Contractual power employees continue with their agitation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The contractual employees of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) are continuing with their protest in support of their long-standing demand of regularisation of their services.

The employees who have been sitting on protest along with their families have blamed the government for not fulfilling its promise of giving dearness allowance twice in a year till the decision is not taken on the regularisation of the services.

Protesting employees are saying that the agreement was reached in the talks held between with government and three managing directors of power corporations in the month of September on giving dearness allowance twice in the year but the government has yet to take action in this regard.

President of the contractual employees' union said that the employees will not tolerate the dual policy of the government and will intensify the stir if government does meet their demand.

 Illegally parked vehicles usurp pedestrian paths
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The city footpaths are no more a walking place for the pedestrians. These footpaths have been turned into a parking lot with illegally parked vehicles.

The efforts of the police to make pavements free from the parked vehicles have fallen flat. The main roads located in the city like East Canal Road, Rajpur Road and Chakrata Road are the worst affected. The pavements on these roads were built for the convenience and the safety of pedestrians.

"Two-wheelers are parked on the footpaths. We have no option but to walk on the roads. The authorities do not take any action against the vehicles parked illegally on the footpaths,” said, Viren, a resident of EC Road.

Pradeep Rai, SP Traffic, said they have initiated a crackdown on the vehicles parked on the ‘no-parking zones’ especially usurping the pavements.

“The illegally parked vehicles on footpaths forces pedestrians to walk on roads risking their lives,” he said. “Strict action would be taken against such vehicles. Our focus is on establishing a system in which two-wheeler and car drivers do not park vehicles on pavements, which are meant for pedestrians,” he added.

On other hand, motorists blamed lack of parking lots in the city for the cause of the problem. “There is no government parking on the Rajpur Road, which leaves us with no option, but to park our vehicles on roadside pavements as parking on the road causes traffic snarls,” said Rakesh, a car owner.

Rape case filed in Dehradun against Addl Secy Joshi
Tribune News Service 

Dehradun November 25
On the basis of the Zero-FIR registered in Pandev Nagar police station in Delhi, an FIR was registered against additional secretary JP Joshi in Kotwali police station in the alleged rape case here today. 

A case has been registered under Section 376 and 506 of the IPC against the officer who has been accused by a 26-year-old woman of raping her for two years on the pretext of giving her a job. 

The police team, which was sent to Delhi for taking the copy of the FIR, has returned. The team could not register the statement of the victim. "We tried to meet her, but she refused to meet us," said an official who was the part of the team. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mamta Vohra has been appointed as the head of the police team, which will investigate the matter within 45 days. 

 Arya finally holds one post, quits as state Cong chief
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
In a major political development, state Congress president Yashpal Arya has submitted his resignation from the party post to in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand Ambika Soni.

No other option

No other option Yashpal Arya, who is Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management in the Vijay Bahuguna government, was under pressure from various groups within the party to adhere to the principle of ‘one man, one post’ after the formation of the Congress-led government in 2012.

According to party sources, Arya, who was under pressure from all quarters in the party to resign from the post of state Congress chief on the principle of ‘one man, one post’, finally decided to call it a day. He reportedly met Congress President Sonia Gandhi a few days ago and offered to resign from the party post. After her consent, he submitted his resignation to Ambika Soni in New Delhi.

Arya, who is Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management in the Vijay Bahuguna government, was under pressure from various groups within the party to adhere to the principle of ‘one man, one post’ after the formation of the Congress-led government after the January 2012 Assembly elections.

Arya, the Dalit face of the party in the state, was first made the state party president in December 2007 following the defeat of the party in the second Assembly elections of the state. Senior party leader Harish Rawat, who had been leading the state unit since 2000, had stepped down in 2007 to pave the way for him.

Interestingly, it was under Arya’s leadership that the party created history by winning all five Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 General Elections and was also able to form the government in the state, though with a narrow margin, in the 2012 Assembly polls.

According to the sources, Arya decided to quit the party post, which he held for 20 months, at a time when the panchayat elections were scheduled to be held in January next year, followed by the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May. Arya decided to quit probably sensing bleak prospects of a Congress victory in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. However, senior party functionaries admit that he had submitted his resignation but it was yet to be accepted. The race for the new party president has started following reports of Arya’s resignation. 

Notification on officials’ promotions awaited
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Though the meeting of the department promotion committee was held in October the notification regarding the promotion of four Provincial Service Officers to the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) was still awaited

The officers concerned are YKPant, Assistant Director, Department of Urban Development, Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Regional Food Commissioner, Kumaon, Dheeraj Gabriyal, Chief Development Officer, Udham Singh Nagar, and Atul Kumar Gupta, Regional Food Commissioner, Garhwal.

