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Declining Sex Ratio
ICU inaugurated at Doon Hospital
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Team to detect treatable blindness in children
Training programme concludes
Jauljibi Fair
Govt mulls forming task force to protect tigers
No garbage-collection system in Ajabpur Kalan
Tiny tots of Little Flower School participate in a race in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph
Dehradun
Diary
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Declining Sex Ratio
Dehradun, November 6 After a meeting of the state advisory board on the PCPNDT Act, it was decided that personnel would be trained under the Act and a website where the information could be uploaded would be designed. In the coming months, the proposal is expected to be implemented in the state. “We have received directives from the Centre to monitor all the ultrasound centres where sex-determination tests are carried out illegally. The Form F is filled by the ultrasound centre owners about the number of ultrasounds done and if the information is made available online, the activities of the centres can be tracked easily,” said Piyush Singh, Director of the National Rural Health Mission. According to the 2001 census of Uttarakhand, sex ratio was 908/1000. In 2011, it has dropped to 886/1000. Though the PCPNDT Act is functional in Uttarakhand, there have been certain difficulties in the implementation of the Act. The unavailability of evidence or witnesses is the main hindrance in punishing errant doctors. “Above all, many do not see sex-selective abortions as a crime. As the law itself is proving ineffective, nothing deters people from going in for such abortions. Monitoring of ultrasound centres involved in holding such tests is required,” said Dr Asha Mathur, DG (Health).
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ICU inaugurated at Doon Hospital
Dehradun, November 6 Speaking on the occasion, he said the state government was committed to providing medical facilities to a maximum number of people in the state. On the occasion, Khanduri exhorted the physicians and medical professionals to fulfil their obligations with a selfless attitude. He said the government would take care of the interests of the doctors and medical employees. “The task of doctors is a challenging one and they must deal with the patients in a courteous manner. Medical service is an altruistic service and the obligation should be fulfilled accordingly,” he said. “The additional new facilities at the hospitals will make these centres more capable of providing improved medical services to the people,” he added. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari, Health Minister Banshidhar Bhagat, Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Medical Superintendent SD Joshi, BJP Mahanagar President Punit Mittal, Secretary (Medical Health) SS Sandhu, Director-General Asha Mathur, NRHM Project Director Piyush Singh, Chief Medical Officer RK Pant and Aditya Kumar were also present on the occasion.
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Team to detect treatable blindness in children
Dehradun, November 6 A team of eye surgeons from Coronation Hospital have been assigned the task of undertaking the exercise. Refractive errors are common in children and easily correctable, usually with the use of spectacles. It is the commonest visual impairment across the world. “In most of the countries, school-screening programmes are carried out on a regular basis. However, still due to a lack of awareness, children are admitted to schools for blind,” said Dr BC Ramola, a senior eye surgeon, Doon Hospital. After it came to light in Madhya Pradesh that children with treatable blindness were admitted to a school for blind, a team of eye surgeons was sent there and a few children were brought out of the school for undertaking refractive corrective operations. Vision screening should be done to identify children with unsuspected remediable conditions so that treatment can be offered and social progress is not affected. “Early correction of refractive error results in a reduction in the number of schoolchildren with poor sight. Reduced vision because of uncorrected refractive errors is a major public health problem among schoolchildren in India,” said Dr Ramola. This exercise will be undertaken in the entire state.
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Training programme concludes
Dehradun, November 6 The training was supported by the District Rural Development Agency, Pithoragarh, and the technology was transferred by the Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS), a Dehradun-based voluntary group. More than 30 participants from the block of Bin and Munakot, Pithoragarh, participated. The participants learned about manufacturing of bamboo green lights. District Magistrate of Pithoragarh Dr R Rajesh Kumar attended the workshop. He said it was the first workshop under the Swarn Jyanti Swarojgar Yojna which served the purpose of employment generation and energy conservation. He said the program would go a long way and promised all support for making the product a memento at various functions. Convener of the program Dr Brij Mohan Sharma stressed on the need for generating employment as well as conserving energy. The participants made more then 50 lights in the training period. Naresh Kumar, Project Director, DRDA, said the program would be a milestone in generating employment opportunities for the trainees.
