Geo positioning radars to help extricate bodies in Kedarnath
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 20
The Uttarakhand government has decided to take the help of geo positioning radars in possession of the Wadia Institute of Himal ayan Geology (WIHG) in Dehradun and the state of the art equipment from Engineer Projects India Limited (EPIL) for hastening the process of extricating bodies still buried under tonnes of debris at Kedarnath. This equipment will also be used for clearing debris from the Kedarnath shrine, which was the epicentre of flash floods and landslides last month.

The cleaning up process at Kedarnath has been hit by inclement weather and the authorities have so far managed to cremate 237 bodies and identify 63 others.

“We have a window period of two-three days after July 23 when the weather is expected to clear. Full scale efforts will be launched for retrieving bodies with the help of WIHG radars that can penetrate up to 20 feet to identify objects. The services of EPIL, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Health Department, police personnel and the PWD for removing debris and clearing the temple precincts of sand and debris will also be taken,” said Om Prakash, Principal Secretary, Home.

A helipad for landing MI 26 helicopter will be constructed to ensure that heavy equipment reaches Kedarnath. “After the initial cleaning up process, damaged buildings around Kedarnath will be pulled down and debris disposed of to a safe area. Later a temporary camp, a dispensary and a police chowki will be set up,” he said.

The Principal Secretary said the temple cleaning would be done in the presence of the GSI and ASI representatives. “Not much cleaning of the Kedarnath shrine is required. The interior of the temple is filled with two-three feet of sand and rocks which can be cleaned in a single day. Later the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee could decide on starting rituals,” he added.

Om Prakash said the reconstruction activity had to be completed by September as Kedarnath becomes snow bound from October to April.

Chaumasi-Kedarnath route requires MOEF nod
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 20
Principal Secretary (Home) Om Prakash today said that as the greater part of the Chaumasi-Kedarnath route leading up to Kedarnath shrine falls under the Govind Pashu Vihar Sanctuary, environment clearance would have to be taken from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) for a motorable route.

"This is a an old trek that needs to be revived. Studies have shown that the area has so far not witnessed any landslides as the entire route is laden with granite rocks. However, for developing a motorable route, permission would have be sought from the MOEF," said Om Prakash.

In comparison with the 14 km Gaurikund-Kedarnath trekking route that has now become inaccessible due to landslides, the Chaumasi- Kedarnath route is 34 km long.

The trek from Chaumasi would pass through Kham Bugyal (meadows) and Reka Bugyal to reach Kedarnath.

Om Prakash said the process of reviving the old trek route is being worked out as the damage to the Gaurikund-Kedarnath route is extensive and it would take a long time to rebuild it.

Uttarakhand the challenge ahead
The Tribune series on what needs to be done to rebuild state
Uncontrolled power projects increased scale of disaster, says Vandana Shiva
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 20
Dr Vandana Shiva is an environment activist and physicist of repute. She founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE) in Dehradun in 1982, emphasising on biodiversity conservation and protecting people’s rights from threats to their livelihoods. She runs her organisation “Navdanya” in Dehradun, that is spread in 45 acres. It is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 16 states of the country. “Navdanya” supports local farmers help conserve crops and plants that are on the verge of extinction and make them available through direct marketing.

Perturbed over the rain-triggered disaster in Uttarakhand, Dr Shiva holds non-sustainable development policy by the state responsible for the disaster and calls for a check on rampant construction of hydropower projects in the region. “The transformation of dev bhoomi into “urja pradesh” based on uncontrolled construction of hydroelectric projects has had a major impact on increasing the scale of the disaster by rendering the mountain slopes vulnerable to landslides and raising the river beds through dumping of waste from construction of dams and tunnels on the riverbed”, Dr Vandana Shiva points out. “Such policies and programmes are ill suited to the fragile and ecologically sensitive Himalayas. The rampant construction of hydro power projects needs to be checked”, she said. The government should, instead, prefer micro-hydel projects for its energy needs, which are more environment friendly.

She said most of the road widening in hills which has triggered uncontrolled landslides has been done to facilitate the movement of heavy equipments and earth-moving machinery for the construction of dams and hydro-electric projects. “It is not to serve the local communities. Mobility needs to be defined by the needs of local communities who have to live in the mountains and not for the construction lobby, which does not bear the ecological costs of the damage they have caused,” she said.

Stressing on the importance of protecting forests for ensuring a better future to Uttarakhand, Dr Vandana Shiva argued that the Himalayan forests are the protectors of the country. “The rain disaster should not be used to undo the ban on logging introduced in 1981 to ensure that forests protect the mountains from landslides and floods. The recent announcement on forest clearances made by the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests can have dangerous repercussions”, she said. She added that if need be, there should be no diversion of forest lands without the consent of the local village body.

