CM lays foundations of 22 projects
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
Chief Minister BC Khanduri laid the foundation stones of a total of 22 development projects at a programme organised on the Survey of India Stadium Grounds at Hathibarkala here today.

Addressing a public meeting, the Chief Minister said to work in the interest of the public in true sense was to work for the establishment of Ram Rajya.

He said Ram Rajya envisaged giving due importance to the people by public representatives and the government.

The Chief Minister said Uttarakhand was fortunate to have the presence of rich natural resources. These would have to be utilised in the interest of the people and set forth an example for the state. He said every citizen should keep note of government expenditure and check the quality of construction works. Work-implementing agencies should ensure the quality of construction while implementing development schemes.

He asked the people to monitor the quality of the work as the money being spent on the projects was ultimately public money.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also gave the details of various steps that have been taken by the state government to eradicate corruption, promote good governance and public service in the state.

He also gave the details of various steps that have been taken by the government for the benefit of women, the youth and retired soldiers and their families.

Among those who addressed the gathering were Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harbans Kapoor and Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

MLA Ganesh Joshi, Mohan Lal Baunthiyal, Prakash Suman Dhyani, Dr Aditya Kumar, BJP district president Puneet Mittal, general secretary Sunil Gama, former chairman, GMVN, Umesh Agarwal, former chairman, Rajya Andolankari Parishad, Ravindra Jugran and chairman of the Muslim Education Mission Mohd Qadir Hussein were also present on the occasion.

Khanduri announces schemes before poll code deadline
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
To beat the deadline of the model code of conduct before Assembly elections in the state, the state Chief Minister BC Khanduri laid the foundation stones of different development schemes worth Rs 11 crore at a programme organised at Haridwar today.

The development schemes launched today also include works that are to be taken up in Roorkee. He dedicated to the people Rs 618.68 lakh to the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Rs 209.43 lakh Government Intermediate College at Imlikheda, and a Soldiers Rest House at Roorkee to be built at a cost of Rs. 77.47 lakhs.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of civil works related to construction of a cement concrete road and associated drains in Roorkee, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2 crore 13 lakh.

Addressing a public meeting here, the Chief Minister said the state government was committed to the development of the state and appealed to the people to keep a watch on the quality of construction being undertaken on the development schemes and apprise the government in case any discrepancy is found.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said a majority of the people of the country resides in the villages.

Therefore, as a part of the inclusive development agenda of the state government, its main endeavour has been to reach out the fruits of development to the rural areas, especially those situated in the remote and far flung areas.

Terming corruption as the main obstruction in the path to development, Khanduri said it was only through the contribution of all sections of the society that a corruption-free country and the state could be built.

Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, a local legislator, said the government had taken several decisions in public interest such as allowing girls students to travel free of cost in road transport buses by showing their college identity cards. Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari termed Haridwar as the gateway to Uttarakhand and underlined the importance of development of the Haridwar region. 

Diwakar Bhatt to quit as Revenue Minister
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
State Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt has decided to resign from the BC Khanduri- led government in the wake of the allegation of his son’s involvement in quarrying activities on the Ganga river bed.

Showing his resignation letter at a press conference here today, the minister said he had decided to submit his resignation after the publication of reports in certain section of media alleging his role in the quarrying activities. “I have always believed in honesty. I would not like to continue as minister after these allegations against my son,” said Bhatt, denying his son’s role in such activities.

Meanwhile, Bhatt said he would launch an indefinite dharna in Haridwar from December 6 if Swami Shivanand, who is on fast in Haridwar demanding a complete ban on quarrying activities, did not end his fast by December 5.

Bhatt, who also heads the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Diwakar), said the ban would left a large number of people linked to quarrying activities jobless and would also put additional burden on consumers as construction material brought from other states would be costly.

He further maintained that though he supported quarrying, he was against illegal quarrying. “Those involved in illegal quarrying should be punished but that does not mean imposing a complete ban on such activities in Haridwar,” Bhatt added. 

