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CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI



THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
D E H R A D U N    E D I T I O N

UKD (Panwar) names candidates for five seats
Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) has announced the names of its candidates for all five Lok Sabha seats in the state.
UKD (P) president Trivendra Panwar welcomes a party canditate for the Lok Sabha elections in Dehradun on Sunday UKD (P) president Trivendra Panwar welcomes a party canditate for the Lok Sabha elections in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

UKD (Airy) launches election campaign
Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Airy) launched its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in the state by garlanding the statue of late Indermani Badoni at Clock Tower here today.
UKD (Airy) candidate Jai Prakash Upadhyay campaigns near Clock Tower in Dehradun on Sunday UKD (Airy) candidate Jai Prakash Upadhyay campaigns near Clock Tower in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph


EARLIER EDITIONS



Raphael Cheshire celebrates 56th Founder’s Day
Dehradun, April 6
Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre celebrated its 56th Founder's Day here yesterday. The old inmates, who had been part of Raphael since its inception, were felicitated on the occasion.

Oldest members of Raphael home Bhaglu, Kisni and Ramrati (from right) during the foundation day programme in Dehradun on Saturday. A Tribune photograph
Oldest members of Raphael home Bhaglu, Kisni and Ramrati (from right) during the foundation day programme in Dehradun on Saturday


Lotus hand: Mala Raj Luxmi Shah, BJP candidate from the Tehri Lok Sabha seat, shows the party symbol made with mehndi during an election campaign in Dehradun on Sunday
Lotus hand: Mala Raj Luxmi Shah, BJP candidate from the Tehri Lok Sabha seat, shows the party symbol made with mehndi during an election campaign in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Campaign trail: BJP workers apply henna on the hands of local residents during the Lok Sabha election campaign at Karanpur Chowk in Dehradun on Sunday
Campaign trail: BJP workers apply henna on the hands of local residents during the Lok Sabha election campaign at Karanpur Chowk in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Meeting on voter awareness drive held
Dehradun, April 6
Election Commission of India observer Reena Sonowal held a meeting with state election officials to assess the progress of the voter awareness drive in the state today.

POLITICAL DIARY
Infighting delays decision on Cong candidates on three seats
Dehradun, April 6
With only a month left for the Lok Sabha elections in the state, the ruling Congress is yet to announce its candidate for all five seats. After much delay, the party high command yesterday named Congress sitting MPs Pradeep Tamta and KC Singh Baba as the party candidates from the Almora (reserve) and Nainital seats, respectively.

Undecided voters to tilt scales in LS elections
Dehradun, April 6
A large number of voters in the state are still undecided about their choice of candidate and the electioneering in the upcoming days would prove to be instrumental in tilting the scales.

CM accuses BJP of hindering relief works
Dehradun, April 6
Chief Minister Harish Rawat has accused the BJP of putting hurdles in the relief works for natural disaster victims. The Chief Minister said this while addressing a gathering at Kotdwar in Pauri Garhwal district yesterday.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat and state Congress chief Yashpal Arya during a roadshow at Kotdwar. Photo: Kamal Joshi
Chief Minister Harish Rawat and state Congress chief Yashpal Arya during a roadshow at Kotdwar

Cong workers canvass in Dharampur areas

Dehradun, April 6
Congress workers led by Chowdhary Lal Singh, Congress co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, and Cabinet minister Dinesh Agarwal today campaigned door to door in the Dharampur Assembly segment that forms part of the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.
Chowdhary Lal Singh, Congress co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, addresses party workers in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Chowdhary Lal Singh, Congress co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, addresses party workers in Dehradun on Sunday

SC lawyer to contest from Tehri as Independent
Dehradun, April 6
Supreme Court lawyer and Dehradun resident BD Jha today announced to contest the LS polls from Tehri Garhwal as an Independent candidate.

AAP workers campaign in Doon
Dehradun, April 6
Aam Aadmi Party workers today campaigned for Anoop Nautiyal, AAP candidate from the Tehri Lok Sabha seat, in Raipur, Tunwala and Nehru Gram areas of Dehradun today.

 


AAP workers during a roadshow in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

AAP workers during a roadshow in Dehradun on Sunday

Candidates to get only 5 days for filing nomination papers
Dehradun, April 6
The Lok Sabha candidates in Uttarakhand will get only five days to file their nomination papers due to gazetted holidays on April 13, 14 and 18. The nomination papers can be filed on April 12, 15, 16, 17 and 19.

