Khatima shooting Incident
No compromise on law and order: CM
Announces Rs 1 lakh for victims’ kin
Tribune News Service

Nainital, November 21
Stating that there will be no compromise on the issue of maintaining law and order in the state, Chief Minister BC Khanduri has ordered that strict action will be taken against those guilty for killing of two persons in Khatima last week following a land dispute.

The Chief Minister expressed concern over the incident describing it as a sad development. During a visit to Sitarganj of Udham Singh Nagar today, Khanduri announced a relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of the kin of those killed in the clash that had taken place in Ratanpur Phulayya on November 18 and also ordered that the injured would be treated free of cost.

During his visit, Khanduri inaugurated a hostel built at a cost of Rs 40 lakh by the Barah Rana Smarak Samiti. He applauded the works being done by the samiti for the promotion of education in the society and said the samiti must ensure that the hostel continued to provide services to students coming from the remote areas for obtaining education.

Khanduri played up the works done by the BJP government in the last four and a half years, particularly in the social sector. He pointed out that the BJP government had taken a lead in providing 50 per cent reservation to the women in the panchayat elections.

He underlined that schemes like the Gaura Devi and Nanda Devi Kanyadhan Yojana have been started to promote education among the girls.

He also played up a medical scheme started under his leadership in Srinagar asserting that Uttarakhand was the lone state that was providing medical education to aspirants at a cost of mere Rs 75,000.

In addition to this, students from poor background were being provided educational loans by the banks.

Khanduri also said his government had tried to provide economic relief to the people in the face of spiralling prices by providing cheap foodgrains and withdrawing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol.

Chairperson of the samiti Shreepal Rana disclosed that Khanduri had allocated three acres of land for the hostel about three years back for social and educational purposes in the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttaranchal (SIDCUL) area.

He added that the government gave Rs 5 lakh in grant for the construction of the hostel and people also pitched in with donations to make the project become a reality.

Expedite road repair work: Khanduri

Nainital, November 21
Chief Minister BC Khanduri has warned the officials involved in the repair and reconstruction of roads in the region that complaints with regard to the execution of works would be taken seriously.

He has asked the officials to ensure that the work be expedited and projects for which the money has been sanctioned be completed at the earliest.

During a visit to the Dwarahat area of Almora district today, Khanduri claimed that government orders had been issued for the decisions taken by the state Cabinet recently to expedite development works across the state. A time-bound approach had been adopted to provide facilities to the people, he added

Khanduri claimed that his government had taken concrete decisions on the development of the state while rising above political considerations. He interacted with the officials and public representatives of the area on various projects that are being executed.

He announced that before the implementation of the model code of conduct, several important decisions would be taken for the benefit of the people. Officials had been ordered to tour the rural areas to address the concerns of the people. Khanduri said the works in the newly announced districts would be looked after by the administration of the districts where the areas were located at present and the new districts would be created once relevant orders were obtained from the Election Commission.

He also visited the native village of Dairi from where the stalwart of the Uttarakhand movement, Bipin Chandra Tripathi, hailed. —TNS

Contractual lecturers’ stir hits teaching work
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 21
Teaching work in all the 70 colleges in the state, including six degree and postgraduate colleges of this district, has been paralysed due to the agitation by the contractual lecturers who are on indefinite fast to press for elevation of their status as ad-hoc employees.

“Our agitation being held in front of the state Assembly entered its 10th day today. We have demanded ad-hoc status for all the 550 lecturers who are serving in 70 colleges situated in the interior areas of the state,” said JN Pant, a spokesperson for an organisation of lecturers.

The contractual lecturers form a large number of teaching staff compared to the regular ones in degree and PG colleges. They started their agitation following the announcement by the state government to appoint permanent lecturers through the state Public Service Commission without giving any relaxation to these contractual lecturers.

“We have put in 11 years of service, as we were given services at a time when these degree colleges were without teachers, and the pressure on the government was mounting from the public to appoint teachers,” said Pant.

“Most of the colleges in the district are now without teaching staff as these were run mostly by contractual lecturers,” said Dr DS Pangti, Principal of LSM PG College in Pithoragarh town.