BJP in a position of advantage: Dhyani
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
BJP leader and Adviser (Tourism) to Chief Minister Prakash Suman Dhyani today said the anti-Congress environment prevailing at the Centre, especially on the issues of corruption and price rice, would favour the BJP in the Uttarakhand Assembly elections slated for the next year.

He said the BJP was in an advantageous position vis-a-vis the Congress. “Due to the anti-Congress environment prevailing at the Centre and coupled with the good work done by the Khanduri government, the BJP will win the Assembly elections,” he said, while addressing a press conference.

Dhyani said as the BJP was set to gain power in the state the tremors were already being felt in the Congress where there was a possibility of large-scale defection taking place.

“Several Congress leaders have begun approaching us and conveying their intention to support the BJP. We will disclose their names when the appropriate times comes,” said Dhyani.

Speaking further, he also criticised the state Congress for following in the footsteps of the Congress high command by promoting the dynasty rule in the state.

“The Congress Chief Yashpal Arya is trying for a ticket for his son, so is Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Harish Rawat for his son and daughter and other leaders,” he said. 

BJP gen secys to discuss poll strategy today
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 3
The BJP’s strategy for the Assembly elections in five states which are due next year and the current national issues like Jan Lokpal Bill and FDI in the retail sector will be the main issues at the meeting of national general secretaries of the party being held at Nainital on December 4.

”The party is trying hard to make this meeting and a proposed public meeting of national president Nitin Gadkari a success as more than 10,000 people are expected at the public meeting that will follow the 3-hour-long meeting of national secretaries,” said Suresh Joshi, general secretary in the Uttarakhand unit of the BJP.

According to Joshi, 10 national general secretaries and two national leaders, including Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh, will participate at the meeting.

“Top leaders, including the president of Uttarakhand state unit of the BJP Bishen Singh Chufal and Education Minister Govind Singh from the state and party workers of the district unit are busy in making the meeting a success as the message given in the public meeting will be affecting the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand and elsewhere in four other states,” said Joshi.

According to the Nainital district administration, the security arrangements for the VIPs coming to the town in connection with the meeting and public rally have been given the final touches and a large number of security personnels have been deployed.

“We have also ordered the PWD to construct barricades and a dais on the spot while the police has been ordered to look into the parking and traffic arrangements in the town,” said Nidhi Mani Tripathi, District Magistrate, Nainital.

Strike hits 26 drinking water projects
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 3
Although the Uttarakhand Jal Nigam staff have ended their strike in support of their demand for according the status of government employees, it has hit 26 drinking water projects, 43 swajal projects in villages and the sewerage line work in the town.

The employees had called off the strike on Friday night after the state government gave them an assurance to look into their demand.

“Most of these schemes are being carried out under a tribal sub-plan, a minimum needs programme and a special component programme,” said DK Mishra, executive engineer, Uttarakhand Jal Nigam.

According to Jal Nigam officials, work on a new lift scheme for Pithoragarh town had also been delayed due to the strike. “The estimate for the scheme in which water has to be lifted from Aawalaghat near Chandak was near completion but the strike has now delayed the project,” said JC Pandey, an engineer with the department.

He also admitted that work on running projects and the repair of drinking water projects had been affected.

Meanwhile, state Drinking Water Minister Prakash Pant said the government had appointed a committee headed by former Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey to work out if they could be accorded the status of government employees. 

Print, display buttons added to EVM
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 3
Keeping in mind the queries of the voters, the electronic voting machine has undergone a few changes this year with the addition of two new buttons- print and display. This was stated by Tehsildar of Pithoragarh subdivision Naresh Durgapal while talking to government employees undergoing training on the EVMs operations.

“The print button has been included to furnish the prints of the cancelled votes and the display button to show them, if demanded,” said Durgapal.

According to the election office of the district, the district has received 900 EVMs to be deputed in all four Assembly polling booths of the district and all the machines are sealed. “We have a target of training 3,000 employees for the election this year. Two phases of training for the Gangolihat and Pithoragarh Assembly seats have been
completed and the training for two others of Dharchula and Didihat will be concluded this week,” he said.

The master trainers, who have been trained by the election officers to train the employees, are keeping the instructions given by the Election Commission in mind while giving training to the employees.