BJP announces poll committee
Dehradun, April 6
Teerath Singh Rawat, president of the state BJP, announced the state election committee today. Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt has been made the convener of the committee.

Almora villagers threaten to boycott Lok Sabha poll
Pithoragarh, April 6
Villagers in several areas of the Almora parliamentary constituency have threatend to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if their long pending demands are not fulfilled immediately. They say they will ask the candidates seeking votes about what they have done till now to solve their problems.

State BJP celebrates foundation day
Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand BJP celebrated its 35th foundation day as ‘Vijay Sankalp Diwas’ at the party’s headquarters in Dehradun here today. The leaders gathered at the party office on Balbir Road and distributed sweets to mark the day.
Women activists of the BJP celebrate the party's foundation day in Haridwar on Sunday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur
Women activists of the BJP celebrate the party's foundation day in Haridwar on Sunday

Tamta for strengthening of road, rail network in Almora
Pithoragarh, April 6
Pradeep Tamta, Congress candidate from the Almora Lok Sabha seat, said today that he would take ahead the development projects initiated in his constituency in the past five years. He would also persuade the Centre to release more funds for infrastructure development in his constituency and the state.

Cong leaders discuss strategy for LS polls
Dehradun, April 6
Chaudhary Lal Singh, newly appointed AICC co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, yesterday held a meeting with party leaders at the Congress Bhavan to discuss the party’s strategy for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. State Congress president Yashpal Arya was also present.

Chaudhary Lal Singh ( in red jacket) with senior Congress leaders at the Congress Bhavan in Dehradun on Saturday. A Tribune photograph
Chaudhary Lal Singh ( in red jacket) with senior Congress leaders at the Congress Bhavan in Dehradun on Saturday

127 to cover five km to exercise their franchise
Pithoragarh, April 6
The Bongling polling station in Dharchula subdivision of Pithoragarh district has only 127 voters. The voters and the staff on election duty will have to travel more than five km to reach the booth, District Election Officer HC Semwal said here today.

DM tells gas agencies to check sale of cylinders on black market
Haridwar, April 6
The District Magistrate, D Senthyl Pendiyan, yesterday directed LPG gas agency owners to maintain transparency in the supply of gas and ensure that cylinders were not sold on the black market.

Sikh body activists to march to Har-ki-Pauri on Baisakhi
Haridwar, April 6
The All-India Sikh Conference has started preparations to lead a march to Har-ki-Pauri on Baisakhi to press for the construction of Gyan Godri Gurdwara adjacent to Subhash Ghat.

Protest against transfer of gas connections
Dehradun, April 6
The residents of Deepnagar ward yesterday held a protest against the transfer of 2,500 gas connections to another gas agency which was located far away from their locality.

Local residents protest outside a gas agency on the Haridwar bypass in Dehradun on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Local residents protest outside a gas agency on the Haridwar bypass in Dehradun on Saturday

Documents for unemployment allowance
Dehradun, April 6
The senior employment officer has instructed registered educated unemployed candidates to submit the requisite documents for claiming the unemployment allowance or else the same would be revoked.

Encroachment removed from Clock Tower, Rajpur Road
Dehradun, April 6
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam held a meeting with senior officials of the district here today to chalk out a detailed plan to implement the Nainital High Court’s order regarding the removal of roadside encroachment in Dehradun.

Policemen challan a shopkeeper near Clock Tower in Dehradun on Sunday. A Tribune photograph
Policemen challan a shopkeeper near Clock Tower in Dehradun on Sunday

Man held for snatching purse
Dehradun, April 6
The police have arrested a man who allegedly snatched a woman’s purse in broad daylight here yesterday. The accused has been identified as Himanshu, a resident of MDDA Colony in Patel Nagar.

Medicine counters’ timings extended
Dehradun, April 6
The extension of timings of medicine counters at Doon Hospital till 2.30 pm evoked a good response on the first day yesterday. Dr RS Aswal, PMS, Doon Hospital, has extended the timings on the request of patients.

Kathak exponent: Indian classical dances have spiritual element
Haridwar, April 6
The classical dance is a complete dance and the Indian classical dance forms, which are nine in number, are perfect as they have a spiritual element in them.

