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Commissioner begins probe into Rudrapur violence
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Riots take a toll on industry
Curfew prevents Cong team from visiting town
Dispelling rumours challenge for admn
Villagers’ fast takes on political hue
Controversy over varsity Registrar’s appointment
Shortage of teachers in primary schools
New technique to help women patients
Bodies of 3 villagers found
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Khanduri at PM’s door with demands
Dehradun, October 5 He also discussed the wide-ranging issues concerning the state. Khanduri also shared with the Prime Minister some issues he had raised during his meeting with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee a couple of days ago relating to long overdue pension liabilities to be paid by the government of Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand after the partition of Uttar Pradesh. Khanduri told the Prime Minister that Uttarakhand faced the same geographic and economic problems as faced by the North-Eastern states and Uttarakhand should also be treated on a par with these states and provided central funding on the 90:10 basis. And that too on a non-lapsable basis. Khanduri also requested him to introduce new scheme for development of the Himalayan agriculture in the 12th Five-Year Plan as the Himalayan region produced speciality crops like aromatics plants, spices, pulses, red rice etc. He also demanded that the industrial package for the state should be extended up to March 31, 2017. On this score, the Assemblies of Uttarakhand and Himanchal Pradesh had passed unanimous resolutions earlier to extend the industrial package to these states to March 31, 2020. Also, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the leader of the Oopposition in the Rajya Sabha, Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand and Himanchal Pradesh and the Chairman of the BJP parliamentary party had jointly met Prime Minister on July 7, 2010, for the extension of industrial package. Khanduri brought home the points before the Prime Minister that the road, rail and air communication infrastructure was inadequate in Uttarakhand and requested for special big-ticket projects for all-weather roads, bridges, air-strips and helipads. He also requested Manmohan Singh to issue necessary directives to the Railway Ministry to bear the entire cost of development of new railway lines in Uttarakhand. Khanduri also drew the attention of the Prime Minister towards the shutdown of hydro power projects and the loss incurred thereon in the state. Though earlier compensation for the loss of these projects was offered at the meeting of the Ganga Management Plan headed by the Prime Minister, till date nothing had been done, he said. Khanduri also appealed to the Prime Minister that the techno-economic clearance of a number of hydro projects pending with the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Water Commission should be expedited speedily. The Chief Minister also discussed with the Prime Minister the economic advantages of the state covered by forests and glaciers which are an environmental asset to the whole country. The estimated benefit as assessed by an expert group of the Planning Commission comes around Rs 35,000 crore annually, he claimed.
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Meets Advani, too
Dehradun, October 5 Earlier in the day, Khanduri visited Uttarakhand Bhawan at Chanakyapuri, which was under construction and directed officers for its early completion and better quality of construction work. He said the bhawan must reflect the culture of Uttarakhand. Chief Resident Commissioner SK Mattu, Investment Commissioner JP Mamgain and Additional Investment Commissioner SD Sharma were also present.
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Commissioner begins probe into Rudrapur violence
Nainital, October 5 Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed in Rudrapur town for two hours on Wednesday afternoon. No untoward incident has been reported from the curfew-bound areas and the situation is said to be under control. Newly appointed District Magistrate PS Jangpangi has stated that after monitoring the situation the administration might give some relaxation in curfew on Thursday also which happens to be the Hindu festival of Vijay Dashmi. During the two-hour relaxation in curfew given on Wednesday, the people thronged the markets to purchase essentials. They had been facing a tough time since curfew was imposed in the town on Sunday. The worst hit were those who have food at eating joints and dhabas as they were compelled to survive on packaged snacks like biscuits, etc. Also badly hit were the ailing and the aged who had to wait for relaxation in curfew to procure their regular supply of medicines. More than 150 persons are learnt to have been rounded up by the police. The officials say those responsible for rioting would not be spared. After starting his probe into the rioting that left four dead and scores of people injured besides there being a large-scale damage to the infrastructure, Nabyal has stated that his probe would focus on the issue of whether the riots were preplanned. It would also take into account the role of the officials in dealing with the situation, the relevance of the decisions taken and whether the steps taken to control the situation were adequate. He has also pointed out that apart from pinning down the responsibility of the riots on the guilty, the probe would also tabulate the losses incurred in terms of the damage to the infrastructure in general and the public property in particular. He has appealed to the people that anyone wanting to say anything that would help in the conduct of the probe must make a submission at his office in writing or with documentary evidence by October 7. His office has been set up in the Inspection Building of the PWD and the phone number of the office is 05944-243319.