Favouring the regulation of pilgrims of the char dham yatra, Dr Vandana Shiva stressed on a check on mass tourism. She said turning the char dham yatra into mass tourism only increased the vulnerability to death and destruction in the recent disaster. “Certainly, the spirit of the pilgrimage should be rejuvenated, but the five-star culture should be kept away from the pilgrimage,” she said. “Large-scale big hotels are coming up in eco-sensitive areas at the behest of the construction lobby and under political patronage. This needs to be curbed or a rain disaster like the recent one could repeat in future,” she said.

She also held that even if tourism is to be promoted, it should be ecological tourism that should be driven by local communities, not by the construction and building lobby.

Referring to the failure of the disaster mechanism in the state, she said the political leaderships in Uttarakhand have given least emphasis on developing an effective disaster-countering mechanism that is inclusive of the local people as any disaster mechanism will only be successful if it ensures adequate participation of the local villagers.

On the creation of livelihood opportunities to the disaster-affected villagers, Dr Shiva said instead of promoting hydro projects and mass tourism, agriculture, horticulture and, in particular, herb culture should be encouraged in the hill regions. She said cultivation of medicinal plants, apart from being environment friendly, will boost the region’s economy.

She said better connectivity is needed in far-flung villages that have been totally cut off after the tragedy. She said while relief is coming in abundance on roadside villages, the far off villages have been completely devoid of such materials.

On the future works of rehabilitation, Dr Vandana Shiva, emphasised that rehabilitation should be based on sustainability and appropriate to the fragility of mountain ecosystems and needs of mountain communities. She said all rehabilitation needs to be planned by the affected communities to ensure fair, just, sustainable and corruption-free rehabilitation. “The people of Uttarakhand reject the model of using the disaster to create new opportunities for the greed and corruption that have sown the seeds of the disaster. We do not accept a contractor-driven, corporate-driven and corrupt politician-driven 'rehabilitation' which steals our natural and financial resources”, Dr Shiva observed.

Been born and brought up in Uttarakhand and a Doonite, Dr Vandana Shiva was identified as an "environmental hero" by Time Magazine in 2003. She also received the Right Livelihood Award in 1993.

WHAT TO DO Rampant construction of hydropower projects must be checked as it adversely affects the environment Mass tourism in unacceptable. Regulate pilgrims to Char Dham No diversion of forestlands must be allowed without the consent of local village bodies Livelihood opportunities must include herb culture as they boost local economy and also is in sync with the environment Corruption-free rehabilitation must be ensured

Record rains in region, Sharda in spate
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, July 20
The Sharda river witnessed more than 4 lakh cubic metre of water per second yesterday due to incessant rains and broke last year’s record.

Rains in hill areas and plains of Champawat and Pithoragarh districts between June 1 and July 19 were six times more than that during the corresponding period last year, Sharda barrage record sources at Banbasa disclosed.

“The rainfall was recorded at 1,220 mm between June 1 and July 19 this year while the rainfall was only 220 mm during the same period last year,” said Jagdish Srivastava, an attendant at the Sharda barrage at Banbasa town of Champawat district.

The sources said 830 mm of rainfall was recorded in the area and adjoining hills in June alone compared to 30 mm during the same period last year. “Some rice growing areas of Tanakpur and Banbasa plains in Champawat district are waterlogged in the absence of a rainwater drainage system. The volume of rains had never been so high in the past,” they said.

The sub-divisional administration continued to put ware crates on the banks of the Sharda to save residential areas from land erosion. The Sharda is in spate following 73 mm of rainfall last night. 

MLA protests FIR against brother
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 20
BJP legislator from Rudrapur Rajkumar Thukral sat on a dharna at the Secretariat yesterday in protest against an alleged false FIR registered by the police against his brother and four acquaintances.

Thukral alleged that his political opponents had registered a fictitious case against his brother and four acquaintances in order to settle a score.

“In order to settle a score, my political opponents are using the police to target my brother,” he said.

He added that his opponents had the support of the government and the Congress. However, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna later invited him for talks and he ended the dharna.

Farmers flay BHEL attitude, warn of intensifying stir
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 20
Perturbed over Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) management’s stern attitude regarding their demands, the affected farmers, who had given their land for setting up of the public sector power equipment major, have warned of intensifying their agitation.

Affected farmers lashed out at the BHEL management for not addressing their woes and instead trying to adopt divisionary tactics to weaken their movement.

General Secretary of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti Sanjay Sharma said about 1500 acres of vacant land was in the BHEL possession and had not been utilised as was envisioned during procurement from farmers. As a result, after years of these plots lying vacant they should be allocated to those farmers, who had not been properly compensated or were still waiting for BHEL management decision for proper rehabilitation process.

