Nainital, July 9
Kumaon Commissioner Kunal Sharma has ordered a probe into delay in the construction of roads being carried out with the help of Asian Development Bank (ADB).

At a meeting held on the Lake Development Authority premises here yesterday, Sharma constituted a team of senior officials to conduct the probe and submit a report to the office of the respective District Magistrates at the earliest. The team comprises senior officials of the PWD and the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the Chief Development Officer of Nainital district.

He told the District Magistrates of all districts of the region that he was not satisfied with the pace of works being executed with the help of the ADB. He asked them to make use of the money that has been left over with them from the allocation made last year and lay maximum emphasis on the execution of works under the Indira Away Yojana and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Taking stock of repairs and maintenance of roads destroyed during a rain-related disaster last year, Sharma directed officials that the roads be repaired at the earliest. The roads continue to be in a pathetic condition even after 10 months of the incident and officials have also failed to ensure a smooth flow of traffic on these roads.

Sharma has also directed officials of various departments to ensure that 80 per cent of the budgetary allocation made to their departments is used till December. He expressed his concern over the performance of those departments that have failed to utilise even 25 per cent of the funds allocated to them till June. He also called for a mechanism of regularly updating the divisional headquarters on the works being done.

Referring to the issue of water crisis in several parts of the region, the Kumaon Commissioner called upon officials of the Jal Nigam and the Jal Sansthan to work in a close coordination and get the works completed. He also called upon the District Magistrates and the CDOs of the districts to improve their performance with regard to the implementation of a 20-point programme.

Dehradun, July 9
It has been two years since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, almost half of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds, released for Uttarakhand, remain underutilised. The Central Government has increased the budget allocation to Rs 5 crore.

Among the eight MPs from Uttarakhand, MP Pradeep Tamta from Almora is on top in fund utilisation. He has spent 70 per cent of the funds for 2010-2011. While KC Singh Baba, MP from Nainital, spent a total of 23 per cent funds for 2010-2011.

Tehri MP Vijay Bahuguna and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj managed to spend between 35-58 per cent of the allotted funds.

Every parliamentary constituency is entitled to an annual fund of Rs 2 crore, which comes to a total of Rs 10 crore over a five-year term. The government has hiked the fund and now the MPs will have a total of Rs 5 crore at their disposal.

The MPs recommend development works for their constituencies after which the Centre releases the funds to the district authorities.

Whereas Harish Rawat MP from Haridwar utilised 35 per cent of the funds since becoming MP in 2009 and for the period 2010-2011, 2011-2012, he did not spend a single penny from his MP LAD fund.

Satpal Maharaj, MP from Pauri Garhwal, has managed to utilise 30 per cent of his funds in 2010-2011. In the last financial year, his record stood at 56 per cent. The Central Government had sanctioned Rs 987.342 lakh for Pauri under the MPLAD fund. He managed to utilise a total 30 per cent of the funds in 2010-2011.

While Vijay Bahuguna, MP from Tehri, was sanctioned a sum of Rs 700 lakh for his constituency and he managed to spend only 43 per cent of the funds in 2010-2011.

KC Singh Baba, MP from Nainital, spent 23 per cent funds for the period 2010-2011.

While Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Rajya Sabha MP, spent 48 per cent of the funds since his election to the Rajya Sabha.

“The fund never lapses, which means that the MPs also get the funds, left unused by their predecessors,” said Dr Anil Joshi, a social activist.

The MPs, however, say their fund utilisation is dictated by the demands of their constituency. “My focus is to provide water connection to my people and health facilities,” said Satpal Maharaj. 

Haridwar, July 9
Perturbed over the overwhelming response that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lalkaar rally drew yesterday in Haridwar, the opposition Congress as well as other parties blamed it for misusing the administrative machinery.

Congress leaders have alleged that to ensure good turnout to make newly appointed party in-charge Rajnath Singh happy, administrative officers were directed to make sure that many people assemble at the Rishikul ground in support of Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank whose chief ministership is under question owing to the inner party factionism as well as corruption cases filed under his two-year tenure.

City Congress chief OP Chauhan said bus owners and four-wheelers were forcefully told to carry people for the rally.

Similarly, Uttarakhand Congress general secretary Dr Santosh Chauhan sought questions from Rajnath Singh on keeping silence regarding the number of scams held under the Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank governance.

“Be it the Mahakumbh, Sterdia land scam, relief aid scam or misuse of Central aids to the state, the Nishank government has created a record of sort, but party national leaders keep mum as Nishank provides best facilities to these leaders as well as to their families”, commented Dr Chauhan, also a former Uttarakhand Women Commission chairperson.

While in a statement, Haridwar parliamentarian Harish Rawat targeted Rajnath Singh on the issue of black money as the former BJP chief had said in the rally that if the BJP came to power at the Centre, they would bring back the black money stashed in foreign bank accounts.

Rawat said if during the era of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for full six years, they didn’t utter a word, failing to take action on black money and now when they were in opposition, they claimed that they would do it in 18 months. It was nothing but just fooling the common man.

To give a befitting reply to the BJP on holding a rally in the city on the issue of corruption, the Congress district unit has decided to organise various agitations, rallies, effigy burning protests to expose the double standards of the BJP.

