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Dengue patients' number crosses 600 in Haridwar
Cyber poaching next worry of wildlife conservationists
Man-eater leopard killed
Vet hospital, staff residences in a shambles in Jaunpur
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MAD to adopt Bihari Basti for poverty alleviation
CM Bahuguna lays stone of women's hostel
Badrinath shrine to close on Nov 18
Rickshaw-puller honoured on Dasehra
Industry asks for tax-based relief
IAU, NID organise workshop
Dehradun diary
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Dengue patients' number crosses 600 in Haridwar
Haridwar, October 13 The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sushma Gupta, said the department was trying its best, but the public also needed to be aware and adopt preventive measures to avoid being afflicted with the dengue virus. The CMO added that the Health Department had formed several teams which had been sent to various dengue-prone areas to generate awareness and inspect the alarming situation. CMS Rajesh Gupta said in comparison to previous week, this week the number of suspected dengue patients had fallen. As many as 45 suspected patients have been reported in past two days and blood samples are being sent immediately for testing Gupta added. Local residents have expressed their anger over the delayed and soft approach of health department. Local residents alleged that the government Health Department was hiding the exact number of dengue patients and government hospitals were not admitting poor patients. JP Pandey a social activist said only VIP patients were being treated at the district hospital, while general patients were either referred to private hospitals or left at their own. Statehood agitator Meera Raturi demanded a visit from Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi. Meanwhile, pharmacists after going to strike on Saturday went on strike in patches, affecting the working at all the district hospitals. Though, emergency services have not been included in the strike by pharmacists. They are demanding formation of joint director and director posts, allowances for emergency duty and DA, TA during fair duty and solving anomalies in their wages. Chief Pharmacist VP Singh Rawat said state government had not been paying attention towards their demands off late, so they have resorted to strike. Rawat warned that if government didn’t solve their problem then from October 24 they would be forced to go on for indefinite strike. |
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Cyber poaching next worry of wildlife conservationists
Dehradun, October 13 K Ramesh, scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, recently encountered a strange case when attempts were made to access his e-mail account that contained the information about the geographic location of an endangered tiger in Madhya Pradesh. The tiger in question had been fitted with collars for obtaining GPS data. Finally, the Madhya Pradesh government had to go for a probe in a first case linked to cyber poaching. With the increasing role of modern technology in conservation, all works of wildlife conservation including researches, studies and experiments are becoming more and more linked to cyber world. All major wildlife conservation projects are aided with the latest technology and even patrolling activities, nowadays are backed with software like MsTripes. But, while technology has certainly helped the cause of conservation, hackers have even started targetting it with not ruling out possibility of getting access to classified information linked to whereabouts of endangered species. Tiger conservationist Dr Hem Singh Gehlot expresses concern over the incidents of attempts of cyber poaching. He said with changing times, poachers, too, could take to technology to serve their wrong goals. He said those adopting technological advancement for wildlife conservation, research and studies need to be extra cautious. However, another tiger conservationist Dr AK Singh differs with him in opinion. He said: “While there have been reports of unlawful wildlife trade through internet but cyber poaching was not a potential threat. It is not that easy as being said. Getting exact tiger location even through GPS is not easy for wildlife researchers and thus expecting poachers to get to exact location of a tiger is not that easy, he pointed out adding that moreover, poachers in India are not that technology advanced and there are very miniscule numbers of tigers in the country that are fitted with radio collars.” |
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Man-eater leopard killed
Dehradun, October 13 The man-eater leopard killed in Bageshwar had mauled two children in the past three days. It was shot down by hunter Lakhpat Singh Rawat today. The leopard was on the prowl for quite some time. Lakhpat, who headed the forest team got close to the leopard the previous night and even injured it. But it fled away. The team encountered the leopard today morning and killed it. In another incident, a leopard that strayed into a house in Almora district was rescued by the team of forest department. The team caged the leopard and took him to the Almora rescue centre. Man-leopard conflict
has increased manifold in Uttarakhand in the recent times. |
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Vet hospital, staff residences in a shambles in Jaunpur
Mussoorie, October 13 Despite several reminders for repair sent by the villagers here, the official apathy towards the building continues. According to Balbir Singh, a resident of Pantwadi village, the hospital was constructed several years ago to serve the farmers of the region. The hospital and the residential complex suffered heavy damage during the hailstorm that stuck the village in 1998 but the Health Department failed to repair or renovate the building, he said. Presently, the hospital area is in a dilapidated condition and not conducive for human beings to live as it could cave in at any given moment. The medical staff is also forced to live on rent elsewhere and fail to attend the hospital due to the lack of basic amenities on frequent basis, aggravating the suffering of the farmers and their livestock. He said several letters had been sent to the officials concerned since 2003 but no action had been taken so far, resulting in the building disintegrating further with each passing day. The filthy condition with a wild growth of weed around the building is also a cause of worry as it could lead to severe epidemic if not acted upon soon, he added. A delegation of villagers met the Chief Development Officer, Tehri district, but received only false assurances. The officials, when contacted, washed their hands off by saying they would conduct an investigation and then take a decision. |
