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Bhati report smells rat in jute bags, seeds purchase
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HC tells govt to hold civic poll as per schedule
Campaign to publicise Centre’s development schemes
Baluni appointed UJKD Doon unit president
Samiti team meets DIG over social boycott charge
Artistes seek concession in rail, bus fares
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Bhati report smells rat in jute bags, seeds purchase
Dehradun, March 19 The report states that Nishank nominated Hemant Dwivedi as chairman of the firm contrary to the norms of the corporation which prohibit the appointment of a non-official person as chairman. Even the advice of the legal department was turned down. Further, it states that irregularities are found in the purchase of the jute bags which were procured in 2010 at exorbitant rates of Rs 37.59 per bag. It points out irregularities in the purchase of seeds from private seed companies which led to a loss of Rs 305 crore. The report states, "The seeds from the private companies were sold without verifying their quality thereby causing loss of brand image to Pantnagar Seed." However, alleging that the commission report was politically motivated and inaccurate, Nishank said the commission had hidden facts. He charged the state Congress government of tabling the Bhati panel report with political vendetta against the previous BJP government headed by him. In a statement, Nishank said the observations of the Bhati panel regarding the appointment of Hemant Dwivedi were wrong. He said the panel had tried to use selective provisions of the articles of the association of the corporation in a bid to malign him and his government. "The appointment of Hemant Dwivedi was proper and constitutional as per Section 114 of the article of the association of the corporation which the panel has conveniently ignored," he said. Nishank further alleged that the panel did not give any opportunity to the persons to be indicted to be heard as given in Section 8 of the Inquiries Act of 1952. "The entire working of the Bhati panel has been politically motivated and against the principles of natural justice,” he added. Even BJP president Teerath Singh Rawat, who called a press conference today, said the Bhati Commission report was not constituted according to the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, as it did not summon the accused for hearing. “Any possible action based on the Bhati Commission report by the government based on the recommendations of the probe panel was unconstitutional as it has not been constituted according to the norms,” said Rawat. The Commission of Inquiry under the chairmanship of KR Bhati which is probing a slew of alleged scams during the previous BJP government, including matters related to land concession in respect of Citurgia Biochemical, Rishikesh, allotment of small and micro hydro power projects under the self-identified category in 2007-2011, Mahakumbh Mela 2010, complaints of irregularities in Uttarakhand Seeds and Tarai Development Corporation Ltd (Us and TDC Ltd) during 2007-2012, the complaints in respect of disaster management works, especially after natural disaster in 2010 and irregularities in various the Central Government schemes during 2007-2012. |
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assembly in session
Dehradun, March 19 As soon as the House was convened in the morning, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Bhatt again raised the demand for a CBI probe into the alleged sale of government land in Pantnagar and Haridwar. “The government not only sold the land at throwaway prices to builders but also failed to protect the interests of the members belonging to the low income group. It did not adhere to the norms. I do not understand why the government is afraid of an inquiry. If it has nothing to hide, it should allow an inquiry,” said Bhatt. To this, the leader of the House and Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the Opposition should allow the House to function. “The bidder who offered the highest rate was considered for the deal by SIDCUL and I am ready to reconsider the deal if the Leader of the Opposition manages to bring someone who offers Rs 300 crore for the deal. So far no land has been sold and only preliminary bookings have been received by companies,” said Bahuguna. He also asked the Opposition to give up its stubborn attitude and also desist from defaming the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL). “As a measure of transparency, I have already submitted the past deals undertaken by SIDCUL and so far no complaint has been reported to the government. It is a profit-making entity and from time to time the government had borrowed money to pay dues of sugar mill owners. If you are not satisfied with the answer, you are free to approach the court or the Lokayukt,” said Bahuguna. However, unrelenting Bhatt again questioned the intention behind awarding the deal to Supertech Company