Heavy snowfall in Kumaon, roads blocked
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 18
The Thal to Munsiyari road was closed for traffic last evening after it was blocked at Kalamuni following heavy snowfall. Nearly two feet of snow was reported at Kalamuni on the road to border Munsiyari town. Normal life was also disrupted in Almora and Champawat districts as the Haldwani to Almora and Pithoragarh to Almora roads were blocked at various places due to the rain and the snowfall.

The Kalamuni hills, on the way to Munsiyari, have witnessed more than two feet of snowfall since last night and it was still snowing there, said sources in the Meteorological Department.

They said it was the first major snowfall of the season and it also covered the entire valleys of Beans and Chudans, affecting movement to villages in the higher reaches. The Beans valley, from Mangti onwards, received three feet of snow last night which disrupted the movement of villagers and soldiers deputed at higher posts on the border with China and Nepal, said an ITBP source.

The farmers in the hills were rejoicing as the region received sufficient rain for the rabi crop. Dry and cold weather conditions in December had affected the crops in the hills. “This is life giving rain for the rabi crop as it has saved wheat, peas and barley crops that have been affected due to the dry and cold weather conditions during the past 26 days,” said RK Singh, an agricultural scientist working with Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Pithoragarh.

Singh said as the rain was of low intensity, it would penetrate into the roots of plants, giving them moisture enough to speed up growth. “The rain will not only benefit the rabi crops but also fruits. The rain will help the fruit crops in flowering,” he added.

“Vegetable growers in the hill area of Champawat district are happy as the rain has enabled them to grow crops outside playhouses. This has also helped them recover their losses caused due to frost in the plains in the district last month,” said Devendra Oli, a progressive farmer in the Khetikhan area of the district.

Consensus eludes state BJP for post of president
Neena Sharma/ TNS

Dehradun, January 18
With consensus eluding the faction-ridden Uttarakhand BJP for the post of president as none of the two candidates were willing to withdraw their nominations, the party was today forced to extend the date of withdrawal of nominations to January 20.

By putting their weight behind Teerath Singh Rawat, the combined efforts of former Chief Minister BC Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhriyal and Bachi Singh Rawat nixed the BJP core committee’s plan to prop up former Chief Minister BS Koshiyari to the post of BJP president. But the leader was not willing to give in yet. He was now firmly behind his protégé Trivender Singh Rawat, who filed his nominations today.

While the election in charge (central committee) tried to arrive at a consensus by holding talks with the two groups to stave of the possibility of election, the exercise did not yield any results. This impasse resulted in extension of the date for withdrawal of nominations to January 20.

“Koshiyari is back to playing games. After he failed to generate enough support for himself, he is now forcing his choice of candidate on the party leadership. During the nomination Teerath Singh Rawat had received 74 votes and had clear support of 10 MLAs,” said a BJP leader.

Just two days ago Teerath Singh Rawat propped by senior leaders was expected to emerge as a consensus candidate for the post of Uttarakhand BJP president, but by late Thursday evening the emissaries of the BJP core committee began approaching the BJP leaders with the name of senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Bhagat Singh Koshiyari. For once it appeared the party would eventually bring around the leaders to support Koshiyari. All was to change as Teerath Singh Rawat, who had Khanduri’s support, Murat Ram Sharma, Bachi Singh Rawat and several leaders went ahead and filed his nominations.

In between the leaders close to Koshiyari also began justifying the reasons behind the Central leadership’s last-ditch effort to bring him to the fore. “Teerath Singh and Naresh Bansal, who are being supported by one faction in the Uttarakhand BJP, did not possess organisational skills to take the party forward. Similarly, Trivender Singh Rawat and Dhan Singh Rawat had the support of the senior BJP leaders but lacked support among cadres in Uttarakhand. For this reason the Central leadership in Delhi decided to push for the candidature of the veteran leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari,” said a senior leader.