Crackdown on illegal liquor traders in Haridwar
Woman among four arrested
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 25
Taking cognisance of a complaint received by the Chief Minister's office, an excise team today raided various pockets in the city and seized illegal liquor worth Rs 30,000.

Excise inspector KP Singh said the CM's office had received a complaint that illegal liquor was being sold at Braham Puri near Lal Tarao bridge, where a number of temples, dharmashals and religious buildings were situated. “During the raid in the area, we seized 520 bottles of country-made liquor and arrested one Sunny Sharma, a resident of Nath Nagar, from the spot. He has confessed to having his involvement in the illegal trade. We will interrogate him to reach to the liquor mafia,” said 
KP Singh.

Earlier, the team arrested three persons, including a woman, from different areas for their alleged involvement in the trade. He said 138 bottles were seized from Mangni Devi, 120 from Dharmaveer and 55 bottles from Harjeet Singh. District Excise Officer Rekha Juyal said with the onset of the winter, liquor consumption was likely to increase.

The department would conduct raids on a regular basis to check the illegal sale of liquor in Haridwar.

Meanwhile, the Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti, a socio-religious outfit, has accused the district excise department and the police of failing to check the illegal trade in the prohibited areas of Haridwar. Samiti founder Sanjay Chopra said according to the 1916 MC bylaws, the sale as well as consumption of liquor was banned in certain city pockets, including the Har-ki-Pauri area. But to the contrary, liquor was easily available there.

The UKD has also taken the department and the police to task on the issue.

Central secretary of the UKD Uday Ram Semwal said if the police and the department kept tabs on the illegal trade and took stern action against the offenders, then no one would dare to bring liquor in the prohibited area.

 Demand for suspension, arrest of rape accused state officer
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Demanding immediate suspension and arrest of tainted Additional Secretary JP, Joshi who has been accused of raping a girl, members of CPI (M), CPI and CPI (ML) said that they would be organising a protest demonstration at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park on November 27.

In a press release issued here it was stated that the decision for the protest demonstration was taken during a meeting held at CPI (M) office. ''It is not for the first time that an issue relating to sexual harassment has hit the secretariat. In the past too there has been several instances where women have reported of being sexually harassed but the cases have never been taken up seriously,'' said the release.

''The lackadaisical attitude towards handling the issues pertaining to women is evident from the fact that from past three months, the chair of the president of State Women's Commission has been lying vacant. Also there is no sign of the internal complaint committees in almost every government department.'' Demanding that the women employees should not be made to work for extra hours after the office timing, the members said that the state government should also ensure the protection of those women employed on contractual basis and outsourced from other departments.

Those who were present in the meeting included Samar Bhandari, Indresh Maikhuri and Rajiv Kothari.

 Villagers forced to pay more in absence of govt bus service
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 25
People living in border areas of Dharchula and Munsiyari subdivisions of Pithoragarh district are facing transportation problem as roadways buses are not plying to Dehradun and Delhi for the last some months.

According to the people of Dharchula and Munsiyari towns, as roadways buses are not plying from Dharchula to Dehradun and from Munsiyari to Delhi, they have to travel by private jeeps, which are charging higher fares. “We have to change three vehicles to reach Dehradun and pay much higher fare as the Dharchula to Dehradun bus service has been stopped without informing the local people,” said Aan Singh Rokaya, a former zila panchayat member from the Chaudans valley.

Rokaya said the people of Dharchula had to change three vehicles to travel to Dehradun: One to reach Pithoragarh from Dharchula, second to reach Haldwani and then from Haldwani to Dehradun. “While the fare from Dharchula to Dehradun is less in roadways buses, private jeeps are charging Rs 600 for travel from Dharchula to Haldwani alone,” he said.

The people of Munsiyari are also suffering due to the closure of the roadways bus service from Munsiyari to Delhi. They say that they are compelled to pay Rs 700 to travel by private jeeps to Haldwani from Munsiyari while the total fair from their town to Delhi is also Rs 700. “We can travel to Lucknow for less fare than to Delhi from our town as in the absence of the regular roadways service we are forced to pay more to travel by private jeeps,” said Govind Pandey, a hotelier based at Munsiyari. 

 Royal life of Rustam, the horse
Parwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
As hundreds of Gentlemen Cadets shed their sweat and blood preparing for their coveted Passing out Parade to don the olive green, there is one more living being that is quietly preparing itself to make the parade even more memorable for the spectators and the GCs.

