High alert sounded in forest areas against anti-wildlife forces
Most officials, guards on leave for Holi Corbett at high risk
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26
Amid high alert declared by Uttarakhand forest authorities for Holi, putting security arrangements in place in the protected areas of the state certainly becomes a challenging task during days of festivities.

Already reeling under shortage at lower levels that form backbone of forest security, Uttarakhand forest authorities have announced a high alert, a practise undertaken during festivals, whether it is Holi or Deepawali, as a major chunk of forest guards and other officials go on leave during these days. Further, anti-wildlife forces also become active during this time, taking advantage of the prevailing situation.

Uttarakhand Anti Poaching Cell head SK Dutt today asserted that high alert had been declared in the state so as to check any possible poaching during the festival, and security arrangements at the protected areas had also been beefed up for the occasion.

Significantly, security arrangements at protected areas in the state could be at risk as most of the top officers at the park had gone on Holi holidays. Conservationist organisation People for Animals, Uttarakhand, has alleged that a large number of Corbett staff was on leave this Holi. She also pointed out that 11 out of 12 Range Officers and 55 out of 139 vacant posts of forest guards in Corbett were already lying vacant, putting Corbett wildlife to graver risk.

Even alleging that both Director and Deputy Director were on leave, People for Animals member secretary Gauri Maulekhi said it was an act of utter neglect that both Director and Deputy Director were on leave simultaneously. “This will affect the moral of other staff as well and put conservation at tiger-famous Corbett at risk,” Maulekhi argued. She asked the Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden for taking necessary disciplinary action. The park is already on high alert mode with spurt in anti- wildlife activities in the region in recent months. The arrest of poachers from Corbett’s periphery some time back and tampering with one of the park surveillance cameras amply revealed that the park was under observation of notorious elements.

Wildlife conservationist Hem Singh Gehlot pointed out that Holi also marked the beginning of summer season and movement of wildlife, particularly cat species, towards water bodies became very frequent during this time. “This is also observed by poachers who find Holi as the best time to undertake their anti-wildlife act”, Gehlot added.

UKD going through critical phase after support withdrawal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) is passing through a critical phase after withdrawing support to the state government on March 17. Party patron Kashi Singh Aeri has called a meeting of the working committee in Rudrapur on March 31 in which the leaders of other split factions are also arriving to participate and discuss the alleged arbitrariness of party president Trivender Singh Panwar.

Insiders revealed that Panwar, who is also toying with the idea of expelling Aeri for calling this meeting and inviting other factions, has also warned expulsion of those party members who dared to participate in this meeting. The leaders, except the first rung who are displeased with Panwar and are keen to attend this meeting, are also fearing the punishment of expulsion.

In fact, the way Panwar has expelled all the rebellious and competent leaders one after the other from the party, it has now been left with weak leadership, which does not have the guts to open rebellion against him.

It is do and die situation for Aeri. If he fails to change the leadership in UKD, his expulsion any way is unavoidable. When Aeri was asked about the meeting, he avoided disclosing much.

He, however, said he was calling the meeting to discuss the issue of withdrawal where change in leadership could be mooted as well. Panwar’s display of strength by taking some hundred activists of Uttarakhand Jan Manch into the party fold was pointless, he said, as long as the party lacked a powerful programme and policy to take it forward among public.

Aeri is one such leader who has been accepted by all the disgruntled factions. They repose faith in him for making all the efforts in stitching these factions together. All of them harbour bitterness against Panwar as it was he who threw them out and broke the party into many factions. Party president, Uttarkhand Jan Kranti Dal , BD Raturi, who had been former president of UKD, said: “It is a pity that the UKD no longer has strong leaders who cannot fight against the dictatorial ways of functioning of Panwar. Preetam Singh Panwar, who should have taken lead in this direction, is also keeping mum. The present disappointing situation in UKD does not augur well for the unity of regional parties, and their possibility to wrest power from the mighty national parties who are leading in the state.”

A UKD leader on the condition of anonymity said the Panwar group was asking them to join the Congress if they were not happy with the party. He is also discussing the expulsion of Aeri from the party, which has also sent shock waves in the party. The leaders, besides those few who are always seen standing close to Panwar, are not ready to accept that the oldest party leader who is the co-founder, patron and former president could be expelled from the party.

Tough times

Insiders say that Trivender Singh Panwar, who is also toying with the idea of expelling party patron Kashi Singh Aeri for calling a meeting of the working committee and inviting other factions, has also warned party members of explusion if they dare to participate in the meeting.