After the name of Koshiyari was dropped, vice president of Uttarakhand BJP Lakhi Ram Joshi on Thursday had already threatened to file his nominations. “The party has given so much to Koshiyari, but he continues to aspire for more. The party has been acquiescing to the leader at the cost of the BJP, Uttarakhand,” said Joshi. Koshiyari did not come to party headquarters and instead sent Trivender Singh Rawat to file his nominations. While Trivender Singh Rawat demurred to the wishes of Koshiyari, he could muster very little support during his nominations.

UKD (P) suspends Pritam Panwar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 18
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) today suspended it’s lone Cabinet Minister and party MLA Pritam Panwar from the party.

Announcing this at a press conference today, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) president Trivendra Panwar said the decision to suspend Pritam Panwar was taken on the basis of the outcome of the one-member committee report that revealed that Pritam Panwar had worked against the party candidate in the Tehri parliamentry byelection.

Trivendra also held that Pritam Panwar had been constantly giving statements against the party. “No one is above the party and all had to abide by party discipline,” Trivendra Panwar observed. 

Upright forest officer transferred for opposing consultant’s appointment
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 18
In another shabby treatment to a forest officer in Uttarakhand, Jyotsana Sitling has been given transfer orders out of the Himalayee Ajeevika Sudhar Pariyojana after she opposed an appointment of a politically backed consultant to the project.

The ambitious Himalayee Ajeevika Sudhar Pariyojana, meant to create livelihood opportunities for rural communities, is funded by both Centre and the state on the fifty-fifty basis.

The first phase of the project that started in 2004 completed in December. Now the second phase of project is about to begin. Jyotsana Sitling, an upright officer that heads the Himalayee Ajeevika Sudhar Pariyojana, has been instrumental in making project a resounding success in Uttarakhand.

Sources reveal that a post of consultant was unnecessarily created in the project to adjust a senior official, who recently retired from the state Agriculture Department. This all was done at the behest of a minister.

The move was opposed by Jyotsana Sitling, who found the appointment useless and another burden on exchequer. But, in return, she was suddenly transferred. But after much furore was caused over the development, the office of the Forest and Rural Development Commissioner (FRDC) had sought the details. Files pertaining to the transfer order of Jyotsana Sitling and also that of appointment of a consultant have now been with the FRDC and now further action is awaited.

This is not the first time that an upright officer is facing trouble. Earlier, a senior IFS officer, who was also the Director of the Himalayee Ajeevika Sudhar Pariyojana, was all of sudden removed. This was then resented by the Indian Forest Service officers in the state.

Jyotsna has been quite popular in Uttarakhand. In 2007, she has been a recipient of the prestigious Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, the country's highest environmental honour. This he got as the Director of the Nanda Devi National Park (NDNP) which comprises the Valley of Flowers National Park and the Nanda Devi Bisphere Reserve for her efforts towards environment conservation in the region.

She ensured the removal of piles of plastic and non-biodegradable waste, which had been dumped by pilgrims in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve's 19-kilometres buffer zone for the last many decades on their way to Hemkund Sahib.

It was also under her tenure that in 2005, UNESCO conferred the World Heritage Status on the Valley of Flowers National Park.

Governor to visit Prayag for Kumbh
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 18
Uttarakhand Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi, accepting the invitation of Shri Panchdashanan, Swami Ramsharan Giriji, the Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhada, will reach Prayag, Allahabad on January 19 to participate in the Kumbh mela.

The Governor said he considered it his good fortune that he would participate in the event which is a symbol of unity, brotherhood and faith.

The Governor will also participate in a programme organised by Swami Chidanand of Parmarth Niketan where it will be discussed how saints and public service organisations can get together and improve the infrastructural conditions in pilgrim centres of various states.

No livestock import from Tibet during border trade
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 18
Indian traders, who take part in Indo-China border trade at Lipulekh pass every year, will not import livestock from next year as the Government of India has turned down a proposal to provide a quarantine centre at Gunji, Indian camp of the trade, district livestock officer DC Gururani has informed.

