Relief for houses damaged in cloudburst doubled
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 16
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has announced to double the relief amount for those who lost their houses in the cloudburst that hit Uttarkashi recently.

The Chief Minister visited the district today and met cloudburst victims. said people who had lost their houses would be given additional compensation amount from the Chief Minister Relief Fund, which would be equal to the amount set in the norms. A team would be formed to conduct a survey of the damaged houses. The affected families would be given Rs 2,000 each for six months as house rent.

The Chief Minister visited Tiloth, Joshiyada and Gangori and met the affected families. He enquired about their problems and apprised them of the relief fund given to them so far. At Gangori, people presented the details of loss due to the calamity and urged the CM to provide all possible assistance to them. Bahuguna told them that the government was with them in this hour of distress and provide all possible help.

He claimed that not a single affected family would be left without relief. Additional amount equal to that given as per the Centre's norms would be provided to them from the Chief Minister Relief Fund.

The Chief Minister told them that immediate relief amount had been increased to Rs 5,400 from Rs 2,700. Stating that commercial institutions were not covered under the Centre's relief norms, he said the government would talk with banks to provide loans to them and arrange for the subsidy.

Bahuguna directed the officials present on the occasion to expedite the repair of roads and bridges, so that people stranded in far-flung areas could be reached.

Earlier, Bahuguna reached Bhatwadi by a helicopter and interacted with the affected people. He directed the District Magistrate to organise a camp and disburse the relief amount to the affected people at the earliest.

Later, Bahuguna attended a janta milan programme at PWD Guest House and listened to the grievances of the people. He said the estimation of loss stood at Rs 600 crore, which was expected to increase. He said people left with damaged houses were being given Rs 1 lakh each as house grant. All those who had contributed in the construction and repair works of roads and bridges would be felicitated by the government.

He also announced to provide financial assistance to the families of Nepalese labourers who lost their lives in the deluge. He expressed grief over the death of a Captain of the BRO and assured of all possible help from the government to his family. Bahuguna said a team from the Centre would assess the damage caused in the calamity.

He urged the affected people to take only uncooked foodgrains and cash from social organisations providing relief material and not to accept cooked food.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by area MLA Vijay Sajwan, Principal Secretary, Disaster, Om Prakash, District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar, SP Rajiv Swarup and other officials.

Bahuguna Visits Uttarkashi

The Chief Minister visited Tiloth, Joshiyada and Gangori in Uttarkashi and met families affected by the cloudburst

Affected families to get Rs 2,000 each as house rent for six months

Families of Nepalese labourers, who lost their lives in the deluge, to get financial assistance

Immediate relief increased to Rs 5,400 from Rs 2,700.

The loss due to the calamity is estimated to be Rs 600 crore, which is expected to increase

Manage traffic to check jams, says Chief Secy
Tribune News service

Dehradun, August 16
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain has directed officers concerned to ensure efficient management of traffic in Dehradun so that the people are relieved of jams and congestion and road accidents are effectively controlled.

Jain held a meeting on the issue at the secretariat here today. He said Dehradun being the capital of the state witnessed traffic pressure that was also increasing. He stressed on introducing new traffic management in this situation. He directed the officers to take suggestions from the people and public representatives to chalk out a traffic plan and implement it within a month.

The Chief Secretary laid emphasis on better coordination among the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), Nagar Nigam, PWD, Power Department and the local administration in the execution of the plan.

DIG, Dehradun Region, Sanjay Gunjyal said the presence of telephone and electricity poles on roads was affecting traffic. Jain instructed the officers of the respective departments to hold a meeting with the DIG and find out a solution to the problem.

He asked them to opt for one-way traffic in busy streets in the city and install new trafficlights wherever needed.

The Chief Secretary directed the officials of Nagar Nigam to identify workshops on roadsides that were hampering traffic flow and were against the rule and rehabilitate them at Transport Nagar. They could also be fined as per the rule, he added.

Jain also ordered the nigam officials to survey all unauthorised parking spots and regularise them. This would generate revenue for the corporation, he observed.

He directed PWD officials to ban unnecessary cuts in busy roads and set up new dividers. He asked them to prepare proposals for over-bridges at Mohakampur and Jogiwala within a week. The Chief Secretary directed the PWD to launch a special anti-encroachment drive to remove encroachments from roads and footpaths. There were 2,099 rehriwalas who neither possessed identity cards nor tokens from Nagar Nigam. The street vendors had also encroached upon roads at several places.

The Chief Secretary directed Nagar Nigam to provide a list of such vendors to the police so that appropriate action could be taken against them.He directed the nigam to ensure that garbage was lifted at night as the garbage-lifting trucks caused traffic disturbance in the morning.