Kathak exponents Madhavi Bhattacharya and Sukanya inform mediapersons about a kathak dance workshop in Haridwar on Sunday. A Tribune photograph
Kathak exponents Madhavi Bhattacharya and Sukanya inform mediapersons about a kathak dance workshop in Haridwar on Sunday

Actor Raj Pal pays obeisance at Mata Kali temple
Haridwar, April 6
Bollywood actor Raj Pal Yadav today paid obeisance at the ancient shrine of Mata Kali at Chandi Ghat on the banks of the Ganga.

 



Noted Bollywood actor Raj Pal Yadav shares a light moment with Kali Peethadeeshwar Kailashanand Brahamchari at Mata Kali temple at Chandi Ghat in Haridwar on Sunday. A Tribune photograph


Noted Bollywood actor Raj Pal Yadav shares a light moment with Kali Peethadeeshwar Kailashanand Brahamchari at Mata Kali temple at Chandi Ghat in Haridwar on Sunday

Mussoorie residents demand waiver of Mall Road entry fee
Mussoorie, April 6
Social activists have opposed the Mussoorie Municipal Council decision to collect annual fee for entering Mall Road. Terming it gross violation of human rights, social activists have appealed to the State Human Rights Commission to direct the MC to waive the fee.

Lecture organised
Dehradun, April 6
Sardar Bhagwan Singh PG Institute organised a lecture on ‘Development of Commercial Kits in Immuno-Diagnostics and prediction of infectious diseases’ here yesterday. Prof DN Rao from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, delivered the lecture.

Volunteers of MAD clean up Sahastradhara
Dehradun, April 6
Making a Difference (MAD), an NGO, carried out a cleanliness drive at Sahastradhara and its adjoining areas here today. As many as 79 volunteers, who were divided into groups and sub-groups, were assigned particular areas.

DIT shines on day 2 of sports fest
Dehradun, April 6
Cricket, badminton and football matches were played on the second day of ‘Sphurti 2014’, a sports festival, at the Dehradun Institute of Technology (DIT) here today.

Players vie for the ball in a soccer match during the sports meet of DIT University at Pavillion Ground in Dehradun on Sunday. A tribune photograph

Players vie for the ball in a soccer match during the sports meet of DIT University at Pavillion Ground in Dehradun on Sunday





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UKD (Panwar) names candidates for five seats
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) has announced the names of its candidates for all five Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Party president Trivendra Singh Panwar told mediapersons here today that the UKD (P) had decided to field Sohanpal Panwar from the Tehri Garhwal parliamentary seat, Yogi Rakesh Nath from Haridwar, Vijay Pal Singh from Nainital, Anoop Negi from Pauri Garhwal and Ranjana Devi from the Almora (reserved) seat.

Panwar said the UKD had tried to give representation to each and every section of society. He said 16 applications were received for the ticket from the five seats and the party had selected five candidates out of these.

Panwar alleged both BJP and Congress wanted to finish the UKD in Uttarakhand. The recent decision of the state Election Commission to de-recognise the UKD as a political party was part of the same strategy. “Both BJP and Congress know that the rise of the UKD will be a setback for them. That is why they are resorting to such tactics," he alleged.

He said they had formed a 37-member election campaign committee.

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UKD (Airy) launches election campaign
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Airy) launched its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in the state by garlanding the statue of late Indermani Badoni at Clock Tower here today.

Led by Jai Prakash Updhayaya, its Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat candidate, party workers held a padyatra that passed through Paltan Bazaar, Rajpur Road, Ashley Hall and the Dilaram route before culminating at the party office on Gandhi Road.

Addressing the gathering, Updhayaya said the UKD (A) believed in constructive politics. He appealed to the youth and the women of the state to actively work for the success of the party candidates.

Nathi Lal Semwal, Bahadur Singh Rawat, Virendra Singh Bisht and Lalit Bisht were other prominent party workers who took part in the padyatra.

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Raphael Cheshire celebrates 56th Founder’s Day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre celebrated its 56th Founder's Day here yesterday. The old inmates, who had been part of Raphael since its inception, were felicitated on the occasion.

Ramrati, Bhaglu and Kisni attended the celebrations, while Khumka was unable to show her presence as she was unwell.

Governor Aziz Qureshi was the chief guest of the function. He lauded the efforts of the founder of Raphael who had worked hard to ensure its mission was achieved.

“I urge individuals and organisations to come forward and do their bit to help the less privileged,” he said.