District Congress chief Rajendra Singh said soon in this regard a meeting of the district executive office bearers would be held where the future course of strategies be discussed.

Haridwar, July 9
In view of the growing number of incidents related to senior citizens in Haridwar and for the convenience of elderly people coming to take a holy dip in the pilgrim city, the district police has launched a helpline for them.

For long, the Police Department has been feeling the need of having such a helpline so that the senior citizens can convey their problems and complaints by just dialling a telephone number. A helpline response cell team will look into the matter and convey the complaints to the respective police station or provide legal guidance too.

The brain behind this helpline is Senior Superintendent of Police Kewal Khurana who has been thinking of setting up such a helpline since assuming charge three months ago. Any senior citizen having complaint can dial 01334-239-777 where complaints will be accepted round the clock.

Already the helpline is receiving calls which points out the need of such a helpline which is of immense benefit to the senior citizens many of whom are living alone or are facing apathy from their family, neigbhours and the authorities concerned.

Talking to Tribune, SSP Kewal Khurana said Haridwar being a pilgrim city and now also fast taking the shape of an industrial city too, several complaints related to senior citizens used to pile up while in many cases senior citizens felt helpless in reaching out to police.

The police decided to provide them a specialised helpline number so that they can easily convey their complaints as well as fast redressal can also be done.

Notably, this is the second such initiative of the Haridwar SSP as already on his directions a Senior Citizen police post has been formed at Har-Ki-Pauri to assist and look after the old persons, who come for a holy dip.

While Superintendent of Police Dr Kiran Lal Shaw said the department would be advertising this number so that in interiors too the knowledge of existence of such a helpline was known to senior citizens.

The helpline desk receiver personnel said various complaints were pouring in with many thanks calls from senior citizens regarding the formation of the helpline. 

Dehradun, July 9
A major tragedy averted in Dehradun this morning when a helicopter had to make an emergency landing at a school in Purukul village. The helicopter, however, made the safe landing. After about an hour, it flew off to its destination, Shastradhara helipad, the police said.

According to the police, the helicopter flew off from Kullu early in the morning for the Shastradhara helipad. It was all well till it reached near Dehradun. However, reportedly due to bad weather, it had to look for a safe place for landing.

The chopper was later landed at Kasiga School, Purukul village, safely. After weather got cleared, the helicopter flew off to the Shastradhara helipad. The police confirmed nobody was injured in the incident.

Circle Officer (Mussoorie) Shweta Choubey said four persons were in the helicopter, Captain DS Naiyar, Wing Commander, Engineer and co-pilot.

The CO said the chopper was of Global Vectra Helicopters Limited.

Dehradun, July 9
Another morning walker in the temple town of Rishikesh was mauled by an elephant today.

A 78-year-old Srinand Chamoli was on a routine morning walk in the Dhalwala area under the Narendra Forest Division when he had a chance encounter with an elephant around 5.30 am. The elephant gave him no chance to escape and mauled him.

The forest authorities, who rushed to the site of incident, recovered Srinand’s body. The angry Dhalwala residents also expressed resentment over the Forest Department’s failure to check the elephant meance.

Hardly two months back on May 10, an industrialist was mauled by a wild elephant on Rishikesh-Dehradun road during early morning hours.

Victim Rambabu Goyal, owner of Tehri Steel, Rishikesh, was on a morning walk as usual when he had a chance encounter with an elephant on the highway near Forest Chowki during early morning hours. Giving no chance to escape, the elephant mauled Rambabu to death.

Nainital, July 9
Following a dispute over a trivial matter, a man allegedly shot dead his elder brother and later committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance in the Jainti area of Almora. Both were ex-servicemen.

Women residents of the household are also learnt to have sustained injuries from pellets. The incident took place on Thursday night in Damar village of Jainti tehsil.

According to information, 55-year-old Leeladhar had a heated exchange of words with his 65-year-old brother, Laxmi Dutt. Leeladhar was in inebriated state at the time. He allegedly opened fired on his brother from his licensed gun, leaving him dead on the spot. Some pellets also hit their sister Bachuli Devi and the deceased’s wife Dhanuli Devi. The two injured women are being treated in Base Hospital in Almora.

Meanwhile, Laxmi Dutt’s son reported the matter to the revenue police. On the other hand, Leeladhar went to his house and committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance.

When the revenue police reached at the scene, he was found dead in his room. It has confiscated the weapon used in the crime and has also got post- mortem examinations of both done.

Dehradun, July 9
To rein in the tendency of employees to go on strike at the slightest excuse, the Uttarakhand government has decided to implement the Employees Code of Conduct Service Rules vigorously.

The government has released an order to this effect and those employees who participate in a strike individually or as members under any union will now be dismissed without notice.

Though the government has already brought all departments and nigams under the Essential Services Act, under which the ban on strike stays for six months, still state government employees have been resorting to strikes.

To deal with this problem, the government has issued directives asking all departments to ensure that the employees follow service rules.

“The action has been taken in the public interest, besides government departments and undertakings even the nigams fall under this category and employees resorting to strike will be dismissed immediately without issuing show-cause notice,” said Chief Secretary (Uttarakhand ) Subash Kumar.

The government has asked all department heads to impose the rule, no-work no-pay, strictly.