HC setback to BJP govt
Reinstates municipal boards in Hardwar and Haldwani, while doing away with the government’s decision to convert the two into municipal corporations
Tribune News Service

Nainital, December 15
In a decision that is likely to prove yet another setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, the Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the reinstatement of municipal boards in Hardwar and Haldwani while doing away with the government’s decision to convert the two into Municipal Corporations.

In a decision given by the Bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, the court has stated that the government’s move regarding the upgrading of the two boards was “unconstitutional”. It has ordered that the notification in the regard should be struck down.

The decision followed a series of legal and administrative procedures that were carried out for more than six months. It was in the month of May that the BJP government led by Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank had decided to convert the two boards into corporations. This had been opposed by the elected members of the two bodies who had contested that the government could not do away with elected bodies in such a manner and that too without consultation with the elected representatives.

A petition in this regard had been filed with a single bench of the High Court cancelling the notification with regards to the constitution of Municipal Corporations on June 9 this year.

This had led to the state government filing a special appeal in the matter that had led to a double bench granting a 15-day stay on the initial order of the High Court while upholding the same.

Meanwhile, the government had gone ahead on June 29 to hold a hearing of the public, the chairpersons of the boards and the members.

This had been contested once again by the petitioners while claiming that the government had no right to call a public hearing. It could only take into account the views of the elected members. The court while upholding the contentions of the petitioners has finally done away with the government’s move of upgrading the two boards to corporations.

Counsel of the petitioners Lok Pal Singh told mediapersons, “The court has stated that the government’s move was unconstitutional.”

From the day the announcement in this regard had been made by Nishank, it was being stated by observers that the move was politically

motivated. The BJP would have a tough time explaining its stand before the voters when the campaign for the forthcoming Assembly poll picks up soon.

Nishank’s assurance to quarrying supporters
Denies differences with Khanduri
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 15
Quarrying supporters today met former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, apprising him of their woes and the week-long agitation.

Former CM Nishank was here in Haridwar this evening as part of the ongoing BJP’s election campaign nicknamed “Nukkad sabha.”

The quarrying supporters at Damkoti guesthouse urged Nishank to bring to the notice of Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt the severe impact on the livelihoods of thousands of families associated with the quarrying business.

Delegates of the Chugan Sangarsh Morcha also assured the BJP national vice president of adhering to the government norms and directives regarding quarrying.

Nishank assured them of taking their matter to the higher authorities but added that since the notification was already there, they would have to be patient and wait for the environmental committee’s report.

Meanwhile, at various party programmes in the district, Nishank lashed out at the Congress-led Union Government for failing to control inflation, corruption and bringing an effective Jan Lok Pal Bill.

He pointed out that earlier during his tenure as Chief Minister and now under able leadership of BC Khanduri, the BJP had ushered a wave of development in the state with both hilly and plain regions benefiting equally.

“The wave is with the BJP as it was in last Assembly elections. We are working as devoted party workers and taking the development works of the BJP governance and Congress inefficiency to the public,” said Nishank, while addressing party activists at Motichur.

Talking to TNS, Nishank also refuted any differences between him and other party leaders, particularly CM Khanduri, commenting that it was only the speculation of rival political parties and the media.

NCP to contest 15 seats in state
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 15
Living up to its tag of a national party, the National Congress Party led by Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar has decided to contest 15 seats in the upcoming state Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

Though the party failed to open its account in the last Assembly elections, party leaders feel that this time they will be surely be able to win a few Assembly segments.

Party leaders assert their claim owing to able leadership of party supreme and pro-farmers step taken by Pawar as Agriculture Cabinet Minister and young leadership of Poorna Sangama.

Talking to The Tribune, veteran party leader and state chief of NCP’s farmer’s wing Jag Pal Singh Saini said that the party had gained a significant foothold in the rural areas, particularly among peasants, which would boost the party’s prospects and voter base.

“Apart from this, the mass participation of party workers and common public in the just held party convention in the Kumaon division, wherein Union Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha K Sangama was the chief guest, is an clear indication of the party’s growing popularity,” said Saini, who lost the last Assembly election from the Haridwar seat.

While NCP state chief Divya Nautiyal stated that the party would be fielding its candidates in 15 Assembly segments covering Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Almora-Nainital districts, if suitable candidates were found, they could be given the party ticket in other segments, too.

Meanwhile, RP Singh has been appointed as the working chief of the Rashtravadi Congress Committee,Haridwar. 

Objectionable pamphlets against Cong MLA distributed
Agitated party members hold march
Tribune News Service

Nainital, December 15
The Udham Singh Nagar police and administration have stepped in at the right moment to prevent yet another turmoil in Rudrapur on the issue of the unprecedented communal riots witnessed on October 2.

The communal clashes had left four persons dead and there was a massive damage to the infrastructure. The issue remains dormant as politicking picks up on the eve of the forthcoming Assembly polls.

