MSMEs could help recover economy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
As the people of Uttarakhand bravely attempt to rebuild their lives and shattered livelihoods in the aftermath of the mid-June natural calamity, little attention is being paid to micro, medium and small scale enterprises (MSMEs) that could become a major source of economic activity in the devastated areas of the state.

“With generous help from the Uttarakhand government the MSMEs could act as shock absorbers and help the shattered communities resume normal lives, but the government seems to be eyeing the big sectors,” said HC Durgapal, Minister for Employment Labour and Small Scale Industries.

In fact the department has prepared a proposal for strengthening the MSMEs by demanding stamp duty waiver on loans from banks and waiver of value added tax (VAT), entertainment tax and luxury tax.

“At this juncture, we have to ensure that there is no mass migration from the hills and the local entrepreneurs, whose businesses were destroyed in flash floods, are extended support. We have proposed the creation of a fund for a period of five years to support and sustain the entrepreneurs,” said Pankaj Gupta, president of the Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU).

On the other hand, there have been suggestions that the Central government should be approached for doubling the targets under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Scheme (PMEGS) for the state. “We have proposed that targets under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Scheme should be doubled from Rs 18 crore to Rs 36 crore. The doubling of targets will benefit more people in the rural and urban areas by encouraging them to become entrepreneurs,” said Gupta.

The Department of MSME is still counting its losses in the natural disaster. Around 314 weavers in Dharchula, who sold woollens comprising tweeds, shawls and Pankhi to the Kailash Mansorawar pilgrims, have suffered a loss of Rs 1.94 crore as most of their products were washed away in floods.

While in Jauljibi in Pithoragarh, weavers have reported a loss of Rs 99 Lakh, those who were engaged in the sale of woollen clothes on the Badrinath-Kedarnath route have reported a loss of Rs 58.41 lakh. According to tentative estimates, small and micro enterprises in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts have reported a loss of Rs 6.54 crore. 

Teerath exhorts BJP workers to help in LS poll
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 31
Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party chief Teerath Singh Rawat today reiterated that the party would retain the current Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat and win the four other parliamentary seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Teerath Singh Rawat was here today to attend the peasant wing convention at Bhoopatwala.

Teerath said that recent convention of the party at Ramnagar stressed on the mobilisation of grassroot party workers who are pivotal in connecting the party and voters.

He said without party workers' toil or taking up the local people's issues, the party could not hope to win any election.

“Party workers need to disseminate among the masses information regarding the party agenda, manifesto and ideology. Simultaneoulsy, local and national issues related with the common man need to be raised seriously. The ill-governance of the Congress-led UPA and Uttarakhand governments too need to exposed,” said Teerath, who is a legislator from the Chaubatkhal segment in Pauri Garhwal district.

An aide of former union minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Teerath refuted claims of political retirement of Khanduri ,saying that at a media conference in Dehradun recently, the veteran BJP leader had said he was fit to take up any responsibility given by the party high command.

Accompanying Teerath was former state Cabinet minister and co-in charge of Uttar Pradesh BJP Trivendra Singh Rawat. Trivendra said the wave of BJP firebrand and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had gripped the country.

In another seminar of the NGO cell of BJP, Teerath urged party activists to carry out programmes of their respective cells on a regular basis as the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were scheduled to be held soon.

Lack of facilities triggers migration from hill villages
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, August 31
People from hill areas are migrating to towns and sub-urban areas due to lack of facilities in villages. A large number of families from two villages in the Garur block of Bageshwar have migrated as they had not been able to get electricity connections in their houses since the formation of the state.

According to the residents of Darana and Sirmoli villages, though they live at a distance of 5 km from the main road, they have not got electricity connections till date. “Even today villagers of these two villages have to travel to Uniadak village, which is 2 km from these villages, to charge their mobile phones,” said Radhe Singh, an ex-serviceman of Darana village in the Garur block of Bageshwar district.

According to the villagers, Darana village was covered under the UREDA programme for installing solar energy gadgets in 1979 and it continued till 1992. Thereafter suddenly it was stopped. “Out of the 55 families of Darana village,17 families have shifted to the areas where the electricity is available and are better for the education of their children,” said Haruli Devi of Sirmoli village.

According to the residents, over 80 scheduled caste families reside in Sirmoli village which have been demanding electricity connections for a long. “Our children are facing a bleak future as lack of electricity in these villages is harming the study of our wards,” said Hruli Devi.

Information given by the electricity distribution circle of Bageshwar, besides these two villages, 63 other helmets in the district are also waiting for electricity connections in the district. “We have received 38 applications for Kutir Hyoti connections in Sirmoli village, where these connections will be released soon after electrifying the village,” said PS Pangti, executive engineer of the electricity distribution circle of the district.

Bageshwar MLA, Chandan Ram Das and District Magistrate BS Manral, when contacted, said they both would soon ensure completion of proposals to connect these deprived helmets with the electricity.