Govt schemes on fish culture
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 3
With limited employment-generating revenues in hilly Uttarakhand, various schemes are run by the Central and state governments to ensure people resort to self-employment avenues.

Many such schemes which one can operate on one’s own with the help of government aid are not easily in the knowledge of the people. One such Central Government’s scheme run by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) is generation of fisheries and aquaculture, wherein financial loan facility as well as expert guidance is provided to the willing cultivators.

Notably in Uttarakhand, Haridwar district is the second highest fish cultivator in the state behind Uddham Singh Nagar. Approximately, about 700-880 tonne fish productivity is being done in the district in more than 500 reservoir ponds created under this scheme.

Varieties of fishes like rohu, catla, common carp and silver carp are commonly found in the region.

More than 2,000 people are getting benefit from aquaculture in the district, and as per department officials, the number is sure to increase in the coming years as both water availability and climatic conditions catering to fish cultivation are conducive in Haridwar.

Talking to TNS, fisheries inspector Saket Singh said that on one hectare of land, in which a pond is dug and a tubewell is bored, the NFDB provides a loan of Rs 1.25 lakh, of which 20 pc of the loan is waived. As much as 25 pc is waived in the case of Scheduled Castes.

“In all the 500 reservoir ponds bored till date, we have not received a single complaint. Expert guidance is given to the farmers and they are provided fish seeds. We give special training to the people, too, in the maintenance of generator sets,” said Singh.

Seeing the mass productivity of fish in the district, the Fisheries Department has now decided to open a specialised fish market. Both farmers and sellers will get a specific place for trading.

UP Singh, an official of the department, said that a tender had been issued by Rural Engineering Service Department in this regard, “and hopefully as land availability deal is finalised, in a year fish market will become operational in the district.”

He further added that by fish market the farmers will get a commercial market, a specialised vendor market and a state-of-the-art ice room. This means that the fish breeding will increase, boosting fish-related employment opportunities, which will generate revenue for the government.

Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana hit by pausity of funds
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
Launched by former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana has begun floundering midway for want of funds and the government’s goal to present these villages as the centres of development at the end of the year has only been partially achieved.

Besides asking departments to allocate certain percentage of the budget on a priority basis for the Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana, the government has failed to create a separate fund for the scheme when it was announced in 2009.

As a result, the scheme continues to be at the mercy of the departments. “The target was given for saturating the villages with infrastructure and services at one go. As no separate fund was created, the work under the scheme gets stalled because the departments may not have spare funds,” said Vinod Fonia, Secretary Rural Development.

A total of 13 departments were earmarked out of which eight departments have provided infrastructure facilities in the villages and five departments, the Jal Sansthan, the Swajal, the PWD, the Irrigation and the Panchayat Raj Departments, will be able to complete their work by 2012.

So far, the Panchayat Raj Department has allocated a sum of Rs 1.67 crore for setting up Gram Panchayat Secretariat at each Atal Adarsh Gram. Efforts are on to establish these secretariats at 40 villages in Dehradun, 36 villages in Uttarkashi and 27 villages in Rudraprayag. In addition, in all selected villages, Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana Boards too have been established.

Modelled on the pattern of the Prime Minister’s Adarsh Gram Yojana, a total of 670 villages (at the level of Nyay Panchayat) have been earmarked under the scheme. These villages are to benefit from a slew of basic amenities and services.

Besides asking the departments to allocate a certain budget for the Atal Adarsh Gram Yojana, funds are also being utilised under the Tribal Sub-Plan and the Special Component Plan.

Officials pulled up for failure to present progress report
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
Chief Secretary Subash Kumar has expressed dissatisfaction over the progress of the PWD and the Peyjal Nigam. The officials were severely reprimanded for failing to present the progress report of the works undertaken by them.

At the review meeting of the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Kumar asked the agencies undertaking works to immediately submit completion certificates so that the next installment could be released by the Central Government. He also took the officials to task for failing to deploy adequate manpower for speeding up works in the city. He expressed dismay at the lethargy adopted by the PWD in carrying out restoration work at the Nainital Raj Bhawan despite the availability of funds to the tune of Rs 11.82 crore. Chief secretary said a infrastructure development programme is under way in Nainital, Dehradun and Haridwar. 