Trouble had started yesterday when some elements distributed pamphlets that had objectionable content against sitting Congress legislator Tilak Raj Behed. Sources said the pamphlets held him responsible for the flaring up of the communal strife in the town on October 2. This led to a massive protest by the Congressmen in the town and the situation once again threatened to move out of control. The Congressmen had gone on to gherao the office of senior police officials on the matter.

However, timely intervention by the police and resilience shown by the legislators and his supporters helped bring the situation back to normal.

The police presence has been increased at all the places of religious importance. Additional forces have been deployed across the town. Senior police officials have called for intensifying patrolling while improving the intelligence-gathering mechanism.

The Congressmen have demanded that those responsible for printing and circulation of the pamphlets be booked and arrested.

Behed has appealed to the people not to pay heed to any rumour and help maintain peace and calm.

The police on their part have confiscated the pamphlets from various spots. The town has been divided into seven sectors and orders have been given not to spare anyone trying to disturb the peace of the town.

Investigations are on to nab the guilty of circulating the objectionable pamphlets.

Dharna of SSB guerrillas continues
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 15
The Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) trained guerrillas’ dharna being staged outside the Vidhan Sabha entered its second day today.

Led by Brahmanand Dalkoti, president of the SSB Guerrillas Welfare Committee, Uttarakhand, the protesters accused the state BJP government of ignoring their concerns. The speakers alleged that the state government had earlier promised to absorb the unemployed guerrillas in the Disaster Management Department. “But the state government has gone back on its promise,” Dalkoti said.

Another speaker Vasudev Badola pointed out that they had met Cabinet ministers Trivendra Singh Rawat and Diwakar Bhatt, but both the ministers had given them false assurances only.

Deepak Bhatt, Pushpa Arya, Deepa Devi, Pramod Jayal and Jayanti Devi were prominent agitators who participated in the dharna.

These guerrillas were deployed in border areas by the Seema Suraksha Bal in Uttarakhand in the late sixties as part of a strategy to counter any possible Chinese threat. But they become jobless within a few years of their appointment due to a change in the SSB policy.

NHAI proposes bypass to Almora, Pithoragarh districts
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh December 15
The National Highway Authority has proposed a bypass between Kakrighat to Kharna on the Bhawali-Almora highway to escape the sliding hill at Jaurashi, where a landslide that occurred on December 6 has blocked the road, adding to the difficulties of residents of Almora town.

“The proposed highway will have 8-km-long distance and an estimated budget of Rs 8 crore,” said Hari Om Sharma, Superintending Engineer of the National Highway Authority of India, who visited the closed road on Wednesday at Jaurashi.

According to the engineer, due to continuous landslide at Jaurashi, the engineers of the NHA are worried as this is a vital link road, which connects not only Almora but also Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts. “It is the only solution to escape from the sudden landslide on this road as the road is geologically not safe,”said M.P.S. Kalakoti, an engineer of the National Highway Authority of India.

The residents and businessmen of Almora district are facing difficulties after this highway got blocked at Jaurashi. Goods are reaching the town via Ramgarh and Lamgara, the alternative way, which involves extra 45 km to reach the town. “The goods reaching Almora from Haldwani have now become 30 per cent costly due to this extra mileage. A sand truck from Haldwani, which used to cost Rs 10,000 on reaching Almora, now costs Rs 13000,” said Vijay Bhatt, a businessman at Dhara Naula in Almora town.

Not only the building material but also essential goods are costing more in Almora town due to the blockage of this road from the last 10 days. “The cost of a cement bag has gone up to Rs 345 from Rs 320 last week as, due to the poor condition of the easiest alternative route from Ramgarh, the goods are being carried by truck owners from Lamgara road, which involves a longer distance from the Haldwani market,” said Darshan Nainwal, a truck owner of the town.

The geologists, who inspected the landslide last week, came to the conclusion that an alternate way was the only solution as small cracks in the hill could lead to more landslides during rains.

“We have suggested that as the upper parts of the hill have been developed small, the narrow crack-ridden hill should be dismantled to safeguard the area from the heavy landslides during the rains. The entire hill portion might collapse,” said Dr Ramesh Chandra Upadhyay a, geologist with the PWD, Uttarakhand.

“We need an alternative way at this portion of the road, which is a vital link between Almora and Haldwani,” said Manoj Tiwari, MLA from Almora.

Gujjars protest against forest officials
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 15
Gujjars residing in the forest areas of the Rajaji National Park today gathered at the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra to protest against the Forest Department officials.

Kulwa, a gujjar residing in the forest area between Haridwar and Dehradun, had first raised the banner of revolt against the British rule in 1824. But the ancestors of Kulwa are being prevented from leading a life of dignity and honour in the forests that are part of the Rajaji National Park.

The nomadic forest dwellers living in the forests for centuries are at the receiving end of the high-handed attitude of the forest officials. “They have taken away our rights and want to drive us out of the forest. For past two months, the forest officials have restricted our movement. They are preventing us form entering the forests and even services of ambulance and doctors are being denied,” charged Noor Jamal, a gujjar, while narrating his plight at a press conference.

