Funds pour in for Uttarkashi victims
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Dr Harak Singh Rawat, Uttarakhand, Agriculture and Sainik Welfare Minister, today presented a cheque for Rs 11 lakh to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna for the Uttarkashi disaster victims.

The cheque was contributed by the Uttarakhand Ex-servicemen Welfare Corporation. Brig AN Bahuguna (retd), managing director of the corporation, was also present.

Earlier, a delegation of Usha Brecko Company of Haridwar also presented a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to the Chief Minister for the Uttarkashi relief fund. Dr Rakesh Sharma, director of the company, and Tarun Singhal was present.

Two trucks flagged off

Church's Auxiliary For Social Action, a charitable organisation, today dispatched two trucks carrying relief material for the Uttarkashi cloudburst victims.

State Khadi Gram Udhyog Minister Harish Chandra Durgapal flagged off the trucks from Dehradun today. Durgapal appealed to charitable and other NGOs to come forward in aid of the cloudburst victims.

Organisation president Suresh Satpathy said the relief sent today included foodgrain, tents and other medical kits.

BJP MPs to donate Rs 50 lakh

BJP MPs have decided to donate Rs 50 lakh from their salaries to the Uttarkashi Relief Committee run by senior RSS leader and patron Dr Nityanand.

The initiative came at the behest of BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj who has been involved with the people of Uttarakhand since her days as Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand.

The BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand Tarun Vijay is expected to meet Union Defence Minister AK Antonty so that the construction of the Gangori bridge could be taken up on a war-footing.

Meanwhile, several NGOs from Dehradun have joined hands to contribute towards relief for the people of Uttarkashi. Today three truck full of blankets and 20 tonnes of raw food material donated by different NGOs, including the HOPE, the CASA, were flagged off by Labour Minister harish Chandra Durgapal.

Govt vows to rehabilitate Uttarkashi victims
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, in a message to the people of the state on the eve of Independence Day today, said the government was committed to providing relief and rehabilitation to disaster-hit people of Uttarkashi district.

He expressed grief over the death of people in the Uttarkashi cloudburst and said the government would provide all possible assistance to the affected families.

He further said the government had not only released Rs 20 crore for the victims but also directed the district administration to provide sufficient ration, drinking water and medical facilities to them. The Centre had allocated Rs 150 crore for the same purpose.

The Chief Minister appealed to NGOs and social organisations to actively contribute to the cause of the cloudburst victims. He said the government had doubled the relief amount. While Rs 1.5 lakh given to next of kin of the deceased under the NDRF norms had been increased to Rs 3 lakh, financial assistance given to a person with more than 80 per cent disability had been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh from the existing Rs 62,000. Similarly, other funds had also been increased.

Bahuguna further said a Cabinet meeting would be convened at Gairsen in Chamoli on October 2.

He claimed that the government, exhibiting its efficient economical management, had presented a revenue-surplus Budget without imposing any additional tax on the general public. The government had also been able to get Rs 8,200 crore approved for its Annual Plan from the Union Planning Commission.

Bahuguna said the financial assistance given to war widows for the marriage of their daughters had been increased to Rs 50,000 from Rs 20,000. He said the government was serious about safeguarding the welfare of farmers and had given ownership right of land, allocated to them on lease for agricultural purpose under the Government Grant Act- 1895, to them. They had also been given right to sell the land. Farmers could register their respective lands as per the circle rate of 2005, depositing just 5 per cent of it. He said the government had decided to provide 10 kg rice per month instead of 2 kg to APL card holders.

Looking into the shortage of doctors, the government had decided to increase the salary of doctors on a contract basis on a par with regular doctors. Their contract term would be increased to three years from one. Efforts were also going on start AIIMS, Rishikesh, and the first course would begin from September. He said improving the condition of roads in hill areas was also one of the priorities of the government.

Bahuguna said a decision had been taken to take up the repair work of roads as soon as the monsoon was over. A scheme worth Rs 200 crore in this regard had also been approved.

For Dehradun city, an action plan was being prepared for the construction of flyovers at the ISBT, Balliwala Chowk and Bhandari Bagh. Efforts were being made for the extension of railway lines and air service. The Centre had approved air service between Dehradun and Kathmandu.

Bahuguna said the government was seriously pursuing development in the tourism sector. With the support of the Union Tourism Ministry, a Rs 250 crore mega project had been prepared. The establishment of the Tehri Lake Development Authority and the Adventure Sports Academy were in the pipeline, he said.

Bahuguna said the Chinyalisoud runway would be extended to provide easy accessibility to Tehri for tourism development in the area. He said an action plan was being prepared to bring Piran Kaliyar and Hemkunt Sahib on the international tourism map.

He said the Centre had approved Rs 160 crore for the development of tourism in Uttarakhand. International standard sports stadium would be constructed in Dehradun with the help of the ONGC.

Bahuguna said a higher education recruitment commission would be formed to recruit 850 professors. The retirement age of teachers had been increased to 65 years from 60 as per the UGC norms. The responsibility of passing the maps for house constructions had been given to local units. The government was keenly looking forward to end power crisis and had urged the Centre to restart stalled hydropower projects, he added.

