Drop women working beyond 6 pm at home
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 11
To ensure greater sense of security for working women and also keep a watch on their working hours, the Uttarakhand Government has issued directives to commercial establishments and firms to prepare a separate list of a total number of working women and also compulsorily make arrangements for dropping women workers who work beyond 6 pm.

Acting tough on the owners of commercial establishments who were not providing information separately on the number of women employees, Principal Secretary, Home, and Chairman of State level Committee on Sexual Harassment Vinita Kumar has directed the Commissioner, Uttarakhand, to carry out separate registration of women employees so that the total number of women workers in such establishments could be ascertained.

“Under the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1962, it is compulsory to register the total number of employees working in the organisations but the registration of women employees is not being done. Once we have information on the total number of women in the unorganised sector, we will be able to keep a tab on their working hours. It has come to light that many commercial establishments like jewellery shops and mega stores make women work beyond 6 pm but fail to make arrangements for dropping them back home. Besides we also want to ensure that women workers are not exploited and not forced to work beyond eight hours as stipulated in the Labour Act,” said Vinita Kumar.

She said greater awareness was required for improving working conditions for women, as they were important contributors to the economy.

“It is the duty of every citizen to provide security for women and women too should be aware about their rights and laws so that they are not exploited,” said Kumar, who is also president of the State Grievance Redressal Cell for sexual harassment at work place.

Besides, Principal Secretary, Labour, Ranbir Singh has also issued orders for making it compulsory for private organizations to make arrangements for dropping women employees in case their working hours are beyond 7pm. “These provisions will give a sense of security to women and we will be setting up a mechanism to monitor the progress of the private organisations,” said Singh.

 Contractual docs to get salary based on performance
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 11
The Uttarakhand government has decided to commence payment of salaries to doctors appointed on the contractual basis according to their performance, install silent trackers in all mobile medical units, health check-ups of students up to the intermediate level, payment of transportation charges in referral cases, set up food and drug laboratories and ensure effective implementation of the Clinical Establishment Act.

These decisions were taken at a meeting of the Health and Family Welfare Department chaired by Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain at the Secretariat here yesterday.

Jain was informed that the infant mortality rate in Uttarakhand was 1,000:36, while the national rate was 1,000:47. “A target has been set to bring down the mortality rate to 1,000:30 this year. The vaccination average of Uttarakhand is 75 per cent as against 43 per cent at the national level. The state has a maternity mortality rate of 188 per one lakh against the national average of 212. This will be brought down to 100,” the Chief Secretary was told at the meeting.

“The national sex ratio is 1,000:940 while in the state it is 1,000:963. A target has been set to bring down this ratio to 1:1. The tuberculosis treatment success rate is 85 per cent which is equivalent to the national rate. This will be increased to 90 per cent.” It was also revealed that as per the health indicator, Haridwar was lagging behind in the infant mortality and maternity mortality rates and the sex ratio.

The Chief Secretary directed the officers present to organise special camps focusing more on Haridwar. It was disclosed at the meeting that work had been started under the Janani Suraksha Yojna and the Janani Shishu Suraksha programme and institutional delivery management and maternity mortality audit under the Maternity Health Project.

 Dispute between singers Rana, Negi comes to the fore
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, January 11
The shooting for a folk number sung by Gajendar Rana targeting the doyen of Garhwali music Narendar Singh Negi that began in Mussoorie, today has brought the dispute between the two singers to fore, once again.

The audio of the number sung by young singer from Garhwal Gajendar Rana titled “Naruma Narayan,” which shows the senior singer Narender Singh Negi in low light, has already created an uproar with Negi fans disrupting the events showcasing Gajendar Rana in the Uttrakhandi Diaspora in New Delhi in the recent past.

Gajendar Rana during his visit to Mussoorie today said that it was unfortunate that supporters of Narender Singh Negi were disrupting his events and forcing the organisers of various events not to sign him in future events.

He said that if any person had any objection to the song, instead of disrupting his events they should knock the doors of the court to clear the air full and finally.

Rana, without naming Narender Singh Negi, opined that the singer himself has been involved with satirical numbers against various politicians in the past and now when the tides had turned against him he had taken it adversely. Rana also said that he was merely echoing the popular sentiments of the other artistes like him and nothing more. Rana said that it was not him but the music lovers who were saying that the song was targeted against Narender Singh Negi.

Rana, expressing his distress at the whole dispute, said that he had been castigated by many Negi supporters for singing the songs demeaning the culture of the state, which was untrue as most of the sungs by him were popular among the children and adults alike.

However, the film producer from the state Anil Godiyal said that that the controversy between the two singers was uncalled for and both sides should review the situation and resolve the matter amicably in the larger interest of the music industry of the state.

 1,200 pilgrims can go on Kailash pilgrimage now
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 11
As many as 1,200 pilgrims will be able to go on the Kailash Mansarowar pilgrimage from this year as the Union Ministry of External Affairs in consultation with the China Government has given permission for 20 batches of 60 pilgrims each. Till last year 960 pilgrims in 16 batches were allowed to proceed on the yatra, ITBP sources told this correspondent here today.

“A total of 1,200 Indian pilgrims instead of 960 last year will be allowed to go on the Kailash Mansarowar yatra from this year. The Union Foreign Ministry has given permission for 20 batches this time in place of 16 batches till last year,” said Kedar Singh, ITBP Commandant, who attended a meeting in this connection in New Delhi last week.

Kedar said each batch would consist of at least 60 pilgrims. All pilgrims would be first timers as the Foreign Ministry had refused permission for the yatra for the second time. “The pilgrimage duration for each batch has also been changed from this year. The 27-day pilgrimage has been reduced to 22 days by scrapping night stay at Taklakot and Darchin in Tibet and Chaukori in Pithoragarh district,” he said.

