Portals of Gangotri shrine closed for winter
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 4
The portals of Gangotri temple, considered one of the famous shrines in the Himalayan state, closed for winters this morning amid chants of "Har har Gangey" and "Ganga Mata ki jai" and in the presence of over 1,000 devotees who were here to attend Nirvaan Darshan today.

The closure of Yamnotri and Kedarnath portals on 'Bhaiiya Dooj' and Badrinath portals on November 18 marks the end of 'char dham yatra' for now.

Ramdev, one of the devotees from Rajasthan, said the response this year was not as good with only around 1,000 devotees coming to watch Mother Ganga. The 'char dham yatra' was disrupted due to widespread damage to the roads and property when natural disaster occurred in mid-June.

After offering prayers at the shrine, priests shut the portals. Carrying the palanquin with 'Bhog Murti' idol of Mother Ganga on shoulders, they tread on foot up to the Chandomati Mata Temple, 20 km downhill. The Band of Garhwal regiment played devotional tunes as the idol of the Goddess was brought out of 'Garbh Graha' at 10.54 am.

The Goddess idol will rest at Chandomati temple for night and will be placed at the temple in Mukhba village after completing all rituals tomorrow, said secretary, temple committee Purohit Suresh Semwal. The portals of Yamunotri shrine and Kedarnath shrine would shut tomorrow for the coming winter months.

Local MLA Vijay Pal Sajwan along with Gangotri Mandir Samiti president Bhageshwar Semwal, Rajnikant Semwal, Sailesh Semwal and others were present at the time of closure of the portal.

Jageshwar temple comes under govt trust
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 4
The century-old hereditary priesthood of Jageswar Dham temple ended today as the management of the temple complex came under a trust, constituted by the Governor. The devotees had earlier demanded for a temple trust. They nominated Prakash Bhatt, a member of the traditional priest community as the first chairman of the trust to manage the temple affairs hereafter.

Bhatt said he would try his best to make the temple management suitable for the pilgrims and for the priest community as well.

“I have been entrusted with the historical responsibility of making the temple management more transparent,” he said.

According to the historians, the Indo-Aryan styled temple complex at Jageswar Dham, was constructed by Katyur kings in the 8th century.

The temple had been constructed in Nagar style which had been a prevalent style of temple construction in the entire north India since then. The temple attracts lakhs of pilgrims every year.

The Jagnath temple complex had nearly 150 temples, but, now only 35 temples are left due to absence of proper care. “Now, since the management has been taken over by the trust, these oldest dhams of Uttarakhand will be maintained well,” said Kaushal Kishor Sexena, a leading cultural historian of Almora.

GMVN fails to buy produce, farmers forced to forgo Diwali celebrations
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 4
Due to lack of coordination among various government departments of the state, the apples and potatoes crops are left to rot.

The farmers in the Yamunotri region and Harsil in Gangotri region, famous for potatoe and apple produce, had to forego their Diwali celebrations as they had been rendered penniless due to no financial help from the GMVN, which had been given the task of buying the produce in bulk.

Earlier, the farmers used to sell their produce in the markets of Dehradun and Delhi, but with the disaster damaging most of the roads, the regular contractors who used to buy the produce could not reach the local markets, resulting in rotting of apples and potatoes in tonnes, much to the dismay of the farmers.

Most of the farmers had taken loans in the hope of returning it after selling their produce. But they have been left to fend for themselves in the absence of the non-payment by the GMVN.

According to farmers, Manjeet and Shiv Singh, the government had played a cruel joke on them by announcing that the GMVN would buy the produce, but they were left to face starvation.

“We used to pay our workers after selling our produce a few days before Diwali. But the GMVN kept us in dark by not paying us on time, leaving most of the workers without celebrating Diwali,” said Manjeet.

Shiv Singh said if the GMVN had cleared their stand of not buying the produce months earlier, they should have looked for other options. They should have opened the roads for moving traffic and send the produce at their own cost.

He said the GMVN bought some of the produce but did not pay.

Ajay Bhat, leader of the opposition, said the situation had risen due to lack of coordination among various departments as the government had remained clueless about the procedure of buying or selling the produce.

Dinesh Dhanai, president, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, said they were mandated by the government for not buying the produce and selling in the markets.

Refuting the claims of the farmers, Dhanai said: “We have bought the produce as per the directions of the government and if the government directs us to buy more, we will adhere to the directions. Thereafter, it is up to the government to either sell the produce or throw it in the river”.

He said the process of paying the farmers for their produce was still on and no farmer would be left out after receiving the complete details.

Sufi musicians, others meet Guv on Diwali
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
Governor Aziz Qureshi met several eminent persons at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Diwali and greeted them.

