Bhatt: Unlike Odisha, U’khand ignored early warning signals
Tribune News Srevice

Mussoorie, October 14
The Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly, Ajay Bhatt, commenting on Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s remarks that he received oxygen from Delhi, said the Chief Minister instead of relying on artificial oxygen should walk from one village to another in the state to get pure oxygen in order to improve his own health and that of his government.

Ajay Bhatt, speaking to mediapersons during a personal visit to Mussoorie, said the state government had failed on all fronts and was misleading the people on various issues.

Elaborating Bhatt said theBJP’s stand that the state government had failed to act on time even after clear warnings given by the Met Department during the recent disaster in Uttarakhand had been validated by the fact that around 9 lakh people from 14,514 villages were evacuated immediately after the warning signals given by the department about the cyclone that struck the coast of Odisha, thus leading to minimum casualties. If the Uttarakhand government had acted on the early warning signals, many lives could have been saved.

Lambasting the state government and Bahuguna in particular, Bhatt said the state government had failed to make any arrangements for opening roads, providing food to the affected persons and making shelter for the people whose houses had been damaged beyond repair even after four months of the disaster. He also said that the winter months were knocking were approaching and the life of the people would become worse with snowfall this year.

Bhatt alleged that the government had called for tenders of the pre-fabricated huts but the process was so tedious that it would take around four to five months more, resulting in aggravating the sufferings of people affected by the disaster. He suggested that if the government would have given Rs 5 lakh as compensation, the affected persons would have constructed the damaged houses themselves and avoided cold winter season. But the government had failed to either provide pre-fabricated huts or give any other sort of relief to the people here.

Bhatt also informed the mediapersons that the state government was misleading the people on the issue of establishing a Vidhan Bhavan at Gairsian for which four foundation stones were laid on January 14 by the Chief Minister himself. He further said that it was indeed shocking and shows the way this government was functioning that all four foundations stones had been removed from the place where they were placed in Gairsain and not a single brick had been laid down since then.

He further said Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal should tell people why the work on the Vidhan Bhavan building at Gairsain had not been started on time despite the fact that he himself had approved the estimated cost of around Rs 254 crore.

He also sought explanation on why no steps were taken to ratify the agreement between the NBCC and the government on the construction of the Vidhan Bhavan at Gairsain. He also suggested that if the Speaker was seriously concerned about the issue, he should resign instead of merely frowning over it.

Bhatt also targeted the non-Congress MLAs from the Progressive Development Forum (PDF) and said people were fed up with the Congress-led government and they would also be held accountable for siding with such a government in the next elections. Therefore, the PDF leaders should immediately rethink on their strategy and step aside from such government without any delay.

Search committees to appoint VCs yet to hold meetings
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 14
The search committees set up to appoint Vice-Chancellors of the two universities of Kumaon and Pantnagar are yet to hold meetings.

Though the schedule and the dates of the meetings of the search committees are kept secret, sources say that over 100 applications have been received for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University. The post had fallen vacant six months ago after Prof Rakesh Bhatnagar resigned.

According to the procedure for the selection of the Vice-Chancellor of a university, the Governor constitutes a three-member search committee comprising one member nominated by him, another from the high court and the third from the university executive council. “The Governor has already constituted a committee headed by Hamida Sayeed from the Planning Commission and Tara Chandra Pathak, an IAS officer, and high court judge VK Bisht as members,” they said.

The sources added the committee, which is to hold a meeting soon, would give priority to a person having local background. “Professors of various universities have applied for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University this time as the required qualification for the post is 10 years’ working experience as professor in any university, besides sound academic and administrative ability. More than 100 applications have been received and the screening committee will shortlist five candidates who will be finally interviewed for the post,” they said.

Sources in Pantnagar University said the search committee constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Subash Kumar was likely to hold a meeting on October 15. 

Few officials are misguiding govt: Speaker
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 14
The Speaker of the Uttarakhand Assembly, Govind Singh Kunjwal, said except the constitutional protocol, he is also a citizen of the state and if his conscious allows to unearth the wrongdoings on the part of the administration and the government, he would not keep mum.

The Speaker said the state was full of such officials who misguide the state government on these matters. “These officers have misguided the Chief Minister to delay the construction work of the permanent capital structure at Gairsain in last June,” he added.

According to the Speaker, he could only peruse a talk with the Chief Minister after he sensed that he was being misguided by the wrong-intentioned officers of the state. “It is a result of my persuasion that the Chief Minister had agreed to resume the construction work of the permanent state capital at Gairsain from November,” he said.

