Haridwar, May 13
Heavy rain accompanied by a wind storm that lashed the city in the wee hours today, disrupted life as at several places uprooted trees, fallen electricity poles and overflowing nullahs were common scenes.

While power supply, too, got affected with intermittent cuts and several colonies remaining without power till late morning. Though Electricity Department officials informed that power supply was restored to normalcy early morning, at several colonies people reported of power supply getting severely affected.

Colonies of Shiv Lok, Shiv Moorti area, Mayapur, Devpura, Khanna Nagar, Jwalapur, Vivek Vihar, Awas Vikas were badly affected apart from several stretches on national highways as broken trees and electricity poles disrupted the smooth flow of traffic.

On the Delhi-Dehradun and the Haridwar-Rishikesh highway many portions of the road got affected with several trees falling on the highway while drains in many inner roads got choked, submerging many vital intersections.

Water supply, too, got affected due to a storm. Suppliers of packaged water made merry owing to a scorching summer wave that followed the rainy weather by noon.

“After almost 38 degrees, we got respite with rain but it brought along no power and water supply. It was only by the noon that both these supplies were fully restored,” said Sanjana Bisht, a ShivLok resident. 

Dehradun, May 13
Pikender Pal Singh, who has taken over as the Regional Director of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) (Northern Region), will also be focusing on Uttarakhand besides his responsibility to work for the development of industry in the northern region.

In a career spanning over 20 years, Pikender has worked in different capacities and departments of the confederation. Prior to assuming the position of Regional Director, he was responsible for the implementation of the CII national theme of India@75, a vision building exercise to transform India into an economically vital, technologically innovative, socially and ethically vibrant leader by 2022, in northern states. The exercise was spread over five states of Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

It was under his leadership, the states developed vision documents for preparing a roadmap to economic development and inclusive growth in the region. Taking forward the path-breaking initiative of India@75 in the northern region, Pikender worked to bringing together all stakeholders, including the industry, government, institutions, community groups and individuals, to translate the vision into a reality.

The CII, Northern Region, will further strengthen its linkages with its membership spread over nine states in the North. Business opportunity for micro small and medium enterprises, skill development, affirmative action and ground interface with the state governments are some of the thrust areas for the region in the coming months, said the new Regional Director.

Very specific about his vision for the state, Pikender stated: “Recently, our efforts on advocacy on enactment of the model Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act bore fruit with the state government announcing about the enactment of the act last month. We now will be pursuing with the state government on linking of Uttarakhand to the eastern freight corridor, regular flights from Pantnagar and advocacy on general sales tax”.

Dehra Dun, May 13
Uttarakhand can provide an able leadership to Bangladesh on environment conservation and climate change, Dhaka's High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim said here today.

"Bangladesh has lost nearly 40 per cent of its forest wealth during the past two decades and we would try for an agreement with Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI) in this regard," Karim said as he met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

Karim is in the state to participate in an ambassadors' meet being organised by the state government tomorrow.

During the meeting at the state secretariat here, Karim described the infrastructural facilities in Uttarakhand as better as compared to most of the other states of the country and said there was a great scope of partnership between Bangladesh and the hill state in the sectors of education, environment, forest, climate change, hydropower and tourism.

He said Uttarakhand could provide an able leadership on the issue of environment conservation and climate change.

The High Commissioner also said that there was a scope of exchange of students and teachers of Bangladesh universities and colleges of Uttarakhand in the field of technical education.

He said he would also put forth a proposal regarding reservation of some seats for Bangladeshi students in technical education institutes of the hill state.

The Chief Minister said the bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh would promote development in the state and Uttarakhand was ready for partnership with his country in all possible fields.

He said Bangladesh had shown a new path for other developing countries by its successful models in the field of public health and rural banking.

After the meeting, Nishank directed his Secretary, Umakant Panwar, to make arrangement for holding an inter-regional workshop on environment conservation and climate change in Uttarakhand. — PTI 

Dehradun, May 13
The Uttarakhand Government sanctioned Rs 32.98 crore under the Border Area Development Plan (BADP) for the border regions of the state at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar here today.

