Haridwar residents oppose inclusion of 14 UP villages
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 1
Resentment is brewing among residents of border areas of Haridwar district against the move to include 14 villages, currently in Uttar Pradesh, in Uttarakhand, Statehood activists and residents of border areas are opposing the move to include 14 villages -- Sirsika, Rampur, Kansa, Hedi, Sadharanpur, Fakreda, Pattimalmaur, Bandarjudda, Gudganjpur, Jatol, Chaudhahendi, Nizampur, Ransura and Rajpur - in Uttarkhand.

They have also formed a committee called Uttarakhand Sanyukta Sangarsh Samiti to educate people on the issue. The villagers have written a letter to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in this regard and urged him to quash the proposal at the initial stage itself.

Talking to The Tribune, central secretary of the Uttarakhand Sanyukta Sangarsh Samiti JP Pandey said they would not allow the merger of Uttar Pradesh villages with Uttarakhand. He said during 1999 and 2000, when the process of the creation of the state was going on, these villages and a large number of the people of Haridwar had opposed the inclusion of the district in Uttarakhand.

“Now, as a lot of development has taken place in Haridwar, these villagers want to avail of the facilities. They played no role in the movement for the creation of Uttarakhand and instead a section of people living in plains opposed the statehood movement,” Pandey said.

"Why we should extend our territory when hill regions of Uttarakhand are still devoid of development and basic facilities even after 12 years of the creation of the state,” he? said.

Veteran statehood activist Meera Raturi said these 14 villages had formed the Haridwar Bachao Samiti to ensure that they remained in Uttar Pradesh but 
they were now working for getting included in Uttarakhand.

“These villages should represent the Uttar Pradesh government for development and basic facilities. If they are included in Uttarakhand, more villages will raise the same demand,” said Raturi while addressing the samiti activists.

Notably, Gokulanand Lohani, deputy secretary to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, has sought the details of the proposal and the Haridwar and Saharanpur district magistrates are looking into the issue. The Uttar Pradesh government is also considering the proposal. 

Low water level in Naini Lake worries Nainital residents
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, September 1
Environmentalists and residents of Nainital have a big reason to worry about as the world famous Naini Lake has been drying out gradually for the past 40 years. Though heavy rain took place in August, the water level in the lake remains minimum. “The water level in the lake in August was recorded at 7.5 ft, which is 16 ft less than the average level. The ideal level of water is about 10 ft at this time of the year,” said Nanda Ballabh Pandey, in-charge of the Naini Lake control room.

According to the Naini Lake control room sources, during the monsoon the water level in the lake generally remained about 10 ft even when the rain was below average. “We were ordered to open the gates of the water passes of the lake towards the Balia nullah in case the water level goes above 9 ft. The rainy season has nearly passed but water in the lake never reached this level,” said Pandey.

The sources said such a situation had arisen only four times in the past 50 years. On many occasions, the water level in the lake had gone up and had to be diverted to the Ballia nullah. But this year such a condition was unlikely even in September, they added.

Nainital generally witnesses more than 450 mm of rain on an average. Girish Ranjan Tiwari, a Nainital-based journalist, said, “The main reason for the decrease in the water level of the lake is that maximum water was drawn from it and rainwater from houses was discharged into the sewerage line instead of the lake. The lake, which had 250 natural water springs around it in 1950, is now has only 30 natural springs. This has reduced the water intake capacity of the lake,” said Tiwari.

Nainital residents are worried over the situation as the lake is important from the tourism point of view and it also fulfils the drinking water needs of the town.

Last batch of Mansarowar pilgrims reach Dharchula camp
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh September 1
The Kailash Mansarowar yatra headed for conclusion as the last and 16th batch of pilgrims reached the base camp at Dharchula from Chaukori (Berinag) in Pithoragarh today. The last batch would leave for the first camp on the trek route at Sirkha tomorrow, sources in the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) told this correspondent here.

While the 16th batch of pilgrims reached the Dharchula base camp on way to Tibet, the 12th batch comprising 41 pilgrims back from the yatra reached New Delhi today. The 15th batch reached Nabhidhang today while the 13th and 14th batches of pilgrims were still in Tibet, said BR Arya, in-charge of the yatra at the Dharchula base camp.

According to ITBP sources, special care is being taken of the pilgrims on the trekking route as the upper part of the Himalayas is experiencing heavy rain. The relatives of the pilgrims from across the nation have flooded the base camp with inquiries, as they are getting the information about heavy rain from their relatives on the pilgrimage, said AT Borkar, an ITBP officer.

Yajna at Badrinath Dham to make Modi Prime Minister
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 1
Supporters of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi have sought divine intervention to ensure that their leader becomes the next Prime Minister of the nation. A group of more than 1,000 supporters of Modi, led by his elder brother Pankaj Modi, has reached Badrinath Dham, one of the most revered Hindu shrines, to conduct a special yajna.

According to sources, Pankaj Modi has organised a 'Vishnu Yajna' at Badrinath Dham to ensure that with God's blessing Narender Modi becomes the next Prime Minister. The yajna will conclude tomorrow.