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Riots take a toll on industry
Nainital, October 5 Talking to The Tribune, the president of the Kumaon Garhwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) Darbara Singh disclosed, “The industry is among the worst hit. We alone have 750 units registered with us and the losses are around Rs 150 crore per day. We do not know when the full-scale production will resume in the industrial units.” He further stated, “Most of the workforce of the industrial units, located in the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttaranchal (SIDCUL) hubs, reside in Rudrapur. With
curfew being imposed in the town, they are just tied to their homes.” Even those who come from adjoining areas of Rudrapur are not venturing out due to the fear of their safety. Darbara Singh further underlined that the industrial units were highly dependent on each other as every unit manufactured some small components which were later assembled together to produce bigger products by big industrial houses. So all units had to work in complete cohesion to keep the industrial economy of the place going. Udham Singh Nagar is perhaps the most developed district of the state in terms of industrialisation. Some of the most prominent industrial houses of the country have set up their manufacturing units in the SIDCUL hubs in the district like the Tatas, who have a mini truck and Nano manufacturing facility in Pantnagar. Others like Ashok Leyland, Mahindra and Mahindra, Nestle and Perfetti van Melie also have their manufacturing base in the district along with several others. There are media reports coming from Mumbai that companies with their head offices there have expressed concern over the halt in production in the industrial units in Rudrapur. Over the first decade of Uttrakhand coming into existence, Udham Singh Nagar, particularly the areas of Rudrapur and its surroundings, have emerged as the economic centre of the state. The riots have hit directly at the nerve centre of this hub. These industrial units are a major source of employment to the local youth from the Terai and hilly areas of the Kumaon region. Industrialists are worried over the fact that the production has come to a standstill in the festive season during which the demand for various products is at its peak across the country. |
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Curfew prevents Cong team from visiting town
Dehradun, October 5 Since the town is still under curfew, the visiting team of the Congress leaders could not visit Rudrapur and remained content with having confabulations at the airport with Congress leader headed by Rudrapur legislature Tilakraj Behad. A local Congress team apprised the visiting leaders of the developments and the alleged active role played by a BJP leader in the entire episode. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and state media in charge of Uttarakhand Congress Indira Hariydesh sat on a one-day “Sadbhawna” fast at Haldwani in protest against the communal violence in the nearby Rudrapur town. A large number of Congress workers took part in the fast undertaken by her.
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Dispelling rumours challenge for admn
Nainital, October 5 In fact, dispelling the rumours that have been making the rounds since the outbreak of violence between the members of two communities in the town on Sunday has emerged as a major challenge for the law and order-enforcing machinery across Kumaon. The rumour mongering is learnt to be at its worst in the places that are in the vicinity of the town like Haldwani, Nainital, Ramnagar, Kashipur, Kitcha, Sitarganj and Pantnagar. The police and the administration have been making regular appeals to the people not to succumb to the lies being peddled around either by word of mouth or by mobile SMSes and Internet chats. Help has been sought from the peace committees in these towns to make appeals to the people to maintain calm. The police is laying particular emphasis on taking identity proofs of customers willing to make use of Internet facilities in cyber cafes and those seeking stay facilities in various hotels in the region. Certain small time politicians, in their attempt to reap some benefits, are also making all sorts of unofficial statements with regards to the people being nabbed for creating trouble. A positive step that has been taken by the police is that it is not allowing people known for rabble rousing to enter the town of Rudrapur. Most of such elements are being turned back from various check posts set up on the borders of the town. Sources say that the Chief Minister, Major-Gen Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (retd), was visibly annoyed during his video conference with the top brass of various districts on Tuesday regarding permission having been granted to people to carry out a peace march in Haldwani. People had turned out in large numbers. General Khanduri had allegedly aired apprehensions that such a large turnout of people must be avoided in the present circumstances as it provided an opportunity to trouble makers. |
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Villagers’ fast takes on political hue
Pithoragarh, October 5 Former Congress minister and MLA from Jageswar (Almora) Govind Singh Kunjwal today reached the dharna spot and sat on the dharna supporting the cause. “This movement has proved that the state BJP government did nothing to improve the lots of the people living in the remote areas of the state in the last five years,” said Kunjwal, addressing a public meeting organised on the occasion. Meanwhile, BJP state president Bishen Singh Chufal today announced that the government had sanctioned four new roads for the Munsiyari subdivision. “With the construction of these roads, which are from Kaithi Band to Jauldhunga (8km), Darkot to Namjala (2km), Bansbagar to Malla Kotapandrahapala (6km) and from the BRO camp to Darkot (2km), most of the villages of the subdivision will be connected with these roads,” claimed Chufal. Before the Jageswar Congress MLA reached the spot to extend his support to Harsh Dhami, the leader of the villagers, who has been on an indefinite fast, another Congress leader from the sub-division Mayukh Singh Mahar, Congress legislator from the Kanalichhina Assembly segment of Pithoragarh, to came to extend his support. “The BJP government has deprived the border areas of the basic facilities which is the real model of the much-boasted development claims of the party,” said Mayukh Singh Mahar. Besides these legislators, representatives of Almora Congress MP Pradeep Tamta, and other Congress leaders reached the spot to extend their support to
the agitation. “The villagers of the areas across the river had been demanding road from the past 16 years, but the government is busy in keeping the people in a fix in the name of surveying the proposals and making people suffer,” said Harish Dhami. Meanwhile, the villagers from the area continued their agitation on the 19th day here today.