“The proposal of making a quarantine centre to facilitate imports of Tibetan animals through this trade was formulated in 2003, when the Government of India made it mandatory to have quarantine centres at places of international trade,” said Gururani.

According to Gururani, the proposal has been turned down due to lack of motor road, facility to keep imported animals for 15 days and lack of power facility at the proposed place. “Indian tribal traders, who import a big number of animals during their border trade with China every year, will not be able to import Tibetan sheep, yaks and other animals from this year onwards,” said the Chief Medical Officer for animals in the district.

According to sources, if a quarantine centre was established at Gunji, laboratory facilities to test animal diseases, besides human and animal medical facilities, would also have to be provided at the place. “Despite our submission to the government that this trade included import of Tibetan animals for centuries, the government did not agree with our proposal.” said the livestock officer of the district.

The tribal trading fraternity has expressed it’s displeasure over the rejection of the quarantine centre at Gunji and said that this rejection would surely affect the border trade from Tibet. “The Government of India has so many times established that this trade is meant to revive local tribal economy of the people living on the Indo-Tibet border. Through the exchange of goods with Tibetans, the animals from across the border have remained an essential part of the local economy. With the ban on imports of Tibetan animals, this trade is bound to get less interest from local tribal traders,” said Padam Singh Raipa, secretary of the Bharat-Tibet Seemant Vyapar at Dharchula. 

Media must create safe atmosphere for women, says Governor
Tribune News Service

Dehradun , January 18
Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi said here today that the media, especillay the electronic media, could play a powerful role in enhancing awareness and creating an atmosphere in society, which would be safe for women and all sections of society which were exploited.

The Governor was speaking at a function “Hamari bachchiyan: Ek Atma-Manthan,” organised at Raj Bhavan today by a newly-created citizens’ group, which has launched an awareness campaign regarding the protection of women in society.

The Governor said that first the rights of equality should be given to girls by their own families. “And women suffering from harassment at home should rebel against it. Only then can we hope that the mindset of men can be changed,” he said.

Aloke B Lal , a retired IPS officer and well-known painter, said that the entire society needed to be senistised to create respect for women. Aloke B Lal set the ball rolling in his own inimitable speech, asking the paramount question, ‘what lessons do we learn from the Delhi gang rape?’

There were omissions and lapses galore during those two to three hours on that fateful night. The runway and wayward bus ran unchecked and unhindered. The two young people were thrown out of the bus, virtually naked, critically injured and bleeding to death. Scores of cars and two-wheelers just callously passed by but not even one vehicle cared to stop and inquire. “So much for the callousness of the citizens, who did not even bother to stop for a minute to find out as to what has happened,” Lal sadly wondered. “There are many ifs and buts and again there must have been lapses on the part of the police and even citizens,” lamented Lal, the retired Director General of Police.

Lal gave instances of two well-known cases involving rape and murder and accepted that the police investigations were shoddy, and judicial delivery system dilatory.

He is the chief coordinator of this awareness campaign.

Archana Rab, a lawyer, said that there were adequate laws for protection of women but were not being implemented properly.

Anil Raturi, ADG, Police, threw light on the role of the police in the safety of women. He appealed to the public to support the campaign of the citizens’ group.

NIVH Director Anuradha said that values given to their children by families would go a long way to check crime against women.

Usha Debey conducted the programme, which was attended by several eminent persons, including S.Farooq and Rakesh Oberoi. Much anguish was voiced today by concerned citizens at the special thought-provoking session, “Hamari bachchiyan: Ek Atma-Manthan,” organized by the newly constituted group named ‘Hamari Zimmedari.’ The self-introspection deliberations were held at Raj Bhavan auditorium with Governor Aziz Qureshi as the chief guest.

