Assembly passes Lokayukta Bill
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
The Uttarakhand Assembly today unanimously passed the much-awaited Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill, thereby becoming the first state in the country to adopt a Bill that has been inspired by Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill.

Along with the Lokayukta Bill, the Assembly also passed the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Uttarakhand University Bill.

On Monday, Chief Minister BC Khanduri had tabled the Lokayukta Bill in the Assembly as soon as the the session resumed. Soon after taking over as the office of the Chief Minister on September 11, Khanduri had announced to bring in a stronger and an effective Lokayukta Bill within two months.

The Uttarakhand Government had even held consultations with members of Anna Hazare’s team, who had visited the capital a few days ago.

Former Chief Ministers, former ministers and retired officers will also be under purview of the Lokayukta. Lower judiciary will also be covered while the judges of the Uttarakhand High Court will not come under its purview.

The BJP government is hoping to reap electoral dividends in the coming Assembly elections. 

House witnesses unruly scenes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
The Uttarakhand Assembly on Tueday witnessed unruly scenes as the ruling alliance member Om Gopal Rawat of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and independent Kazi Nizamuddin (unattached) nearly came to blows with each other.

Demanding tabling of the Kaushik Committee report (constituted to resolve the caste certificate issue) the Opposition members from the BSP and independent Qazi Nizamuddin started raising slogans during zero hour. In the meantime Qazi Nizamuddin raised a placard in support of tabling of the report on caste certificates. This infuriated UKD member Om Gopal Rawat who sprinted from the side of the treasury benches and tore the placard.

Within minutes, angry BSP member Surender Rakesh too came in Qazi Nizamuddin’s support. A heated exchange followed between Om Gopal Rawat and Surender Rakesh as both members used foul language against each other. Om Gopal Rawat termed the report as anti-hill people while Surender Rakesh called for tabling of the report so that the issue of certificates could be resolved.

However, the determined members of the BJP and the Congress were successful in pacifying the agitated members. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prakash Pant appealed for calm but it was ignored, prompting Speaker Harbans Kapoor to leave the House in a huff. Later, the House was adjourned till 3 pm. Qazi Nizamuddin then staged a dharna on the Assembly premises, with two Congress members lending him support.

Outside the House, Congress leader Yashpal criticised the members for losing their cool and stressed on maintaining the dignity of the House.

Similar sentiments echoed inside the House as it reconvened in the evening, with Pant and Leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat also urging the legislators not to lower the dignity of the House through their conduct. 

Irregularities during ND Tiwari’s tenure
Govt refers 17 cases to Vigilance for legal action
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
In a move aimed at deflecting public attention from various alleged scandals in which it found itself during its four and a half years of rule, the BJP-led Uttarakhand Government has referred 17 cases of alleged irregularities committed during the previous Congress regime of ND Tiwari to the Vigilance Department for appropriate legal action.

The Commission of Inquiry, which was constituted to investigate alleged irregularities that took place in different state departments under the Congress regime between 2002 and 2007, has found irregularities at the level of public servants in 17 cases.

The state government has sent all these 17 cases to the Vigilance with directions that suitable statutory action be initiated in the cases where any irregularity is found to be committed by a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to information, the cases in which “irregularities” have been found included the leasing out of the government’s horticulture gardens, a dispute relating to Matela Cold Storage, irregularities in the purchase of equipment for ITIs, a fraudulent transaction in the allotted budget, embezzlement of crores of rupees without any construction of canals, the purchase of medicines by the Health Department, corruption in the recruitment of pharmacists and drivers, financial irregularities in a disaster management work plan prepared for the landslide that had taken place at the Varunavat mountain in Uttarkashi, extending assistance to Education Guarantee Centres and Maktab Madarsas opened in an irregular manner in Nainital by the Uttarakhand Education Board, Dehradun, corrupt practices by former Divisional Forest Officer Laxman Singh Rawat of the Tons Forest division, misuse of government grants by the Nagar Panchayat, Dineshpur, irregularities by the Sports Department and the Maharana Pratap Sports College Society, Raipur, that is functioning under its control, the construction of fake guhls (irrigation canals) by the Minor Irrigation Department, corruption in the purchase of computers by the Department of Information Technology after 2002, purchase of computers worth Rs 15 crore by the Department of Information Technology and forcibly imposing these computers on the departments, another case of irregularity related to the purchase of computers by the department, irregular appointments and the misuse of government money by GB Pant Engineering College, Ghurdauri (Pauri), earning profit by allocating the natural disaster management funds budget in a wilful manner and another case pertaining to the misuse of government money in between 2002 and 2007.