Under the BADP, Rs 6.98 crore was allocated for Champawat, Rs 5.60 crore for Chamoli, Rs 13.6 crore for Pithoragarh, Rs 4.47 crore for Udham Singh Nagar and Rs 3.60 crore for Uttarkashi district.

Subhash Kumar directed the District Magistrate, Pithoragarh, to revise the work plan as per the requirements of the area and submit it again. Only those works should be undertaken under the BADP for which there was no budget amount in the department concerned, he said.

He expressed satisfaction over the progress of works in 2010-2011 and directed the District Magistrates concerned to complete the remaining works latest by the end of August.

The Chief Secretary said that under the BADP, basic amenities were being provided to people living in international border areas. For the purpose, the Union Home Ministry had sanctioned Rs 32.98 crore for nine development blocks of five districts. These development blocks were Munsyari, Munakot, Dharchula, Kanalichhina of Pithoragarh district, Champawat and Lohaghat blocks of Champawat district, Khatima block of Udham Singh Nagar, Joshimath of Chamoli and Bhatwari of Uttarkashi district. 

Pithoragarh, May 13
Vijay, Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand from the BJP, along with 20 other workers of the party, will begin the “Seema Darshan Abhiyan”, an initiative of the BJP with an aim to know the conditions of the people living on the country’s borders, from Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district from May 16.

“Vijay along with his team will be flagged off by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank for the Milam Glacier, 55 km northwards from Munsiyari, from where the team will return on May 25,” said Govind Singh Mahar, a spokesman of the BJP, here today. According to the district administration, the lodging and boarding arrangements for the team have been done by the administration and ITBP officers at and beyond Munsiyari. “We have also arranged for the health facility of the team, a panel of the doctors has also been assigned for the team that will look after the health of the team members during their stay at a high altitude,” he said.

The “Seema Darshan” programme of the BJP will simultaneously be started from all bordering towns of the country, including Tawang, Port Blair, Lahaul Spiti, Nathula, Moirang, Jaisalmer, Lakshdeep Barahoti and Chusul pass between May 15 to 17 . “The programme, which will be inaugurated by the senior party leader LK Advani on May 14, aims at, besides boosting the morale of the forces guarding borders, awakening the people living in the border areas about to the international borders of the country,” said the BJP spokesman in the district. 

Dehradun, May 13
After electoral success of the Congress in the Assam, West Bengal and Kerala Assembly elections, Congress MP from Garhwal Satpal Maharaj has asserted that the Congress will register a convincing win in the coming Assembly elections of Uttarakhand.

In a statement issued here today, Satpal Maharaj expressed gratitude to the people of Assam, West Bengal and Kerala for giving success to the party and its allies. He said while corrupt Leftists had been removed, the Congress had formed government in Assam for the consecutive third term, amply revealing that the people have acknowledged the development being done by the Congress.

He appealed the people of Uttarakhand to teach the BJP a lesson in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. He said the state BJP Government was neck deep in corruption and must be ousted.

Uttarakhand Congress president Yashpal Arya has greeted Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the electoral success.

Meanwhile, Congress workers celebrated the party success by bursting crackers and distributing sweets among residents. Dehradun Mahanagar Congress president Harish Virmani said the Congress would also come to power in Uttarakhand.

Haridwar: With the Congress sweeping the poll in Assam and showing significant achievement in West Bengal and Puducherry Assembly elections, party leaders have termed it as a proof of mass acceptability of Congress governance both at the Centre and state levels.

The party’s good showing has given rise to the hope that the Congress will again be voted to power in the next parliamentary elections and in other states, too, where Assembly elections are scheduled for the next few months, including Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed hope that the public had taken the Congress stance against corruption in its stride, be it 2-G spectrum or Commonwealth Games scam. Gehlot was here in Haridwar, speaking on the sidelines while attending a community-based function.

Gehlot pointed that in a majority of the states where the Congress was ruling, the party had retained power and where it was in the opposition, it had bounced back. 

