Congress leaders’ credibility gets beating in state
Congress loses all 6 seats of mayor in recently held municipal corporation election
S.M.A. Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
The credibility of senior state Congress leaders, including ministers, has got a beating in the recently concluded civic elections in the state.

Despite best efforts, most of the ministers and senior party functionaries, including Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat, suffered humiliating electoral defeats in their respective strongholds throughout the state.

The Congress party failed to win a single seat of mayor in all six municipal corporations of the state.

Interestingly, the state Congress government had elevated the municipal bodies of five bigger towns -- Roorkee, Haridwar, Rudrapur, Kashipur and Haldwani -- to the municipal corporation level.

Earlier, only the capital city of Dehradun had a municipal corporation.

The Congress leaders had thought that it would help them in the civic polls, but contrary to their expectation, the party failed to open its account.

In Haridwar, where Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat is a Lok Sabha MP, the Congress lost both the Roorkee and Haridwar mayoral positions.

The civic election results indicate that Harish Rawat has a tough battle ahead in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Satpal Maharaj, MP from Pauri Garhwal, who had hoped that the Congress would do better in his parliamentary constituency comprising Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts following the decision of the state government to built an assembly building at Gairsain in Chamoli district, also got a severe drubbing from the electorate. Even in the Gairsain Nagar panchayat, the Congress fared badly.

The party lost Rudraprayag Nagar panchayat where state minister Harak Singh Rawat had a lot of influence.

Similarly, in the Terai region of Kumoan, senior Congress leaders, including Nainital MP K.C. Singh Baba, state Congress president Yashpal Arya, state Finance Minister Indira Hriydesh and former minister Tilak Raj Behad, failed to convince the voters to support the ruling Congress.

The party lost the mayoral positions of Rudrapur, Haldwani and Kashipur badly.

Even in the Nainital Nagar panchayat, the Congress was trounced.

Indira Hariydesh was personally involved in the Haldwani Municipal Corporation elections where the Congress party stood third.

Tilak Raj Behad had huge stakes in his hometown of Rudrapur, where the Congress also lost.

In the capital city of Dehradun, Uttarakhand Planning and Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal failed to enthuse the voters as he lost nine of the 11 municipal wards falling in his assembly segment of Dharampur.

Surender Singh Negi, Uttarakhand Health Minister and considered a giant killer after he defeated former Uttarakhand Chief minister B.C.Khanduri from his hometown of Kotdwar in Pauri Garhwal during state assembly elections in 2012, was also badly mauled.

A BSP candidate won the chairmanship of Kotdwar Nagar Panchayat as residents of Kotdwar rejected both the ruling Congress as well as the main opposition BJP.

Only Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat was able to get her candidate elected for the post of chairperson of the Ramanagar Nagar Palika. 

Major humiliating defeats

• In Haridwar, where Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat is a Lok Sabha MP, the Congress lost both the Roorkee and Haridwar mayoral positions
• Satpal Maharaj, MP from Pauri Garhwal, also got a severe drubbing from the electorate
• In the Terai region of Kumoan, despite senior Congress leaders, including Nainital MP K.C. Singh Baba, state Congress president Yashpal Arya, state Finance Minister Indira Hriydesh and former minister Tilak Raj Behad, the party lost the mayoral positions of Rudrapur, Haldwani and Kashipur
• In Dehradun, Uttarakhand Planning and Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal lost nine of the 11 municipal wards falling in his assembly segment of Dharampur
• Surender Singh Negi, Uttarakhand Health Minister, was also badly mauled
• Only Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat was able to get her candidate elected for the post of chairperson of the Ramanagar Nagar Palika
• A BSP candidate won the chairmanship of Kotdwar Nagar Panchayat as residents of Kotdwar rejected both the ruling Congress as well as the main opposition BJP 

Cong will regain people’s faith: Arya
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, May 4
State Disaster Management Minister and Congress president Yashpal Arya, while speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function in Mussoorie, said the BJP was playing politics on the routine transfers of the officials done by the government yesterday.

Accepting Congress defeat in the recently concluded elections of the Municipal Corporation in the state, he said the Congress would try to win the faith of the people and bounce back in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Speaking on the support to the newly formed council in Mussoorie, he said the government would provide assistance to the council on all development issues proposed by it.

When asked about the implementation of the 74th Amendment and providing more powers to the local bodies, he said the process was on and the government was committed to empowering the local bodies. 

CM harassing me, alleges Dharchula Cong MLA
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
In a major embarrassment to the Vijay Bahuguna government of Uttarakhand, Congress MLA from Dharchula in Pithoragarh district Harish Dhami has accused the Chief Minister of intentionally harassing him through legal means.