The artistes who participated in the Virasat cultural festival also met the Governor. Among them were Sufi musicians from Pakistan, Wahdat Rameez and Husnain Javed. Qawwali singer Kalekhan and his group also met the Governor.

Former minister Narayan Singh Rana, State Election Commissioner Subardhan , DGP BS Sidhu, DGP (Vigilance) SK Bhagat and education director CS Gwal also greeted the Governor.

Talking to mediapersons on the occasion, the Governor said he wished the festival of lights would bring happiness in the lives of the people of the state. "Let us make efforts to ensure that the effects of the disaster are mitigated," he said.

He said it would be in the interest of the state if a new language was created by using words from both Garhwali and Kumaoni languages. This language could be given the status of the state language. The Governor said he had discussed this with the Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University.

He said the VC had assured him that an initiative in this direction would be taken.

The Governor said this could be discussed with the state government.

HDA under pressure to declare Har-Ki-Pauri Ganga stream as Ganga canal
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 4
With the Nainital High Court issuing strict directives of total prohibition of construction work within the 200-meter periphery of the Ganga in Uttarakhand, hoteliers, lodge owners and commercial property holders near and adjacent Har-Ki-Pauri are trying to pressurise Haridwar Development Authority (HDA) to declare Har-ki-Pauri Ganga stream as Ganga canal.

Sources in HDA said a proposal in this regard will be brought in the upcoming 58th board meeting. This will deal with the issue of declaring the Ganga water stream flowing at Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri as Ganga canal and not the original Ganga river.

If this proposal is passed, then several hotels, guest houses, lodges and housing societies will escape the axe of demolition drive as they will not then come within 200-meter Ganga river.

HDA vice-chairperson Dr Ranjeet Sinha pointed that the board would discuss whether the original Ganga stream flow was at Neel Dhara or at Har-Ki-Pauri. As stream diverted towards Har-Ki-Pauri paves the way for Ganga Canal, the issue needed to be cleared to ensure the 200 meter periphery as per court directive.

"Many point out that Har-Ki-Pauri-based Ganga stream is on artificial canal and the holy Ganga is the one that passes through Neeldhara area. It is important to clear this point," said Sinha.

The HDA had earmarked more than 150 such structures in Haridwar falling in this bracket as per court directives. But those having ashrams, hoteliers, complex owners and residents argued that the holy Ganga was the one flowing at Neeldhara and not the one that passed through Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, the statutory body of all akhadas, has objected to describing Har-Ki-Pauri-based Ganga stream as just canal stream.

Shri Mahant Gyan Das, head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, lamented that owing to vested commercial interests some officers and local traders are trying to misguide the court, government and local people. Since centuries, the holy Ganga has been flowing at Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri, where holy "Amrit" had fallen during Sagar Manthan - as described in Vedic scriptures and epics. How can the holy Ganga at sanctum sanctorum of Har-Ki-Pauri be now called Ganga canal stream, asked Gyan Das.

Ganga Sabha, working body managing religious affairs at Har-Ki-Pauri, has expressed reservations over the HDA proposal. Its general secretary Virendra Shri Kunj said since ages Haridwar had been the door to Himalayas, Kedar Khand and Char Dham. Those who trying to portray Har-Ki-Pauri Ganga flow as just canal stream would not be allowed to do so. A massive agitation would be launched if such an attempt was made by HDA in support of hoteliers or traders, warned Shri Kunj.

Office bearers of Ganga Sabha pointed that when Britishers in 1916 tried to stop flow of holy Ganga at Har-Ki-Pauri, under leadership of Pundit Madan Mohan Malviya, a massive agitation was carried out to ensure the flow of holy Ganga river at sanctum sanctorum of Braham Kund.

Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti, a religious outfit, has also objected to any such proposal or move, saying that people consider holy dip at Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri pious and declaring the sanctum sanctorum stream as just Ganga canal will be opposed at any cost.

A city-based hotelier Om Prakash Jamdagni, considered close to former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who owns two hotels in the city, said that demolition of such structures will only usher in unemployment. Jamdagni sought relief from Haridwar Development Authority for hotels falling under 200meter purview, saying hoteliers charge nominal rates equivalent to dharamshalas in Haridwar. So exemption should be granted to them.

But Uttarakhand Kranti Dal youth wing city chief Lalit Mamgain pointed that hoteliers charge exorbitant rates during pilgrim-tourist season. So no hotel or any commercial building should be spared during demolition drive.

State celebrates Annapurna Diwas
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
A day after Diwali, the festivals of Goverdhan Puja and Annapurna Diwas were celebrated across the state today.

People visited cowshed at various temples and offered food to cows, which were specially decorated for the day. Special prayers were performed at Krishna temples. The idols of Lord Krishna were given a milk bath and decked with new clothes and ornaments.

