Pithoragarh, July 7
The members of the third batch of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims were helped by the jawans of the ITBP on their return journey as trekking routes became risky due to heavy rain and swollen rivulets.

Sources at the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam base camp said: “The third batch has reached the base camp. The pilgrims were helped by the jawans of the ITBP in crossing swollen rivulets at Nazang, Nampha, Lakhanpur, Malpa and Bundi between the Gala-Gunji trekking route. The route has become very slippery,” said BR Arya, in charge of the base camp at Dharchula.

Meanwhile, the pilgrims of the 6th batch today reached the Gunji base camp. They will be examined by the doctors of the ITBP at the camp before they resume their pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. “The pilgrims of the sixth batch had to face a lot of difficulty while crossing the Jyunghti Nullah, near Malpa though the ITBP rescue team was also there to help them,” said the in charge of the base camp.

The original and the alternative routes to Kailash Mansarovar have been damaged due to landslides and falling stones, as rain continues to lash the area.

“The Dharchula-Narain Ashram route via Kanchoti has been blocked at Kharidhar and the alternative route from Tawaghat to Mangti has still not been cleared of landslide debris at Tintola. The local villagers going to the Darma valley have been stranded at different points,” said sources in the Dharchula subdivisional administration.

According to the sources at the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra base camp, three batches of the pilgrims have returned from Tibet after completing their pilgrimage while the fourth batch has reached Taklakot and will enter the Indian territory the same day when the 6th batch enters the Chinese territory.

“The fifth batch is at the Mount Kailash Parikarma at Derapuk in Tibet,” said Arya.

Dehradun, July 7
Residents of the state will have to brace for a 15 per cent hike in water tariff likely to be announced by the Jal Sansthan anytime.Tariff hikes are becoming the norm for citizens who had to grapple with 5 per cent hike in power and now the impending water tariff hike is expected to hit them hard.

This hike in water tariff is applicable to both domestic and commercial connections. There are around 5 lakh consumers in Uttarakhand, out of which 10 per cent are commercial users.

“The periodical hike of 15 per cent is applicable to both domestic and commercial connections and will be effective from October 2011. The tariff is being increased after three years. It was last increased in 2008,” said SK Gupta, Secretary Administration, Jal Sansthan (Uttarakhand).

Under the Asian Development Bank-assisted programme, metering is under way in Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital districts. Once the entire state is covered, the Jal Sansthan will then fix slabs for tariffs. As of now, flat rates are charged both for rural and urban areas.

“The Jal Sansthan charges flat rates based on the assessment of houses provided by the Municipal Corporation, instead of fixed tariff and volumetric tariff based on actual consumption. These are minimum charges based on annual rental value levied under domestic and commercial consumption,” stressed Gupta.

Significantly, the Khanduri government had scrapped sewer and water tax in 2008, then onwards the minimum charges were fixed on the basis of annual rental value and after every three years the user charges were increased.

“Water rates are not fixed. The government views it as a social obligation though the Jal Sansthan has to contend with mounting electricity bills amounting to more than Rs 42 crore annually. The implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission has added more burden,” Gupta said.

In view of the election year, the government may have to contend with opposition from the political parties and even the residents. The voices of discontent are expected to get shriller as the election days draw near.

Haridwar, July 7
A day after former Union Cabinet Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, also a former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, had shown the signs of alienating from the third front parties, all eyes are on tomorrow’s “maha rally” scheduled to be held in Haridwar where newly appointed state in charge of the BJP Rajnath Singh will be addressing the gathering.

While the focus of the rally is the issues of corruption, economic policies of the UPA government and presenting the BJP as the best available option both at the state and central levels, suddenly the party’s office-bearers are now making it sure that all the factions in the party remain present at the rally.

The organisers of the rally informed The Tribune that the rally would silence both its critics as well as the Opposition parties.

State Excise Cabinet Minister and local legislator Madan Kaushik, who is in charge of the mega rally, denied factionalism in the BJP, saying that the presence of all the party leaders from the 13 districts of the state will silence those who are spreading rumours with an eye on the 2012 Assembly elections. Moreover, the party high command has stated that the next Assembly elections will be held under the joint leadership of current Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and former Chief Ministers Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Bhagat Singh Koshyari, he added.

The rally will start at Rishikul at 2 pm. The district chief of the BJP, Om Prakash Jamdagni, has claimed more than 15,000 party workers will attend the rally besides common people. Prominent national leaders like former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti, former Uttarakhand Chief Ministers Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and BC Khanduri, Bishan Singh Chufal, Bachi Singh Rawat and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will be sharing the dais at the rally.

Meanwhile, activists of the BJP from both Garhwal and Kumaon divisions have started reaching Haridwar, many by the party-funded buses. They were carrying the banners and posters of their favourite leaders namely Nishank, Khanduri and Koshiyari. It proves that all is not well in the party.