Soon after taking over the reins of power in the state,the BJP government, headed by Chief Minister BC.Khanduri, had constituted the Commission of Inquiry in September 2007 to conduct investigations related to “irregularities” that took place in different government departments during the Congress regime from 2002 to 2007.

In all, the commission was handed over 68 cases. Investigations in 60 cases have been completed. 

Single-teacher schools norm in state 
2,971 schools are being run by a teacher each
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
The primary schools in the state continue to face a shortage of teachers and single-teacher schools are the norm in the state with teachers skipping classes and attending these twice a month in some schools.

While replying to a question raised by MLA Om Gopal Rawat during question hour in the Assembly today, School Education Minister Matbar Singh Kandari said there were a total of 2,971 schools being run by a teacher each.

The minister is trying every effort to bridge the gap by recruiting teachers and 1,268 BTC teachers (batch II and III) have been posted in the hill areas for three months. Similarly 822 BTC (correspondence) teachers too have been sent to the hills to temporarily fill the gap. A total of 3,372 teachers have been sent to these schools on a temporary basis.

The minister also said the teachers were unduly burdened with election and census duties. However, MLA Om Gopal Rawat said at Bonth that falls in Tehri district, the teacher posted there had failed to show up for the past several months. The minister assured the member that a provision would be made for a regular teacher in this school within five days.

IT Park

An investment of Rs 190.90 crore has been made at the IT Park (Sahastradhara) by private players and a total of 14.59 acres has been allotted to them. Replying to a question raised by Pritam Singh of the Congress, Industries Minister Prakash Pant said the Uttarakhand Government had so far approved 22 proposals and work had begun under eight proposals. He also said arbitration was under way regarding the Tower project. The minister also pointed out that from time to time the State Infrastructure Development and Industrial Development Corporation Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) had launched publicity campaigns to attract investment in the IT Park project. In order to draw prospective investors to set up units at the IT Park, the Uttarakhand Government had spent Rs 39 lakh on publicity during the past 
few years.

Khushiyon ki Sawari

While accepting notice under rule 58, Congress MLA Ranjit Rawat brought to the notice of the House about corruption in hiring of vans under the recently launched Khushiyon ki Sawari scheme, a part of the National Rural Health Mission.

The member pointed out instead of using vans that could ferry a mother and her newborn to her home soon after being discharged from a hospital, Altos are being used in the hills putting the lives of the mother and her newborn to risk

However, Health Minister Banshidhar Bhagat could only assure the member of speedy action. He looked completely lost on the issue.

Backlog of vacancies

Leader of the BSP Surender Rakesh also raised the issue of clearing backlog of vacancies pertaining to the SC and ST communities and especially asked the government to follow the constitutional guidelines while preparing service rules for contractual employees whose services are likely to be regularised.

House rent case

On the last day of the session, MLA Kishore Upadhyay managed to raise the issue of his unceremonious exit from ministerial house and even sat in the well of the House briefly demanding that the government should withdraw the order issued to him regarding the payment of rent. However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prakash Pant said the matter had been examined by the state and there had been a practice by the MLAs to make payment of the rent. 

UPP to devise poll strategy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
A high-level meeting of the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) will be held at Haldwani on November 5 where the leaders of the party will devise a strategy for the coming Assembly poll.

In a statement released by party president PC Tiwari here today, he said the UPP was emerging as an important political party capable of bringing about an overhaul of the present social and political system in the state.

He said besides reviewing the performance of the various programmes started by the party, they would also discuss the selection of the candidates for the election.

The prominent leaders who will be attending the meeting are Prabhat Dhyani, MC Kandpal, Pratap Singh, Prem Sundriyal and Gangagiri Goswami. 