The Speaker said the area where the construction had to take place was out of disaster. He said the issue of migration from the hill was a main issue which had not been addressed in the past years, despite the successive governments claiming a popular mandate. 

Create standards unique to Indian conditions: IIP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) director Dr MO Garg today emphasised on the need to create standards that were unique to Indian conditions rather than adopting standards developed by western countries.

He said Japan had developed its own standards and does not feel the need to copy anything from western countries. “Similarly, the private companies and industries should allocate a certain percentage of their budget towards resource and development for standard making. Usually, industries shy away from accepting a standardised regime because it involves huge costs and data generation, but standards also generate huge economic activity,” said Garg, while delivering an inaugural address on “International Standards Ensure Positive Change” on World Standards' Day today.

Earlier, Dileep Kumar, head, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Dehradun, said in the competitive world, standards pay a key role. “They ensure consistency, dependability, excellence and increase efficiency. They also help in removing technical barriers in the world and help in trading outside the country,” Kumar said.

Centre to give industrial package  to state, HP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma today announced that the Centre had been seriously contemplating giving industrial package to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

The industrial package given to the two hill states had expired after a period of ten years.

Sharma, while talking to mediapersons at Jollygrant airport after inaugurating a spice park at Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar district, said a separate spice park for Garhwal region would be set up at Sahaspur near Dehradun soon. He said a convention centre would be set up  at Pantnagar at a cost of  Rs 15 crore.

He said two horticulture processing centres would also be set up at Harsil in Uttarkashi and another one in Yamuna valley under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

He said the Central had been thinking on giving capital subsidy and freight subsidy to industries in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Sharma also addressed a meeting of officials of his own  department. 

Feud erupts between different wings of BJP 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
A feud has erupted between the city unit and the mahila morcha (women's wing) of the Uttarakhand BJP on the issue of the appointment of the president of the mahila morcha of the city unit.

The feud came to the surface after the unanimous decision to appoint Usha Lakhera as president of the mahila morcha of the city unit by Neelam Sehgal, president of BJP city unit (organisation), was turned down by the president of mahila morcha (state unit) Manju Tiwari.

Two days ago on the letterpad of mahila morcha office bearer Anuradha Wali, the appointment of Kanchan Thakur as president of mahila morcha (city unit) was circulated.

The reversal of the earlier decision left the rank and file in the city unit of BJP rattled, deeply dividing the mahila morcha. Later senior leader Usha Baluni sought an appointment with the president of the state unit Teerath Singh Rawat but as he was out of station, it could not materialise.

This forced Sushila Baluni to stage a sit-in at the BJP headquarters along with her supporters. ''The appointment of Usha Lakhera was made after holding discussions with the BJP senior leaders. The president of mahila morcha (state unit) has overturned the decision and interfered in the matter which does not fall under her purview. It is against the constitution of the party,'' said the agitated Sushila Baluni.

Since Teerath Singh Rawat became the president of the state unit of the BJP, fissures in its frontal units have been surfacing on the issue of appointments. Earlier the members of the youth wing of the party had objected to the appointment of office bearers, after which a new list was released.

But the friction in the women's wing has taken an all-together different angle, as a decision taken by the president of the city unit has been overturned by the state unit, though the units function independently of each other.

''We will take up the matter with the president of our party as the decision was taken after deliberations. I do not know under whose pressure the appointment of Kanchan Thakur was made. Such incidents may harm the party prospects in the 2014 general elections,'' said Neelam Sehgal, president of city unit (BJP). 

Villagers panicky after seeing leopards
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 14
Having lost two children to leopards, residents of Amasarkot village in Bageshwar district are again living in panic as two more leopards have been sighted in the area. They have threatened to launch an agitation if the Forest Department does not get the leopards killed soon.

Hunter Lakhpat Singh, who was hired by the Forest Department, had shot dead a leopard that had killed two minor children in two days in the village.

According to the villagers, they had shown the two leopards, which were hiding in bushes, to Lakhpat Singh but he refused to shoot them saying he had orders to shoot only the leopard that he killed. “The villagers have identified a cave at a distance of 200 metre from the village and the two leopards might be hiding there,” said Govind Singh Tangaria, a resident of Amasarkot village.

The Divisional Forest Officer, Bageshwar, DS Meena, said the villagers were in panic after two leopards were sighted in the village. The Forest Department had installed cages at different spots in the village to tarp the leopards. “If the leopards do not get trapped and they continue to attack villagers, the department will be approached for permission to kill them,” said Meena.

The villagers have appealed to the department to kill the leopards. “Had the leopard been killed just after it had killed Saurabh Tangaris on Friday, my child would not have fallen prey to it,” said weeping Naman, whose son was also killed by the leopard on Saturday.