''We will take every inch of our land which was taken from poor villagers by misguiding them. We will move HC and SC and agitate on streets , and a delegation of the committee will meet and apprise the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister of India,” said Sharma.

Villagers meet DM over demolition notice by Army
Tribune News Services

Dehradun, July 20
A delegation of residents of Mithibedi village met District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam yesterday with regard to a notice given to them by the Army for demolition of their houses. The District Magistrate told the delegation that, “A proposal for providing alternative land to the Army has been sent to the state government for approval. It is hoped that the proposal will be approved soon. Hence, the Army should exercise patience.”

He said the Army had been asked to cooperate in the exchange of land. He assured the people that the Army would not be allowed to demolish their houses.

Shakuntala Devi, a resident of the village, said, “We are confused. On the one hand, the district administration has assured us that we will not be shifted, on the other Army men still come to our village carrying weapons and create panic about a demolition drive. We have also been told that a proposal for the allotment of alternative land to the Army has been sent to the state government.”

Ram Bhagat, another villager, said, “The Sub Area Commander has issued the notice. This shows that things are certainly wrong at the top level. It seems the Army does not like the proposed alternative land. The villagers are having sleepless nights since yesterday.” Purushottam assured them that he was tarying to resolve the crisis.

The Army had yesterday issued a notice for demolition of houses of about 75 families of Mithibedi village. The state government had given the land, where these houses are built, to the villagers in 1991 as patta land. Now, the Army has staked claim on it and has furnished supporting evidence as well. The district administration has sent a proposal to the government to compensate the Army with alternative land of equal measure somewhere close to the Indian Military Academy. It awaits clearance.

Former SP: Planning, patience will ensure smooth conduct of fair
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 20
Planning, patience and perseverance are the traits which the mela police needs to adhere to while handling millions of Kanwariyas in a span of two weeks in Haridwar.

This was stated by former Kanwar mela Superintendent of City Police Kiran Lal Shah , who has been called upon from retirement by the district administration to give his inputs during this year's Kanwar fair in Haridwar.

Inspecting the Kanwar stretch (patri) , Shah lauded the facilities being put up at the stretch and also the condition of this stretch that passes along side Ganga canal.

Citing last year's step of making Bairagi camp major traffic parking lot for Dak Kanwars (Vehicular Kanwars), he said that now on this should be a permanent feature in all the upcoming Kanwar fairs, till a new one is made.

''Bairagi camp eases pressure on Har-ki-Pauri,which is the core mela zone. Earlier, Dak Kanwars used to straightaway enter nearby Har-ki-Pauri ghats, which resulted in traffic jams and congestion. Last year this was not the case as their vehicles were stopped and parked at Bairagi camp. Other parking lots such as Chandighat, Pant Deep and Neel Dhara also need to be expanded for smooth traffic on National Highways 58 and 72,''said Shah.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal gave a warm welcome to Shah, with its activists shedding light on his role in keeping the city crime-free and smooth conduct of Kanwar fair.

UKD activists Uday Ram Semwal and Lalit Mamgain said in Shah Haridwar had got an honest and hard working cop,who by his efficient working helped in smooth conduct of Maha Kumbh 2010 and Kanwar fairs for the last three years.

Grand Lodge sends relief material
Tribune Nerws service

Dehradun, July 20
The Brethren of the Grand Lodge of India has sent essential items such as blankets, rain coats, torches, medicines and eatables to the disaster-affected areas of the state. MW Bro Vasudev Jamnabihar Masurekar from the Grand Lodge of India, New Delhi, flagged off the relief material.

The Masonic Lodge Brethren of Dehradun also offered to re-build a village. The members of the Masonic lodge have requested the government to identify a place where the village could be re-build.

The members said the village would have all basic facilities like electricity, drinking water and other amenities. They said they would also set up a medical centre in collaboration with the General Williams Masonic Polyclinic, which would provide free medicines to the needy people.

Makhuri: Ensure health check-up, registration of Nanda Devi pilgrims
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 20
Deputy Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Anusuya Prasad Makhuri yesterday urged the state government to conduct compulsory health check-up and registration of pilgrims at Bann village in Chamoli before allowing them to proceed on the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra. The yatra is beginning from August 29.

Maikhuri told mediapersons here, “The government has decided to allow pilgrims to undertake the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra. We have urged the government to ensure registration and medical check-up of the pilgrims at Bann village so that only those who are fit could proceed on the yatra. We have also sought its support for setting up a parking place for the yatra,” he said.

He said a four-horn sheep had already taken birth at Kanswa village in Chamoli who would lead the yatra.