The pilgrimage, which was resumed in 1981, starts on June 1 every year and concludes in September. The pilgrimage, which includes more than 70-km trekking in high Himalayas, commences from the17,500 feet high Lipulekh Pass in Pithoragarh.

 ‘Good chances of employment in khadi sector’
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 11
With various scheme being initiated by the Khadi and Village Industry Commission, there is a scope for villagers and women as revenue generation option in the khadi sector.

This was stated by Director Khadi Village Commission, Uttarakhand, Satya Pal while inaugurating a week-long khadi exhibition here yesterday.

“There is a tremendous scope for employment in the khadi sector as the government is providing best facilities to this industry. Like under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, bank finance up to Rs 25 lakh is provided with loan being available instantly. In Uttarakhand alone, Rs 110 crore worth investment has been done in the last fiscal year,” said Satya Pal.

Upgrade milk quality, MD to dairy workers
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 11
The newly appointed Managing Director of Uttarakhand Dairy Federation has cautioned dairy workers of the state that if they do not upgrade their work culture and milk quality, private companies will take over the milk market from their hands.

“If the officers remain confined to their offices only and do not go to the field to increase milk production in villages, milk output and quality will suffer, paving the way for private dairy companies, which are looking for such chance in the state,” said Dheeraj Garbiyal, after taking over as MD of Uttarakhand Dairy Federation and Director of Dairy Department of the state government.

Addressing officers and workers of the department, after taking the charge, the MD said that despite the the fact that maximum number of farmers in the state depended on farming and livestock rearing, the cattle in the state still lacked green fodder for 8 months of the year, making milk production minimum in these months.

“The priority should be to provide green fodder to animals, yielding milk round the year by developing pastures near oak forests. This step will protect environment of these forests,” said the Dairy Federation MD.

The MD said that to keep private partners away from the dairy market of the state, workers at village-level dairies would have to come ahead and take concrete steps. “We are here to keep the future of cooperative dairy workers in tact in the state,” he added. 

 CM for promotion of handicraft industry 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 11
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has laid emphasis on promoting handloom and handicraft industries to realise Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Ghar Ghar Swaraj’ dream in the country. He was speaking at the concluding function of the National Handloom Expo at Parade Ground here today.

He said that the Central and state governments had launched several programmes for artisans and small enterprises. The Centre has given approval for establishment of a world class textile park in Udham Singh Nagar. It has also approved establishment of nine handicraft clusters at Chhinka (Chamoli), Manglore, Imlikhera-Mohanpur (Haridwar), Dharchula, Munsiyari, Ghatibagad (Pithoragarh), Dunda (Uttarkashi) and Kalsi and Vikasnagar (Dehradun).

The Chief Minister said that there was great demand of handlooms in the international market. Bahuguna stressed on taking up development of handloom industry as a mission. He also announced to increase the prize money of state-level awards for handloom, handicraft and small-scale industries from next year.

Small-Scale Industry Minister Harish Durgapal said that a haat bazaar would be established on lines of Delhi in Uttarakhand to provide marketing facilities to the artisans. He said that environment was being created in hill areas so that women and youth of those places took up self-employment for livelihood. He also stressed on strengthening district industry centres.

Chief Minister Bahuguna gave away awards to outstanding artisans for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Meera Rawat, Kundan Singh Martolia and Mathura Devi, Sarita, Anil Kumar Thapliyal, Laxmi Devi, Neetu Ben, Sushil Kumar, Tajvar Singh Negi and Munna Khan received awards for 2011. For 2010, Kedarchand, Vivek Bisht, Pritam Singh, Harendra, Madan Mohan Tamta, Manju Rautela, Md. Atiq, Raghuvir Singh Mehra, Vikas Agarwal and Chandra Bhushan Uniyal received the awards. Kailash Bhatt, Mohan Singh Bisht, Farhad Hussain, Suman Lala, Shukrulal, Balwant Ram Tamta, Madhu Tamta, Devki Devi and Pawan Kumar received awards for 2010.

 Vaishya-Aggarwal community convention on March 3 
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 11
To strengthen bonds among members of the Vaishya-Aggarwal community as well as unite people so that they have a better say in the political-social field, the Vaishya-Aggarwal community has decided to hold a mega convention at Roorkee in Haridwar district on March 3.

This was stated by Uttaranchal Aggarwal Mahasabha chief Sohan Lal Gupta, who cited the need of having a more constructive role in the political-social and cultural levels.

The state-level convention billed as Vaishya-Aggarwal Maha Kumbh will see representatives from all districts of Uttarakhand for which Nehru Stadium in Roorkee is being booked, considering the expected participants' number.

Former legislator from Roorkee Assembly segment Suresh Chand Jain will be chairing the organising committee for the convention.

Also, for the convention, successful people hailing from the community background residing in other states of the country as well as foreign countries will be invited.

“This Maha Kumbh of Vaishya-Aggarwal community will play a pivotal role for the revival of the community not only in the state but also in the country.Political activeness for the community is essential for its development, but for that we need to be one and share a platform, which the mega convention will provide,” said Sohan Lal Gupta.

Citing political success for the community politicians, Rakhi Chandra, woman commission member, said that in Uttarakhand four legislators were from the Vaishya-Aggarwal community, while in the previous there were two, and in the first Assembly when separate Uttaranchal state was carved from Uttar Pradesh, the number was three.

District chief Reema Bansal advocated for more freedom and rights to be given to women among the community so that they took steps forward.