Food security scheme launched in state
Tribune News service

Three Congress legislators from Pithoragarh district hand out a ration bag. Tribune photos

Dehradun, September 2
The much touted Food Security Scheme was launched in various districts of the state by various Cabinet Ministers, today. Rural Development Minister Pritam Singh launched the scheme in Haldwani, where he distributed bags of ration to women with ration cards.

Pritam Singh said that it was a path breaking measure taken by the Union Government to ensure that a large section of the population earning less than Rs.15,000 per month get essential ration at cheaper rates. A large number of Congress workers including Congress legislator Sarita Arya were present on the occasion.

Health Minister Surinder Singh presided over the function to launch the scheme in Almora.

Labour Minister Harish Chander Durgapal was the Chief Guest at the function in Bageshwar district while Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat was the Chief Guest at the function in the town of Pauri.

20 cardholders get ration bags in Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh: The Food Security Scheme was launched in the district today with the handing over of ration bags to 20 ration cardholders covered under the food security ordinance by local Congress MLAs Mayush Singh Mahar, Narayan Ram and Harish Dhami.

The in charge minister for the district, Dinesh Aggrawal, who was to launch the programme in the district, could not reach the venue from Dehradun due to bad weather.

“This is a historic moment for the country as over 81 crore poor people will be covered under this food security. It amounts to 65.28 per cent of the total population,” said Harish Dhami, Dharchula MLA while speaking on the occasion.

Official sources said the process of selection of ration cardholders under the norms of food security ordinance, is on at the village level in the district. “It will take nearly one month to complete all the selections under the ordinance,” said a district-level officer present on the occasion.

A large number of Congress workers welcomed the programme. They said it would not only cover BPL and Antyodaya families but also people who were APL, but had income not more than Rs 15,000 per month in the district. “Only the Congress party has the guts to launch such a historic programme to secure food for more than 70 per cent population of the country,” said Mathura Dutt Joshi, Congress spokesman. 

Disaster-hit villagers repair damaged routes
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, September 2
Disaster-hit women and youths of Darimkhet, a remote village in Bageshwar, have joined hands to repair damaged routes to their village. Most of the roads and trek routes in Lahur valley of Garur block, Bageshwar, were washed away in the recent disaster. After waiting for over 70 days for government help, villagers have started repairing the damaged routes.

They have repaired a stretch between their village and the nearby primary school so that their children could go to the school regularly. “We removed stones and other material from a rivulet by organising "shramdan" to make a pathway to the school,” said Lachima Devi, president of the Mahila Mangal Dal of the village.

The villagers said they had been urging the district administration to get the stretch between the village and the school repaired. "However, when it did not respond to our demand, we decided to initiate the repair work," said Lachima Devi.

In another case in the same district, residents of Bhilkot village in Garur block have repaired the pathway to the Kathpiria market, which was damaged in a landslide on June 17. “Hundreds of people and the cattle use this route daily putting their lives at risk. As the government failed to extend any help to us, we decided to organise a ‘shramdan divas’ and called a meeting of village youths to urge them to come forward to start the repair work on the route,” said Harish Rawat, president of the Nehru Yuva Club of the village. 

Tributes paid to martyrs of statehood movement
Tribune News Service

Urban Development Minister Preetam Singh Panwar (second from left) pays homage to martyrs on the 19th anniversary of the Mussoorie police firing on Monday. A Tribune photograph

Mussoorie, September 2
Residents, social activists, politicians and other dignitaries had gathered to pay homage to the six persons that had died in a police firing action that occurred in 1994 at the Shaheed Sthal near Jhoola Ghar here today.

The six - Hansa Dhania, Rai Singh Bangari, Dhanpat Singh, Belmati Chauhan, MM Mamgai and Balbir Singh Negi, along with DSP Umakant Tripathi, who is yet to be acknowledged as a martyr by the government - laid down their lives on September 2,1994, during the movement for a separate statehood for Uttarakhand.

However, Chief Minister Vijay Bahguna failed to reach the Shaheed Sthal which angered the families of the martyrs.

State Cabinet Ministers Preetam Panwar (Urban development) and Dinesh Agarwal (Planning and Sports), Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt, the BJP state president Teerath Singh Rawat, MLA (Mussoorie) Manmohan Singh Mall, paid there tributes.

A memorial service was also held at the Shaheed Sthal where the religious heads recited verses from the Koran, Gurbani and chanted Gayatri Mantra.

Ajay Bhatt said that the people of the state would always be indebted to the sacrifices made by the martyrs during the movement for a separate state.

He further said it was unfortunate that the aim of creating a separate state had not been fulfilled. He also said all political parties had to rise above their political inclinations and work towards the development of the state.

Cabinet ministers Preetam Panwar and Dinesh Agarwal said that the government will streamline the identification process - the agitators who are yet to be identified as being part of the movement for a separate state - to prevent any further delay.