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Jauljibi
Fair
Pithoragarh, November 6 “Besides plying more buses, we have decided to depute a food inspector at the fair to check adulteration in food items,” he said. The Jauljibi fair, said to have been started by the erstwhile royal family of Askot to facilitate the Sauka and Rang traders to sell their woollen goods to their lower valley clients in 1916, is organised on the bank of the Kali river on Indo-Nepal border in the Indian town of Jauljibi in Pithoragarh district every year.
— OC
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Preparations on for Bengal Sappers’ reunion
Dehradun, November 6 The Bengal Sappers in traditional military regalia are seen practicing at the Parade Ground in front of the Bengal Sappers War Memorial to the vibrant sound of the drum and pipe bands playing marching tunes and the commanding voice of the Parade Commander, Brigadier Suresh Sharma, Commandant of the centre. The celebrations, which had already commenced with the Roorkee Marathon on the October 23, kicked off with a spectacular show at the Bengal Sappers Centenary Pavilion in Roorkee today on the arrival of the chief guest, Lt Gen Vijai Sharma, Colonel Commandant of the Bengal Sappers and Commandant of Officers Training Academy, Gaya. An array of the daring riders on horsebacks matched skills with speed and balance to demonstrate an old cavalry. They demonstrated an old cavalry sport of tent pegging. Spectators thronged the stadium to witness a variety of events. The martial arts display of karate left the spectators spellbound while the recruits of no.2 Battalion of the BEG put an impressive display of silent rifle drill. The brilliant and talented young gymnasts of the Boys Sports Company and the Group Sports Company enthralled all with a display of their strength and endurance as they flawlessly performed pommel horse, the trampoline, parallel bar, horizontal bar and exercises on the floor. There were a couple of Para motorists who sailed through the bright blue sky from 8,000 ft to reach the pavilion and left the audience awestruck with their daring skills. The spectators were captivated by daring stunts performed by a team of motorcyclists. The Sappers have always played an important role in peace and war. The Corps of Engineers is an elite arm of the Indian Army which has three groups i.e. Madras, Bombay and Bengal. “True to the motto Sarvatra, in any war, the Corps of Engineers have been the first to move into the war zone and last to move out from there,” said Brigadier Suresh Sharma, Commandant, Bengal Engineer Group and Centre, Roorkee. The association of Bengal Sappers with Roorkee City is 158 years old. Move of the Bengal Sappers from Ludhiana to Roorkee transformed the small ‘kasba’ of ‘Rurki’ to today’s famous Roorkee City. They played a major role in construction of Upper Ganga Canal and the Solani Aquaduct at Roorkee, an engineering marvel even today. The long association of Bengal Sappers with the University of Roorkee is part of its history, in that its first six principals, including Lieutenant Mac Lagan in 1848 and the Assistant Principals till 1910, were all Bengal Sappers. Last Bengal Sapper Principal was Lieutenant Colonel EWC Sandes in 1930. When Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Roorkee in November 1949, he was so impressed by the achievements of Bengal Sappers that he chose Brig JS Dhillon, the first Indian Commandant of the Bengal Sappers, to lead the first Republic Day Parade in Delhi.