The Governor also gave away awards to 12 special children who had performed well during the IAYP programme funded by the Duke of Edinburgh.

The children at Raphael also enthralled the audience with a scintillating show.

The celebrations began with a welcome song ‘Abhivadan Abhinandan’ put up by the children of Raphael followed by a play highlighting the havoc created by the degradation of environment and frequent cutting of trees. A round of aerobics and a Cinderalla play were the other highlights of the celebrations.

Air Marshal BD Jayal (retd), chairman of Raphael, said the institution had completed 55 years in service of society.

"The presence of the Governor would kindle hope among children,” he added. Stalls of art and craft works showcasing the creativity of the children were also set up.

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Meeting on voter awareness drive held
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Election Commission of India observer Reena Sonowal held a meeting with state election officials to assess the progress of the voter awareness drive in the state today.

She asked the officials to rope in eminent personalities of the region to encourage people to vote. She also gave directions for the use of television and radio to apprise people of the importance of voting. She said the focus should be on the areas which witnessed a poor turnout in the last elections.

She said the media review committee should keep a watch on advertisements and paid news. District Election Officer BVRC Purshottam and other senior officials were present on the occasion.

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POLITICAL DIARY
Infighting delays decision on Cong candidates on three seats
Party yet to announce nominees from Pauri, Tehri, Haridwar
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
With only a month left for the Lok Sabha elections in the state, the ruling Congress is yet to announce its candidate for all five seats. After much delay, the party high command yesterday named Congress sitting MPs Pradeep Tamta and KC Singh Baba as the party candidates from the Almora (reserve) and Nainital seats, respectively.

Infighting and lack of consensus have further delayed the announcement of the candidates from the Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal and Haridwar Lok Sabha seats. On the other hand, the BJP had announced its candidates for all seats last month. The BJP candidates have also completed the first round of campaigning in their respective constituencies.

The indecision and delay would further hurt the prospects of the Congress that is already facing the anti-incumbency factor in the crucial elections.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat soon after taking over the reins of the state managed to take every faction along resulting in the successful conduct of the rally of Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in Dehradun on February 23. The rally enthused and activated the party workers across the state. Even the BJP leaders conceded that Harish Rawat would be a tough opponent in the elections.

However, his way of handling opponents in the party in the past one month led to resentment among most of the party leaders and ministers. Recently, senior party leader and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj defected to the BJP.

Satpal Maharaj's exit further compounded problems for the Congress, which could not find a suitable candidate from Pauri Garhwal to take on BJP's BC Khanduri. A section of leaders also opposed the proposal to field Lt Gen Gambhir Singh Negi (retd) from the seat.

Two Cabinet ministers, Harak Singh Rawat and Surinder Singh Negi, both from Pauri Garhwal, were tipped as the possible candidates. It was believed that the party could choose Harak Singh Rawat in place of General Negi from Pauri Garhwal.

From the Tehri Garhwal seat, former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has refused to contest despite the Chief Minister's insistence. Bahuguna wants his son Saket Bahuguna to contest from the seat but the Chief Minister believes that Bahuguna is a strong candidate to defeat sitting BJP MP Mala Raj Laxmi Shah.

According to party sources, Bahuguna is not sure about the wholehearted support of the party if he decides to fight. In the earlier elections, the Harish Rawat faction had opposed him openly. This time with Harish Rawat at the helm of affairs in the state, Bahuguna is wary of internal sabotage. However, it is believed that the party high command would finally persuade him or his son to fight the elections.

The father-son duo, which arrived in Dehradun today, were called back to New Delhi by the party high command for consultations indicating that a decision would be taken.

From the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat, it is likely that Renuka Rawat, wife of Harish Rawat, will get the party ticket.

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Undecided voters to tilt scales in LS elections
State has 2nd highest percentage of such voters in country
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
A large number of voters in the state are still undecided about their choice of candidate and the electioneering in the upcoming days would prove to be instrumental in tilting the scales.

According to a pre-poll survey conducted by CNN-IBN from March 18 to March 25, a large number of voters are still undecided about the candidate they will vote for. According to the survey, about 25 per cent of the total voters in the state are still not sure about their choice of the candidates.

Significantly, the state has the second highest percentage of undecided voters with Jammu and Kashmir being the first with 45 per cent such voters. However, poll analysts say the voters in Uttarkhand have a tendency to take a decision on the choice of candidate around the day of polling.