According to Dr Pangti, against the regular staff of 42 in all the six colleges in the district, there are 80 contractual lecturers in these colleges. “There are some colleges situated in the Baluakot and Narain Nagar areas of the district where only contractual lecturers are working, he said.

Study: Lack of infrastructure forcing hill villagers to migrate
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 21
“Residents of hill villages are leaving their ancestral places in search of employment, better living conditions and educational facilities for their children,” claims Dr Anurag Agarwal, a senior lecturer, department of economics, Champawat Post Graduate College.

Dr Agarwal, who has conducted a study on the Kumaon region, said the main reason behind the migration was a lack of basic infrastructure like education facilities, health and industrial development in the hill districts of Kumaon since the creation of Uttarakhand.

“In the past 10 years, most of the residents of over 36 villages of Champawat district alone, adjoining the Nepal border, have migrated to other places. Out of the 717 revenue villages in the district, 36 villages have become deserted,” claimed Dr Agarwal.

Quoting his study, Dr Agarwal said in Almora district also, population had decreased in the past 10 years.

He further said in Pithoragarh district, people living in the border areas were also migrating to other places in search of better life and education for their children.

“This situation has also raised security concerns as people leaving in the villages situated near the Indo-Nepal border village are handing over their houses to people from Nepal whereas villagers of Bhikiasain subdivision, Almora district, are selling their ancestral land to the builders from UP,” said Dr Agarwal

According to the study, unemployment was also one of the main reasons leading to migration. “In absence of full or part-time employment, people choose to migrate to those places where they could earn and have better facilities,” said Dr Agarwal .

Not only Dr Agarwal but other persons also who had sought information regarding unemployment and subsequent migration under the RTI Act have confirmed this tendency.

“In the past 11 years, the number of unemployed registered persons has crossed 6 lakh in the state. This is two and a half times more than that at the time of the creation of the state,” said Dr Pramod Agarwal, a businessman from Haldwani, who had recently sought information regarding the unemployed youth from the employment directorate of the state under the RTI Act. 

Kidnapped Haridwar youth rescued; a couple, friend nabbed
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 21
In a sensational abduction case, a 25-year-old woman was arrested today along with his husband in carrying out an abduction of an 18-year-old boy in Haridwar.

Sanjana alias Meenakshi lured teenager Mohit, a resident of Rawli Mehdood, Ranipur, posing as a college girl and behaved as if she fell in love with him.

She used to send messages and later invited Mohit to a secluded place on November 19 where she along with his husband and a friend abducted the boy.

When Mohit didn't return home, a complaint was filed at the Ranipur police station by her mother Bala Devi as she received a threatening ransom call from some unknown persons, who demanded Rs 50,000 in lieu of his son.

Circle Officer Shah Jahan Javed Khan was given the case and a team of special operations group and the Ranipur police was formed.

After getting vital clues and cellular phone details, the police came to know that the kidnappers belonged to the Daurala region in Meerut and Shamli in Prabudh Nagar district, both in Uttar Pradesh.

When again a call was made to Bala Devi, as per guidance of the investigating team, she agreed to come to the border area of Meerut-Muzaffarnagar with the ransom money.

Simultaneously, the police team carried out raids at different locations of the suspects and due to the fear of the police arrest, the kidnappers let Mohit free yesterday.

Finally, the police arrested Ravi alias Kallu, the mastermind of the abduction, from Dawa chowk in Shamli and as per his confession, the police today also arrested his aides Ravindra, resident of Daurala, Meerut, and his wife Sanjana. The arrest of Sanjana was quite surprising for the investigating team as in past few years, no woman was found involved in any of the abduction case in the district. Shah Jahan Khan said Sanjana played a key role in the abduction of Mohit and many cell phones and six SIM cards found from them. A probe is being done to found these members’ involvement in other similar cases.

Class IV employees take out march
To boycott official work for three days from November 28
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 21
The Fourth Class State Employees Association today took out a march from the Parade Ground to Dila Ram Bazar demanding the implementation of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme and salaries according to the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The association has also decided to boycott official work for three days from November 28 and send a memorandum to Chief Minister BC Khanduri.

State president of the association Darban Singh Mehta said they had been agitating on the issues for long and had even observed the state foundation day as “Black Day”. He said they were given an assurance by the authorities concerned regarding the fulfilment of the demands under an agreement on July 28, but a government order in this regard was cancelled by the Finance Department on October 14.

