Dehradun, May 4
The Uttarakhand unit of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) appointed its office-bearers at a meeting held at Hindi Bhawan here today. The members also deliberated on the preparation to be made in the wake of the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Sudhir Chaudhary was appointed for the post of state president, Rajkumar Arora as district secretary, Julfan Rao as city president, Farooq as city vice-president, Inam Khan as city secretary, and the rest were assigned positions of president of various blocks and wards, and secretaries of different cells.

Speaking on the occasion, state in charge of the BKU, Sanwali Devi, focused on the ensuing Assembly elections, and said, “The office-bearers of the BKU work for farmers and the poor. Therefore, all the members must remain associated with ground realities and understand their individual responsibility. They cannot afford to be smitten by greed of money at any cost.”

She also pointed out that the BKU was all set to face the Assembly elections, and the members should deeply involve themselves into the interiors and meet people, and help them in redressing their grievances. Others present included Gaurav Aggarwal and Sarojini Gairola. 

Dehradun, May 4
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has directed Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar to dispose of the applications received during “Antyodaya Vikas Yatra” undertaken by him, promptly and on a time-bound basis. The Chief Minister also directed him to make both the Commissioners accountable for monitoring the process of disposing of the applications. 

Besides, Nishank directed all the District Magistrates to strictly monitor the ambitious Atal Khadyann Yojana to distribute cheap rations among below poverty line (BPL) families as well as the villages taken up under the Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana by making surprise inspections in their respective districts.

The Chief Minister also directed the District Magistrates that they should also continuously monitor various public services with a view to ensuring that benefits of the public welfare schemes launched by the state government reach each and every person of society. Nishank called for compliance reports on his directions to the district-level officers to pay visits to the far-flung remote areas as well as staying there at night.

It is notable that the Chief Minister has taken serious note of public grievances and held interaction with the common public under the “Antyodaya Vikas Yatra” in more than 30 Assembly constituencies, some of which fall in the far-flung areas of the state. He either inaugurated or laid foundation stones for various developmental schemes costing more than Rs 350 crore.

Besides, the Nishank, during his visits, directed the officers concerned to dispose of public grievances on the spot. He punished the negligent officers on the spot and also admired the employees and officers doing good work during the yatra.

Nainital, May 4
Infrastructural investment is the most vital initiative to be taken by the governments if they are interested in resolving the problems of the people living in the mountainous regions.

This was stated by Donald F Lynch, the Emeritus Professor of Geography from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA, in an interaction with The Tribune on the sidelines of the International Geography Union (IGU) Commission Conference on ‘Local and Regional Responses to Globalisation in the Mountains and Marginal Areas of the World’.

He went on to explain a series of concepts that are relevant to the mountainous regions of India, particularly Uttarakhand, while drawing parallels with Alaska.

He said that besides being a resource-rich area, Alaska had emerged as a major transshipment point and also an American defense base. He further underlined the fact that the development of the Alaskan railroad network from 1914 to 1923, and the large-scale investment by the Federal Government in the USA on the highways from 1970 had played a major role in the development of the region.

In addition, there has been development of highways right up to the oil exploration fields. He said similar developments had also taken place on the Canadian side of the Alaskan border.

He made these observations when it was pointed out that China was able to build a railroad network right up to the border, while the connectivity on the Indian side of the border remained in a miserable condition.

“Now we have plans to provide high-speed internet connectivity to every community in Alaska. Presently, there is low speed availability,” said Prof Lynch.

When asked about the need to provide economic avenues to the local population in the mountains in order to check emigration, as is being experienced in Uttarakhand, he said there were 13 native corporations in Alaska and the government had paid a compensation of $900 million to the people for giving up their stake on land.

“The natives there want to be in Alaska and carry on with their subsistence way of life,” he said, adding that the government was also helping them with subsidies.

The expert said there was a challenge to provide medical care and education at primary, secondary and higher level to everyone, which had been eventually met. “They have the facility of higher education, whether they want to make use of it or not is up to them,” he said.

Dehradun, May 4
With doubts being raised about the quality of drinking water in the state, the Jal Sansthan has signed an MoU with Sri Ram Institute, Delhi, for preparing a water quality map for the rural and urban areas of Uttarakhand.