Haridwar,May 13
Though the Maha Kumbh fair was held a year ago, the pilgrim city of Haridwar has still not emerged from the aftereffects of this mega event that saw a record number of devotees, on a global level, coming to the Kumbh city to take a holy dip in the Ganga.

Glimpses of the mega fair that was held from January 1 to April 28 were recalled today at a book-release function written on the mega fair tilted “Maha Kumbh”.

Dignitaries from the saint community, politicians, bureaucrats and varied section of society were present at the book-launch ceremony, written by Gujarat-based young writer, Vimal Upadhyay.

The book was released with fanfare by Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Madan Kaushik, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sudha Rani Pandey, of Uttarakhand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya and Mahant Ravindra Puri ji of Niranjani Akhada. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Alok Sharma who was the mela police chief, said civilisation was our strength and Maha Kumbh was the lone event which catered to the aspirations of all who come to take a dip in the holy Ganga. 

Dehradun, May 13
Under the leadership of Harish Virmani, president, Mahanagar Congress Committee, the Principal of Ann Mary School, Dehradun, was handed over a memorandum appealing to not increase the fee structure by more than 10 per cent, here today.

In view of the complaints of the parents, who are affected by the fee hikes in public schools, the cadre of the Congress committee initiated the drive against corruption in schools. The protesters also appealed to remove the miscellaneous funds from the regular fees of the school. 

Dehradun, May 13
In continuation of the previous token strike held on May 9, the Uttarakhand Advocate Association and the Tax Bar Association, Dehradun, began their indefinite strike from today, in protest against the recent amendments to the VAT law/rules pertaining to e-filing, and the circular issued by the Commissioner, Commercial Tax, in this regard.

President of the Tax Bar Association Vinay Kumar Jain said: “The amendments related to e-filing are totally against the interests of traders and tax advocates, which must be withdrawn. This must be made optional not mandatory, and more convenient”. The introduction of e-filing is against the geological realities of the state, he stated.

Vice-president of the association AP Pundir said the advocates would continue their strike unless their demands were fully met.

Dehradun, May 13
In a rare gesture, an injured baby elephant was rescued and treated by a National Wildlife Board member who happened to be at Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, today.

Some tourists at Corbett, this morning, came across an injured elephant calf in the Dhikala area of the park. The calf had injuries which looked almost a week old. The tourists approached National Wildlife Board member Brijendra Singh who is in Corbett these days and also enjoys the status of honorary wildlife warden of Corbett. Brijendra readily came forward for the rescue of the calf elephant.

Prima facie, one could make out that the wounds were quite severe on the left fore and right hind legs of the calf elephant. But surprisingly, the injuries, despite being old, were not severely decomposed, possibly because of the calf being in water. From all accounts, his mother had abandoned him yesterday.

”After ascertaining the fact and satisfying myself that he had been abandoned and also seeing him quite lively, I called the Range Office, Dhikala, to bring in his crew and the brought the calf to Khinnanauli, inside Corbett, for treatment,” said Brijendra Singh. Dr Bharat Singh, newly engaged vet at Corbett, was asked to treat the wounds. Dr Singh said he would look after the pachyderm till he recuperated from the injuries.

Meanwhile, Dr Singh suggested that Nissar Mahawat, the local Mahawat, be given the responsibly for the upkeep of the calf. Bijendra Singh, who sent Lactogen powder milk and feeding bottles, has also given the calf the name, Neel Bahadur.

Dehra Dun, May 13
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has suspended a Block Development Officer (BDO) and a Junior Engineer (JE) for dereliction of duty, officials said today.

Ganesh Lal, BDO of Laksar in Haridwar district, and JE of the Rural Engineering Department Padam Singh Saini were suspended last evening when they failed to give a satisfactory reply to Nishank on non-utilisation of funds released under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) programme in their area during a surprise inspection, they said.

Taking serious note of the complaints in the appointments of anganwari workers in Laksar, the Chief Minister directed the District Magistrate to hold an inquiry into the functioning of Child Development Programme Office (CDPO) and submit the report to the government at the earliest. — PTI