Rudrapur violence: Society holds token protest near Assembly
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
Demanding a judicial probe and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for those who lost their lives and 
property in the Rudrapur communal riots, the Minority Welfare Society held a token protest near the state Assembly today.

Sibte Nabi, president of the society, said the government should order a judicial probe into the Rudrapur riots so that the perpetrators of the act could be unmasked.

Senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana, who also participated in the token protest, said the Rudrapur riots were unprecedented and the mastermind behind the “organised” riots should be booked.

The main demands of the society included government job to at least one member of the family which lost their member in the riots, innocent persons be released, compensation be given to 100 shopkeepers whose shops were burnt in the riots and those who are found guilty for initiating the riots be booked under the National Security Act.

Among those who participated in the protest were Nizam Akhtar, Ratan Singh and Razia Beig. 

Sonia Gandhi has ‘agreed to lay stone of rly line’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
Satpal Maharaj, Lok Sabha MP from Garhwal and Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in a statement released here today said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had agreed to lay the foundation stone of the of the railway line from Rishikesh to Karnprayag on November 9 at Gauchar in Chamoli district.

Union Minister for Railways Dinesh Trivedi would accompany Sonia Gandhi.

Regarding objections being raised by ruling BJP leaders in the state to the Congress President laying the foundation stone, he stated that it showed the narrow mentality of the BJP leaders. Sonia Gandhi was also the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council with Cabinet status which was a constitutional post.

He said that respecting the sentiments of Uttarakhand people he had been making efforts to get clearance for this railway line for the past 15 years. Satpal Maharaj had in 1996 as Union Minister of State for Railways inaugurated the survey of the railway line.

He stated that the railway line would bring about development, help stop migration from the hills and promote tourism in the state.

Team Anna ‘should contest parliamentary elections’
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 1
A general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, Chaudhari Birender Singh, has asked Team Anna to contest the next parliamentary elections to know the real opinion of the public on its anti-Congress tirade.

Birender Singh, who was speaking to The Tribune in Haridwar, reacted sharply to the question that Team Anna’s campaigning in the Hisar byelection resulted in a massive defeat for Congress candidate Jai Prakash.“Not much should be seen in this single Assembly election. Several factors resulted in the Congress candidate’s defeat, particularly the Jat-non Jat factor”.

“If Anna Hazare thinks this is the verdict of the public, he doesn’t understand politics nor the opinion of the common man. If he wants to have a pan-India litmus test, he should contest the elections and will get to know the reality,” added Birender Singh.

Regarding resentment among Congress leaders over the joining of Ambrish Kumar and Qazi Nizamuddin, he said the ultimate aim was to ensure that the party won the coming Assembly elections. The criterion in this regard was “strong winning candidates.”

On whether the party would opt for star campaigners, Birender Singh,who is also the Uttarakhand election in charge for the coming Assembly poll,said that there was no issue over taking the services of veteran Congress leader ND Tiwari.

“He (Tewari) has served as Union Finance Minister, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand five times and has 60 years of political experience. So it will be in the party interest to rope him for campaigning,” he said.

He urged party workers to have direct contact with voters and expressed confidence that this time the Congress would win the maximum number of seats in the districts of Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun.

BSP candidate holds convention
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate for the coming Assembly poll from the Sahaspur area, Sahib Singh Pundir, held a “Kshatriya Brotherhood” convention at Selaqui today where chief guest and party election in charge Meghraj Singh Jaraware expressed confidence in registering an unprecedented success in the elections to be held early next year.

Jaraware said the Anna wave had hit the Congress while former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank spoilt the prospects of the BJP in the state. In such a scenario, the BSP had bright chances to make a clean sweep this time, he said.

He said by launching a candidate from Sahaspur, they would be able to win multiple seats from Dehradun district.

The people from all the sections of society and religion stand by the BSP.

Member of Parliament Jagdish Singh Rana said the BSP was going to capture power in UP once again where they never had any communal riots under the party rule. 

