Pvt clinics shut as docs protest
Tribune News Service

A clinic wears a deserted look due to the strike by doctors. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, June 15
Protesting against the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, that is to be implemented in the state in July, private clinics and nursing homes remained shut across the state today. Condemning the arbitrary implementation of the Act, private doctors held a protest in front of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) office here.

Later, the president of the IMA, Uttarakhand chapter, Dr RN Singh, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.

The protest was mainly against the Clinical Establishment Act, which outlines standards for running clinics and hospitals.

"If draconian rules and regulations are enforced, patients will have to shell out more for treatment. The IMA has urged the government not to hurry in implementing the Act in the state. The other states have not done it so far. The government should hold deliberations first," said Dr RN Singh.

Around 300-odd private nursing homes and clinics remained shut in the city. Doctors said several clauses under the new Act were unfair.

"The Act will affect the patients adversely as the cost of medical services is likely to go up," said Dr DD Chaudhury, secretary of the IMA.

The new laws will give overriding powers to non-medicos who may have no medical expertise.

"Inspectors can visit your clinic anytime for ensuring that you comply with all rules and regulations laid down. Instead of doctors, right from the national, state and district council, non-medicos comprising the SSP and the DM, too, will have a say in matters concerning the doctors," said Dr DD Chaudhury.

He said doctors would be forced to take drastic steps in case the government forced them to comply with the Act.

The private doctors also got support from dentists, private practioners of homeopathy and ayurveda.

The implementation of the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act will affect the patients adversely as the cost of medical services is likely to go up. — Dr DD Chaudhury, secretary of the IMA

Nishank denies role in medical college
Tribune News Service

Dehradun June 15
Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has said that he would expose those who had allegedly hatched a conspiracy to malign him by dragging his name in a public interest litigation (PIL) pertaining to the Rishikesh-based Himalayan Ayurvedic Medical College.

“I have nothing to do with Himalayan Ayurvedic Medical College. I am not even on the board of directors of the institute. I was surprised after I read in newspapers that a notice had been served on me by the court in response to a PIL filed by a person residing in Ghaziabad whose identity we are trying to trace,” said Nishank while speaking with media persons today.

The former Chief Minister said his detractors were afraid of his popularity. “I will approach the court in the matter and expose those who have been repeatedly trying to drag my name in one controversy or the other,” he said.

Nishank said the land for Ayurvedic Medical College had been given on a 30-year lease period by former Chief Minister N.D Tiwari.

“I did not ask for the land and only Tiwari would be able to tell why he gave the land. The land was given for educational purpose and it is being used for that purpose. The medical college authorities are paying rent to the government,” he said.

Nishank said that he and his party had been demanding a CBI inquiry into several land deals in which agricultural land had been given to builders. “The Bahuguna government had decided to lease land worth crores of rupees for a paltry sum to Coca Cola,” he said.

Ajay Bhatt asks Bahuguna govt to prove majority
Tribune News Service

Ajay Bhatt

Dehradun, June 15
With two key non-Congress ministers joining the MLAs who are protesting against the lack of coordination between the government and the Congress party, the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Ajay Bhatt yesterday asked the Bahuguna government to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

Ajay Bhatt said an atmosphere of instability had been created after four disgruntled Congress MLAs had refused to meet the Chief Minister who had called them to hear their grievances.

“It means the MLAs do not have faith in their leader and did not think their purpose would be solved if they met him. They have reflected dissatisfaction and lack of faith in their leader. In such a scenario, the government lacks the support of MLAs and should, therefore, prove it’s majority on the floor of the House,” said Bhatt.

Bhatt said the MLAs had been mouthing the opposition members' lines that there was lack of development in the state.

“For over a year now, we have been claiming that the government has not been able to spend the district and state Plan money. Now, the same issues of lack of development are also being raised by ruling party MLAs,” said Bhatt.

Meanwhile, non-Congress cabinet ministers Surinder Rakesh and Mantri Prasad Naithani, too, have expressed dismay at the way the Congress party and the government were trying to settle scores with each other. “Since these ministers are reviewing their decision to support the government, the government should prove it’s majority on the floor of the House,” said Bhatt.