Homage paid to UKD leader Bipin Chandra Tripathi 
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, August 31
A conference was organised to pay homage to late UKD leader Bipin Chandra Tripathi today. It was Tripahti’s ninth death anniversary. During the conference, concern over the shifting of students from government schools to private schools and the neglect of local people of the himalayan region in framing the policies for their development, were raised.

Remembering Bipin Chandra Tripathi, former MLA from the Dwarahat Assembly constituency, UKD leader Kashi Singh Airy said until the developmental policies were not made for the local interests of the Himalayan people, the talks to save the interest of the himalayan people would be futile.

“The need of the hour is to resettle the minds of the Himalayan people who have decided to shift from their ancestral villages at borders,” said Airy.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shamsher Singh Bisht of the Uttarakhand Lok Vahini, said the himalayan region was weakened after the permission to the Hydro electric companies from other states. These companies installed hydro electric schemes which were beyond the bearing capacity of the himalayas.

“The disaster caused due to the activities of these companies, was publicised as a divine disaster, while it is evident that the Kedarnath tragedy was man-made,” said Bisht.

An essay competition was also organised on the occasion. The topic included, causes of migration of village students from government run schools to private schools.

“The students who took part in the essay competition opined that if the timely appointment of the teachers and all other facilities are managed in the government schools, they will beat any school pattern in terms of academic results, in the state,” said Charu Chandra Tiwari, a journalist.

Bipin Tripathi was also paid an emotional tribute at Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Almora, Nainital and Khatima where his old associates gathered and remembered his struggle for the people of Uttarakhand.

Total bandh in Kotdwar town 
Tribune News service

Dehradun, August 31
A complete bandh was observed in Kotdwar town of Pauri Garhwal district today. It was organised by Jan Sangharsh Samiti in order to demand action against the guilty cops who brutally beat a taxi driver last week. Meanwhile, the victim of the police brutality was referred to a higher medical facility centre in Deharadun by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), at Kotdwar.

The CMO said the taxi driver was not responding to the treatment and was suffering from mental trauma.

Bhagwan Singh, a taxi driver, who was coming on his taxi with passengers from Kartia village in Rikhani development block in Pauri Garhwal, failed to notice the signal given by the policemen near the check-post at Dugadda.

The policemen chased him and waylaid him. They beat him brutally in the presence of the passengers. He was taken to the police station and other policemen also joined in beating him mercilessly.

Thereafter, an FIR was lodged against him for allegedly trying to overrun the policemen by his taxi.

Following a public outcry, a counter FIR by the driver against the errant policemen was also filed.

Later, the local people, the taxi driver union and the Jan Sangharsh Samiti members demonstrated against the police action and demanded suspension of the policemen involved in brutality. The SP, Pauri Garhwal, suspended four constables, transferred two Sub-Inspectors and SO of the Kotdwara police station.

The Jan Sangharsh Samiti demanded the suspension of SI Manoj Sirohi. They alleged that the driver was beaten up at the Dugadda police post by the constables who were provoked by SI Manoj Sirohi.

To meet their demands, the Jan Sangharsh Samiti called a Bandh and Chakka Jam at Kotdwara today.

No shops were open in the market and no business transaction were held in response to the Bandh call. No public transport moved in the town. Only few state owned roadways busses and school busses were seen plying on the road.

“Transfer is not the punishment. We want suspension of SI Manoj Sirohi as Bhagwan Singh was brutally beaten in his presence. We are also demanding the transfer of CO Aruna Bhartee who took the whole incident lightly,” said Devendra Singh of Jan Sangharsh Samiti.

"We will continue our protest till justice is not done with Bhagwan Singh," he added.

Gopalkrishn Barthwal, the president of ex-Army Person Welfare Samiti, who is the convener of the public protest said the driver is an ex-Army person. The policemen had no regards for ex-Army person who devote their life to defend the country.

He said their struggle would continue till Manoj Sirohi was suspended. Meanwhile, the victim taxi driver, who was being treated at the Government Hospital at Kotdwar was referred to Higher Medical Facility Centre at Dehradun.

“The taxi driver is referred to a Dehradun hospital, where besides neurological tests, psychiatric counselling will also be given to him,” added CMO Dr AP Samant.

Brutal assault

The Jan Sangharsh Samiti observed the bandh demanding action against the policemen who brutally thrashed a taxi driver last week

The taxi driver is not responding to the treatment and is suffering from mental trauma

The Chief Medical Officer, Kotdwar, has referred him to a hospital in Dehradun

Taxi driver Bhagwan Singh was mercilessly beaten up by cops after he failed to notice a signal given by them near the Dugadda check-post 

UKD (P) announces central working committee 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
Amidst power struggle between the two factions of ailing Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and ongoing identity crisis, Trivendra Singh Panwar- controlled UKD faction announced its new central working committee here today.

According to the list released by the president of the faction, Trivendra Singh Panwar, he has been appointed as the national president of the UKD (Panwar) once again. Former Member of Parliament, Paripurnanand Penyuli, and Yogi Rakesh Nath have been appointed as patrons of the UKD (Panwar).

