Class IV staff boycott work
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 14
The employees owing allegiance to the Fourth Grade State Employees’ Union today boycotted official work in support of their demands here.

The agitating employees gathered at the Pt Gobind Ballabh Pant park and raised slogans against the state government for failing to adhere to assurances given to them on numerous occasions.

Union employees’ representatives said they would continue to boycott work till the time Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna gives them a written assurance.

The employees have been demanding an instant implementation of the government notification regarding giving them pay grade benefit to all class IV employees in the state from January 1, 2006.

Divisional general secretary of the union Gobind Ballabh Upadhyaya said the employees of the union would take out a protest march to the state Assembly building on March 18 in Dehradun.

He said the state government was paying no attention to their demands and the agitation route was the only option left.

He said they would gherao the Assembly building.

District chief of the union Shiv Narayan Singh pointed out that while lakhs were being spent on expenditures on foreign tours of ministers, the Chief Minister cited paucity of fund when it comes to their pay and other allowances.

On the inconvenience being suffered by the people due to strike, district chief of the union Girish Rawat said, "We realise that the official work and people are getting affected due to the strike, but it is important that our woes come to the notice of the authorities.”

The gathering was addressed among others by Mahendra Manocha, Vinay Kant Bhatt, Raj Kumar, Pramod Pant, Jay Narayan, Narendra Bagdi, Uday Bhan, Beena, Chandra Kala and Malti.

Char Dham yatra routes to be repaired
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 14
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain has directed officials that all yatra routes must be repaired and improved before the beginning of the Char Dham Yatra in the state.

At a meeting held at the Secretariat yesterday regarding the Char Dham Yatra, Jain said work on the routes should be accelerated through coordination between the District Magistrates and the officials of the Border Roads Organisation.

He said meetings should be held with the Industrial Development Commissioner, Pollution Control Board officials and the environment department to resolve any problems related to sand, stones and crushers.

The meeting discussed in detail several issues which would have to be looked into to make the routes better.

Among these were the need to take care of the chronic slip zones in Sirobagad on the Badrinath Yatra route and those near Nandprayag and Chhinka, and the problem of road blocks due to falling of rocks at several places from Joshimath to Badrinath. It was decided that roads and traffic at Lohaghat would be taken care of.

Present at the meeting were principal secretary, PWD, SS Sandhu, principal secretary, Planning, S Ramaswamy, additional secretary, PWD, Amit Negi, nodal officer, forests, RK Mahajan, and District Magistrates of Uttarakashi, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pauri and Bageshwar.

Trials for admission to Sports College from April 4
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, March 14
Trials for boys below 12 years of age, who are permanent residents of the state, for admission to government Sports College in Dehradun will begin on April 4.

The trials will be for admission to Class VI for the academic session 2013-14, a Sports Directorate communiqué said here today.

According to the letter, the trials will be held in athletics, football, volleyball, boxing, hockey, cricket and badminton in four stages all over the state.

The trails in the first stage will be held between April 4 and 14 at 11 stadiums in the Kumaon region.

In the second stage, these will be held at Mussoorie, Barkot, Uttarkashi and New Tehri town from April 17 to 20.

The third stage trials will be conducted at Kotdwar, Pauri, Agatsamuni, Srinagar and Gopeshwar stadiums from April 22 to 25.

District Sports Officer Vinod Singh Waldia released the letter to mediapersons here today.

He said the trials in the last and fourth stage would be held in Laksar, Roorkie, Hardiwar, Rishikesh Vikasnagar and Dehradun in the Garhwal region from May 1 to 4.

The trials would be conducted for six events of races, standing broad jump, shuttle run ball throw and flexibilitytest.

Felling of trees resented

Dehradun, March 14
Residents of the city have resented the felling of trees in the Nehru Ward area here.

Several trees have been felled in the Old Jail campus here that also houses historically famous Nehru Ward.