Rustam, the grey coloured horse, is the most pampered animal in the Indian Military Academy today. As a charger of the Passing out Parade scheduled for December 14, Rustam would be ridden by academy Adjudant Lt Col Sudhakar Thakur.

On a quest to prove his royal lineage, Rustam, a cross between an Indian mare and Hanoverian breed, this 13-year-old stud was brought to the academy from Babugarh near Meerut. Prior to joining the academy, he underwent training at the Remount Training School at Hempur in Udham Singh Nagar. According to the staff at the Equitation section, Rustam has all the features associated with the royal breed from Germany, including power, willingness to work, calmness and good manners.

This would be the second parade for the horse who made his PoP debut in June this year following the death of the previous charger Alexander. Talking to The Tribune, Lt Col Rakesh Sharma, in-charge of the Equitation section, said that there has been a tradition at the academy that the charger would always be a grey mound.

Speaking about the training routine, Girdhari Lal, a staff member, looking after Rustam said once the horses come to the academy, they are checked to see the role they best fit in. ''Since these horses have specially bee picked up for the parades, during their training at Hempur, they are made familiar with crowds, marching contingents and movement with the band,'' he added.

Rustam's training for the PoP starts two months ahead of the D-day just the like final term GCs. The horse too is made to undergo a daily training of two and a half hours with the GCs, besides being kept on extra diet.

Talking about the characteristics Girdhari Lal said that Rustam is raw and has to be coaxed a lot. ''Just to relax him and ensure that he does not panic listening to the drum beats or heavy footing of the GCs, the rider keeps on talking to him all the time,'' he added.

From special feeds to massages and spa treatment post the training schedules, Rustam is indeed leading a royal life.

 7 posts of ZP chairman reserved for women
The post de-reserved in Dehradun, four other districts 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Seven of the total 12 posts of chairman of zila panchayats (ZP) have been reserved for women in the forthcoming panchayat elections. The 12 posts are in all districts of the state except Haridwar where the elections are held later.

According to the interim reservation list released by the Department of Panchayati Raj, of the 12 posts of chairman of zila panchayats, six posts will be reserved in Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Chamoli (SC), Uttarkashi (OBC) and Almora districts.

Of the six seats, one seat each will be reserved for women candidates belonging to the SC community in Chamoli and the OBC community in Uttarkashi. However, no seat has been reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Tribes community in the state.

The interim reservation has dealt a body blow to the aspirations of seven sitting male chairmen of the zila panchayats, who will not be able to contest the elections.

Further, the posts of chairman of zila panchayats have been de-reserved in Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh.

The Department of Panchayati Raj will hear objections to the new order on November 26 and 27. The final list will be released after settling the objections.

Meanwhile, 425 objections against the interim reservation order were received between November 21 and 23 in Dehradun district. 

 Staff requirement for panchayat polls sought
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Additional District Magistrate has extended to November 30 the last date for the submission of lists by various departments for receiving the vehicle and human resource requirement for conducting the forthcoming panchayat elections smoothly.

In a notice issued here, the Additional District Magistrate has said all departments have been asked to submit their requirements of vehicles and staff for conducting the panchayat elections. "However, barring a few the majority of departments have failed to send their requirements in time. In case the defaulting departments fail to submit their lists this time, administrative action will be initiated against them and information will be sent to the Uttarakhand Election Commission,” he said.

 Regularisation of services of conductors, drivers hailed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
A delegation of the Uttarakhand Roadways Employees Association and the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority yesterday met Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and expressed gratitude to him for regularising the services of contractual drivers and conductors.

Interacting with the delegation members, the Chief Minister said the state government was committed to the welfare of its employees.

The Chief Minister urged them to work with honesty and dedication to serve the people of the state.

The services of the contractual drivers and conductors were regularised on the order of the Chief Minister recently.

The delegation members included Ashok Verma, Anand Bahuguna, Ravi Pachauri, Surya Prakash Rana Koti and Chandrashekhar Sharma.

 Roads to Dharchula valleys still closed 5 months after disaster
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 25
Ajay Bhatt, the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly, has said roads and bridle routes to the Darma and Chaudans valleys in Dharchula subdivision of Pithoragarh district were still closed even five months after the disaster hit the region. This indicated the failure of the state government in tackling the rehabilitation work.

Bhatt told mediapersons after presiding over a function at local Postgraduate College at Baluakot that the people in these areas were suffering everyday as the government machinery could not transport ration and other essential items to remote areas. “While the government is patting its own back for the rehabilitation work post-disaster, the people are forced to live in tents in the cold weather. This tells the story of its failure,” he said.