Meanwhile, the Centre has approved the 300 MW Lakhwad Dam Project.

The Chief Minister said a mega industry project was being launched to attract more investors. A separate directorate would be formed for mining and a separate department for small, micro and medium industries.

The subsidy given to Khadi had been increased to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh.

He said border allowance would be paid to government employees serving in the border areas. “Our government has resolved to lead the state to a new direction of development for which concrete action plans are being chalked out. We have taken comprehensive initiatives for the welfare of workers, business fraternity, unemployed youths, ex-servicemen, farmers, students and other sections of society,” he claimed.

Bahuguna’s message on I-Day eve

The government has released Rs 20 crore for the cloudburst victims and directed the district administration to provide sufficient ration, drinking water and medical facilities to them

The relief amount to next of kin of the deceased under the NDRF norms has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh

Financial assistance to a person with more than 80 per cent disability has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh from the existing Rs 62,000

Government employees to get border allowance

A higher education recruitment commission will be formed to recruit 850 professors

High court notices to state, Centre
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, August 14
The Nainital High Court, on two public interest litigations filed on protection of tigers at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, yesterday issued notices to the Central Government and the Uttarakhand Government and ordered them to file their replies within four weeks on the issues raised by the petitioners.

The PILs were filed by former vice-chairman of the Forest Advisory Committee Anil Baluni and a Ramnagar-based NGO, Himalayan Yuva Gramin Vikas Sansthan. The two judge-Bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Barin Ghose and Justice UC Dhyani ordered the respective governments to file their replies on the questions raised by the petitioner concerning the protection of tigers in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

“We have raised four questions before the honourable court concerning the preservation of tigers at the Corbett Tiger Reserve. They include the evacuation of 300 Bavaria tribe families from the core zone of the reserve and their rehabilitation elsewhere and the extension of operational areas of the special tiger protection force conceived by the government. We have also pleaded before the court that Rs 65 crore announced by former Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh to rehabilitate the core zone village of Sunder Khanl be released and the court proceedings in the cases pertaining to arrested poachers be speeded up as they resume their illegal activities immediately after they get bail in earlier cases,” said Rakesh Thapliyal, advocate for Anil Baluni.

Jauljibi residents stop Kailash Mansarowar pilgrims in protest
Our Correspondent

Members of the ninth batch of the Kailash Mansarowar Yatra after their return from Tibet in Pithoragarh.

Pithoragarh, August 14
Residents of Jauljibi stopped members of the 13th batch of the Kailash Mansarowar Yatra on the Dharchula-Pithoragarh highway for two hours today in protest against the lack of basic facilities in the town. Pilgrims cross the town to reach the base camp at Dharchula.

“We stopped the pilgrims in protest against our long-pending demands of providing a mobile tower, a cooking gas godown and a primary health centre at Jauljibi, which is situated near the Indo-Nepal border,” said Lila Bangyal, one of the protesters.

According to the Dharchula administration, the protesters allowed the pilgrims to go only after SDM Pramod Kumar reached the spot and gave them an assurance that he would take up their issues with the higher authorities.

The SDM further said the protesters had given them an assurance that they would not stop other batches of the Kailash Mansarowar pilgrimage. However, they said if their demands were not met within a month, they would launch an indefinite fast on the Dharchula-Pithoragarh highway, the SDM added.

Meanwhile, the ninth batch of the Mansarowar pilgrims reached New Delhi from Almora today. On the other hand, 41 members of the 12th batch reached Nabhidhank after undergoing medical tests at Gunji on Monday. According to sources, the 11 batch of pilgrims has reached Derapuk in Tibet while the 10th batch has reached Taklakot.

Widows of ex-servicemen given cheques
Tribune News Service

Agriculture and Sainik Welfare Minister Harak Singh Rawat gives a cheque to a widow at a function organised by the Doon Defence Academy in Dehradun on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, August 14
Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat today distributed assistance cheques to widows of ex-servicemen at the Doon Defence Academy's 7th founder's day function.

In his brief address, Harak Singh Rawat said Uttarakhand was home to a large number of ex-servicemen whose contribution in the service of the country could not be ignored. He also appreciated the Doon Defence Academy for providing coaching to the students towards preparing a career in the defence forces. Harak Singh Rawat on behalf of the Doon Defence Academy handed over cheques for Rs 10,000 each to 11 widows of ex-servicemen.

Director, Doon Defence Academy, Sandeep Gupta on the occasion announced that the academy was also donating Rs 21,000 to the Chief Minister Calamity Fund in aid of Uttarkashi cloudburst victims.

A blood donation camp was also organised which was attended by large number of students.

Qureshi, Bahuguna mourn Vilasrao Deshmukh’s death
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Uttarakhand Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi has expressed grief over the death of Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today.

He said in his death, the country had lost a talented, popular and far-sighted leader. “This is an irrecoverable loss to the nation,” said the Governor.