Residents, tourists set for Holi celebrations
Our Correspondent

Date with tradition: Women begin making preparations for the festival of Holi in Mussoorie on Tuesday.

Mussoorie, March 26
Enthusiastic residents and tourists began preparations to celebrate Holi by shopping for sweets, gulal, abeer and gifts today.

The residents were seen preparing goodies namely gunjian, pure ghee sweets and namkeen especially prepared for the festival.

Meanwhile, a large number of children played Holi in streets and women made preparations for Holika Dahan in different parts of the town. They collected pieces of wood, tied them with a red thread and then women prayed around the bonfire for the well being of their families. With the burning of the wood later in the evening the Holi celebrations began.

Tourists from the plains of North India also rushed to the town to celebrate the festival. The added rush on the occasion of Holi has brought cheer on the faces of traders and hoteliers alike in Mussoorie.

Tourists from Delhi and Punjab arrived in the town to spend holidays. Satbir Singh, a tourist from Delhi, said as shops would remain close on Holi in Delhi, they thought of enjoying the festival in Mussoorie.

A tourist from Haryana said it was a great opportunity for him to take a break from the mundane routine and enjoy the festival in the mountains. 

Holi milan at CM’s house
Tribune News Service

Bahuguna’s granddaughters dance during the function. Tribune photos: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, March 26
A Holi milan programme was held at the residence of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna here today.

Governor Aziz Qureshi along with his family membe`rs, Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya, legislators of the Congress as well as the BJP and senior Congress members attended the function.

A cultural programme was held on the occasion. The Governor and the Chief minister greeted the guests an wished them well.

Anganwari workers not to celebrate Holi
Tribune News Service

Rekha Negi of Anganwari Workers’ Association address a press conference in Dehradun on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, March 26
Incensed with the government’s inability to concede to their demands, anganwari workers who have been on hunger strike since March 18 have decided not to play Holi this year and to boycott election duties during the local bodies election.

Addressing a press conference today, Rekha Negi of Anganwari Workers' Association (Uttarakhand) said that the government did not pay heed to their genuine demands. “What we are asking is not new. The state government had promised to pay us honorarium equivalent to what is being paid by the Centre. To lodge our protest we will not play Holi and also not participate in the conduct of local bodies election,” said Negi.

She said that the members had been holding relay hunger strike at the Raipur bus stand but the government did not send any representative to start negotiations with them.

Negi said that the anganwaris were demanding that they be absorbed as government staff, anganwaris working at mini anganwari centres be given salaries for undertaking social work and be given winter and summer holidays.

1788 aspirants get training in hospitality sector
Seema Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun March 26
The state Tourism Department has provided two months' basic training to 1788 aspirants in the hospitality sector under the scheme of the Central Government, ‘Hunar se Rozgar Tak,’ in the last six months. Under this scheme, the trainees are introduced to basic grooming and learning about regional cuisines, front office and waiter training, house keeping and bakery. The department, which does not have the facility of baking in its own institutions, has left out this course.

The trainees have been provided training on the premises of Indian Hotel Management (IHM), Dehradun, tourist rest houses of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN). GMVN is leading among all by training around 1170 trainees, followed by IHM, which catered to 700 trainees. KMVN is lagging behind with only 260 trainees.

District Tourism Officer, Uttarakhand, Tourism Development Board, Shiv Gupta, said: ''The department is spending around Rs 10,000 on each trainee. Those who come from far away and do not have the facility of accommodation are given monetary help of Rs 2000 per month. Besides this, they are given a monthly stipend of Rs 2000 as well.

Since under the scheme people who are educated up to class VIII can also participate and learn about these skills, surprisingly, several graduates are showing keenness and joining these courses.'' He showed his unhappiness about KMVN not faring well and said KMVN had delayed starting these courses.

It is the hill people who are struggling with unemployment. They have been blessed with beautiful landscape which has immense potential to woo tourists for both sightseeing and adventure. They can certainly benefit under this scheme. But given the apathy of KMVN, they have not been able to do so. Gupta said he would ensure that KMVN meets the target of imparting training to at least 1000 aspirants under the financial year, 2013-14.

The benefit of this scheme has also not been able to percolate down to the lowest level. The inadequate awareness drive by Tourism Department is much to be blamed for it.

The claims of Gupta that the information about this scheme, the period and venue of courses were published in local dailies, and the responsibility to spread the word was given to 13 district tourism officials, district magistrates, district technical institutions and principals of colleges do not seem to hold much ground, if one goes by the number of people provided training under this scheme this year. There is no clarity about the statistics of those who were facilitated jobs by the end of the course.