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Govt mulls forming task force to protect tigers
Nainital, November 6 Steps are also afoot to declare the Pavalgarh area a conservation reserve. A proposal for the same is being prepared and said to be in the final stage. Sources said the special force would focus on the areas of the Terai, where there is a consistent tiger movement. The recent instance of the killing of a tiger near Tanakpur has led to the process of the creation of the force being expedited. According to reports, 14 tigers, including five cubs, died this year which is an issue of major concern since the government is celebrating the platinum jubilee of the Jim Corbett National Park. It is learnt that the new force will be active from the Sharda river bank on the Nepal border till the Jim Corbett National Park. The force will mainly comprise of about 100 ex-servicemen. There are plans to install CCTV cameras along with tiger traps in various parts of the areas of operation. The personnel recruited to the force will be provided with latest weapons and ammunition. The project is expected to be of Rs 35 crore which is to be raised with the help of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and other sources. Meanwhile, steps are being taken to declare Pavalgarh as a conservation reserve instead of a sanctuary. This will help in protecting the livelihood rights of the population residing in the
area. — TNS
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No garbage-collection system in Ajabpur Kalan
Dehradun, November 6 The residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the working of area councillor Subhodhini Thapliyal, who they said, was never available in case of any problem. A shopkeeper who runs his business in the vicinity of the councillor’s house said the councillor’s husband, Umesh Sharma, had been working as a proxy councillor. Whenever TNS tried to contact the councillor, her husband attended the calls and spoke on her behalf. Khem Singh, a local resident, said: “Stinking drains have made it difficult for us to breathe. Safai karamcharis hardly come to clean them. We have to undertake this task ourselves. But not every one is cooperative.” Vijaya Gosain complained of poor condition of a road in the locality. He said: “The Puliya road is lying in poor condition for four months. No step has been taken by the authorities to repair it. It is leading to mishaps. The councillor never turns up to see what is happening here.” Mamta Sati said: “In the absence of bins in the area, we are forced to dump garbage into the Rispana river or a nullah.” Anuj Rawat resident: “The nullah always remain choked due to heaps of garbage. It is never cleaned by anyone.” As the councillor could not be contacted for her comment, her husband maintained that she was busy in campaigning for him in the wake of the coming Assembly elections.
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Fun races mark school’s sports day
Dehradun, November 6 Many fun races like wheelbarrow race, frog race, bursting balloon race and backward running race were held on the occasion. Children presented a variety of colourful events on the occasion. Students enthralled the audience with their drills, yoga, dance and mass PT display. The programme culminated with a vote of thanks by Principal of the school Ratna Manucha.
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Dehradun Diary WHILE the Uttarakhand BJP has been basking in the glory of being the first in the country to bring in the Lokayukta Bill, the issue of laying of foundation stone of the Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway line by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on November 9, 2011, has disturbed the BJP bigwigs. Realising the huge impact of such an important project that could very well change the entire socio-economic condition of the Garhwal region, the state BJP leaders were scared about the political benefits that the Opposition Congress could reap. So, the BJP leaders, led by former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, started a campaign to claim that the railway line was sanctioned following his own efforts. It was a lie. Next Koshiyari with senior BJP leader of Garhwal Kedar Singh Phonia and others started a tour of the Garhwal region to convince the people that it was the BJP that had brought the railways to the hills. Even posters were put up in the Garhwal region with Koshiyari’s photo claiming credit for the project. Interestingly, the fact remained that it was Congress MP from Pauri Garhwal Satpal Maharaj who as Union Minister of State for Railways in 1996 started the survey work of the proposed railway line which was once planned by the British on the request of Victoria Cross winner Darban Singh Negi in pre-Independence days. But nothing much happened later as Satpal Maharaj kept on pressing and demanding this railway line. The railway line was sanctioned and budgetary provisions were provided in the last budget. The BJP realised late that the railway project could offset the marginal gains of the campaign against corruption and bringing in BC Khandui as Chief Minister who is from the Garhwal region. After the efforts to take credit, there has been attempts to derail the proposed programme. The state government wrote to the railway ministry about postponing the inauguration programme. The BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Khanduri, vociferously opposed the presence of Congress President at the inauguration, forgetting that the BJP president Nitin Gadkari launched the ambitious Atal Khdayaan Yojana of the BJP state government last year. The state Congress leaders are even alleging that the state government has been trying to put hurdles in giving away land for the project. A lot of politics is expected on the proposed railway project. CM crusader against graft