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MAD to adopt Bihari Basti for poverty alleviation
Dehradun, October 13 Ever since the group’s inception in June 2011, MAD has always been active with its activities in Bihari Basti and has conducted over 40 campaigns there. “After intensive discussions, we have decided to take up another major project, the first this year. If sandwiches, biscuits, health camps, street plays and, most importantly, our numberless communications with all levels of the government, including twice with the Chief Minister, were to raise Bihari Basti out of its abject conditions of poverty, it would have happened a long
time back”, remarks Abhijay Negi, while explaining the reason behind the project. Tired of being ignored, the group has decided to find out how much of a difference can directly be made by its own efforts. Today, the group of youngsters were going from one jhuggi to another to identify the permanent populace in the Basti and also enquiring how many of them would be willing to benefit from any kind of direct aid from MAD which could provide them another/better means of livelihood. “After our garbage report and RTE report on Bihari Basti we have decided to change our approach with respect to the Basti by directly identifying those who would want to gain from our aid. After completing our survey, we will then look at how we can empower the Basti people, especially the women as we may distribute sewing machines among these households. This is just an example and we may even better the means of helping the Basti people if we get some more viable way of providing them another source of livelihood so that they can empower themselves,” narrated Shardul Rana and Vishwas Pande, core members of the group. The MADdians got a positive response from the slum population to this survey which is now expected to go on for over three weeks. Once the complete picture is clear, the group will work towards determining its own budget and how it can directly help the Basti people. MAD appeals to all Doonites to come forwards for this cause by helping the
group prepare the survey and also, in providing some kind of livelihood resource for the poor. Aayushi, Aditi, Sarvapriya, Vidushi, Abhinav, Raghu, Kashika, Shardul and Vishwas were present in today’s activity. |
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CM Bahuguna lays stone of women's hostel
Dehradun, October 13 Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the state government planed to open such hostels in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts also. He reminded that women have played an important role in creation of Uttarakhand. He asserted that his government was laying special emphasis on the betterment of women. Uttarakhand Congress President Yashpal Arya said the state government was committed to the welfare of women. Congress Rajpur MLA Rajkumar and other congress leaders were also present on the occasion. |
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Badrinath shrine to close on Nov 18
Dehradun, October 13 The date of closure of the shrine was decided
at a meeting convened today in the presence of priests. The closure of portals
of the shrine will take place at 7:38 pm on November 18. Situated at a height of 10,284 metre above
the sea level, the Badrinath shrine was also affected by the mid-June catastrophe that took place in
Uttarakhand. |
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Rickshaw-puller honoured on Dasehra
Haridwar, October 13 The youths, under the Sarvshaktiman Yuva Samaj Sewa Foundation, Jwalapur, honoured a 70-year-old rickshaw peddler. Garlanding him, the youths voluntarily collected Rs 5,100 and handed them to Naseer, a resident of Kaitwadi in sub-urban Jwalapur. Naseer has been plying pedal rickshaw for decades to fetch livelihood. Despite having brought up three sons, none of them provides him food and economic support, as a result of which Naseer had to resort to rickshaw pedalling. Seeing his plight, the youths decided to collect the fund for him. Foundation head Gyanendra Pundit, along with members Ankit Chaudhari, Nagendra Chaudhari, Gaurav Kumar, Sachin Ram, Amit Pawar, Anur and Ajyendra Chaudhari called 82-year-old Balwant Singh to hand over the collected money. A humbled Naseer said in the 70 years of his life, he had never got felicitated but today he felt the youths had done what he had never thought of. “Be it Hindus or Muslims, the blood is the same. So we should never fight among ourselves but live peacefully together,” he added. Gyanendra said the foundation had helped similar needy persons on three occasions earlier and urged people to contribute to the foundation, so that more Naseers could be helped. |
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Industry asks for tax-based relief
Dehradun, October 13 "The capital investment subsidy on plant and machinery will not
accelerate the industrial climate in the state. The industrialists are looking for tax and area based which was part of the concessional industrial package (CIP) that was withdrawn in 2010," said Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Significantly, the capital investment subsidy has been extended in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh till 2017, but, other components of the industrial package that had considerably improved the industrial climate in the state continues to remain withdrawn. A special package for industrial development in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand was extended by the Vajpayee Government in 2003, but the UPA Government curtailed it in 2007 before restoring it partly in 2010.