Dehradun, July 7
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank paid a courtesy call on former Chief Minister BC Khanduri at his residence yesterday, leading to speculation.Sources claim that there is a definitive thaw in their relationship as both the leaders had talked for 30 minutes. The prevailing political scenario and the affairs of the state figured during their discussion.

Terming the meeting as a courtesy call, senior BJP leaders said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.

Both the leaders also discussed the preparations for the Haridwar rally, which would take place tomorrow, and the possibility that both the leaders would be sharing the same platform seemed certain.

The meeting gains importance as yesterday efforts were being made to get the third front going and there were even rumours that Khanduri would be roped in to head the front.

It is believed that Khanduri had a busy day yesterday with senior BJP leaders Manohar Kant Dhyani and Dhan Singh Rawat also meeting the former Chief Minister.

Dehradun, July 7
Thousands of devotees gathered in the city to take part in the celebrations of the 207th moorti sthapna divas at the Maa Daat Kali temple today. They took out a religious procession that commenced from Shivaji Dharamshala.

A large number of idols of gods and goddesses were displayed in the form of tableaus while artistes from Mathura-Vrindavan, dressed in the attires of gods and goddesses, followed the procession.

The procession passed through the Saharanpur Chowk, Jhanda Bazar, Ramlila Bazar, Peepal Mandi, Dhamawala Bazar, Paltan Bazar, Clock Tower, Chakrata Road and Bindalpur.

The yatra is taken out in July every year. Devotees also apply colours to one other and explode crackers to celebrate the day.

Haridwar, July 7
It has been now almost three months since the academic session got started, but, shockingly, due to the lackadaisical attitude of the state Education Department, children from Classes I to VIII have not been provided the full set of books.

This delay is proving costly as the students are not able to learn their subjects. The books are not available with the District Education Office.

Till date, only 30 syllabus books have been provided to the students while it’s not clear when the full sets of books will be provided to the students who are forced to read the available books only.

Their time is being spent in playground or just roaming around the school campus as teachers are also helpless in absence of books.

Puspha Rani Verma, Additional Basic District Education Officer, said they were providing the books to schools though the full sets had not been reached. The sets would be provided once the office received these.

Resentment is visible among parents as despite apprising the authorities concerned every time they get the same reply that the full set of books have not reached the Haridwar office, reasons better known to the department only.

Sulochna Shah, a parent, said none was serious about the future of the students as it’s almost three months since the session began and children were spending school time without books.

“We didn’t knew that this would be the fate of our children, otherwise we would have purchased all books prior to the session. Now we will make sure from the next academic session that books are available in full in the very first week of the academic session”, said Anwar Ali, whose children study at Jwalapur school.

Dehradun, July 7
Eleven employees of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), who have been engaged in quarrying and demanding that they be put on regular service for long, have been provided immediate relief by an order of the High Court, Nainital, dated June 24, according to which the GMVN could no longer suspend the services of these employees.

The order is certainly a blow to the nigam, which is already reeling under a tremendous burden of managing salaries to its surplus work force of 2,100 employees.

The rest of the 69 employees engaged in quarrying are also hoping that they would not be treated differently, as the order applied to them as well. But, it is yet to be seen how the officials react to the order.

General Manager of the nigam UC Kabadwal said a major chunk of employees in the GMVN were facilitated entry by politicians to oblige people of their constituencies or supporters. This imbalance of huge workforce of employees in comparison to limited scope of work has depleted nigam’s coffers. In the present case too, he blamed a politician office-bearer of the nigam for having fanned the agitation of these 80 employees who ultimately got relief from High Court. These employees would thus continue to get a salary of Rs 5,000 per month even when they sit idle for three months from July to September, when quarrying remained banned in many parts of the state, he added.

It is to be noted that the quarrying activities slowed down after 2008.

Surender Rawat, an employee engaged in quarrying, said: “It is none of our fault that quarrying has been banned for the three months of the Monsoon season since 2008. Our families suffered a great deal as we did not get salaries for these three months. At times, the work starts quite late because of delay in getting the permission for quarrying. Finally, I had to approach the Labour Court in 2010 seeking a regular service under the equal-position-equal-pay criterion. Labor Court did not have the jurisdiction to pronounce a judgment in this case, so we moved the HC, which has directed the GMVN to maintain the status quo of the employees’ service as it existed when they were employed in the nigam.”

Rawat lamented the biased approach of the GMVN, which absorbed the abandoned staff of the liquor branch of the nigam after it was closed down in early 2000 but did not extend the same facility to employees engaged in quarrying.

It is to be noted that the employees union of the GMVN did not extend its support to these 80-odd employees for the sheer reason that they were not regular employees.

Nainital, July 7
A visit to the Lake City is incomplete till the visitor takes a round of the Naini Lake in a boat. Boating is one of the distinct attractions of the town but the plight of boatmen who run this small unorganised enterprise is fraught with problems like the glaring absence of basic amenities.