Bhatt accused the government of framing complex terms for the allocation of permanent houses to the disaster victims and hence they preferred to live in tents. “The state government will be fully responsible for any casualty due to the severe cold weather in these areas,” said Bhatt.

 Clarify stand on Assembly buildings, says Kunjwal 
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 25
Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal has asked the government to come clean on the issue of having three Assembly buildings in the state. Talking to mediapersons in Almora yeaterday, Kunjwal said the state already had one Assembly building in Dehradun and one was to be constructed at Gairsain.

He said the government should make it clear that why it wanted to construct another Assembly Building at Raipur.

The Speaker said, “When the Dehradun Assembly building is functioning, why the government is fooling people on making Gairsain the permanent state capital.” He said the government should clear the status of each Assembly building.

He said Uttarakhand would be the first state in the country that would have three Assembly buildings.

 IMA yet to wake up to danger of security lapses
Parwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Security lapses, particularly at the checkpoints of cantonments, have often proved deadly for the Indian Army in the past. A lot of defence establishments, especially the crucial ones, have tightened their security after the September terror attacks in Samba cantonment that took lives of three soldiers, including a Lt Col.

However, it seems that authorities at the Dehradun-based Indian Military Academy (IMA) are yet to learn a lesson. With barely three weeks left for the passing out parade, any security lapse could cost dear the training academy that is often high on the terror radar.

A team of The Tribune visited the academy to check its security preparedness. Expecting a thorough security check on one of the entrance gates at the academy, the team was left shocked when none of the guards neither stopped the vehicle to confirm the identity of the occupants nor bothered to check the vehicle for any suspicious object. The FRI gate, apart from the main entrance to the academy, is considered an important gate as it directly leads to the Chetwode building housing the administrative complex, including the IMA Commandant’s office. The road also houses the residences of brigadiers and above posted in the academy.

What was even more surprising was that there were no Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) conducting a surveillance of the area or those entering inside the premises, as is normally seen a month prior to the PoP month.

Next was the entrance to the south campus of the academy where again the guard only stopped us to make an entry in the register without bothering to know where the team was headed inside the campus.

Meanwhile, the security was quite strict at the main entrance where a QRT team was also stationed. Speaking to The Tribune the academy’s Public Relations Officer Major Prashant Tripathi said that the security is tightened only two weeks before the PoP.

“Generally the security is relaxed on some gates that are frequented by civilians so that they do not face any inconvenience. However, we have 12 QRTs taking regular rounds in the academy campus. With the PoP scheduled for December 14, the security would be tightened from December 1 with only two gates left open to monitor the traffic,” he added.

 Climate change-infused rainfall caused disaster
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Climate change resulted in a multi-day extreme rainfall event that ultimately added to a higher cumulative rainfall mid-June-triggered landslide followed by Chorabari lake burst that resulted in Kedarnath catastrophe in Uttarakhand.

A paper published in the latest issue of Current Science, a leading inter-disciplinary science journal of the country, reveals that a climate change-infused extreme rainfall event that added to high cumulative rainfall, which stood as single important reason that triggered landslide and subsequent Chorabari lake burst, resulted in the Kedarnath catastrophe on June 16-17.

Anoop Mishra from Research Centre for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, and J Srinivasan from Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in their research paper “Did a cloudburst occur in Kedarnath during June 16 and June 17, 2013” have come to a conclusion that Kedarnath catastrophe was a fallout of extreme rainfall event and ruled out possibility of a cloudburst.

Comparing daily rainfall in Kedarnath in June 2013 with daily rainfall in June in preceding five years, it was observed that rainfall during June during the period 2009-2012 was low and moderate as compared to June in 2013.

Interestingly, the study revealed that in June 2008, daily rainfall at Kedarnath was certainly as high as in June 2013 but then such landslide and lake outburst did not take place as then cumulative rainfall was quite less.

This time in June 2013 the cumulative rainfall was much higher than in June 2008. Thus, suggesting that a higher cumulative rainfall in June 2013 may have a great impact on landslide and bursting of lake upstream of Kedarnath temple on June 16-17. And this higher cumulative rainfall that was result of multi-day extreme rainfall was an effect of climate change.

The scientists collected all the rainfall measurements of the concerning days putting to use Meteosat-7 geostationary satellite data for their study. They, however, expressed concern over absence of dense and homogenous network of rain gauges in Uttarakhand to ensure accurate measurement of rainfall in the state. They also categorically held that radar observation of Kedarnath-like events was not easy in a region like Uttarakhand that has a complex topography.