After the offering of prayers, sweets are raised in the form of a mountain before the deities as "bhog" and after that the devotees approach the mountain of food in to take prasad.

Feed was provided to the cows as part of the Goverdhan Puja celebrations in Gauridya Mutt on DL Road, Dehradun.

Sanatan Dharam temples at Peepal Mandi and Nehru Colony, Shyam Sundar Mandir, Patel Nagar and Krishan Mandir, Ballupur were among prominent temples in Dehradun to organise the Goverdhan Puja celebrations. In Haridwar, women made the deity of Goverdhan with cow dung and prayed to it while 56 types of sweets were offered to Goddess Annpurna.

Bagwal celebrations
Residents resent fire play at busy market without safety
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 4
Bagwal, a traditional festival of Garhwal, was celebrated here on Saturday by some members of the community, including public representatives led by Manmohan Singh Mall, president, Municipal Council, without any fire safety arrangements.

The fire play was at display at the busy junction near Kulri Bazaar.

The local Congress leaders, including Municipal Council ward members, wielded “Bhelu” (a utensil lit with fire) at the busiest market junction that could have resulted in nearby shops catching fire.

The organisers began the festivities by placing the fire balls on a utensil tied with iron chains and began hurling it in circles in front of the onlookers, who were present in the market.

While the festivities were on, most of the nearby shopkeepers were rendered as mute spectators as the utensils could reach their shops and resulted in a tragedy.

The local hooch was also distributed publicly. The police too watched the festivities silently and did not take initiative to stop it.

Manmohan Singh Mall, president, Municipal Council, said Bagwal was an important festival in the calendar of the community from Garhwal. It was organised for the first time and the site for celebrating the festival was selected in haste by the organisers.

Satish Dhaundiyal, senior congress leader, and Jasvir Kaur, ward member, also participated in the festivities. They said there was nothing wrong in observing the festival and fire could be ignited even by a small lamp during Diwali.

They also said the objective of the festival was to showcase the tradition of Garhwal to the tourists in Mussoorie.

MC Vinod Semwal and Shailendar Karnawal, a hotel owner, said such shows endanger lives of tourists.

It would only lead to a negative impact on the tourists and should be avoided. They said the busy market junction was not the right place for such festival as it could have resulted in a major tragedy.

“This was not Bagwal but a nuisance,” added Vinod Semwal and Shailendar Karnawal.

Indira Market development project undergoes changes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority had made drastic changes in its proposal with regard to redevelopment of Indira Market.

As per the earlier plan, a multi-story complex was to be built by private builders. They were supposed to retain upper stories for themselves as a means of compensation for the construction of the building.

But now, the builders would construct a separate multi-story building for themselves toward Lensdown crossing and they would build a two-story complex for the shopkeepers.

RM Sundaram, vice-chairman, Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority, said the project would be built on built-operate-transfer mode. The builders did not show interest in creating a multi-story building for the shopkeepers and kept couple of floors for themselves in the same building.

They felt, the design, which was mooted earlier, would diminish the value of their business. Hence, they demanded for exclusive space in Indira Market toward Lensdown for themselves which had been granted to them.

Sundaram said the two story building would be sufficient to provide shops to all the shopkeepers of the market.

“The entire project has been proposed for 16,267 sq meters. Out of the total area, approximately 9,217 sq meters will be provided for the construction of shopping complex for 491 shopkeepers. Parking area will also be created on two floors in the basement for the shopkeepers as well as customers,” he added.

He said lottery system would be completely eliminated for the allotment of shops with regard to their location. The shopkeeper who had shops on the front, back or side ways, would be allotted shops likewise in the new multi-complex as well.

In order to deal with acute traffic pressure of the surrounding areas such as Rajpur Road, Paltan Bazaar and other connecting bazaar, the parking complex which was already proposed for the patch toward old bus-stand had now been extended to eight-storey building, including one storey for shops.

Sundaram claimed that the L-shaped Indira Market development project would come up as a unique development project in the city.

Hanol-Lakhamandal tourist project to be expanded
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
Hanol- Lakhamandal tourist development project being undertaken by Asian Development Bank will be further expanded to include the additional spots of tourism potential in the vicinity.

Tiger Fall has been included in the project after Mahasu Devta temple's inclusion. The project will now get bigger as per suggestions given by District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam in this regard.

Purushottam said, “Since the infrastructure is being developed in the area to promote tourism, there is no point in confining it to a couple of places while ignoring others which have a great potential. In this respect, I have suggested development of Tiger Fall and the ancient caves in the vicinity.”

He said if the Chakrata region could encompass as many tourist places as possible, then the tourists would prefer to visit the area and the region could become prominent on the tourism map of the state.