that was already blacklisted. Later, the Opposition members entered the well of the House and continued to raise slogans against the government. Amid the Opposition's uproar, the government managed to conduct the business listed for the day, including tabling of the Bhati Commission report that was tabled by Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat. The three new Bills tabled were the Uttarakhand Power Development Fund (Amendment) Bill 2013, Uttarakhand , the Uttarakhand Plastic and other Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Regulation Use and Disposal) Bill, 2013, and the Uttarakhand Lokayukta and Up-Lokayukas (Amendment), Bill 2013. According to the Uttarakhand Plastic and other Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Regulation Use and Disposal) Bill 2013, the non-biodegradable garbage (irrespective of any size and thickness) will include polyethylene, nylon, PVC, poly-propylene, polystyrene, PET-poly-ethylene terephthalate HDPE-high density polyethylene, LDPE low density polyethylene and other resins and multi-materials like ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PPO (Polyphehylene oxide), PC (Polybarbonate), PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate) etc. The person guilty of violating the Act will be punishable with three months simple imprisionment or fine up to Rs 500 in case of individuals and petty retailer, up to Rs 50,000 in case of retail shops and business enterprises and up to Rs 2 lakh in case of manufacturing and trading firms or with both. Whoever having been convicted of an offence under this Act is convicted again of any offence under this Act will be punishable for the latter offence with double the penalty provide in above. Besides, the Act also entails registration of waste godwons and safety of labour every operator of waste godowns will obtain registration from local bodies, including gram panchayats for storage of any type of non-biodegradable garbage as per provisions of rules made on this behalf. The Act also mandates that all agencies entrusted for cleaning and collection of non-biodegradable garbage as registered under the provisions in the Act will disclose the identity and responsibilities of each rag picker and other labour engaged in cleaning, collection, storage and management of garbage. All registered godowns and local bodies will provide modern cleaning equipment, shoes, gloves, aprons and other safety measures to their registered labour involved in cleaning and collection of garbage. A total of five Bills that were passed today include the Indian Stamp (Uttarakhand Amendment) Bill 2013, the Uttarakhand Miscellaneous Act Validation Bill, 2013 (for alteration of names of laws prior to November 9, 2000), the Uttarakhand Medicare Service Persons and Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill 2013, the Uttarakhand Sugarcane (Regulation of Supply and Purchase) Amendment Bill, 2013 and the Uttarakhand Special Area (Planned Development and Promotion of Tourism Bill 2013). |
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HC tells govt to hold civic poll as per schedule
Dehradun, March 19 A Division Bench of the court comprising Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Justice Alok Singh directed the State Election Commission to conduct the local civic body election on the basis of 2001 Census, if the data of 2011 Census was not available, between April 8 and 30 as scheduled. Earlier, a Single Bench of the High Court had postponed the civic election following a petition which sought the election to be held as per the 2011 Census. The revision petition filed by some BJP workers had alleged that the state government on the pretext of the unavailability of Census 2011 data had conspired to postpone the civic body poll. Meanwhile, BJP workers today celebrated the decision and burst crackers. Neelam Sehgal, city president of the BJP, said it was the victory of the democracy as the state Congress government was planning to postpone the civic poll. The Division Bench's verdict came in response to a PIL challenging a previous judgment of March 7 on the same subject by a Single Bench, which had decreed Census Directorate to collect the population data of the region which came under local bodies as per census 2011 in next three months, and directed local bodies authority to divide the population equally among all wards in next two months. This way elections were postponed for five months. According to sources, High Court provided relief on both counts, on holding elections before the expiry of the term of local bodies and refraining state appointed administrator to run the functioning after the expiry of term of local bodies. The court made these observations in the wake of Article 243, which has mandated that the local bodies and panchayat elections must be held before the expiry of their five-year term. Hence, taking into account the stand of the apex court and constitution over the matter, the High Court over-ruled the judgment of the Single Bench.