In the middle of May, one-time biological and chemical testing will be carried out by the institute. It will first undertake random testing of water and then prepare a map of the entire state. “The organisation will go in for random tests of water samples collected from different points and then prepare a water quality map that will also pinpoint water source location and grey areas in terms of quality. Based on the suggestions water treatment plants will be set up wherever the quality is suspect,” said PC Kimothi, Secretary, Appraisal, Jal Sansthan.

The institute will be bringing state-of-the-art technology, which the Jal Sansthan does not possess, and carry out third-party evaluation of the drinking water. The memorandum has been signed for undertaking tests based on 20 parameters.“If some areas do not meet the 20 parameters, more stringent tests will be conducted for 36 parameters. This will be a rigorous water quality test. The expenses will be borne by the department,”said DD Dimri, Chief General Manager, Jal Sansthan.

To strengthen the water quality infrastructure in the state, the sansthan has begun work on 10 water testing laboratories to be set up initially in 10 districts of the state (excluding Dehradun, Pauri and Nainital, where laboratories already exist).These will then be set up at the subdivisional level for which the state government has allocated Rs 1.42 crore.

“We have signed a contract (rate) with Merc International for a period of five years for establishing laboratories in the state. Once these are set up, their upkeep will be outsourced to NGOs with proven expertise in this field,” added Kimothi.

Pithoragarh, May 4
Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya today criticised the state BJP Government and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank for preventing anganwari workers and trained unemployed teachers from meeting him during his visit to the district yesterday, terming it as an “autocratic and dictatorial act”.

“If the state government can not give employment to people, it should at least give rights to people to raise their demands in a democratic system,” said Arya while addressing a press conference here today.

The Congress state president alleged that the state BJP Government had failed on all the fronts whether it was development or governance. “It has neither the sufficient staff to implement the schemes sponsored by the Central Government nor the vision and the political will to develop the state. The BJP Government in Uttarakhand has no money even to give the salaries to its employee and has been seeking loans from commercial banks to pay the salaries,” alleged Arya, adding that in the national index of development the state has gone down to the 19th place.

“When the coffers of the state are empty and the employees are not getting their salaries on time, the Chief Minister is spending limitlessly on his publicity by using state helicopter and making announcements of projects beyond the financial capacity of the state,” he charged.

Arya claimed that his party would come back in power in the state in the 2012 elections as the Congress had been receiving good response from the people to its ongoing “Satyagraha Yatra”, which started from Dharchula on May 2. “The people even in small towns of the state are living in difficulties as they are not getting proper water and electricity supply, health care and infrastructure, as the sate BJP Government has failed to fulfil its election promises,” said Arya.

Arya also flayed the proposed “Aashirvad Yatra” planned by the state BJP Government take blessings of the people of the state for he forthcoming Assembly elections.

“Instead of ‘Aashirvad Yatra’, the BJP should begin ‘Vishwasghat Yatra” as it has been betraying the people of the state for the past four years,” said Arya.

Dehradun, May 4
The fast by vice-president of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Raghunath Singh Negi in protest against the ban on quarrying in the rivers of the Garhwal region entered its second day today.

Addressing a gathering, he said, “The Central government seems to have completed its task by granting permission of quarrying for rivers based in the Kumaon region only. But by not doing the same for the rivers of the Garhwal region, it only seeks to encourage the quarrying mafia in Himachal Pardesh and Uttar Pardesh.”

Manju Negi, state president of Mahila Morcha, who was present on the occasion, said the Congress woke up and allowed quarrying in a few rivers only when they exposed its wrongdoings by running successful campaign, ‘Pradesh Bachao Jan Jagran Abhiyan’.

She also added that this move of the Congress was aimed at garnering votes for the Assembly elections in 2012.

City vice-president of Jan Sangharsh Morcha Vijender Thapliyal said if the permission was not given in time, then the farmers’ land would get flooded, and the houses would be devastated in the rainy season. General secretary Akash Panwar and Keshav Bharti Das also aired similar views.