‘Hamari Zimmedari’ was constituted early this week by a group of concerned citizens headed by Aloke B Lal, Aditya Arya, Bhim Pandhi, Rakesh Oberai, Ranjit Singh Verma, S. Farooq, Shalin Singh, Shail Dhingra, Shalini Suri, Sharmila Bhartari and some others. Uttarakhand’s eminent singer Suchit Narang is the moving spirit behind this initiative that has been prompted by the ghastly gang-rape and murder of a 23-year old physiotherapy student in Delhi on December 16, 2012.

Governor recalls sacrifices made by Sikh Gurus
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 18
The 345th Parkash Utsav celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Sikh Guru, were celebrated in Uttarakhand today with Governor Aziz Qureshi visiting the Race Course gurdwara in Dehradun to pay his obeisance.

In his brief address, Governor Aziz Qureshi recalled the sacrifices made by Sikh Gurus in service of humanity. He called upon the people to follow the path shown by the great Sikh Gurus. Congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana, also present, referred to incidents from the life of Guru Gobind Singh.

Earlier, Sukhmani Sahib paath was recited in the gurdwara in the early morning hours today, followed by head granti Buta Singh throwing light on the life of Guru Gobind Singh.

A mass feasting was organised at the gurdwara on the occasion which was attended by a large gathering. Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha president Rajendra Singh Rajan was present on the occasion.

Residents protest against poor working of Haridwar MC
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 18
Residents of the city staged a protest against the poor working of the Municipal Corporation at the MC office at Mayapur today.

The protesters alleged that since the city Municipal Committee was made a corporation, it had done nothing significant in terms of providing civic facilities or implementing development schemes.

Social activist Vikas Tiwari said residents and pilgrims were facing inconvenience due to dug-up roads, choked drains, littered filth and garbage and irregular cleaning of residential colonies.

Tiwari added the condition of parks was also pathetic as they were not being maintained and cleaned properly. “Filth and garbage are seen littered everywhere and complaints to the MC go unheard,” he said.

The protesters raised slogans against the MC officials and resented the recent hike in the charges for booking the town hall auditorium and grounds for events like marriages and seminars.

Local resident Pradeep Kalra said the MC had hiked the fees for booking the town hall auditorium and grounds from Rs 2,500 to a whopping Rs 15,000, which is unjustified.

“Local people who can’t afford expensive wedding points or hotel conference rooms opt for the town hall auditorium, but now the corporation has made even this facility out of the reach of the common man. The MC is not doing its duty properly and is instead taking anti-people measures,” said Kalra.

The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the executive officer of the MC, Harshwardhan Mishra. Mishra assured the protesters of taking adequate steps to address their problems.

Tehsil Bar Association of Haridwar formed
Tribune News Service

Haridwar January 18
At the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Tehsil Bar Association of Haridwar, legal experts called for providing free legal aid to poor litigants so that everyone gets justice.

Newly elected chief of the Bar Association Suresh Kumar Bansal said their body would look after this aspect and assured the experts that poor be provided legal assistance.

Speaking as the chief guest of the ceremony, Sub-divisional Magistrate Arvind Kumar Pandey extended his wishes to the newly working body. Pandey also called for better coordination between the lower judiciary and advocates as many a times due to strikes, it is the people whose cases get delayed.

While lawyer-turned-politician Vinod Barthwal called for judicial reforms, fast-track courts and change in the legal system where poor people couldn't afford to expensive legal advocates.

The Tehsil Bar Association working body comprises secretary Rajesh Kumar Verma,vice-chief Rajkumar Upadhyay, sub-secretary Chandrpal Singh, treasurer Vinod Kumar. Others are Rajeev Tyagi, Navneet Jaiswal, Adesh Kumar Jain, Rajendra Kumar Chauhan, Nitin Mehta, Sanjay Gupta, Anil Kumar, Mukesh Gupta an Sandeep Chauhan.

Veteran lawyers Chand Jain and Adesh Chauhan coordinated the oath ceremony proceedings.