Doon to have guest house for women: Bahuguna
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 15
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today announced that a guest house for women would be built in Dehradun. Speaking as the chief guest at a convention of the Pradesh Mahila Congress, he said the assistance amount of Rs 20,000 given for the marriage of SC/ST girls would now be increased to Rs 50,000.

The amount of Rs 2,000 given for the treatment of ordinary ailments to BPL families of the SC/ST would be raised to Rs 10,000.

The Chief Minister said he would give his one month's salary to the Mahila Congress and called upon other Congress MLAs to do so.

He said the government would give 30 per cent reservation to women in police jobs and appointments done through the UPNL. He said development would be carried out equally throughout the state.

He said minimum daily wages for labourers had been increased from Rs 112 to Rs 142. He said detailed project reports for 600 roads would be ready by the end of the financial year under the PMGSY.

Among those present at the seminar were MLAs Rajkumar and Sarita Arya, Pradesh Mahila Congress president Sarojini Kainthura,Vice-President of the state unit of the Mahila Congress Najma Khan, state general secretary Rashmi Chaudhary, former Dehradun Mayor Manorama Sharma and other office-bearers.

Kashi Airy appeals to UKD workers to unite
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, June 15
Kashi Singh Airy, president of the UKD by a faction of workers, said here that his party would try to unite all like-minded political forces in the state to form an alternative to the Congress and BJP, which were exploiting the state.

Addressing UKD workers on reaching here for the first time in the district after becoming the party president, Airy said his first priority would be to unite disgruntled UKD workers who had distanced from party due to their negligence in past 20 years. The names of statehood fighters from these workers, would be included in the party list of statehood workers.

Airy appealed party workers to prepare for the forthcoming panchayat elections. We have decided to form all district executives of party by June 30, and by July 15 all block and Tehsil units will be at working condition in the state,” he said.

The UKD leader said the workers should get ready to show strength on party establishment day on July 25, which was also martyr day of Sri Dev Suman, who was inspiring icon of the party.

Airy said due to ego problems amongst the UKD leaders from onwards 1995, raised the disintegration in the party which would be addressed in future. In last three years, whoever has said the right thing in the party interest, was shown the way to nourish own ego of some vested interests, who wanted to make party their personal political hub,” said Airy.

Cong task force to hold training camps for workers in Garhwal, Kumaon regions
Tribune News Service

Senior Congress leaders at a meeting of the Task Force of Uttarakhand Congress held in Dehradun on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, June 15
With an eye on the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held next year, the task force formed by the state unit of the Congress has decided to organise training camps for party workers in Garhwal and Kumaon regions.

During a meeting of the task force, headed by state Congress chief Yashpal Arya, it was decided that a training programme for the Kumaon region would be held at Rudrapur on July 7 and for the Garhwal region in Dehradun on July 14.

Yogendra Khanduri, convener of the Congress task force, said it had been decided to take the welfare programmes launched by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the past nine years to the people.

It was also decided that the propaganda against the Central Government by opposition parties, particularly the BJP, should be countered with facts and figures regarding various welfare programmes and their benefits to the people.

For this purpose, all district presidents, two office-bearers from each district, district presidents of all frontal organisations of the districts and two senior party leaders from each Assembly segment would be taught about the achievements of the Central as well as the state governments.

Besides Yashpal Arya, former MP Mahender Pal, MLA Ganesh Godiyal, Lt-Gen Gambhir Singh Negi (retd), Aryaender Sharma, Balbir Singh Negi, Jot Singh Bisht, Shanker Chand Ramola and Dhirendra Pratap attended the meeting.

Candidates file papers for DMC Sanitary Employees’ Union poll
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 15
The election process for the constitution of new Dehradun Municipal Corporation Sanitary Employees' Union started today with the filing of nomination papers. The All India Sanitary Employees’ Union has been for long demanding elections in Dehradun Municipal Corporation following which election was announced recently. A large number of candidates filed their nomination, particularly for the posts of union president and general secretary.

Withdrawal of candidatures will take place on June 17. Polling is to take place on June 29. In all 700 sanitary workers will be voting to elect the new union.

Meanwhile, sanitary workers today also resented absence of Chief Election Officer Ravi Pandey on the day of filing of nominations. They alleged that by leaving the task to his subordinate officers, the Chief Election Officer seems to be little interested in the much awaited Dehradun Municipal Corporation Sanitary Employees' Union elections.