Chief Coordinator of Citizens For Green Doon Nitin Pandey that felling of as many as 50 trees had taken place on Old Jail campus which was a matter of concern. He reminded that the Old Jail campus also housed Nehru Ward where first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru spent a considerable part of his prison years. — TNS

Pilgrims arriving for Purnagiri fair face water shortage
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 14
Problems of drinking water, sanitation and poor condition of the road to the temple at Purnagiri Dham have surfaced as pilgrims have started coming for the annual religious fair, which is officially scheduled to start on March 29.

While the pilgrims have started coming to the Bhairav temple from Tanakpur, the security arrangements at the temple are not proper. A sufficient number of policemen have not been deputed at the post there till date. “Our team of 10 members did not get drinking water last evening as there was no supply of water for the pilgrims between the Bharav temple and Thuligar,” said Ram Dulare, a pilgrim from Bisalpur subdivision of Pilibhit district in Uttar Pradesh.

“The local administration is preparing to provide various facilities in the mela zone from the Bhairav temple to the main temple. Sixty sanitary workers will start working from March onwards and light and sound systems will be switched on from March 28,” said JP Arya, Mela Officer deputed for the Purnagiri Mela this year.

Arya said the road to the Bhairav temple from Thuligar is being repaired these days but due to a financial crunch the work was going on at a slow pace. “The Champawat Zila Panchayat is doing the work keeping in mind its limited resources,” said the mela officer.

AK Dwivedi, Joint Director, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council, had recently toured the mela area. He had told mediapersons that the work of the installation of a ropeway at 3 km from the Bhairav temple to the main temple had been given to a Delhi company. “The work on the project is likely to begin in the coming months. The agreement for Rs 30 crore works with a Delhi Company was finalised in October last year. This project is being delayed as land disputes relating to it have not been resolved,” said Dwivedi.

Almora MP Tamta heaps praises on Bahuguna
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, March 14
Praising one year’s achievements of the Bahuguna government, Almora MP Pradeep Tamta has said the initiative on making Gairsain as the permanent capital of the state and the focus on the development in the coming years will be the main achievements of the government in last one year.

“The Bahuguna government is prepared for rapid rural development in the coming years and started making endeavours for political stability on mutual consensus within and outside the party for that,” said Tamta.

According to the MP, who is considered a spokesman of the Harish Rawat faction in the Congress, Chief Minister Bahuguna preferred development in all party forums whole year and tried to avert any political crisis by succeeding on reaching a consensus within the party for the cause of development.

“Being a Himalayan state, Uttarakhand has its future lies on the general outlook of the Centre towards the Himalayan states. Bahuguna tried that the Centre should feel the special need for the state under this pretext,” said the Congress MP.

According to Tamta, making arrangements for a special fund to develop the backward areas and preferring development in the border areas are other achievements of the Bahuguna government in one year.

Kumaon celebrates Phuldei festival
Our Correspondent

Residents celebrate the festival. Photos: Ghanshyam Joshi

Pithoragarh, March 14
The traditional festival of Phuldei was celebrated across Kumaon today. It is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra, a new month according to the Hindu calendar.

“According to the rituals, unmarried women of a particular area collect flowers a day before the festival and the next day they go to every household to wish New Year. In return, they get gifts of raw rice, gur and money. Later, women prepare halwa as prasad,” said Chandra Shekhar Barsila, a cultural worker from Garur town of Bageshwar.

“The tradition has its roots in the ancient Roman culture, as the Romans used to celebrate this festival to welcome New Year,” said Dr Ram Singh, a historian.

Max Hospital introduces re-plantation facility
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 14
For the first time in Uttarakhand, Max Super Speciality Hospital has introduced a 24-hour state-of-the-art facility for reattachment of severed body parts.

Some of the re-plantation facilities established at Max Super Speciality Hospital may not be available at the level 1 trauma centres.