Ram Singh, secretary of the Boat Owners Committee (Nav Maalik Samiti), laments at the deteriorating condition of the boat stand, saying,“There should be a tin roof to serve as a shelter exclusively for us during the monsoon. The surroundings should be beautified and the broken steps repaired. There is no proper platform for customers to de-board. For now, our union is busy settling payment matters with the Nagar Palika Parishad.”

The union claims to have entered into a contract with the parishad. However, facilities like midday meals and housing are not provided to these boatmen who work on 12-hour shifts from 7 am to 7 pm. “We need some sort of financial backing from the authorities,” says Ram Singh. The boatmen point out that there is nobody to guard the boats docked at the stand after nightfall.

Kishan Lal, who has been in the business for 35 years, says that contrary to popular perception row boats are not an environmental hazard. He condemns the use of paddle boats, about 90 of which are operating in the lake.

“The machinery of the paddle boats is such that it churns the mud and moss and brings it to the surface. Not only does this make the lake look unpleasant but it also destroys the habitat of the fish. Today, there is hardly any moss to be seen in the lake. These contraptions were banned till 1980. Once a permit has been issued, very rarely is it revoked.”

With no strict anti-pollution laws being enforced, these boatmen are helpless as tourists throw corncobs and empty plastic packets into the lake while boating. “We tell them not to dirty the lake. But who listens? There is always a vague smell in the lake now,” says Jagdeesh, another boat rower.

The administration has hardly shown any proactive stance when it comes to checking nuisance caused by tourists boating in the lake. At a recent meeting called by IG (Kumaon Range) RS Meena before the beginning of the tourist season, a representative of the boatmen had pointed out that tourists smuggle liquor in the bags carried by women accompanying them and indulge in drinking while boating in the lake. Nothing was done to check this.

Jagdeesh also complains of the decrease in earnings over the years for whole-time boatmen like him. “I have difficulty supporting my family. It is hard to make ends meet as this is my only source of income.Rowers coming from other parts of Kumaon stay only during the tourist season. They have small plots of agricultural land to support them all the year round.”

The boatmen in the town seek a social security mechanism that would make them feel a bit more secure in the tough times.

Dehradun, July7
Leopard skin seizures in Uttarakhand this year have already touched a figure of 25. Yesterday three persons were apprehended while in the possession of a leopard skin in the temple town of Rishikesh.

The arrest came after a joint operation was undertaken by the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s anti-poaching cell in collaboration with the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and the Endangered Flora and Fauna on Earth Conservation Team (EFFECT).

According to WPSI sources, at least 25 leopard skins have been confiscated from various parts of Uttarakhand so far this year.

Rajendra Agarwal, Uttarakhand head of the WPSI, said the Forest Department had failed to check the unlawful leopard skin trade in Uttarakhand. He feared a bigger leopard skin trade network in the region.Many persons with skins could have managed to deceive the police and the forest authorities.

Agarwal pointed out that poachers often exploited villagers who were the victims of the leopard menace. Villagers often poison the carcasses of cattle killed by leopards which ultimately causes the death of the wild cat that feeds on the carcass.

Significantly, the Uttarakhand Forest Department recenttly hiked the compensation for leopard attack victims. The department has also ensured hastening of the process of delivery of compensation. Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden Srikant Chandola said while they had been quite strict in dealing with anti-wildlife elements in the state, the compensation for those affected in wildlife attack cases had also been increased simultaneously.

Dehradun, July 7
Policemen of the same batch of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh opting for mutual transfer under a policy of the police will have to wait for sometime as the applications of the last slot are already under consideration with the Rajya Paramarsh Samiti.

As per police sources, the state government a few days ago asked the Uttarakhand Police to act on mutual transfer of the cops who are from UP. To this the police replied that they were waiting for the final approval of the advisory council and after that it could transfer policemen.

The police said no transfer under this scheme could be done until the advisory cleared the list of the cops sent to it last time. A total of about 50 persons are on the list.

JC Pandey, Inspector General of Police (Headquarter and Personnel), said, “We recently sent a list of 36 policemen to the Rajya Paramarsh Samiti who were seeking mutual transfer and it is under consideration with the council. There are a total of 50 such cops on the list.”

“The administration had asked us to transfer cops but we apprised it that until the last list was cleared by the council, more transfers couldn’t be done,” added the IG.

Most of the policemen who sought the transfer are constables and the ministerial staff. The non-gazetted staff of the department can opt for the mutual transfer provided they are of the same batch to avoid controversy in promotion later.

Dehradun, July 7
Congress Central observer Rajender Chaudhury called upon the district and block leaders of the party to immediately set up booth and block committees 
in view of the 2012 assembly elections.

At a meeting of Congress workers, Chaudhury stressed on block level coordination and asked senior leaders to elicit views of grassroot workers so that the party could prepare better for the elections.

Spokesperson of the Congress (State) Rajeev Maharishi said Congress in-charge (Uttarakhand) Virender Singh had asked the party workers to work unitedly for strengthening the party.

Senior leader Pramod Singh also addressed the party workers.