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Controversy over varsity Registrar’s appointment
Haridwar, October 5 Factionalism among university office-bearers and the faculty has bearing on the appointment of the Registrar. According to information, in 2010, the then Vice-Chancellor of the university, Sudha Rani Pandey, and Registrar Sudhir Budakoti had a dispute over the issue of the affiliation of the BEd course run by the university. Following this, Budakoti was removed from the post of Registrar, creating resentment among teachers and student outfits. Later, Chandra Singh Mehta was appointed Registrar. However, due to his sudden death, Prof MC Balodi was given temporary charge. Last week, when Balodi was to be given full charge, he refused taking the charge citing some personal reasons. However, insiders attribute this to factionalism between two groups of teachers of the university, which made Balodi realise that his tenure would also not be peaceful. On the other hand, Vice-Chancellor of the university has refuted any controversy surrounding the non-acceptance of Balodi as the Registrar. She said if any doubts were there, she would be talking to Balodi to make sure that no such misunderstanding should be the reason behind his decision. Balodi has, however, accepted that a section of the university teaching staff did not want him continue with this post that forced him to decline the offer. He said for the past few years, this factionalism had not only been taking a toll on the working of the university, but also on studies. Meanwhile, the ABVP has come out in support of Balodi’s appointment and has urged the Chief Minister to look into the matter. “Fearing that their fake appointment will be exposed by an honest Registrar, these teachers are mounting pressure on the university authorities to not to appoint Balodi as Registrar,”said Anil Chaubey of the student outfit.
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Shortage of teachers in primary schools
Pithoragarh, October 5 Madan Singh Rawat, Additional District Education Officer, Bageshwar, said 68 primary schools were facing closure as they had neither teachers nor students. Educated jobless youths have demanded that they should be recruited in such schools where there is a shortage of teachers. “We have been urging the authorities to resume the Special Basic Teachers Training Course in the state to fill vacant posts of primary teachers in the remote areas. However, instead of giving employment to the jobless youth, the government has preferred to close these schools,” said Bhaskar Mishra, state president of the Trained Unemployed Youths Association. According to Education Department sources, the Kapkot block was the worst hit, where 34 primary schools were without teachers. These schools were likely to be attached to nearby schools, they added. State Social Welfare Minister Balwant Singh Bhauriyal has taken cognisance of a shortage of teachers in schools in the Kapkot block and said the government would look into the problem. He claimed that the situation would improve after the training of the ongoing batches of the BTC and Shiksya Mitra was over.
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New technique to help women patients
Dehradun, October 5 As the abdomen is not disturbed during the procedure, the operation also does not involves scars and it promises speedy recovery. Women with uterine fibroids and cysts can immensely benefit from the procedure that involves less number of days at hospital. “Since the introduction of the procedure two months ago, the hospital has attended to nearly 60 cases so far. The response of the patients has been extremely good. The hospital has hired Dr Luna Pant, an expert in this field, who has been performing these operations,” said Dr Deepa Sharma, Chief Medical Superintendent of the hospital. Earlier, uterine fibroids and cysts were removed by performing abdominal surgery through the traditional method. In this method, there is much blood loss due to large incisions and patients take time to heal.
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KV student wins bronze in skating event
Dehradun, October 5 In the competition, a total of 445 skaters participated from across India in the speed-skating event, including rink races and road races in quad and Inline groups. A total of 24 skaters participated from the Uttarakhand team in Rink I, II and road race 5 km in U-11, U-14, U-17 and U-19. All members of the Association of Roller Skating, Uttarakhand, has congratulated Bhandari. The secretary, Arvind Gupta, conveyed thanks to his parents and the school management for their kind support and co-operation.
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Pithoragarh, October 5 “We have found the bodies of Mahipal Singh, Sandip Singh and Har Singh at Pancheswar Ghat, 22 km downstream from the site of where they drowned,” said NA Bharane, SP, Pithoragarh. “The body of the fourth person, Shankar Singh, is being searched by a six-member team of the water police, which has been called from Haridwar for the purpose,” he said. “The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and thereafter these will be handed over to the relatives of the deceased,” said the SP. The body of Mahipal was found in the river by KMVN employees on October 3 while the bodies of Sandip Singh and Har Singh were found by the police and the KMVN staff today.
— OC
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Dehradun, October 5