Bhuvan Uniyal, dharmadhikari of Badrinath Dham, said, according to Hindu scriptures, any yajna performed in the month of 'Purshottam mass' brought the desired results. This month comes after a gap of 32 months. Earlier, the Modi supporters from Gujarat reached Haridwar and participated in the Ganga aarti. After the start of the yajna, Pankaj Modi left for a religious place.

Officials to seek poacher's remand
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 1
The Uttarakhand wildlife authorities on Saturday brought alleged poacher Priya Bawaria from Pinjore, Haryana, to Ramnagar in Uttarakhand. Corbett National Park officials will seek Bawaria’s remand for further questioning.

It is alleged that he is involved in a number of poaching cases in the Bijrani and Kosi ranges of the Corbett National Park. According to wildlife bodies, poaching continues unabated in the region. In the last one year, at least three dozen cases of alleged poaching have come to light. At Corbett park, the government has deployed villagers on patro duty to check poaching activities. 

Woman hangs herself
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 1
Rani, 25, resident of Balmiki Colony and wife of Chetan Singh, an auto driver, committed suicide by hanging herself on Thursday night. She had a bitter fight with her mother-in-law, after which she hanged herself.

It was when her one-year-old daughter cried at night that her husband woke up to realise that his wife had hanged herself to death. He brought her body down and informed the police. 

Human rights panel to launch awareness programmes
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, September 1
The Uttarakhand State Human Rights Commission will launch awareness programmes in the state to make people aware of their rights.

Acting president of the commission Rajesh Tandon said this at a function organised by the SETU here today. Residents of Mussoorie gathered at a hotel in Kulri Bazaar and took up the issue of "indifferent" attitude of the administration towards their problems with Tandon. The issue of caste-related identification process was also discussed. The acting president of the panel Rajesh Tandon assured them of speedy solution to all problems.

Police drive for implementation of traffic laws in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 1
The city police will launch a drive for the implementation of traffic laws from next week. The drive will be launched in view of several vehicles impounded in criminal cases where the accused tried to fool the police by using red lights.

To ensure that the drive is successful, a meeting was called by Traffic Circle Officer JR Joshi at his office. Representatives of political parties, various organisations and institutions participated in the meeting.

Joshi apprised them of various crimes, where criminals used red beacons, hooters and nameplates to carry out illegal activities.

He urged local residents and mediapersons to cooperate with the authorities.

A letter has been written to the Haridwar SSP to ensure all police stations and check posts are involved in the drive for its successful implementation.

Collectorate employees boycott work
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 1
Employees at District Collectorate boycotted work yesterday. President of Collectorate Employees Association Rajender Kumar said the senior employees of the pay scales of Rs 2,800, Rs 2,400 and Rs 1,100 were not being sent to Chakrata for two years and Tyuni for three years as per the roaster plan. Given to this, who are already serving at these stations are not getting opportunity to be transferred elsewhere in the district.

He said if nothing was done in this regard, then the employees would go on a three-day strike from September 4.

Groupism in state govt affecting development, says Khanduri
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 1
Former Chief Minister BC Khanduri said today that factionalism in the Vijay Bahuguna-led Congress government was detrimental to the development of the state. He said aid measures and disaster management being carried out by the state government in the Uttarkashi region had failed to deliver. He sought an explanation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the nation on his alleged involvement in the coal scam.

He, however, welcomed the upcoming Cabinet meeting at Gairsain in Chamoli district on October 3. He said any decision in this regard should be taken by generating a consensus and keeping in mind the aspirations of the people of the state.

“Factionalism in the state government and lack of consensus among Cabinet ministers are affecting the development of the state,” said Khanduri.

Meanwhile, he evaded a question on his contesting the Tehri byelection. "The party high command will take a decision in this regard. As a true soldier of the state and the party, I will carry out with full devotion any responsibility bestowed on me,” the former Chief Minister added.

Khanduri also had a 90-minute discussion with Shankaracharya Jagadguru Raj Rajeshwaram Maharaj.

Workshop on science communicators begins
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 1
A four-day workshop for the empowerment of science communicators/writers/journalists began at Dev Sanskriti University here yesterday. The Lokhit Foundation, with the support of the Rashtriya Vigyan evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad (RVPSP), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, is organising the workshop.

Inaugurating the workshop, Dr Chinmay Pandya, Pro Vice Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti University, said science communicators and scientific writers could play a leading role in taking scientific developments to people in a simple way. Dr Pandya called upon the youth to think and question till a solution to any problem was found.

BJP delegation meets Governor
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 1
A BJP delegation from Chamoli district met Governor Aziz Qureshi at Raj Bhawan here today. The delegation, led by general secretary of the state unit of the BJP Suresh Joshi and former MLA Mahendra Bhatt, submitted a memorandum to the Governor and urged him to direct the government to provide adequate compensation to the cloudburst-hit people of Chamoli. The Governor assured the delegation of appropriate action.