Those who participated in the rally included HS Rawat, DL Ukhiyal, RS Negi, Rajpal Singh, Bijal Das and Narender Bagdi.

Mahakumbh Scam
Harish Rawat flayed for demanding CBI probe
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 21
BJP spokesperson Mukesh Mahindra today criticised Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Harish Rawat for unnecessarily demanding a CBI probe into the organisation of the Mahakumbh Mela (2010) when the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is yet to present its report on the issue.

He said when the CAG report was tabled in the Uttarakhand Assembly, it was referred to the Public Accounts Committee . “The committee headed by Congress MLA Pritam Singh has not presented its report. So how can the Congress demand a CBI probe into the matter,” he asked.

He said the Congress should not raise the issue of corruption when so many leaders from the party had been jailed.

On the issue of the Congress now raising the issue of the flawed Lokayukta Act, Mahindra said the Bill was passed with the help of Congress MLAs. “They did not raise objections in the House. After the Bill has been passed, Congress leaders, including Harish Rawat, are talking about making amendments to the Act. I do not think the people of Uttarakhand will vote them,” he said.

He also urged the Congress not to indulge in petty politics and also took strong exception to Harish Rawat terming senior BJP leader LK Advani’s recent Jan Chetna Yatra a failure. “Advani has managed to raise the issues of corruption and black money among the masses,” he added. 

Cong steps up tirade against Kaushik
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 21
The war of words between the two main political parties of the state, the Congress and the BJP, post Lal Krishan Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra and Harish Rawat’s rally in Haridwar, doesn’t seem to be ending.

Today, the city committee of the Congress held a media briefing where the party leaders demanded a clarification from state Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, who is the local legislator, on his role as Mahakumbh mela minister in charge and the recent declaration of assets by him.

City party chief OP Chauhan cited the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report about the misuse of about Rs 200 crore of the Mahakumbh fund and sought an explanation from Kaushik.

He said Kaushik should resign on moral grounds as on the very Kumbh scam issue Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was allegedly removed from the post of Chief Minister.

Veteran leader Ambrish Kumar dismissed the authenticity of the asset disclosure made by Kaushik, in which the latter has revealed that he has to repay a loan of Rs 14 lakh.

“In 2007, he disclosed assets worth Rs 81 lakh prior to him being appointed as a Cabinet Minister in the BJP government. Now, who will believe that in just four years the worth of his property has plummeted so much that he has to take a loan,” said Ambrish.

Having a dig at the anti-corruption the Jan Chetna Yatra rally by former BJP Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, MC former chairman Satpal Brahamchari said for the rally Kaushik, who was facing allegations of corruption, was made the coordinator. 

DM unhappy with casual approach of banks
Tribune News Service

Nainital, November 21
District Magistrate, Nainital, Nidhi Mani Tripathi has expressed her displeasure at the casual approach of the banks with regard to the orders given at the previous meeting and having failed to provide the information sought by her.

At a review meeting held at Nainital today, Tripathi said the works for the benefit of the common man must be taken seriously by the banks and the meetings held for the purpose must not be treated as a mere formality. The orders given during these meetings must be implemented with sincerity. She said all the banks must provide the relevant information that was sought from the lead bank on monthly and tri-monthly basis.

She has ordered that all the banks must strive towards improving the credit deposit (CD) ratio in the district and senior-most officials of the banks whose achievements in this direction are below expectation would be apprised of the fact.

BJP national gen secys to meet on Dec 4
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 21
For the first time, a meeting of BJP national general secretaries will be held at Nainital on December 4 .

The meeting gains significance in the backdrop of the coming Assembly elections in the five states.

According to state BJP general secretary Dhan Singh Rawat, senior leaders from New Delhi would also be participating at the meeting.

BJP national chief Nitin Gadkari, senior leader Rajnath Singh, national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, joint national general secretary (organisation) Saudan Singh , B Sati, national general secretary Anant Kumar, Thavar Chand Gehlot, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Vijay Goyal, Dharmender Pradhan, Jagat Prasad and Kiran Maheshwari are likely to be present at the meeting.