Gupta, however, assured that the department was also thinking of tying up with other hotels to provide training to the trainers. “The way hotels provide professional training to the students of various colleges and universities, they can do the same for the aspirants who enrol themselves under this scheme free of cost,” he said. It seems unlikely that these subsidiaries of tourism who were getting funds for running this scheme would share a part of these with the private sector.

Panel formed to defame BJP, says Teerath Rawat
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26
Chief of the Uttarakhand BJP Teerath Singh Rawat today rejected the claims made by the Congress government that resignation of former IAS officer KR Bhati as Chairman of the commission would go a long way in strengthening democracy and maintaining the integrity of the commission that was set up to investigate the alleged corruption cases that took place during the BJP rule.

In a statement, Rawat said the Bhati Commission was constituted to defame the BJP government as a result the report was one-sided. "None of the persons mentioned in the report were called by the commission. This has never happened before in the history of the country," he said. Teerath Rawat also congratulated his party men for raising the issue when the Assembly session was on. "The BJP took the issue to the people as a result the government was under pressure," said Rawat. 

350 poor persons treated at artificial limbs, polio camp
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26
Max India Foundation (MIF) with Manav Seva Sannidhi organised a four-day camp in Dehradun. This is the 5th artificial limbs and polio camp that MIF has facilitated since they started this initiative in 2008.

The camp started on March 21 and concluded on March 24. The aim was to provide artificial limbs and polio calipers free of cost to over 350 poor persons who may have lost one or both of their limbs in an accident, injury, disease, electric shock or polio. Over 350 poor persons made prior registrations with the two organising members to avail free procedure at the camp. MIF ensured comfortable arrangements for stay and food for the patients along with one attendant each during the camp.

MIF volunteers also ensured that these patients were motivated and encouraged to practise walking with the new limb.

Mohini Daljeet Singh, Chief Executive of Max India Foundation, said that Max India Foundation believed in respecting every individual and helping the poor live a healthy life of dignity. ''By providing an artificial limb, we not only try to overcome the physical disability of a person, but also give him new hope for life and the confidence to rebuild his dreams for himself and his family. We extend sincere gratitude to our partners in this initiative. In the last 5 years, we have helped 2,226 people and we hope to take this noble initiative to greater heights every year,'' she added.

Manav Seva Sannidhi led by Abhilasha Singhvi enables MIF in this initiative at different locations across India. They have over 25 years of experience in this area. All their volunteers are beneficiaries from past camps, who motivate and share experiences with the patients and encourage them to walk. A workshop is set up and each limb is fabricated on the site itself, customised to meet the requirements of the patients. They first take the measurements of the affected leg and then the limb is prepared on the spot. Finally, it is fitted for the patient and the patient is encouraged to use it. Volunteers from MIF and Manav Seva Sannidhi then extend help.

Rs 52.6 crore district plan budget for Nainital
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 26
The Nainital district planning committee today approved Rs 52.62 crore as the district plan budget for 2013-14. Members of the committee were upset at the release of only 64 per cent of the plan budget for Nainital district last year.

The committee members could be calmed only when the minister in-charge of the district plan, Pritam Singh, assured them that the works remaining incomplete due to an insufficient budget would be provided necessary funds. “The government has given an unfair treatment to the district by releasing only 64 per cent of the plan budget required for different projects in the district,” said Bansidhar Bhagat, BJP MLA and a member of the committee.

Pritam assured the members that their proposals would be given special attention in the district plan next year. “We are committed to including every viable suggestion of the members to make the district plan of next year more productive and transparent,” he said.

Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh, other member of the district plan committee, said the state government was trying hard to address the shortage of doctors in the hill areas of the state. “The state government is all set to solve the problems of the people in the district,” she said.

Labor Minister Harish Durgapal, who is also a member of the committee, suggested the inclusion of dairy development, animal husbandry and small industries development as incentives in the plan so that villagers could increase their income by taking up any of these avenues.

20,000 toilets to be built in Bageshwar
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, March 26
A total of 20,000 rural toilets will be constructed in Bageshwar district under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, which is being run by the Swajal Project in the state, Bageshwar District Magistrate B Shanmugham said.

“All 20,000 families under the APL or BPL category will be benefited under the scheme for which the families will be given a sum of Rs 5,100 on the completion of the toilets after VDO and gram pradhan certify the construction by the family,” said the District Magistrate.

According to Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan sources, Bageshwar district has 55,748 families living in the district, out of these 35,812 families have their own toilets, rest will be included under this scheme.