The nomads who have also been denied the Scheduled Tribe status in the state have often been in conflict with the forest authorities. “Our forest rights, as envisaged in the Forest Dwellers Act (2006), have been jeopardised due to the attitude of the forest officials. They illegally charge fees when we begin our migratory trip to the mountains,” charged Jamal.

“We have given 20 days to the government to restore our forest rights otherwise some of the rehabilitated gujjars would swarm the Rajaji National Park area,” said Irshad.

At the heart of the gujjar problems is the rehabilitation exercise gone sour. “While the government rehabilitated 512 gujjar families in Pathri, they have not been given lease of the land. The gujjars of Gaindi Katha, 710 in number, have not been given houses. A total of 72 families who have to be rehabilitated have not been given plots,” said Avdhesh Kaushal, chairperson of the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), an NGO that has set up the Milk federation with the gujjars. 

BSNL staff strike work
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 15
Hundreds of employees of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), including executives, refrained from official work today as part of their nationwide strike.

Under the aegis of the joint action committee and the All-India BSNL Union, the employees termed the Central Government’s attitude towards their demands as biased.

District secretary of the BSNL Employees Union Khazan Singh said on October 10 they had served a notice on the Managing Director of the BSNL regarding their demands but he took no positive step, which compelled them to resort to the one-day strike today.

Joint action committee’s SR Awasthi pointed out that while the government was providing the best of facilities to the private sector firms, the state-owned BSNL was being given a non-preferential treatment. He also said in the coming days they would intensify their agitation if their demands were not met.

Smriti to visit Doon

Dehradun, December 15
BJP national president (women’s wing) Smriti Irani will be visiting Dehradun on December 17 to oversee the preparations for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

During her visit to Dehradun, Irani will hold talks with the in charge for the Tehri parliamentary constituency. Similar meetings will also be held at other parliamentary constituencies. She will hold a meeting of the Tehri Assembly constituency on December 17 in Dehradun, followed by a meeting in Haridwar on December 18, Nainital on December 22, Bageshwar on December 23 and Rudraprayag on December 24. — TNS

Pithoragarh Chief Medical Officer gheraoed
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 15
Traders and other residents of the border sub-division of Dharchula today gheraoed Chief Medical Officer of the district and demanded immediate appointment of doctors at the community health centre of the subdivision. “Later, the traders submitted a memorandum to the Pithoragarh District Magistrate in this regard and warned that if the administration does not take step in the matter, the traders will gherao the District Magistrate on December 20,” said Bhupendra Singh Thapa, president of the Dharchula Traders’ Union.

According to Thapa, the traders of the subdivision are on agitation for the past three years and they will not relent till the doctors are appointed at the health centre.

“The health centre, which caters to a population of 90,000, has been without doctors and other technical staff since it came into being,” alleged Thapa.

The local traders’ body, led by its president Pawan Joshi, also extended its support to the agitation. The Chief Medical Officer said there had been a shortage of doctors even for the main district hospital. If new doctors are appointed in the district, they will be immediately sent to Dhrachula.

Govt plans ill-conceived: Maneka
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 15
Lok Sabha MP and chairperson of the People for Animals Maneka Gandhi has termed the Uttarakhand Government’s plans to keep monkeys in rehabilitation centres as the most ill-conceived ones.

In a statement issued here today, Maneka said such rehabilitation centres had failed to serve purpose in the states of Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. “It results in the deaths of thousands of monkeys and since it breaks up groups, the result is far more monkeys roaming around in towns,” she pointed out.

“Two centres on 20 acres each as proposed by the Uttarakhand Government will require more than Rs 20 crore for their construction which will take at least 15 years to complete. Monkeys cannot live in cages as they will attack and kill each other as happened in Delhi,” she said.

Maneka has suggested to plant fruit and berry trees in the forest areas on a war footing. “Within three years the monkeys will go back to their original area. Instead of planting more figs and berries, the Forest Department has been focusing on sal, pine and teak plantations,” she observed.

Koshiyari visits remote village
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 15
In the absence of road connectivity, residents of the remote Kaknai area in Champawat district are compelled to hire horses and mules to transport their essential commodities to the village from the nearest road which is 36 km away. They pay Rs 400 per mule or horse.

The villagers, who narrated their woes to BJP leader and former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who visited the village by a helicopter as part a poll campaign, said: “We have told the BJP leader that owing to non-construction of a road connecting the village to a highway for the past seven years, around 10,000 residents of Kaknai are compelled to travel 30 km extra from the highway at Sukhi Dhank,” said Mahesh Chaurakoti, a villager.

According to the villagers, a packet of salt is costing Rs 16 in the village which is sold at Rs 10 Rs in the Sukhi Dhank market, which is the main market of the area. “Besides salt, the other essential items are also selling costly at Kaknai. Wheat flour, rice and pulses cost 40 per cent or 75 per cent more than the prices prevailing in the nearby market,” said Chaurakoti.

Koshiyari said due to tough terrains, he came to the village by a helicopter this time but next time he will come by road, which will be constructed by then. “The people came in large numbers not to listen to Koshiyari, but to see the helicopter,” said a villager.