Govt to re-examine state Lokayukta Act: CM
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
Terming some parts of the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act which was brought by the BJP as unconstitutional, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna yesterday said the government would bring its own Lokayukta Act based on the Lok Pal Bill of the central government which is now with the standing committee of Parliament.

“The Uttarakhand Lok Ayukta Act was prepared by the BJP in a hurry. Some parts in the Act are unconstitutional, especially those concerning powers to the judiciary. We will examine it. The Uttarakhand Cabinet has the power to reject it,” Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said.

The Chief Minister also said the Department of Parliamentary Affairs had taken a suo motu decision to send the gazette notification regarding the Lok Ayukta Bill for printing without informing him, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.

“Whatever was done was not proper and I have asked the Chief Secretary to look into the matter,” Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said.

Bhatt flays CM for oppsosing Act
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Ajay Bhatt on Saturday said that by terming the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act (2011) as unconstitutional, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had challenged the authority of the President.

“The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, has already given his assent and the Bill brought during the tenure of former Chief Minister BC Khanduri has now become an Act. How can the President’s prerogative be unconstitutional? By terming the Act as unconstitutional, the Chief Minister has challenged his authority and insulted him. If the Chief Minister had any problem with the Bill, his government could have brought in amendments, but no steps were taken even after the Congress government came to power under his leadership. Even the Congress party did not raise any objections during the passage of the Bill in the Uttarakhand Assembly in 2011. The Bill was unanimously passed when Minister for Agriculture Harak Singh Rawat was the Leader of the Opposition,” said Bhatt at a press conference today.

Bhatt alleged that a drama was staged to keep the information about the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act (2011) as the Bahuguna government was not serious about taking steps to end corruption in high places.

“This government has been trying to put wool in the eyes of the people of the state by coming up with bizarre explanations about it’s misdemeanours,” said Bhatt.

Ajay Bhatt also crticisied the government for failing to address the problems of government employees who have been on strike for the past few days which was affecting the functioning of the offices. 

State Act has flaws: Kaushal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
The Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) chairperson, Padma Shri Avdhash Kaushal, has reiterated that the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act 2013 was discriminatory and unconstitutional.

In a statement issued here today, Kaushal said RLEK, Dehradun, had been pointing out that earlier the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill and now the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act 2013 were a copy of Arvind Kejriwal’s Lokpal Bill.

Kaushal said the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act 2013 had many flaws, looked futile and discriminatory and it was against the principles and spirit of the Indian Constitution. The Act had been passed in haste and should be referred to the Standing Committee for further discussions, he said.

“The Uttarakhand Government had drafted the Act under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal who is ignorant about law. The Act 2013 seems to be targeting just the bureaucrats. If the amendments are not made in a month, we shall approach the court,” Kaushal said.

Khanduri thanks Prez
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
A former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Maj-Gen. B.C. Khanduri (retd), today met the President, Dr Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.

Khanduri thanked the President for giving his consent to the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill sent by his government for presidential consent.

Khanduri hoped that the Bill would prove to be milestone in making the Lokayukta institution an effective constitutional office in curbing corruption.

Anganwari workers’ march to CM’s house halted
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
Hundreds of anganwadi workers today took out a protest march to the Chief Minister's house but were stopped by the police at the Hathibarkala police chowki from marching ahead. The protesting workers then staged a dharna at the site.

The anganwadi workers have been staging a protest in support of their demand for increasing wages since October 15.

A delegation of anganwadi workers also met Additional Secretary, Child Development, Nidhi Mani Tripathi, regarding their demands.

President of the workers' union Rekha Negi said, "The Additional Secretary has agreed on some of ours demands and asked us to end our agitation. However, we will not end the protest unless we get a written assurance."

Expo-2013: Rapid industrialisation of state sought
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 19
Industrialists, corporate honchos and delegates taking part in the ongoing Industrial Expo-2013, which began at Sidcul on Thursday, have sought mass-scale industrialisation in the hill state.

Citing the recent flash floods tragedy, which has affected the pilgrim-tourism sector on a large scale, delegates pointed that industrialisation can take the hill state out of this turmoil.