Forest officials said the leopards were entering villages frequently for the last one decade as their habitats in forests had got disturbed due to various reasons. “Forest fires to poaching and even encroachment of wild habitats by humans are responsible for frequent incursions by leopards into villages,” said Prem Kumar, DFO, Almora. 

Fair spreading green message begins
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
A two-day green energy fair began at Junior High School, Rajpur Road, here today.

It is being organised by the WWF India Dehradun programme office in partnership with the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA), and aims at sensitising Dehradun residents to the importance of renewable energy.

Manufacturers of renewable energy solutions have set up stalls to showcase a wide variety of products ranging from solar panels, solar water heaters, solar lighting systems to solar cookers and solar refrigerators. Compact biogas plants for the household use have also been put on display.

Talking about the green energy fair, Dr Harish Guleria, head, Terai Arc Landscape, WWF India, said, “Renewable energy solutions are becoming increasing affordable and accessible to people. This fair aims at simplifying the message of renewable energy and showcase how people can adopt such solutions into their lives to lead a sustainable lifestyle.” Earlier, the event was inaugurated by Dr Anil Joshi, founder, HESCO, and Dr BC Chaudhary was a special guest.

A poster-making competition was also organised, the result of which will be announced on October 15. A quiz competition will also be held on the last day of fair.

The event is a part of the WWF’s global campaign, namely ‘Seize Your Power’.

Industry minister lays stone of spice park at Sitarganj
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma, along with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, laid the foundation stone of a spice park at Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar district today.

After laying the stone of the park, the minister said the initiative would promote industrial and economic activity in the state, thus giving a fillip to employment generation. He said the project would also help provide employment to the local people.

The minister said the Union and Uttarakhand Governments were committed to industrial growth. He expressed hope that the park would benefit the industry and farmers of the region.

He said the region was well-known for ginger production. The exports of turmeric and mint was to the tune of 87 per cent of the India's exports while it export ginger and chili to the tune of 41 per cent of the total India's exports.

“ India is known for its high-class spices. The setting up this park will help encourage the production and packaging of spices that will be of international standards,” he said.

The minister said the Central and Uttarakhand Governments believed in the development of the nation by taking every section of society along. He said all efforts would be made to help Uttarakhand to recover post the mid-June natural disaster.

The minister congratulated Bahuguna for working hard to help the state to return to normalcy. Bahuguna said with the industrial infrastructure at SIDCUL phase-1 and 2 at Sitarganj, investments had increased and many more industrial groups had shown interest in investing in the state.

He said according to a survey carried out recently, the state was ahead of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in development. He said disparities in land use would soon be removed and a decision would be taken to give proprietary right to lease holders and those having land earmarked under Section 4 of the Land Act. He said the spice park would also contribute in the economic growth of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani and Urban Development Minister Preetam Singh Panwar emphasised the need to set up small spice units in hill districts to boost self-employment and economic growth.

Besides police and civil officials, chief of the state unit of the Congress Yashpal Arya and AICC joint secretary and co-in charge of the state party affairs Sanjay Kapoor were also present.

Bollywoodd actress Archana visits Mussoorie
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, October 14
Eminent Bollywood actress and the judge of the popular television serial Comedy Circus paid a visit to Mussoorie today.

She came along with her family and walked down the Mall Road and enjoyed with her family members, including her husband Parmeet who is also a producer in Bollywood.

The fans were delighted to see her walking on the road and crowded her for autograph. Navprabhat Dhania, a fan of her, was glad to click a photograph with her and said he did not miss her comedy programme at any cost.

Archana Puran Singh is most known for comedy roles in Bollywood movies and as a judge on comedy shows. Archana Puran Singh became popular when she played iconic comic roles of Miss Briganza in ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,'' ''Preeto'' in ''Mohabbatein'' and lately Zohra in ''Bol Bachchan.'' Archana Puran Singh has been judging the television reality comedy show known as Comedy Circus since 2006 and is the only judge to have appeared in all episodes. She is a resident of Dehradun and loves visiting the home state.

Sentencing of rape accused put off 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 14
The work in the court remained affected after the death of senior prosecution officer SK Jain due to which the sentencing of the convicts in the gang-rape and murder case that occurred in 2005 could not take place. It is to be noted that the court of Additional District Judge was scheduled to pronounce the sentence in the 2005 gang-rape and murder case. All the accused have already been convicted by the court in the case.

Reportedly, in year 2005, five persons raped and murdered one woman and the police arrested all the five accused.