Others who shared dias were councillors Ramesh Kala, Bahskar Chugh, Salim, Mahender Bhandari, Yogesh Kumar and Nirmala.

Dehradun, May 4
Contractual employees of the three corporations of power sector held a protest march from Gandhi Park to the Secretariat on the 10th day of their strike demanding regularisation of jobs.

Yogender Vishral, one of the protesters, who was leading the march said, “Every employee on contract is determined to lay down his life, if needed, to force the government to accept the demand of regularisation of employees.”

Among the agitators, an employee showed a deep scar on the head caused by serious injury while repairing a high-tension wire. He rued that despite high risks borne by the employees, they were not given their dues.

One of the protesters Vinod Joshi, had to be admitted to hospital after sitting on fast, but was later back at the dharna site. Joshi said, “I am ready to sacrifice my life to press for our demands. For this objective, I will continue my fast.”

Haridwar, May 4
The much-touted below poverty line smart card service is moving at a snail’s pace despite it being almost a year since it was inaugurated in Haridwar district. Till date, just half of the total enrolled BPL family members are cashing in on the smart-card services numbering 91,927, while according to the department officers, it will only be by the end of this year that the total number of members can be covered fully.

This means the cashless medical facility that is provided to the BPL smart card holders cannot be accessed by more than 44,000-odd people, falling in the BPL category in the district. Of the eight blocks in Haridwar district, the most number of beneficiaries are in Bahadrabad block where 27,411 people are benefiting, while it also has the highest number that are eluded, numbering 14,811.

Notably on July 23, 2010, in Haridwar, the National Health Insurance Scheme (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana-RSBY) was launched with much fanfare with a view to provide by the end of the year a majority of the BPL members under its purview.

But due to the electric list registration procedure being given to the third party, delay incurred that made the registration work commencing by November 2010 and completing by February 2011. A total of 47,000 people were enrolled who were issued smart cards but another 42,000-odd people are still waiting for the utilisation of this scheme.

Chief Medical Officer Yogesh Sharma pointed out that the next phase of registration would start by November this year and as soon as it was done in quick time, the smart cards would be delivered so that the remaining BPL families avail of the medical benefit from this health scheme.

The cashless medical facility is a major USP of this scheme as it provides the five members of the BPL card holder family a medical treatment free of cost up to Rs 30,000.

Also till the policy matures, maternity benefit will be also covering the newborn baby in its purview.

This ambitious health scheme is funded 75 per cent by the Central Government, while the rest of the expenses are met by the state government with the family comprising the household head, spouse and up to three dependents. 

Dehradun, May 4
It was a disheartening day for Guru Nanak Academy (GNA) as it lost finals in both junior and senior categories in the DDCSA Inter-School Senior/Junior Girls Hockey Tournament held at Unison World School,here today.

In the junior category, Welham Girls’ School beat GNA 3-2 in sudden death to win the final. Shrishti (18th minute) and Sanskrithi (31st) scored a goal each for GNA and Welham, respectively.

After the match drew at one each, penalty shootouts were taken. Again the deadlock could not be broken with the score standing at 2-2. In sudden death, Yashita of Welham Girls’ School scored the 
winning goal.

In the final for the seniors, Unison World School beat GNA 1-0. Rithika scored the lone goal (21st) for the winning team.

Carman School Principal gave away the prizes to the winners.

For the juniors in the individual category, Yashita of Welham Girls’ School got the prize for the best defender, prize for the best goalkeeper went to Lavya also from Welham Girls’ School, while Shristhi of GNA was adjudged the best forward and Gurman of Unison became the most promising player of the tournament.

In the senior category, Sabina of Welham was adjudged the best defender, Stenzin of Moravian was adjudged the best goalkeeper, the award for the best forward went to Lakshmi of GNA and most promising player of the tournament was Praghati of Unison.

Dehradun, May 4
In the fifth Welham Girls’ School Golden Jubilee All-India Basketball Tournament that got underway today, the first match was played between Bishop Cotton Girls’ School (BCS), Bangalore, and Mayo College Girls’ School (MCGS). BCS beat MCGS 36-7. Lopa mudra was the top scorer for her team with 13 points.