The meeting was attended by Secretary, Transport, Dr Umakant Panwar, MDDA Vice-Chairman R Meenakshi Sundaram, Additional Secretary, Finance, MC Joshi, PWD Chief Engineer Lalit Mohan, District Magistrate Ravinath Raman, SSP Neeru Garg, City Magistrate Harak Singh Rawat, Secretary, MDDA, Vanshidhar Tiwari, Superintendent Engineer, PWD, VC Vinwal and Executive Engineer, PWD, CM Pandey amongst others. 

Academy move to shift shopsin Mussoorie faces opposition
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, August 16
A proposal to shift four shops situated near the gate of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie in order to widen a road is facing opposition.

Academy officials met Municipal Council president OP Uniyal and the affected shopkeepers at a meeting held on the MC premises today and proposed the shifting of the four shops from near the academy gate to a newly constructed site near the Happy valley.

Ratnesh Singh, Additional Director of the academy, said the academy had already shifted two shops and proposed to shift other four shops from its gate to near the Happy valley in order to widen the road in front of it.

Uniyal said the shops had existed in the area for the past 60 years but the academy wanted to shift them to the Happy valley.

However, the affected shopkeepers alleged that the academy officials were indulging in pressure tactics to shift them to the newly constructed site. If they were shifted their business would be adversely affected. Bharat Singh, owner of a tea stall near the academy gate, said he opposed the proposal as it would harm his source of livelihood. Moreover, the rent of Rs 2,500 being suggested by the academy was too high for the shopkeepers like him.

Many residents of the area believe that instead of using its own property for widening the road the academy was eyeing the shops. They said the academy officials were conspiring to usurp the Manorama Birla Devi road leading to Birla House near the Happy valley and close it for the public permanently. The road divides the hostel area of the academy from its administrative wing and the officials were trying to connect the two wings by removing their shops from the area, alleged the shopkeepers. 

Students educated on puppetry
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 16
Eminent puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee gave a performance at Jaswant Modern School in Dehradun today.

Dadi Pudumjee told school students about the importance of puppetry as a medium of social awareness. “Puppetry today is used to sensitise society against evils like dowry, alcoholism and others,” he said.

Pudumjee said the puppetry had seen enormous changes from a strong traditional rural art to modern puppetry that had taken over urban centres.

Principal of Jaswant Modern School Meenakshi Gandotra appreciated Dadi Pudumjee and handed over a souvenir to him and members of his Ishara Pupeet Theatre Trust. A large number of students witnessed the performance. 

Trained teachers hold protest march
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 16
Demanding immediate permanent job, Trained Basic Teachers Course (BTC) teachers today staged a march in Dehradun.

The march that passed through various areas of the city culminated at the Secretariat. Led by their president Gyan Singh Bisht, speakers alleged that they had been staging a dharna at the State Education Directorate office for the past 14 days but their issue was still to be solved.

Gyan Singh Bisht, Uttarkhand State President of Trained BTC Teachers Federation, said they would continue with their agitation till their demand was met by the state Education Department. He also pointed out that several MLAs had pledged their support to their agitation. 

Skits, blood donation mark I-Day 
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 16
On the occasion of Independence Day, the pilgrim city dipped in patriotic fervour with people participating in large numbers.

At Roshanabad, flag hoisting was done by District Magistrate Sachin Kurwe while at the Police Lines, it was SSP Arun Mohan Joshi who hoisted the flag.

CISF personnel drew applause from the crowd at the BHEL main stadium due to their beautiful and synchronised march past. Freedom fighters hailing from Haridwar district were also honoured on the occasion by various organisations.

At the century-old Gurukul Kangri University which produced many freedom fighters, flag hoisting was done by Vice-Chancellor Swatantra Kumar.

Kumar shed light on the Indian independence movement when Gurukul remained an epicentre of the freedom struggle. A cultural programme followed by sapling plantation was done.

At Little Angel’s school, children attired the costumes of Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rani Laxmi Bai and sang patriotic songs.

Saraswati Vidya Mandir students at Mayapur performed patriotic skits and dance presentations after the flag hoisting.

Blood donation camps were also organised by several NGOs and private institutions on Independence Day in which a large number of people donated blood.

Advocate General UK Uniyal honoured
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 16
The Dehradun Bar Association (DBA) felicitated Uttrakhand Advocate General UK Uniyal in the District Court premises today.

President of the DBA Surinder Pundir urged him to take up the matter with the state government for releasing Rs 10 crore for the welfare of advocates. He said the Advocate Welfare Committee held its meeting on August 4, where the members of the committee, including Law Secretary too, agreed to demand a fund of Rs 10 crore for the purpose.

Pundir said with the monetary help, the DBA members wanted to increase the amount given to the kith and kin of an advocate from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh after his or her death.