Meanwhile, Vijay Bahuguna has also expressed condolences on the demise of Vilasrao Deshmukh. He termed his death as a great loss to the nation and the Congress.

Meanwhile, Director General, Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology (UCOST), Rajendra Dobhal has mourned the death of Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

In his message, Dobhal, who was in Delhi today for some official work, recalled the contribution of Deshmukh to the promotion of science and technology in the country. He said scientists would always remember Vilasrao Deshmukh for his constant encouragement.

A condolence meeting was also held at the UCOST office here today, where a two-minute silence was observed for the peace of the departed soul.

ONGC donates solar water heater
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Chairman and Managing Director, ONGC, Sudhir Vasudeva today inaugurated a solar water heating system donated by the ONGC to Raphael, an NGO engaged in providing relief to physically challenged people, destitute and people suffering from tuberculosis.

The inauguration ceremony began with a short cultural programme by mentally challenged children. It was followed by a welcome address by Air Marshal BD Jayal (retd), chairman of Raphael. Jayal recalled that in the fifties the arrival of a large corporate entity like the ONGC and the birth of Raphael in Dehradun were a surprise thing. He thanked the ONGC for the kind gesture that would help the people living in Raphael’s institution and promote greening of the campus.

Vasudeva applauded the good work done by Raphael in empowering persons with disabilities. KS Jamestin, Director, human resources, Sunder Lal, Executive Director, Tauqir Hussain, Executive Director, HRD, KK Kaul, Senior Consultant, corporate affairs, and DD Mishra, GM, Corporate Administration, were also present on the occasion. 

Infrastructure at Khadi board offices to be improved
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Uttarakhand Khadi and Gramudhyog Minister Harish Chandra Durgapal today announced that infrastructure at the regional offices of the Uttarakhand Khadi and Gramudhyog Board at Srinagar and Kaladungi would be strengthened.

Durgapal was presiding over a meeting of the board in Dehradun. He announced that infrastructure at the offices of the board in Srinagar and Kaladungi would be strengthened. He also stressed on publicising products of Khadi garmudhyog.

The meeting also approved a budget of Rs 2.25 crore for ensuring employment opportunities in rural areas through means of Khadi production. It was also decided at the meeting that a district gramudhyog office would be constructed at Bageshwar.

Additional Chief Executive Officer, Uttarakhand Khadi and Gramudhyog Board, Kisan Nath elaborated upon the achievements of the board since its inception.

Additional Secretary, Finance, LN Pant, Finance Controller Pankaj Tiwari and Additional Director, Industries, Sudhir Nautiyal were present at the meeting.

Cops, Fire Department officials to be honoured today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
The police and fire department personnel, who will be felicitated with police medals for their exemplary services on Independence Day by the President, are Jagdish Singh Bhandari, Additional Superintendent of Police, Nainital, for Distinguished Services.

Harender Pal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Devender Singh, Inspector Vigilance, Rajpal

Lal, Sub-Inspector, Police Headquarters, Mohan Chander Joshi, Sub-Inspector, Bageshwar, and Jagat Singh Samant, Sub-Inspector, 46th Batallion, Rudrapur, had been selected for police medals under meritorious services.

The fire police personnel who will also be honoured are Harish Giri, Fire Officer, Dehradun, and Kripa Ram Sharma, fireman from Mayapur, district Haridwar.

Docs unwilling to join at new places of posting
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 14
Efforts of the Health Department to transfer doctors to health facilities facing a manpower shortage are likely to fail as several doctors are not willing to join duty at new places of their posting and are planning to take a legal recourse.

Efforts are also afoot to revise the list of transfers to placate the doctors who have been shifted out of Dehradun and Haridwar and the final decision of Health Minister Surinder Singh Negi in the matter is awaited. The minister, who has returned from London, is expected to take the decision after Independence Day.

What has aggravated the matter is that Joint Directors have been given the responsibility of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in some districts while according to the transfer policy only Additional Directors are entitled to become CMOs.

Joint Directors should have been sent to hospitals which are facing a shortage of doctors while some of them have been transferred to the DG office to look after projects and administrative work.

Besides, Dr Prem Lall has been made Additional Director, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), when no such post exists. There are already two Additional Directors at the NRHM at the directorate.

Drive against use of polythene bags
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, August 14
Students of Mussoorie International School held an awareness drive against the use of polythene bags in the town today. The students distributed paper and cloth bags to shopkeepers around the town and appealed to them not to use polythene bags as they were proving hazardous for the town and the environment.

They marched from Library Bazaar to Jhoola Ghar raising slogans about the need to preserve the environment and enforce the ban on the use of polythene bags in the town. A teacher from the school, Aakash Grover, said the paper and cloth bags distributed here were made by the students. GC Uniyal, P Kaushik, Yoris, Arvind Panwar and others were also present. 

PNB schemes

Dehradun, August 14
Officials of all branches of Punjab National Bank in the district have been directed to open bank accounts for beneficiaries of the Social Welfare Scholarship Scheme on zero balance on the direction of District Magistrate Ravinath Raman.