Tewari seeking nominations for ‘close’ prospective candidates
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News service

Dehradun, December 3
Despite being completely sidelined by his own Congress Party, veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister N.D.Tewari is still trying to play his role in the forthcoming Assembly polls in his own way by lobbying hard for party nominations for those close to him.

The veteran leader, who stays in Dehradun and is facing a paternity case filed by one Rohit Sharma, who claims to be his biological son, had been dumped by the Congress Party following his alleged scandalous sexual exposure in the Hyderabad Raj Bhawan being Governor of Andhara Pradesh. Tewari was caught on camera in the company of three prostitutes. Although, Tewari denied the explicit footage, he became a political untouchable in the Congress Party.

However, in a never-say-die spirit, Tewari kept himself involved in public life and was even courted by state BJP Chief Ministers’ Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and B.C.Khanduri. He attends several government functions and was being eulogised by BJP leaders. Khanduri, during his second innings as Chief Minister, met Tewari during a “routine courtesy call.”

But this has not discouraged Tewari from playing his role in the coming Assembly polls. Though not many party contenders are flocking his residence to seek support here, still Tewari has been going all out to plead for at least two prospective candidates.

His favourite secretary Aryaendra Sharma, in his new role as a political leader, has donned khadi and emerged as a leader of the state Congress, much to the chagrin of other senior leaders. Aryaendra Sharma is projecting himself as a prospective Congress candidate from the Sahaspur Assembly segment in Dehradun district. Interestingly, Tewari, in a bid to help establish Aryaendra Sharma in the constituency, has been visiting the area and pleading with the local people to support him. Moreover, he has also been meeting officials of several departments, including power corporation officials, to get certain developmental works done to help Aryaendra Sharma politically.

He has also been trying hard to get a party ticket for his own nephew Manish Tewari from the Kicha Assembly segment in Udham Singh Nagar district. Tewari hails from Kumoan and the area has been his political fiefdom in the past half century. During his visit to the area last month, Tewari projected Manish Tewari, a son of his younger brother Ramesh Tewari, as the Congress Party candidate from the Kicha Assembly seat.

But both the candidates being supported by Tewari are facing tough resistance from local Congress leaders. In the Kicha Assembly segment, more than two dozen party ticket aspirants are opposed to Manish Tewari’s entry.“ They want to parachute into the political arena with the support of their family connections but we will oppose them tooth and nail,” said Ganesh Upadhaya, a party ticket aspirant. They claim that they had been working for the party for years and would not tolerate any injustice in the party ticket distribution.

Similarly, the entry of Aryaendra Sharma is being opposed by Congress leaders who had been nurturing the Sahaspur Assembly segment.

Moreover, both Kicha and Sahaspur Assembly segments have a sizeable Muslim population and the community has been demanding party nominations on such seats. They argue that the Congress can choose to ignore their claim at it’s own political peril.

“We are not obliged to vote for the Congress as there are other political outfits, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), to choose from, if the Congress did not give due representation to Muslims on these two seats in Kumoan and Garhwal regions, respectively,” claimed Sibte Nabi, convener of the Muslim Forum of Uttarakhand and a resident of Gadarpur town in Kumoan.

Non-residents of state to get certificates
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3
Non-resident Uttarakhandis residening in Delhi and the adjoining areas will now be provided with their certificates linked to caste, domicile, permanent resident proof and others in the Residents Commissioner’s office of the Uttarakhand Government at Delhi. This will be ensured through “Janadhar E Service” slated for a launch on December 5 in Delhi.

According to the National Informatics Centre, Uttarakhand, Director Dr Devratan Shukla, the E Jan Sewa is already in implementation at tehsils of the state. He said those Uttarakhandis residing outside the state were facing inconvenience in getting the certificates.

He said trained staff had already been deployed at the Delhi’s Resident Commissioners office for the purpose.