19 years on, govt yet to identify those who fought for Uttarakhand
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, September 2
Even 19 years after the police firing on activists of the movement for the separate state of Uttarakhand at Khatima and Mussoorie on September 1 and 2,1994, the dreams of those who fought and laid down their lives for the cause of the state remain unfulfilled.

This has left many statehood activists and martyrs' families a dejected lot. Several statehood activists, who even went to jail, are yet to be identified for their role in the movement in order for them to get government benefits.

One statehood agitator Umed Singh Rawat, who is fending for his family by working at a liquor shop in Mussoorie, is livid at the identification process. Having been left out from the process, he has demanded mercy killing as he is unable to feed two square meals to his family due to the delay in the process.

Umed Singh Rawat recalled that he was picked up by PAC personnel from the Shaheed Sthal on September 2, sent to the Bareilly jail and tortured by the police there. Despite having faced the atrocities, Umed is forced to work at a liquor shop today.

He criticised the attitude of the government saying, “Though I have submitted all relevant documents, I have not received any benefit from the successive state governments in the last 12 years. I am forced to work at a liquor shop for a pittance to fend for my children.”

However, MLA Ganesh Joshi did help the other agitator — Hari Singh Gunsola — by offering his wife a cash amount of Rs 10,000 from his own pocket today. The cabinet minister also assured the couple that he would try to provide financial relief to them from the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Mussoorie played an important role in the statehood movement as it was here that the Uttarakhand Sanyukt Sangarsh Samiti was formed which became the focal point for the agitators around the state. Uttarakhand was finally formed on November 9, 2000. Several protesters were injured and put behind bars during the movement for the creation of Uttarakhand. However, many statehood activists are still waiting to be identified for their role in the movement.

Former vice-president of the Rajya Andolankari Samman Parishad Ravinder Jugran said that the political leaders had failed to deliver after the formation of the separate state and their dreams were yet to be fulfilled. He said that the political parties giving tickets to the leaders who were termed as killers of the seprate stahood agitators was unfortunate. He also looked miffed at the CM avoiding a visit to Mussoorie on the occasion.

BJP State president Teerath Singh Rawat, speaking to the media while paying homage to martyrs here, said the identification of the statehood agitators should be done on a priority basis.

Members of the families of martyrs Hansa Dhania, Rai Singh Bangari, Dhanpat Singh, Belmati Chauhan, MM Mamgain and Balbir Singh Negi were also miffed at the alleged indifferent attitude of the politicians and the bureaucrats. They said that the politicians had failed to take up the grievances of the statehood agitators and the martyrs in an effective manner and had become mere puppets in the hands of vested interests. 

Cong leader seeks 10% quota in govt jobs to statehood agitators
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
Uttarakhand Congress spokesperson Dhirendra Pratap has asked Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to convene a special session of the state Assembly to enact a law to give 10 per cent reservation in government jobs to statehood agitators.

Dhirendra said this while addressing a meeting of the statehood agitators here today. He expressed shock at a decision of the Nainital High court to do away with 10 per cent reservation for statehood agitators in the state government jobs. He said Uttarakhand had come into being due to the sacrifices made by the statehood agitators and their rights should be protected at all costs.

However, the Congress leader hoped that a special leave petition (SLP) to be filed by the state government against the high court decision would bring relief to the statehood agitators.

Dhirendra also demanded that cases against the statehood agitators, including that of Pushpa Silman, should be immediately withdrawn.

He remembered the six martyrs of the Mussoorie police firing and said it was their sacrifice that made the dream of a separate hill state possible.

He demanded that Gairsain be made the permanent capital of the state in deference to the aspirations of the statehood agitators and the martyrs.

A resolution was passed to name roads and institutions after the statehood agitators so that the future generations remember their supreme sacrifice.

SDMs to issue death certificates 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
The Uttarakhand government today issued a notification for designating SDMs as officers responsible for issuing death certificates in cases pertaining to persons who went missing in the mid-June calamity and now presumed dead.

The District Magistrates would function as the appellate authority for hearing the claims and objections pertaining to missing persons.

Similarly, the Department of Health and Family Welfare also issued guidelines pertaining to the procedure for the registration of missing persons in the natural calamity in the affected areas.

The Central government had issued a circular on August 16 to formulate a standard procedure for issuing death certificates after due inquiry in case of missing persons belonging to Uttarakhand and other states.

In the absence of death certificates, the kin of the missing persons were facing difficulty in operating accounts and completing legal formalities. 

Crusader of Dalit’s cause Tamta remembered
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, September 2
A pioneer of Dalit awakening in the Kumaon region, Munshi Hari Prasad Tamta, was remembered on his 126th birth anniversary at Almora and Pithoragarh districts today. Programmes to remember his contribution to the Dalit empowerment and awakening were organised.

Shankar Ram, an activist of Dalit causes in the region and lawyer, appealed to the gathering that they should come forward to launch a social movement for the uplift of Dalits in the region as assurances by politicians were not making any difference to their socio-economic condition. “Munshi Hari Prasad launched a movement in the region in the thirties to make the Dalits aware of their rights. We also need to start a similar movement to ensure they get proper education,” said Shankar Ram.