Clearing the air
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Campaign to publicise Centre’s development schemes
Dehradun, March 19 Various media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Directorate, Field Publicity, Song and Drama division, Directorate, Advertising and Visual Publicity, Doordarshan, All-India Radio, all state departments concerned are participating in the campaign. Chairman, Zila Panchayat, Almora, Mohan Ram Arya said this was for the first time that a public information campaign had been started in Someshwar block to generate public awareness about several important programmes such as MGNREGS, the NRHM and total sanitation campaign. He called upon people to take benefits from employment-oriented programmes such as MGNREGS. He suggested to the government that though daily wage under the MGNREGS had been increased to Rs 142, this was not sufficient. It should be further increased. He appealed to the people present at the inaugural session to take full advantage of various welfare schemes of the government. Presiding over the function, Chief Development Officer, Almora, C Ravishankar said for the better implementation of the schemes of the Social Welfare Department in the district, the verification of eligible persons was being conducted and on the completion of the same, an increased number of people would be benefited from these schemes. Representative from the Rural Development Department Pankaj Kandpal said preparations for new job cards under the MGNREGA would start from April 1, therefore, villagers desirous of seeking employment should get their job cards prepared. Project director, Almora, SSS Pangti said the amount of assistance for the poor under the Indira Awas Yojana of the Centre had been increased to Rs 75,000. However, for this the family should be below poverty line. He said those desiring to take benefit from this scheme should get their BPL cards prepared. Speaking about rural electrification, Executive Engineer, Uttarakhand Power Corporation, Devendra Bisht said a target had been fixed to provide electricity to all villages by 2015. District employment officer NS Bisht said unemployed youths who wanted to register themselves with the employment exchange could do the same at the public information campaign venue in Someshwar. He said at present, 245 persons were being provided jobs in the district. Villagers were also sensitised to the schemes such as rural roads, drinking water, agriculture, horticulture, food and civil supplies and rural banking. The main function was held at Someshwar Stadium, where various departments have put up exhibition stalls to publicise their welfare schemes and
programmes. |
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Baluni appointed UJKD Doon unit president
Dehradun, March 19 Anil Chander Baluni has been appointed president of the city unit of the party while other appointments were made against the positions of vice-president, general secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, organisation secretary, publicity secretary, spokesperson and members of the working committee. Addressing a press conference here today, party president BD Raturi said the city unit of the party was making all preparations to contest the Municipal Corporation election. Raturi also spoke about other issues in the state. He termed UKD president Trivender Singh Panwar's move of withdrawing support to the state government as undemocratic and unconstitutional. He said the party would launch a mass awareness programme from April 10 onwards, which would be known as ‘Jan Kranti Rath Yatra’. During this, party leaders would travel across the state to expose the "wrongdoings" of the state government. In the first phase, areas under the Garhwal zone would be covered. |
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Samiti team meets DIG over social boycott charge
Dehradun, March 19 Yesterday the delegation along with Shyam’s son Anil Kumar and his wife Sonu met the DIG. President of the samiti Chowdhary Shyam Lal said Shyam forcibly evicted Sonu and Anil. Since Anil was jobless and was unable to support his wife and two-year-old daughter, he was staying alone in a house in Dehradun while Sonu was staying with their child at her father’s place in New Delhi. Sonu said that her brother-in-law Sunil Kumar, who was a mediaperson and handled many shops and hotels owned by the family, pressurised her to bring dowry and wanted to have control of the property. He evicted her husband and her from the house. |
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Artistes seek concession in rail, bus fares
Mussoorie, March 19 The artistes are also resenting the increase in the charges of Town Hall here and demanded that it be reduced by half so that plays and various cultural functions could be easily staged. Vikram Bisht, director of the Munal Lok Sanskritik Sansthan, told mediapersons in Mussoorie that the successive governments since the formation of the state had ignored artistes of theatre, television and regional films. The sanstha is involved in promoting and preserving the hill culture in Lucknow and Dehradun. Bisht said some artistes had left their profession and some were contemplating leaving it due to the lackadaisical approach of the successive state governments. He added that the state government had so far done nothing to improve their condition and had indulged in lip service only. Bisht demanded that all artistes involved in promoting and preserving the culture of the state should be given concession in rail and bus fares on the lines of Uttar Pradesh so that they could commute easily to showcase their talent without spending much on travelling. He also demanded that railway centres should be opened at Dehradun, Haldwani and Kotdwar for such artistes so that concession passes could be issued to them from these places. Bisht said a similar practice should be adopted with regard to bus fares so that artistes having a limited budget were provided some relief. He added that the artistes should also be provided concession in booking charges to perform at the newly built Town Hall in Dehradun. At present the fee of Rs 10,000 proposed by the Nagar Nigam was high and it should be reduced to half in the larger interest of the state. He requested the government to begin the construction work on Town Hall in Mussoorie soon so that tourists could watch presentations on the culture and tradition of the state. Anil Godiyal, producer of several Garhwali films and music albums, said an office of the Indian Council and Culture Relations (ICCR) should be opened in Uttarakhand so that artistes could visit abroad to promote the culture of the state. Bisht informed the mediapersons that he was in Mussoorie to choose a location for a 13-episode Garhwali serial to be aired on Doordarshan from Lucknow and Dehradun. Several folk and television artistes were present on the occasion. |
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Amid noisy protest by opposition members, the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed five Bills and tabled three new Bills and the Bhati Commission
report.
To publicise development schemes being implemented by the Centre under Bharat
Nirman, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Dehradun, launched a public information campaign in Someshwar block of Almora district today.