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IAU, NID organise workshop
Dehradun, October 13 Pankaj Gupta, president, IAU, said the workshop was aimed at helping the entrepreneurs understand the importance of design, both for producers and manufacturers. The experts pointed out that at times the product was rejected because the design was did not appeal or lacked finesse. "At times even if the product is good, if it does not appeal to the sense, the buyers do not show any interest and reject the product," said Gupta. Experts from NID, Gayatri Singh, Shashank Mehta and designer Praful Kedia also shared their knowledge about the role of designing with the entrepreneurs. |
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Dehradun diary
The outburst by flamboyant Congress legislator Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion from the Khanpur Assembly segment in Haridwar district has added to the latest woes of the state Congress government. Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion, a scion of the erstwhile state of Landhoura in Haridwar is known for his brashness and love to flaunt his muscle and firearms. A three-time legislator, Kunwar Pranav Singh has been in the eye of storm for the past fortnight due to his own doing. Last month, at a dinner party hosted by Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat on the eve of the Assembly session, Kunwar Pranav Singh opened fire in the air with his licenced weapons which hit two Congress workers creating an embarrassment for the state government. While the state government tried to brush the incident under the carpet, the statement by state Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal regarding involvement of the Congress legislator in the firing forced him to seek bail. Interestingly, Kunwar Pranav Singh had also fired in the air at the birthday celebration of his daughter in the presence of the then Chief Minister, Major-Gen BC Khanduri (retd) a few years ago. However, none was injured and an embarrassed Chief Minister had to beat a hasty retreat
from the function.
However, the recent firing controversy has barely died down when Kunwar Pranav Singh fired another salvo at the state government. Miffed with the Uttarakhand Social Welfare and Transport Minister, Surender Rakesh, of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who also hails from Haridwar district, Kunwar Pranav Singh launched a tirade against his own state Congress government. He called the BSP minister as “corrupt” and even took a dig at the Chief Minister, Vijay Bahuguna, calling him names. While the Chief Minister decided to ignore his utterances, the seven-member group of three Independent legislators, three BSP legislators and the lone Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) MLA, known as the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), who are supporting the state Congress government took strong exception to the allegations by Kunwar Pranav Singh. Four of the members of the PDF are ministers in the Congress-led government. They met Chief Minister Bahuguna and told him in no uncertain terms that strong action should be taken against the Congress legislator or they would be free to choose their own path. The PDF legislators threatened that they were in touch with opposition BJP also. They gave an ultimatum of 10 days to the state Congress government to take action against their own legislator. Panicked by the strong reaction of the PDF, Uttarakhand Congress gave a show-cause notice to Kunwar Pranav Singh, who went to New Delhi to plead his case with senior party leaders. Efforts are on for a patch-up with some of the Congress leaders mediating between the PDF and Kunwar Pranav Singh to tone down their respective stands. Kunwar Pranav Singh has sought some time to reply to the show cause-notice served on him. But there are no signs of letting up from both the sides. Supporters of Kunwar Pranav Singh burnt an effigy of Uttarakhand Minister Surender Rakesh at Roorkee. The wife of Kunwar Pranav Singh also staged a demonstration and met the Chief Minister who was annoyed with Kunwar Pranav Singh. — SMA Kazmi |
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Making a Difference by Being the Difference (MAD), a group of youngsters, have kicked off a major initiative at Bihari Basti as they are disappointed with the "apathy" which the state government has shown to their repeated requests and reports on the abject conditions of poverty prevailing in the
Basti.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna laid the foundation stone of the Indira Gandhi Working Women’s hostel in Dehradun that would be constructed at a cost of Rs 862 crore.
While people were busy in festivities of Dasehra, a bunch of youths decided to celebrate the festival in a social way.
The youths, under the Sarvshaktiman Yuva Samaj Sewa Foundation, Jwalapur, honoured a 70-year-old rickshaw peddler.