The programme was organised by the Pithoragarh branch of the Dalit Sahitya Academy and assisted by several Dalit organisations of the district. “We have started organising functions on all occasions to awaken the Dalit community in the region and help the coming generations to come forward and know about their constitutional rights,” said Jeewan Ram, Kumaon in charge of the Dalit Sahitya Academy.

Free infertility consultation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
A free one-month infertility check-up programme started at Sanjay Orthopaedic, Spine and Maternity Centre at Jakhan here today. Dr Sujata Sanjay, organiser of the programme, said couples would given free consultation.

She said the rise in infertility among couples was due to the changing lifestyle and late marriages. The poor sperm quality in men and excess production or imbalances, lack of ovulation in woman together with infection, diabetes, thyroid, smoking, alcohol consumption, menstrual disorders and stress could be the reasons for infertility, she added.

SP activists burn Centre’s effigy
Tribune News Service

Samajwadi Party workers burn an effigy of the Central government against the increase in petrol price  at Clock Tower in Dehradun on Monday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, September 2
Activists of the Samajwadi Party (SP) today held a protest against the Central government and burnt its effigy at Clock Tower here today against the recent increase in the petrol and diesel prices. City president of the party Pradeep Chaudhary led the protest. He blamed policies of the Central government for the present economic situation in the country.

The party workers accused the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of encouraging corruption due to which the prices of essential commodities were surging. The protesters said the Union government had failed to control the petrol and diesel prices that had hit the common man badly.

Experts: Make mountaineering course mandatory for school kids
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
The Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) workshop on “Lessons from the 2013 Uttarakhand Disaster” concluded yesterday. In its recommendations, the workshop suggested special compulsory courses on scientific studies and research on the third pole Himalaya in higher education and universities. It called for making basic mountaineering and rock-climbing course compulsory for all high school boys and girls.

The participants at the workshop were also unanimous in their view that all political parties should include the futuristic Himalayan hydro-development policy in their electoral manifesto. They also held that hill stations should be planned and developed so that tourism can be differentiated from the pilgrimage. “There should be some regulations and registration for all the pilgrims,” they said in the recommendations.

The construction of electric and solar power crematorium to prevent environment degradation, scientific river bed mining and dredging, construction of small dams to give livelihood to the local residents like fishery were some of other recommendations made at the workshop.

In his valedictory address, RLEK chairperson Avadhesh Kaushal announced that this was the first of the series of the consultation meet. The second meet will be held in Guptkashi in the last week of October or the first week of November. The next workshop would not only talk about the hydro power projects but also take up local issues.

State to give ex-gratia aid to kin of missing persons from other states
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
The Uttarakhand government today decided to give ex-gratia aid to the grieving next of kin of persons from other states who had gone missing in the mid-June natural disaster.

The decision was taken after the Uttar Pradesh government submitted an authenticated list of 1,100 missing persons.

The state government has already given ex-gratia amount to the next of kin of missing persons who hailed from Uttarakhand.

But in the absence of clarity on the number of missing persons from Uttar Pradesh, the ex-gratia amount could not be disbursed to the kin of missing persons belonging to other states.

Twenty state governments and two union territories have already submitted authenticated lists of missing persons to the Uttarakhand authorities in August.

A provisional list submitted by the state government to the Centre in August had mentioned that 1,925 missing persons belonged to Uttar Pradesh.

However, the Uttar Pradesh government today submitted an authenticated list of 1,100 missing persons.

“The Central government has released Rs 86 crore as ex-gratia aid, which will be forwarded to the respective state governments for distribution among the next of kin of missing persons,” said Bhaskaranand Joshi, Secretary, Department of Disaster Management.

Further, with the state government refusing to give its share of funds, the ex-gratia amount for the next of kin of other states would comprise funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

Joshi said the Central government had made a provision for the funds on the basis of the provisional list of missing persons but the money would be drawn according to the number of beneficiaries.

“The state government will surrender the funds by the end of this financial year in case they remain unutilised,” he added.

The provisional list had pegged the number of missing persons from other states at 3,950. This would be revised in the light of the authenticated list presented by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Even after revision, the number of missing persons from Uttar Pradesh would continue to be the highest, followed by Madhya Pradesh (542) and Rajasthan (511). 

Institutes donate for relief fund
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 2
Acting Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University HS Dhami met Governor Aziz Qureshi at Raj Bhavan today and presented him with a draft of Rs 2.45 lakh for the CM's Disaster Relief Fund.

The amount consists of a one-day salary given voluntarily by the staff of various educational institutions affiliated to the university.

The institutions which have contributed are RLS Memorial Degree College, Jaspur, BSB Postgraduate Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Jaspur, Saraswati Institute of Management, Rudrapur, Chandrawati Kanya Postgraduate Mahavidyalaya, Kashipur, Dr Sushila Tiwari Mahavidyalaya, Sitarganj, Drona BEd College, Rudrapur, and Drona Women's BEd College, Rudrapur.