Aan Singh could not get treatment for his injured foot,” said Pant.

As Aan Singh is not able to move freely, his wife Dropati Devi carries him on her back for routine activities. “Till local people of Didihat feed our family, we will be alive, after that our family has no means to earn our daily bread,” said Dropati.

When lone MLA from the community Gagan Singh Rajwar, Dharchula MLA, was asked about the matter he said all old citizens of the Ban Rawat community have not applied to get old-age pensions. “It is the responsibility of Uttrakhand BJP chief and local MLA Bishan Singh Chuphal to look in to the matter, as this village falls under his constituency,” said Gagan, informing that nearly 15 old persons of the Kuta village have been covered under old-age pensions and promised to look into this particular case.