Staff shortage plagues Pithoragarh health centres

Pithoragarh, November 1
Medical services in the border district of Pithoragarh have been paralysed due to an acute shortage of doctors and other medical staff. There has been only half the staff strength of the required persons working in the district hospital and other primary health centres, according to Dr SC Pant, Chief Medical Officer of the district. “Out of a total of 26 medical staff, including doctors, only 12 are working in the district hospital and the same condition prevails in other Primary Health centres (PHCs) as well,” said Dr Pant.

The lone women’s hospital in the district headquarters has ceased to perform Caesarian operations for 12 days. “Owing to construction work on the building which will house the newborn sterilisation unit under the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) programme, we could not continue the operations for the past 12 days. We admit as our mistake as an alternative arrangement should have been made. The construction work has now completed and the hospital has started Caesarian operations from October 28,” said the CMO. Dr Nirmala Punetha, Superintendent of Hargovind Pant Female Hospital, said owing to the fear of infection, the operations were not safe therefore all the women patients were referred to other hospitals. Not only the female patients but also poor patients visiting the district hospital are facing difficulties as the lone surgeon working at the hospital has gone on one-month medical leave. “The surgeon has opened his own nursing home and practising there. We are sending a notice to him as he is practising privately despite drawing non-practising allowance from the government,” said the CMO.

He said there were no rules under which a nursing home opened in the district be registered with the Chief Medical Officer. “In the absence of any such rule, we can only sue the doctor for private practice, not for opening the parallel medical service which affects the services given by the public hospitals,” he added.

The eight primary health centres spread all over the district are also facing the crisis of lack of adequate medical staff. “The community health centre in Dharchula on Indo-Nepal border has only five doctors out of the approved strength of 19. Of them four are working on a contractual basis,” said Ashok Nabiyal, Chairman of the Nagar Panchayat of the town.

According to the local leaders, in Dharchula town not only posts of doctor are vacant but other paramedical posts like pharmacist, lab technician, radio grapher and dresser, attendants and operation theatre attendant are also lying vacant. The PHC in Dharchula not only looks after the health needs of the locals but also of the patients coming from neighbouring Nepal as well. Dr Pant said he had been writing to the higher authorities in this connection from time to time but in vain. — TNS

Devotees perform Chhath Puja rituals in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, Novemebr 1
Thousands of devotees thronged the Ganga ghats in Haridwar to perform the rituals related to the Chhath Puja here this evening.

Apart from the world-famous Brahmkund at Har-ki-Pauri, the women devotees thronged Malviya Deep, Lal Taura Bridge, Prem Nagar Ashram and the Birla, Alaknanda, Kushawrat, Gobind ghats to offer “argh” to the Sun God.

While mostly the rituals relating to the Sun God are performed in the morning during the Chhath festival, some performed these at dusk too. A function was also organised by the Poorvanchal Jan Jagriti Sanstha at the Har-ki-Pauri mela zone.

Former legislator Ram Yash Singh lighted the traditional lamp and termed the Chhath festival as a symbol of faith and dedication.

According to Brahama Shankar Chaubey, founder of the Poorvanchal Jan Jagriti Sanstha, in the holy month of Karthik the Chhath festival is organised. Devotees perform rituals during the four-day festival. Today devotees also observed fast. 

Tanakpur villagers throng venue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
Community development specialist (Uttarakhand Swajal Project) Balkrishan Melkeni has said the participation of villagers has been ensured in the implementation of the potable water schemes linked to the Project in the state.

Addressing the inaugural session of three-day Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign being organised by Press Information Bureau, Dehradun, and held at Tanakpur in the border district of Champawat, Melkeni said financial assistance was also being provided to the villages for the construction of single-village and multi-village potable water schemes and rainwater harvesting tanks.

Champawat District Panchayat President Prema Pandey called upon the women to come forward to take advantage of the various Central Government welfare schemes. She said this campaign was the first of its kind being held in Tanakpur, which was situated close to Nepal and asserted the women should particularly take benefits from such campaigns.

Earlier, Bihar Regiment of the Army displayed military weapons at their stall which was a big attraction for the visitors, particularly the youth. The Army officers also motivated the youth to take the Army as a career option. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) organised an impressive dog show. The SSB stall gave useful information to the villagers about proper care and treatment of their livestock.