Six vice-presidents along with 10 central secretaries have been given place in the organisation of the party. Chatur Singh Negi has been made the treasurer of UKD (Panwar) and Manmohan Lakhera has been given the responsibility of media in charge.

The party has appointed 13 persons as central organisation secretaries and 10 as central publicity secretaries. Party workers have been accommodated in central working committee as well.

On the sidelines of releasing the list of new working committee, Trivendra Singh Panwar did not miss a chance to hit on the state government. He blamed the Vijay Bahuguna government for siphoning of the money given to the state by the Central Government and other states for relief work.

''The government should come up with a white paper on spending of money during the post-disaster rehabilitation and how they have spent those crores of rupees, which they received for relief work from various sources,'' said Trivendra Singh Panwar.

He also blamed Congress for creating problems within the UKD and called Kashi Singh Airy-controlled UKD faction as the 'B' team of Congress in the state.

The faction also demanded a CBI probe into the Yudhbir Singh Rawat murder case, who was the former PRO of Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat. 

Approval for two hydropower projects soon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
The forest clearance for two hydroelectric projects, Lakhwar and Vyasi, will be given soon. Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar said this after meeting the Secretary, Union Forest and Environment Ministry, Rajgopalan in New Delhi today.

The Chief Secretary said all the formalities for forest clearance of the 300 Mega Watt project in Lakhwad had been completed. The project will get sanction from the Advisory Committee within two weeks. He also made clear that the state had already received forest clearance for this project, but since the work had been handed over to UJVNL, clearance was being taken again.

He added the 120 MW hydel project had received clearance on August 12, 2013. After the court verdict on August 13, the Forest and Environment Ministry had sent it to the Law Department for advice.

Mussoorie admn rescues stray bull
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, August 31
A stray and injured bull that fell in a deep gorge near Bada Mod on Mussoorie-Dehradun couple of days back was finally recued by the local administration with the help of the local residents and animal lovers in Mussoorie today.

The injured bull had slipped on its way to Kincgraig few days ago and was reeling in pain.

The local administration led by SDM Mussoorie, when informed, reached the site and rescued the injured stray bull after an effort of nearly two hours today. However, the injured bull was left once again on the road after primary medication.

Children’s literature festival in Doon, Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
After setting the ball rolling in Delhi on August 29, Ghummakkad Narain, Travelling Children’s Literature Festival, will now be held in Dehradun and Haridwar on September 2 and 3, respectively.

The festival this year will feature international award-winning writer and illustrator Emily Gravett along with Sherry Ashworth, Iris Feindt and other award-winning Indian writers like Ranjit Lal, Atanu Roy, Madhu Gurung, cartoonist Ajit Narayan and Ratna Manucha.

While the venue for this year’s festival in Delhi has been the British Council and Oxford Bookstores, in Dehradun it will be at Jaswant Modern School and other state government schools. In Haridwar the festival’s programmes will be held at Whizzkid International School.

The festival organiser Rachna Bisht stated: "Ghummakkad Narain aims to promote reading among children and support their continued interest as young adults. Reading makes you thinkers and today more than ever we need a society that can think for itself, especially the youth."

”The festival has managed to give a wonderful shape to the simple idea of ‘possess your own library’ started by late Thakur Vishva Narain Singh, noted journalist and writer from Dehradun. Today the festival can proudly say that it has sparked interest in reading among children who did not have access to books and supported the establishment of libraries in state government schools. This year as well approximately 2000 books will be donated to the Rajkiya Prathmik Vidyalayas in Dehradun,” adds Prarthna Gahilote, festival director.

The festival was started in 2010 in memory of Thakur Vishva Narain Singh, noted journalist and writer from Dehradun, under the aegis of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to support the government of India's Right To Education which mandates reading and libraries for all schools.

Constable dies under mysterious circumstances
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
Constable Shankar Singh Rawat died under mysterious circumstances here today. According to police sources, he reached his house on Friday after 10 pm and complained of uneasiness to his wife. After a few moments, he got unconscioucess and was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.

The matter got serious when it was found that Shankar's bike, which was parked by him at his house after coming back home, was in a bad shape and he probobaly met with an accident. The police is saying that it seems that Shankar met with an accident while coming back home and he did not realise the gravity of the injuires during that time. The police is now investigating whether any accident was reported in the Rajpur Road area in the evening or night hours of Friday.

DG, Health, retires
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 31
With the retirement of Dr Y.C. Sharma as Director-General of Medical Health and Family Welfare today, the Directorate is expected to remain rudderless for the time being as the government has generally delayed the meeting of the Departmental Promotional Committee to appoint a successor whenever the post fell vacant.

Dr GS Pangti, Director, Kumaon division and the seniormost, Dr G.S Joshi, Director, Dr K.L Arya, Director, Dr R.P Bhatt and Dr L.K Gusain Director would be eligible for the post of Director-General. Going by precedent, the department may appoint an acting DG till the DPC meeting is held.