Haridwar, May 10
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti today began a fast here today in protest against hydroelectric projects that are being built and sanctioned in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, damaging the ecology and affecting the sanctity of the Ganga.

She also demanded the setting up of a Ganga board to review all hydroelectric projects on the Ganga. She said the report submitted by the panel would be acceptable to her irrespective of its decision.

Launching her agitation at the Divya Sewa Mission on the foothills of the famous Chandi Devi temple in Haridwar, she categorically said this agitation was only for the cause of the holy Ganga.

Talking to TNS, she said the first phase of her agitation would go on till Ganga Dussehra and if the Central and Uttarakhand Governments failed to consider her demands, she would launch the second phase of her agitation.

“I will review my decision on an indefinite fast only after getting a satisfactory reply from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Minister of Environment Jai Ram Ramesh and Uttarakhand CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank,” she said.

She also came in support of the revered deity of Mata Dhari Devi situated on the Alaknanda in Srinagar town in Pauri Garhwal district. She said this was one of examples wherein in the name of development, the government and private firms were hurting religious sentiments of the people apart from causing damage to the ecology of the region.

She also termed the 100 MW Tehri Dam as vulnerable as it is very close to Bhatwadi, which is the epicenter of the seismic belt in the region and demanding a review on this too.

She welcomed anyone to her agitation, who comes with the sole motive of saving the Ganga and agreeing to the other demands. Support has been pouring in from different sections of society to her fast with people thronging the agitation venue to extend support.

Haridwar, May 10
After officials of the Forest Department left an injured leopard, which intruded into a cow shelter of an ashram, thinking that it will return to the Rajaji National Park itself when it got dark two days ago, the same leopard, now grievously injured, came back to the same ashram though this time it took shelter in a room of the ashram.

At about 6 am, the leopard, with grievous injuries, was spotted near the Dakshin Kali temple by a helper while he was providing fodder to cows. Seeing the leopard the helper ran for life, but the wildcat didn’t attack the cows and just went into one of the rooms of the ashram where fodder was stored.

Soon there was panic in the area. However, a brave man shut the door of the storeroom. Officials of the Forest Department were informed. They reached the spot at about 8:30 am. A large number of people had gathered at the ashram to see the trapped leopard.

Meanwhile, the forest officials called up wildlife scientists and veterinarian for medical help. A wildlife expert and veterinarians arrived at 12 noon and started a rescue operation. At 1:15 pm, the first tranquilliser shot was fired. The team decided to take the leopard to the rescue centre.

Talking to The Tribune on the spot, Dr Parag Nigam, a wildlife scientist, stated there were multiple injuries on the leopard, which most probably occurred in a fight with another leopard. “The leopard is suffering from dehydration. It will be given basic treatment and then will be released in the jungles post recuperation” said Nigam.

While wildlife activists and local people have criticised the officials of the Forest Department for leaving the leopard leopard at the Tyagi Ashram after 12 hours of rescue operation two days ago. “Had the leopard been treated then, it won’t have visited the same place,” said Sanjay Chopra, convener of the Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti. Mahant Dinesh Giri of the ashram said for the past two days people in the locality had been living in fear. There was resentment against the attitude of the officials of the Forest Department who couldn’t judge the condition of the leopard when it first intruded into the ashram.

Women and children look as the injured leopard is tranquilised in Haridwar on Tuesday; and (right) the animal is taken for treatment by forest and wildlife officials . Tribune photographs

Nainital, May 10
The death of a police personnel on patrol duty late on Saturday night in a hit-and-run accident on the Nainital road in Haldwani is a pointer to the dire need for checking rash driving in the area.

While 30-year-old Subhash Chandra was killed in the accident, his pillion rider, Naresh Giri, is battling for life in a private hospital.

According to reports, the two personnel posted at the Bhotia Padav police post were on a motor cycle, patrolling the area, when an unidentified vehicle hit them near the Life Insurance Corporation office. Naresh succumbed to his injuries on the spot. He was a resident of Berinag.

Roads in the region have become highly insecure in the absence of a police check on rash and, at times, drunk driving, particularly late at night.

It is pointed that if the police gets down to checking vehicles, there are chances that most of the riders or drivers will turn out to be minors who do not possess the relevant documents.