He has asked the project consultants to expand the project and seek more fund. With regard to Tiger Fall, District tourism

Officer YS Gangvar said, “A connecting road will be built up to Tiger Fall. A grand welcome gate will be constructed near the connecting road. A bridge will be built to provide a short cut route, linking the road with the passage to Lakhamandal and Mahasu Devta temple. After the addition of amenities, Tiger Fall will become an inherent part of tourism package of the Chakrata region”

On the issue of caves, he said quite fortunately the caves were in good condition and had interesting ancient carvings drawn on its walls. This spot, too, would require a connecting road, community toilet complex, tourist information centre and proper lighting in the area to be in league with other tourist attractions.

The toilet complex whether built at Lakhamandal or Tiger Fall or Mahasu Devta Temple will be prefabricated. Gangvar said, “The prefabricated structure is being preferred because it is easy to built, takes short time in being ready and earth quake resistance.”

Rs 3.31 crore released for maintenance works
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 4
A sum of Rs 3.31 crore has been released for all 11 blocks and all village panchayats of the district for maintenance of public assets, drinking water schemes and street lights. District Panchayat Raj Officer Suresh Beni disclosed it after attending a meeting chaired by the District Magistrate in this connection at the DM’s office today.

District Panchayat Raj Officer said out of this allocation, a sum of Rs 92.4 lakh has been released to all 12 development blocks of the district while the rest of the amount has been allocated to the village panchayats which are under the administrators till the elections are held for these in coming December.

“With the allocation of this amount, the stalled works of repairs and maintenance of drinking water related schemes and street lighting in villages and the areas around these block headquarters will be completed. The works were stalled due to lack of funds,” said the DPRO.

Giving details of the meeting held in the presence of District Magistrate of Almora, the DPRO said the District Magistrate had emphasised on 100 per cent registration of people in population register of the district for the process of making Aadhaar card which could be started in near future.

“After the first survey, we have started a special campaign to trace those people who remained out of the last counting of March 2012. After we complete the work, the population registered will be declared complete in the district,” said the DPRO.

Contractual employees relent, come down from mobile tower
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
After 60 hours of high-voltage drama, the four contractual employees of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) finally climbed down from the mobile tower following an assurance from the administration that a meeting will be arranged with the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

Earlier, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Harak Singh Rawat and police were force to remain stationed beneath the mobile tower throughout the day. They made a number of attempts to persuade the employees to descend from the tower but all efforts went into vain. It was only after getting an assurance of a meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss their grievances that they decided to climb down in the evening.

Sources said initially police officials decided to take stern action against the employees who climbed atop the tower and a message was sent to them that a case would be registered against them. The protesting employees then decided to dilute their stand. SSP Kewal Khuranna also reached to the spot to take the stock of the situation.

The four contractual employees climbed atop a mobile tower on Saturday morning demanding regularisation of their services in the electricity department. They were adamant that the Chief Minister should be summoned there to speak to them. The administration, on the other hand, kept saying that they should first come down from the tower.

Auto spare parts worth Rs 7 lakh gutted
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
The Dehradun fire station office received several emergency calls on the night of Diwali.

In such incident, fire broke out at a house in Mansinghwala last night reportedly due to a short circuit. The occupants of the house were sleeping at that time. No loss of life was, however, reported. In another incident, an auto spare parts shop at Clock Tower caught fire due to firecrackers last night.

The fire had spread to the adjacent two shops when fire tenders reached the spot.

Spare parts worth Rs 7 lakh were gutted in the incident.

Power situation to ease in eastern Kumaon
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 4
Four eastern districts of the Kumaon region will be free from frequent power cuts, low voltage problems, line losses and disruption in electricity supply due to technical faults as these districts have now been directly linked with the northern grid by a sub grid constructed by the Power Grid Corporation of India at Chandak in Pithoragarh district.

"After we have commissioned this sub grid station at Chandak, four districts of Pithoragarh, Champawat, Almora and Bageshwar will get more electricity from the northern grid compared to what these districts had been receiving till date," said LM Bisht, an engineer with the Power Grid Corporation of India.

The power grid engineer said after the commissioning of newly constructed sub grid, the dependence of Pithoragarh and other districts on 220, 132, and 400 KV lines from Kashipur and Bareilly sub stations would end. "After Dhauliganga generation resumes in the coming months, even the problem of minor load shedding will be overcome in these four districts," said the engineer.

5 animal thieves held, sent to jail
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 4
Ranipokhri police arrested five animal thieves during a checking drive last night. The police stopped a truck coming from Roorkee and secured the release of six animals. Babar, Azad and Taufiq have been arrested for the illegal act.

According to the police, the arrested persons were transporting stolen animals. Police also took into custody Musharaff and Naseem, both residents of Saharanpur, and recovered eleven stolen animals from them. All of them were presented before the court today and sent to jail.