Dhami said issuance of non-bailable warrants linked to an assault case against him was at the behest of the Chief Minister, who considers him being close to his political rival and senior Congress leader and a Union Minister Harish Rawat. He said though the state government had assured him of withdrawing the case, but it was encouraging legal action against him.

“Even if I am expelled from the Congress, I am ready to contest as an Independent,” Harish Dhami asserted. He even threatened to shortly stage a dharna near the Chief Minister’s residence.

Congress spokesman Surendra Kumar said the feeling of Harish Dhami must be respected and his proximity to the Union Minister must not be taken otherwise.

Devotees from Nainital to join Nanda Rajjat Yatra
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, May 4
Devotees from Nainital will participate in the Nanda Rajjat Yatra for the first time. It will begin on August 29. This was decided at a meeting of the Ramsewak Sabha in Nainital today.

“We will take religious signs from Nainital to Almora first, and from there, the Nainital delegation will be a part of the Kumaon jatha,” said Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri, member of Nandadevi Raj Jat Samiti, after the meeting of the sabha.

Maikhuri said devotees from Kumaon would meet the main Rajjat Yatra at Kurur in Garhwal, where the followers from Nauti and Kurur meet. “This year, we are trying to ensure participation from every district of the state,” said Maikhuri.

He said more than 250 international journalists from various journals, including those from China and Pakistan, are likely to participate in the yatra this year. A sum of Rs 11 crore has been sanctioned by the government to repair all 25 camps in this 280-km long yatra. 

CPI (ML) members protest police inaction
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Members of the CPI (ML) today staged a demonstration at Pithoragarh district headquarters and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in protest against the failure of the police to produce warrants against Congress MLA Harish Dhami from Dharchula.

Sushil Khatri, city secretary of CPI (ML), said five months had passed but the district police failed to serve court notice to the Congress legislator. He said the court orders to confiscate his property were not served or implemented by the police. Govind Kaflia, a spokesperson for the party, demanded that the Congress legislator, who had pledged to uphold the Constitution, should resign immediately. He asked the Speaker of the state Assembly to sack Dhami, who had no regard for the law of the land. 

With terms expired, CWCs, JJBs become non-functional
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Created for safeguarding the rights of children, the activities of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJBs) and Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) constituted in each district of the state have come to a standstill after the expiry of their terms in March, this year.

Since the term of these governing bodies expired in March, the Department of Social Welfare has remained passive not taken any steps to reconstitute the committees.

The boards and committees were created on the orders of the Supreme Court. If the boards and committees are not constituted soon, the government may invite the censure of the Supreme Court.

“I had written to Principal Secretary, Social Welfare, S.Raju before he left for a tour about giving approval for the extension of their terms for a period of six months so that, in the interim period, steps could be taken for their reconstitution,” said Ajay Setia, Chairman of State Child Rights Panel.

These two governing bodies have been set up with the purpose of safeguarding the rights of the children, providing legal provision for children and ensuring they are properly cared for in case they are orphaned. The CWCs have been vested with the power of first class magistrate.

In Uttarakhand, despite the court ruling, after much delay, the Child Welfare Committees (CWC) were constituted in 2010 for three years. Now, once again, these committees and boards are bearing the brunt of government’s passivity.

“The Uttarakhand Government’s track record in implementing child legislations and provisions is very poor. Following amendments in the Act in 2006, a timeline was set for establishing Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees, the basic institutions that would take care of the children forced to live on the streets and falling prey to crime. But these have been riddled with inefficiency and delays,” said Aditi Kaur of the Mountain Children’s Foundation (NGO).

Aware that the terms of CWCS and Juvenile Justice Boards had expired on March 8, on April 24, Chief Protection Officer Rahet Ali Khan had written to the Social Department about extending terms of CWCs and JJBs for six months, but there was no response from the government. 

Khanduri greets those who cleared civil services exam
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Former Chief Minister BC Khanduri has greeted the students, who have excelled in the civil services examination the results of which were declared yesterday.

Khanduri said the youth of Uttarakhand had immense talent and the civil services examination result amply revealed this. He greeted Kumar Abhinav from Dehradun, Anuradha from Haridwar, Rohit Sajwan from Tehri, Praveen Kumar from Rishikesh, Nisha Verma and Majid Khan from Khatima, Priyanka Mishra from Haldwani, Tripti Bhatt from Almora and Kavyadeep Joshi from Pithoragarh for their success in the examination.

BJP candidate blames leaders for MC poll defeat
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, May 4
BJP leader Rajinder Singh Rawat, who lost the election of Chairman of the Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad recently, has said he was defeated as some leaders of the party were against him and they did not work wholeheartedly for him in the election.

“These leaders, who are responsible for infighting in the party, have been identified and I will soon give a list of their names to the party high command,” Rawat said.

He said BJP workers would protest any move by the Congress to stop developmental works sanctioned and constructed by the previous BJP regime in the palika parishad. 