Several departments of the Central and state governments have put up an exhibition where at least 24 stalls, including those of MGNREGA, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, Animal Husbandry and Total Sanitation schemes, have been put up.

Various media units of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, including All-India Radio, Doordarshan, Directorate of Field Publicity and Song and Drama Division, have extended programme support to the campaign.

Elaborate arrangements for half-yearly exams
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 1
The half-yearly examinations of the government schools have begun and these will be over on November 8. Today the examinations for class I to VII commenced while senior classes examinations had started yesterday.

District Education Officer Anil Kumar Bhoj said the examinations were being conducted peacefully amid elaborate arrangements in the entire Haridwar district.

Impromptu inspection is being done by teams with ADO Ramendra Kushwaha leading one of such teams. The teams are trying to solve minor problems such as the lack of facilities, adequate number of teachers so as to provide students a friendly atmosphere at the examination centres, which is the motto of the state Education Department, he added.

Primary and upper primary examinations are being organised at the district level while those of Class IX till XIIth are being conducted at the block level.

From the primary schools more than 1,14,000 students are taking examinations while for the upper primary-level examinations 46,829 students have been enrolled. 

Sir Richard attends function in Jim Corbett’s village
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 1
The late Jim Corbett’s village Chhoti Haldwani witnessed a grand function which was held to mark the 10th anniversary of the Chhoti Haldwani Community Based Rural Tourism (CBT) Project yesterday. As part of the programme, Sharmila Bhartari presented a ballet, “Durga”, along with Tom Alter and other artistes from the National School of Drama.

The Sanskara Development Trust and the Wild Aid supported the programme in collaboration with the Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti to raise awareness about tiger conservation, protection of wildlife and the promotion of rural tourism. A large number of villagers enthusiastically participated in the event.

Sir Richard Branson, business magnate and owner of Virgin Group of more than 400 companies, was also present. Rajesh Panwar, Executive Director, Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti (CGVS), briefed him on the CBT project.

Rajiv Bhartari, Director, Eco-Tourism, said: “The Chhoti Haldwani CBT Project was initiated exactly 10 years ago to increase benefits for the villagers through tourism and thereby motivating them for forest and wildlife conservation. Years of sustained effort made under the CBT in Chhoti Haldwani village has changed the face of the late Jim Corbett’s village. Corbett’s dream of developing a model Kumaoni village has been fulfilled through the Chhoti Haldwani CBT project.”

He said the support lent by the Forest Department and its eco-tourism wing in developing infrastructure, capacity building programmes, etc, has enabled the CGVS to develop various tourism products for the visitors. “Kaladhungi township has become a major tourist attraction of Uttarakhand. The villagers of the area provide various services to the visitors. The CGVS runs four cottages and five home-stays along with the Aranya restaurant and the Moti souvenir shop. The youngsters of the village conduct tours on the Jim Corbett Heritage trail. The CGVS also organises local jungle tours and wildlife safaris in the Jim Corbett National Park. Nearly 40 families of the village were connected with this eco-tourism initiative. Last year the CGVS registered a turnover of Rs 13.4 lakh. A turnover of Rs 9 lakh has been achieved in the first quarter of the current financial year", he said.

Corbett, Rajaji parks to reopen from Nov 15

Dehradun, November 1
The Corbett National Park and the Rajaji National Park will reopen from November 15. The two parks were closed for the monsoon on June 15.

Director, Rajaji National Park, SS Raisaily said all preparations had made made for the opening of the park. He said all culverts and kutcha roads that had damaged during the rains had been repaired. He said youths from nearby villages had been trained as nature guides. “We have trained a total of eight youths from villages that shares their borders with the Rajaji National Park. These youths will help tourists who come to the park,” Raisaily said.

He added that this would also help reduce work pressure on the staff of the park.

The Corbett authorities are this year trying to promote tourism in the buffer zones of the Corbett to ease tourist pressure from the core zone of the park. Uttarakhand Forest and Environment Advisory Committee’s Vice-Chairman Anil Baluni said the state government had been exploring the possibilities for opening up new forest areas encircling the Corbett.

Baluni said Chief Minister BC Khanduri would also be present during the opening of the park on November 15 as part of the Corbett platinum jubilee celebrations. — TNS