By passing a new Lokayukta Bill on the lines proposed by Team Anna last week in the state Assembly, Chief Minister Khanduri has again tried to project himself as a crusader against corruption with an eye on the coming Assembly elections. He has also got kudos for bringing in a new Lokayukta from his own party bigwigs and from Anna Hazare himself and the members of his team. However, questions are raised over the tearing hurry shown by the government in passing the proposed Bill and many of the provisions given in it. After taking the rein of the state for the second time on September 11, 2011, Khanduri had decided to base his entire election strategy on anti-corruption plank and providing clean governance. The passage of the new Lokayukta Bill is also seen as his last-ditch effort to influence the voters to prop up his ruling BJP in the coming Assembly elections scheduled to be held early next year in the state. There is doubt whether the common man living in the remote hilly areas and suffering due to want of basic facilities would be influenced by such moves. However, Khanduri was able to put the main Opposition Congress on the defensive on the issue. The Congress that has been crying foul about Khanduri’s “real political” motives behind bringing in the new Lokayukta Bill finally decided to fall in line. They supported the passage of the Bill, which was passed unanimously. The Uttarakhand Congress that has raised the issues of alleged corruption, inefficiency and lack of governance against the sate BJP government did not want to be seen opposing the Lokayukta Bill due to fear of losing popular support. Earlier also, Khanduri has started new departments of anti-corruption, Suraaj and public grievances to galvanise the image of the state BJP government that had hit rock bottom due to various alleged scandals and political instability caused by change in the leadership in the past four and a half years. The decision of the BJP high command to bring in Khanduri by replacing Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank just before the state Assembly polls was an effort to save the embarrassment of complete rout at the hustings. As a first step to show his determination on corruption, Khanduri had also ordered all his legislators, ministers, IPS and IAS officers to file their property details by October 15. It has been an interesting turnaround by the politicians of the state on the issue of Lokayukta. The state had a Lokayukta since 2003 and its powers were only recommendatory and annual reports of the Loklayukta were supposed to be tabled in the state Assembly. With the passage of time, the office of Lokayukta became totally redundant as the state government neither took cognisance of the reports nor placed these on the table of the state Assembly. It was only after the team Anna became active about bringing the Jan Lokpal Bill that there was a hue and cry in the state also on the status of the Lokayukta. Khanduri during his second stint placed the reports of the Lokayuktya since 2006 in the state Assembly. However, many believe that although giving more powers to the Lokayukta to investigate and pronounce sentences in corruption cases was a welcome step, there were many lacunas that remained in the
new law. “The provision of unanimity among five members of the Lokayukta to take a decision would practically lead corrupt bureaucrats and politicians go scot-free. It will be impossible to bring unanimity on an issue between five members. It should have been by majority vote. But the legislators decided to ignore this vital issue,” said Avdhash Kaushal, Chairperson of the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a non-government organisation involved in advocacy and education. Moreover, many social scientists believe that poor people living in remote areas would not be able to relate themselves with the Lokayukta. “People want action on the development front as well as against corrupt, not mere rhetoric of laws and statements,” claimed Dr Anil P Joshi of the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO), a voluntary group. “The process of selecting Lokayukta would be taken care by an election committee headed by the Chief Minister with the Leader of the Opposition as its member, so it would not be free from political influence. Moreover, the provisions of giving prison sentences clash with the provisions of the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) and need approval of Parliament,” said SS Pangti, a former IAS officer. With Chief Minister Khanduri heavily banking on his achievement by bringing in the Lokayukta legislation, it would be seen that how much political benefit he could reap for his party in the coming state Assembly polls.
(By SMA Kazmi)
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Dehradun, November 6
Residents of Ajabpur Kalan (Ward No. 35) are irked over unhygienic conditions in the area. Neither there is any system of door-to-door garbage collection nor bins are there in the entire locality. People dump all garbage into a nullah situated under the Hara Pul bridge.