Research Centre for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, is the premier environment research institute of Taiwan while Divecha Centre for Climate Change has been set up in Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for conduct of climate change studies. 

Destructive rain
Climate change might be a factor that could have triggered extreme rainfall in Kedarnath on June 16 and 17 that ultimately added to higher cumulative rainfall in a particular period, leading to landslides and subsequent bursting of a lake upstream Kedarnath, causing the natural disaster.

  ‘Tree-ring studies vital to know climate impact on agriculture’

Dehradun, November 25
Dr RR Yadav, a scientist of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, has stressed the importance of tree-ring studies to know more about the effects of climate change on agriculture. At the 26th Indian Colloquium on Micropaleontology and Stratigraphy held recently at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology here, he highlighted the status and prospects of tree-ring studies in the Himalayan region.

He said the science of dendrochronology or tree-ring study could be used to know how change in climate was affecting agriculture. “In the Himalayan region, tree-ring studies will be beneficial to understand the future of agriculture here,” said Dr Yadav, adding it had a potential to show more than 2,000 years climatic record and hazard mapping like snow avalanche.

Dr Jyoti Sharma from IIT, Bombay, also spoke on the interpretation of paleoclimate on the basis of pollen analysis in the lignite mine of the Cambay basin. She said humid tropical conditions were prevailing in the coastal environment. Dr Mukund Sharma spoke on the earliest fossil forms from the Vindhyan deposits of India. — TNS

 Indian Academy celebrates annual day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Indian Academy celebrated its third annual day with fervour and gaiety here today. The event began with Saraswati Vandana, followed by lighting of the lamp by former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

Addressing students and the staff of the school, Nishank said it was the responsibility of the parents and the teachers to inculcate good values in the children, who are the future of this country. He congratulated the school for organising the event.

Students performed various dances on Garhwali and Punjabi songs, leaving the audience spell-bound. A cultural programme was also presented on the Kedarnath tragedy. A special programme was presented on freedom fighters of the country.

 Protest by 700 varsity students
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
About 700 students of Uttarakhand Technical University held a protest on the campus against the university’s decision to bring a new rule of year back in case of failure in six or more subjects in a semester.

The protesting students claimed the new rule is affecting their future, as they will be forced to repeat the semester.

The new rule says no student will be allowed to sit in the next semester classes if he fails in six or more subjects in the semester examination. Previously, the students were elevated to the next semester despite failing in six or more subjects. Meanwhile, the university management called the police to control the protesting students.

Cleanliness drive at rly station
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Students of Rose Mount School held a cleaning drive at the city railway station here yesterday. The students also presented a street play on the issue of cleanliness and carried out a rally giving a message on dirt-free city.

The students cleaned platform number 2 and 3 and demanded support from the passengers for ensuring cleanliness in the railway station. People also appreciated the student’s initiative and said such events help in creating awareness among the residents.

Varsity student kidnapped
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The parents of Shubham Devrani, who has been missing under mysterious circumstances since November 21, were shocked today when they received a ransom call from alleged kidnapers who demanded Rs 5 lakh for freeing Shubham.

Family members told the police that the alleged kidnappers threatened them and also asked them not to inform the police about it. Surprisingly, the call was made by the personal mobile number of Shubham.

It is to be noted that Shubham who is studying BBA in Graphic Era Universtiy was missing since November 21, when he was returning back after attending a wedding.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case on the complaint of the family members under Section 364-A and have started investigations into the case. It is being said that the father of Shubham passed away some 4 months back and family was supposed to get the insurance money in the next couple of days and Shubham was well aware of it. ''We are investigating the case from all angles and we have put the mobile number from which the call was made on surveillance,'' said Rajesh Shah, sub-inspector, Clement Town police station.

Notably, Shubham hails from Kotdwar and lives in rented accommodation in Dehradun's at Clement Town. 

 Vijay Cantt pip Balaji Boys
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Vijay Cant Football team defeated Balaji Boys Football Club 3-0 in a match during the Drona College 70th Nemidas Memorial District Football League here today. Arjun Yadav opened the goal tally in the 60th minute whereas Nitin and Fahid contributed one goal each in the 65th and 70th minute, respectively.

In the second match, Wills Youth defeated Akrantya Football Club 4-1. From Wills Youth, Jeetu scored the first goal in the 4th minute.

Sagar scored two goals in the 45th and 47th minutes whereas Siddharth contributed a goal in the 53rd minute of the match.

Pankaj Rana remained the lone goal scorer for the Akranta club.