“Only those 70 families will be left out which has more than 2 hectares of cultivable land and do not fall under the Nirmal Bharat scheme subsidy category,” said DC Punetha, district project officer of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan in Bageshwar district. 

110 fire watchers deputed in Champawat
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, March 26
The Forest Department in Champawat district has deputed 110 fire watchers at all 55 stations to douse forest fires this season. “Due to the late receipt of the budget for the purpose the deputation of the staff in various ranges of the division has been made one month late though the season of fire breakouts began on February 15,” said AK Gupta, DFO, Champawat.

Gupta said the district had 72 per cent of its total area under forest cover, most of which is under pine forests that catch fire quickly. “Due to the delay in the receipt of the budget we lost two hectares of forest to fire at Forti in the Lohaghat range on March 16,” said the DFO.

“Besides the deputation of fire watchers, we have also built a control room at the division headquarters. Mobile teams comprising a forester, two forest guards and three fire watchers each with a vehicle have been provided at various places,” said the DFO.

Graft charge against two bus ticket inspectors
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, March 26
The conductor of a bus of the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation, plying from Mussoorie to Dehradun, has alleged that two ticket inspectors tried to physically assault him when he refused to give them graft in the form of Holi gift today.

The angry bus driver and the conductor have filed a complaint at Mussoorie police station against the two ticket inspectors of the same department here.

According to bus conductor Pradeep Kala of Uttarakhand Transport Corporation, the bus was heading back to Dehradun from Mussoorie when the two ticket checkers of the same department stopped his bus and began the routine checking near Chuna Khala on the way to Dehradun.

Kala further said that the ticket inspectors after seeing only 16 people, began questioning him for the low count in the bus and started harassing him for unknown reasons. The ticket inspectors also threatened of putting adverse entry in the book against him but promised to let him go only after he paid them money amounting to Rs 5000 in the form of Holi gift, Kala alleged.

When the conductor refused to pay the money, the two ticket inspectors, he alleged, started misbehaving with him and assaulted him physically.

The Mussoorie police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation by bringing both parties to the police station.

The bus driver, who was the eye witness to the whole incident, confirmed that the ticket inspectors were demanding money from the bus conductor.

The police on prima facie have booked the two ticket inspectors Arvind Sharma and Surendar Kumar under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code. 

Shiksha Acharayas’ dharna continues
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26
Seeking regularisation of their services Shiksha Acharayas and Anudeshaks continued with their dharna at the old Raipur Bus Stand for 299th day today.

The protesters said they would continue with their struggle till the state government accepted their genuine demand for the regularisation for their services. They also decided to hold a protest march in Dehradun shortly. JS Rawat, Ramkrishan Mamgain, Sumita, Alka Kothari, Devendra Singh Bisht and Lakshman Singh were prominent among the protesters.

Problems of disabled discussed

Dehradun, March 26
At the meeting of the Doon Disability Forum yesterday, emphasis was laid for a platform to discuss the problems of the disabled. The meeting that saw the participation of NGOs, disabled persons discussing the problems that they face and the government's apathy towards their problems.

"While new buildings are being built, these continue to be without ramps and are not accessible to the disabled persons," said Sunita Kapoor, working with Allahabad Bank. Other disabled persons bemoaned the absence of jobs. "Instead of pensions, the government should ensure the disabled persons are employed," said Sunder Singh Thapa pradhan of Sahaspur. — TNS

Check hooliganism strictly: SSP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun March 26
SSP Kewal Khurana today held a meeting of police personnel at Ballupur crossing and briefed them about their duties with regard to Holi celebrations. He has warned them to deal with the drunk driving and hooligans strictly. The police is also equipped with meters to check

drunk driving. The police is making its presence felt outside the religious places and crossings in the city, especially on the spots where 'Holikadahan' is being held. Cheetah police and PCR vans, too, have been put on alert and directed to make frequent rounds in the sensitive places of the city.

He has also cautioned policemen against any display of indiscipline and untoward behaviour on March 28 when the police force celebrates Holi.

2 killed as jeep falls into gorge

Dehradun, March 26
Two persons were killed and nine others injured in a road mishap in Almora district of Uttarakhand. A jeep carrying a total of 11 passengers fell into a deep gorge at Chitai on the Almora-Jageshwar road in Almora district during morning hours today. Two passengers died on the spot while the rest of 9, who sustained injuries, were rushed to Base Hospital, Almora. The condition of two among injured is stated to be serious.

The locals rushed to the spot of mishap to conduct relief and rescue operations. All passengers in the ill-fated jeep were stated to be Nepali labourers who were going to a work site in Jageshwar from Almora. — TNS