Director in charge of the expo Ashok Kumar said that like Sidcul was formed in Uddham Singh Nagar,Dehradun and Haridwar,there is urgent need to expand this in other areas of the state, too.

He added that thousands are enrolled in hundreds of factories based in

Sidcul and industrialisation can also become the backbone of the state economy in the near future.

Sidcul Manufacturers' Association head Harendra Garg demanded waiving of certain taxes, which have been levied on the industries, since Central Government-aided special industrial package was negated in 2011.

Garg said that in hill districts, too, industrial units can be set up and they are willing to do so, but they need government initiative, aid, industrial package and a one-window system for all departmental procedures.

This industrial expo will continue till October 20 with three seminars being held on a daily basis. More than 300 stalls have been put up by participating industrialists from across the country.

Fewer students opt for board exams this year
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 19
The number of students applying to appear in the high school and intermediate examination conducted by the Uttarakhand School Education Board at Ramnagar, have decreased this year, Board Secretary DK Mathela said at Ramnagar today.

Mathela said out of a total 3,13,584 students, who had applied for appearing in the board examination this year, 1,74,875 students had applied for high school examination and 1,38,709 for intermediate examinations. “Out of this number, over 9,434 have applied as private students in high school and 13,086 in intermediate examination,” said the secretary.

“At present, scrutinisation of the forms is on," said the secretary.

In high school examination against 84,822 boys, 80,619 girl students have applied in the institutional category and 62,957 and 62,706, respectively in intermediate category.

Need to fill gap between industry, education: IIM chief
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 19
Dr Gautam Sinha, Director of the Indian Institute of Management, Kashipur, has said that the corporate sector and technical institutions are two parts of the same coin and each needs to take notice of the changes in the other sector in order to survive.

Dr Sinha was delivering a lecture during the three-day Leadership Conclave organised by the institute at Ramnagar.

He said that the IIM Kashipur had started an initiative to fill the gap coming up between the two sectors of the industry. “If we work towards removing the gap between the needs of the industry and education being imparted in these institutes, we can not only create new jobs, but also develop new avenues in the industry,” said the director.

Representatives from top industries and global corporate heads from different industrial empires took part in the conclave.

"We have invited 40 representatives from industrial corporations from across the world,” said a source at the IIM. The conclave aims to notice changes coming up in the industrial sector and need to mould education in technical institutions accordingly.

“Later, these experts and specialists will teach the students about successful works done by industry,” said the source.

The dean of the IIM said their institute was working on advancing adventure tourism in the Kumaon region and its partnership with foreign universities in generating electricity out of pine leaves.

Uttarakhand hosts new winged guest
Endangered bird Amur falcon sighted at Hathipaon 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
Uttarakhand is hosting a new winged guest these days. Amur falcon, an endangered bird species, has been sighted near the Everest House at Hathipaon in the hill resort of Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.

Globally threatened, Amur falcon comes from South Africa and travels to China as part of its migratory activity. Mid-way, it passes through Nagaland in India and its presence so far has not been recorded in Uttarakhand.

Amur falcon's presence at Hathipaon was confirmed by Senior Indian Council of Forestry Research Education scientist Arun Pratap Singh, who has been closely associated with the Great Himalayan Bird Count for the past several years. He disclosed that Amur falcon was perching on a tree near Everest House before leaving for its further destination.

"I came across Amur falcon on October 15 in a tree near near the Everest House at Hathipaon," Arun Pratap Singh said.

He said the Amur falcon transits to Nagaland while coming from South Africa and travelling to China as part of its migration exercise, but this bird has not been recorded in Uttarakhand. He said Amur falcons are killed every year in large numbers when they cross Nagaland and focused efforts were needed to save this bird.

MP takes up issue of sugarcane growers
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19
Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj said yesterday that he was undertaking all efforts towards ensuring the release of pending payments to sugarcane growers of the Perumdara area in Ramnagar.

In a statement issued here today, the MP said he had taken up the issue with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna as well and sought his intervention in the matter.

He said Kashipur sugar mill owners owe an amount of Rs 28 crore to sugarcane farmers.