The road from Haldwani to Nainital has become a danger zone as there is no police presence. Often one comes across rowdy groups hurling beer cans and bottles out of the windows of moving vehicles. The IG,Kumaon Range, has already given orders for carrying out checks but this is yet to start. — TNS

Nainital, May 10
Things are finally looking up with regard to the construction of two bridges on the Nainital-Almora road that were devastated in a rain-related disaster during the prolonged monsoon last year. With Kumaon Commissioner Kunal Sharma approving a new schedule of rates for the purpose, the process of floating of tenders will start for the fourth time as on the previous three occasions no contractor had shown interest in undertaking construction work on the two bridges at Niglat and Bhawali.

The new scheduled of rates was approved at a meeting of the Core Committee set up for reconstruction and relief efforts in the wake of the disaster. These rates were once again tabulated on March 1 this year. Earlier, the rate fixed for getting the bridge at Bhawali built was Rs 72.30 lakh which has now been amended to Rs 77.24 lakh.

Similarly, for the bridge at Niglat, the earlier figure was 74.58 lakh which has now been pegged at Rs 84.38 lakh.

The two bridges had been devastated in September last year. The administration had sought the help of the Army to maintain vehicular traffic on the stretch. The stretch from Bhawali to Almora is the lifeline of the hill districts of Almora, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh. The road also caters to the needs of the defence forces deployed on the border with China and Nepal. The Army had provided bailey bridges at the two spots. However, as these bridges are small, new ones need to replace them at the earliest. For the two bridges the National Highways Authority of India had floated tenders thrice but no contractor had shown interest in undertaking the job.

At a meeting of the Core Committee held here on Tuesday, Sharma stressed the need for the early completion of repair work and relief jobs for which money had already been sanctioned by the administration.

Pithoragarh, May 10
Continuous heavy snowfall in higher reaches situated more than 10,000 feet above the sea level in the Himalayan region have caused difficulties for the tribal villagers who are on their homeward journey after winter migration.

“As the weather has been cold even in the month of May this year, the way to the valleys of Byans and Darma in this district are fully covered by snow, impeding travel to the villages of Kuti and Nabhi beyond Gunji,” said KS Firmal, a resident of Filam village of the Darma valley in Dharchula subdivision.

“The glacial snow between Gunji and Kuti has blocked the way of the villagers of Kuti village situated at a height of 13,000 feet, and some of the villagers, who are returning home are camping in Gunji to wait for the melting of the snow,” said a spokesman for Dharchula subdivision.

According to the migrating groups from the Byans valley, this year the snowfall has been much severe, resulting in the formation of temporary glaciers on routes.

“As more than 2 feet of snow has covered the route, the migrating tribesmen of the last village on India-China border, named Kuti, find it difficult to reach the village,” said Mohan Singh Gungiyal, a resident of Gunji village.

“The villagers this year will not be able to reach their villages in time as first they have to face disruption in travel at Tin Tola due to landslides caused by blasting being carried out to widen the road and secondly this untimely snowfall have delayed their journey, which otherwise takes about 15 days,” said Mohan Singh.

According to the residents of the Darma valley, the track route to their homes beyond the village of Sela has been covered by now. “The returning migrants of 14 villages beyond that point at a height of 11,000 feet are facing difficulty this year due continuous snowfall this year,” said Krishna Singh Firmal.

Dehradun, May 10
A team of officials from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will be in Uttarakhand to finalise second tranche grant that would be utilised for strengthening the water supply and sewerage system in 31 towns and cities of Uttarakhand.

During their visit between May 26 and 30, a grant of Rs 500 crore to the state government will be finalised as part of the second tranche. Work is already under way in several towns. including Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital, under the first tranche loan the term of which would expire in 2012.

“The cities to be covered under the second tranche loan include Roorkee, Haldwani, Almora, Pithoragarh, Ramnagar, Nainital, Dehradun and Haridwar. The money will be used for strengthening the water supply and sewerage system in these cities,” said Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Additional Secretary, Urban Development.

The core team of the ADB would also hold extensive consultations with officials of different departments.

Already team members from the ADB with expertise in environment and social issues are in the town to evaluate the work under way in the city. In keeping with the working of the ADB, for the first time in Dehradun city, the help of NGOs is being taken to forewarn the people where work pertaining to the laying of water pipes is being undertaken.