He said junior advocates would also be given monthly stipend for five years. Uniyal assured the advocate fraternity of his sincere efforts in this direction.

He also visited the computerised library maintained by the DBA and appreciated them for the good collection of law books. 

ICFRE to donate one-day salary
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 16
Eminent environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna today flagged off a truckload of medicines and blankets collected by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) staff in Dehradun for the Uttarkashi cloudburst victims.

The ICFRE employees also announced to contribute one-day salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund which will come to around Rs 6 lakh.

Flagging off the truck, Sunderlal Bahuguna appreciated the ICFRE’s efforts and asked other organisations and departments to emulate it.

He further said reaching out to persons in need was an integral part of their culture and the ICFRE had taken a right step to revive that sprit and tradition. He also suggested to create a fund in government departments in which every employee could voluntary contribute some amount every month for calamities.

Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Director General Dr AK Bahuguna said such natural calamities were the result of man’s injudicious exploitation of nature.

He said the increasing climate change would lead to more Uttarkashi-like incidents in the future and stressed on the need of preparedness for such eventualities by augmenting the capabilities in disaster management.

Director, Forest Research Institute, Dr PP Bhojvaid, Chairman, Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation, Dr Anil Joshi, and all IFS officers, scientists and employees of the ICFRE were also present on this occasion. 

More donations pour in

Dehradun, August 16
Sri Ganga Sabha, Haridwar, donated Rs 5 lakh in the Chief Minister Relief fund for the Uttarkashi cloudburst victims while Swami Vishveswaranand, Mahamandleshwar Girishanand Ashram Trust, Kankhal, Haridwar, presented a cheque for Rs 51,000 to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna at his here today.

Cooperative and Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya, Sabhapati of Ganga Sabha Om Prakash Sharma, general secretary Virendra Srikunj, vice-president Purushottam Sharma, secretary Rajesh Shivpuri and Swami Sadanand Maharaj were present. — TNS

Four vehicle lifters held in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 16
The police arrested four members of an inter-state vehicle lifters’ gang here today.

During a checking drive at the Gaindikhata check post at Shyampur, a police team intercepted a Bolero. Seeing policemen, two persons in the vehicle tried to run away. However, the police team chased the vehicle and arrested them at some distance away.

During checking, the police found two number plates of a same number (RJ-08UA/1361) in the vehicle, which led to suspicion. During investigation, the duo, Kunal and Amboj Kumar, both residents of Bihar, accepted their involvement in looting vehicles.

On a tip-off, a police team later arrested their accomplices, Anil Raj of Haryana, and Sunny, alias, of Bihar, near the Rasiyabad Ganga canal. Four stolen vehicles -— a white Santro (UK-07Y/5200), two grey Indigo cars (JH-01M/9090 and JH-05 L/4205) and a white Indigo LX having same number JH-05L/4205 — were recovered from their possession.

Teams have been formed to arrest two other members of the gang, Rajkumar of Saharanpur and Anil Kumar of Patna, who are absconding.

SSP Arun Mohan Joshi said during interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to buy condemned vehicles from Delhi, Meerut and Saharanpur. Later, they would steal same colour and model vehicles from UP and Uttarakhand. And after replacing the chassis and number plates of the stolen vehicles using those of the condemned ones, they would sell them at good prices on the basis of the papers of the condemned vehicles.

Meanwhile, DIG, Dehradun range, Sanjay Gunjiyal has announced a reward of Rs 5,000 for the team that arrested the accused. The SSP, Haridwar, has also announced to give Rs 2,500 to it.

A case has been registered in this regard.

Four held with leopard skin
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, August 16
The Wildlife Protection Department of Uttarakhand classified Pithoragarh district as a high sensitive zone after four persons were arrested with a leopard skin yesterday.

The accused were going to deliver the leopard skin to a source near the Pithoragarh airstrip, Forest Department sources said.

The district is fast emerging as a major route of poachers for smuggling wildlife organs collected from the Kumaon region, said Paramjit Singh, a senior officer in the wildlife protection cell of the Forest Department in the Kumaon region.

The sources said the Special Operation Group of the Forest Department and the police launched a manhunt to nab the poachers who were active in the region for long. “Following a tip-off that the smugglers are moving to Pithoragarh from Haldwani to deliver a leopard skin to someone, we positioned our men near the Pithoragarh airstrip at Naini Saini. We arrested five persons and seized the skin from their possession,” said Parag Madhukar Thakate, head of the operation.

Thakate said the smugglers were going to deliver a 2.2-metre skin of a five-year-old leopard, which they might have killed four months back. “The forest and police teams are investigating about how the smugglers obtain a leopard skin and their network,” he added.