Dr Vipin Barthwal, plastic and reconstructive micro vascular surgeon, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Dehradun, said limb loss was one of the most physically and psychologically devastating mishaps. “Not only does it cause a major disfigurement, but it also renders people less mobile and at a risk of loss of independence. With appropriate treatment, patients can regain functionality and lead a better quality of life.”

“In 70-80 per cent of such cases, the amputated part can be successfully reattached. However, in cases of finger or thumb amputation, if the part has been preserved properly, successful reattachment has been reported even after 17-18 hours of the injury,” said Dr Barthwal.

Continuous dehydration can cause kidney failure
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 14
Dr Vikram Singh, a nephrologist, yesterday said patients with persisting condition of dehydration should immediately consult a doctor as it could also lead to acute kidney injury (AKI).

“The AKI is a kind of kidney disorder where kidney failure takes place over short periods and the most common causes of the AKI are dehydration, trauma surgery (excess blood loss), drugs, infections and toxins. While treating the patients the underlying causes should be addressed and those susceptible to heat strokes should take precautions,” said Dr Vikram while addressing a press conference.

He said, "The AKI is reversible and a majority of patients recover if the condition is detected and treated in time. Timely consultation with specialists and special investigations like kidney biopsy help in reaching correct diagnosis. But some of the AKI patients may need dialysis temporarily.

Dr Vikram said, "The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) had reached epidemic proportions. It is estimated that the CKD affects one in 10 adults globally."

The approximate prevalence of the CKD in India is 17.4 per cent and is projected to increase.

Dr Vikram would organise an awareness programme at Agarwal Dharamshala from 12 noon to 1 pm on March 17.

Doon Hospital safai karamcharis call off strike
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 14
The Safai karamcharis of Doon Hospital have called off their stir after the hospital authorities assured them of resolving their issues.

“We have decided to withdraw our strike after the Principal Superintendent of Doon Hospital, Dr RS Aswal, agreed to consider our demand for a pay hike,” said Vinod, a safai karamchari.

The Safai karamcharis have now given three days to the hospital authorities to decide on their demand or they would resume their strike.

Central Command torch relay reaches Roorkee
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 14
The General Officer Commanding, Uttar Bharat Area, Lt Gen NS Bawa, flagged in the Central Command torch relay, ‘Surya Kiran’, at the Bengal Engineer Group and Centre at Roorkee today. The rally began from Bareilly to mark its Golden Jubilee year.

The Central Command of the Indian army was raised on May 1, 1963, in Lucknow. The torch relay is part of the Central Command’s 5,000-km run spanning seven states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to mark its golden jubilee year. ‘Surya Kiran’ reached Roorkee from Raiwala and will further move to Uttar Pradesh where it will culminate in Lucknow on May 1, 2013, after traversing 5,000 km through 39 military stations of the command.

“The Central Command plays a vital role in providing logistics and training to the Army and comprises 29 per cent of the serving soldiers while 30 per cent of the veterans are residing in various states under its jurisdiction,” said Brig Digvijay Setia, Commandant, Bengal Engineer Group and Centre. The 2012-13 has been declared the year of Veterans, added Brig Setia.

A major function was held at the Centenary Pavilion Ground, BEG and Centre. Governor Aziz Quraishi graced the occasion. He facilitated 14 Veer Naris by providing them cash incentives. He lauded the efforts of the Army towards nation building and praised valiant soldiers and their families who were ever ready to put their best foot forward in the service of the nation.

A free medical camp and a grievance redress camp were also held on the occasion. A team of special doctors from the Military Hospital, Roorkee, conducted the medical camp. Issues relating to pension and allowances were taken up at the grievance redress cell and information relating to welfare schemes was provided. Experts from the record office and the pay account office were part of the camp.

A team from Remount Training School and Depot, Saharanpur, organised a horse show. The show was followed by a gymnastics display by Boys Sports Company of the Bengal Engineer Group and Centre.