BJP seeks UPA govt’s resignation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Union Law Minister Ashwini Kumar for their alleged involvement in the 2-G spectrum allocation scam and coal blocks allocation scam, the Uttarakhand BJP leaders today held a sit-in protest at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Park.

Led by Uttarakhand BJP Chief Teerath Singh Rawat, former Chief Minister BC Khanduri, Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly Ajay Bhatt, former Uttarakhand BJP chief BS Chuphal, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, Tehri MP Mala Raj Laxmi Shah, MLA Harbans Kapoor and others, the BJP first staged a token dharna and then submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking his intervention in the matter.

“The UPA-led Congress government has created a record of sorts in corruption. Not a single day passes without one or the other minister’s name being linked to a scandal. After the strictures passed by the Supreme Court on the Coalgate report, the party should tender its resignation,” said BC Khanduri, former Chief Minister.

The leaders said the Central government had lost the confidence of the people and as such should tender its resignation. 

IIP gets award for technology innovation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Dehradun-based Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), a national laboratory under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has been declared the winner of the 3rd National Award for Technology Innovation for 2012-2013 in the category of innovation in polymer waste management and recycling technology.

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Government of India, gives the award every year for meritorious innovations and inventions in various fields of polymers, with participation of individual, team, industry, academic and research and development Institutions. The purpose of the award scheme is to develop and maintain the petrochemical industry as a globally competitive industry using eco-friendly processes and technologies.

Dr SK Sharma Head, Technical Directorate, Indian Institute of Petroleum, said the technology to convert waste plastics (polyolefins) to automotive grade fuel and petrochemicals was a unique technology developed by the CSIR-IIP in collaboration with GAIL (India) limited. “This technology can convert waste polyolefins like carry bags, packaging materials, household plastic and agricultural pipes into exclusively anyone of the products like gasoline, diesel or petrochemicals,” he added.

Sharma said this liquid fuel met most of the Euro-III specifications and their performance was comparable to commercial automotive fuel.

Development, restoring glory of Mussoorie his priority
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, May 4
Newly elected president of the Mussoorie Municipal Council Manmohan Singh Mall has resolved to revive the glory of Mussoorie and focus more on development activities.

Mall, who recently won the civic bodies’ poll defeating his BJP rival by 2,504 votes, thanks the voters for the victory and outlined his priorities for the next five years.

Mall said his main challenge would be to revive the glory of the town with a systematic development plan that had taken a hit in the past five years. “My resolve would be to provide a corruption-free council and bring the town back on the development path with the help of newly elected ward members and officials,” said Mall.

He said his focus would be on initiating the construction of Town Hall, Clock Tower and a housing colony for economically weaker sections, besides developing new tourism destinations in and around Mussoorie.

Speaking on a thumping mandate he received in Mussoorie, Mall said the voters of the town were educated and aware of what was going around. Mall said he would try to meet the expectations of the people.

Talking about himself, Mall said he was born on October 27, 1959, in a village of Jaunpur block, Tehri Garhwal. He began his political career as a student leader in 1977 after graduating in economics. He said his mentor was Baldev Singh Arya, a senior Congress leader.

Mall said he also remained convener of the college students' union in Mussoorie in 1978. He was elected for the post of president, Mussoorie Postgraduate College, in 1980 and from 1982-83, he was the Mussoorie Youth Congress president.

Mall was elected a ward member and vice-president of the Landour Cantonment board from 1988 to 2003. In 2003, he won the election for the post of Municipal Council president. He also served as Pradesh Congress Committee member and is a member of the Van Vikas Nigam in the state at present.

Face of the week

My resolve will be to provide a corruption-free council and bring the town back on the development path with the help of newly elected ward members and officials.MY focus will be on initiating the construction of Town Hall, Clock Tower and a housing colony for economically weaker sections, besides developing new tourism destinations in and around Mussoorie. 

Sept 2 deadline for renovation of Shaheed Sthal
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, May 4
Urban Development Minister Preetam Singh Panwar has directed the officials concerned to complete the renovation and beautification of Shaheed Sthal by September 2.

Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of a function here, Panwar said his ministry was planning to develop eco-tourism at Nag Tibba, Moraina top, Tehri Lake and areas around Mussoorie to attract more tourists.

On the delay in the construction of bridges damaged during natural disasters in Uttarkashi, he said talks were on with the authorities concerned and work would begin soon.

Dhaundihyal is secy to Governor
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4
Arun Dhaundhiyal, a senior IAS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre, today took over as Secretary to the Governor. He had earlier been Additional Secretary to the Governor from November 8, 2000, to July 7, 2003. Before assuming the charge today, Arun was Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Education.

Ashok Pai, an Indian Forest Service officer, who was Principal Secretary to the Governor, is going on deputation to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Joint Secretary.