While the BJP has announced its candidates, the Congress is yet to announce its candidates, thus the final opinion will be formed in the days ahead, political analysts say.

Barring a couple of seats, a bitter fight between the Congress and the BJP cannot be ruled out on the rest of the seats. Chief Minister Harish Rawat will leave no stone unturned to ensure a landslide victory for the Congress. Similarly, the BJP will try to win as many Lok Sabha seats as possible. The BJP had lost all the five Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 parliamentary elections.

Uttarakhand has a history of close contests. In the 2012 Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha byelection the Congress lost to the BJP by 22,694 votes. Similarly, in the 2008 Pauri Garhwal parliamentary byelection BJP candidate Lt Gen TPS Rawat defeated Congress candidate Satpal Maharaj in a tough contest by 4,506 votes.

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CM accuses BJP of hindering relief works
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Chief Minister Harish Rawat has accused the BJP of putting hurdles in the relief works for natural disaster victims. The Chief Minister said this while addressing a gathering at Kotdwar in Pauri Garhwal district yesterday.

“The BJP did not cooperate with me and brought a no-confidence motion against my government when it was just 12 days' old,” said Rawat.

Commenting on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, he said Modi's Gujarat was far behind in providing education, health and hygiene to the people when compared to Uttarakhand.

He said the percentage of toilets per house was less in Gujarat than in Uttarakhand. Similarly, the infant mortality rate and maternal deaths in childbirths in Gujarat were higher than in Uttarakhand.

Rawat appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to vote for the Congress candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.

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Cong workers canvass in Dharampur areas
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Congress workers led by Chowdhary Lal Singh, Congress co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, and Cabinet minister Dinesh Agarwal today campaigned door to door in the Dharampur Assembly segment that forms part of the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.

Addressing a gathering at Azad Colony, Agarwal said the Congress had always adopted constructive politics as it believed in the philosophy of unity in diversity. He accused the BJP of dividing society on the lines of caste and religion.

He denied the existence of the Narendra Modi wave in the country. He said it was nothing but only a media hype. The Congress would win all five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, he added.

Councillor Sunil Kumar, Piyush Gaud, Rakesh Juyal and Rajesh Parmar were other prominent Congress workers who took part in the canvassing.

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SC lawyer to contest from Tehri as Independent
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Supreme Court lawyer and Dehradun resident BD Jha today announced to contest the LS polls from Tehri Garhwal as an Independent candidate.

Jha told mediapersons here today that the people of Uttarakhand were fed up with the BJP and the Congress and were now looking for an alternative. He said he thought it suitable to contest as an Independent rather than seeking the ticket from a political party.

“If you are an MP from a political party, you cannot perform freely. You are always under pressure of the party high command, which adversely impacts your performance,” Jha said.

He criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying it had lost its way and taken to politics the BJP and Congress style. He added the AAP was no more a party with the difference. Jha said both BJP and Congress had failed to fulfil the promises made to the people of Uttarakhand. “Uttarakhand is yet to realise the dreams of state agitators,” he added.

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AAP workers campaign in Doon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Aam Aadmi Party workers today campaigned for Anoop Nautiyal, AAP candidate from the Tehri Lok Sabha seat, in Raipur, Tunwala and Nehru Gram areas of Dehradun today.

Holding brooms, the AAP workers urged the people to vote for change.

They asserted that people of the state were fed up with the BJP and the Congress and would give the AAP chance.

Besides Anoop Nautiyal, Shyam Babu Pandey, Kalyan Singh, Suresh Negi and Manjit Kainthura took part in the campaigning.

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Candidates to get only 5 days for filing nomination papers

Dehradun, April 6
The Lok Sabha candidates in Uttarakhand will get only five days to file their nomination papers due to gazetted holidays on April 13, 14 and 18. The nomination papers can be filed on April 12, 15, 16, 17 and 19.

"We had sought opinion of the legal adviser in the Election Commission and were told that there would be no election-related work on gazetted holidays," said Radha Raturi, Chief Electoral officer. There will be holidays on account of Mahavir Jayanti on April 13. Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 and Good Friday on April 18. — TNS

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BJP announces poll committee

Dehradun, April 6
Teerath Singh Rawat, president of the state BJP, announced the state election committee today. Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt has been made the convener of the committee.

State BJP vice-president and Haridwar MLA Madan Kaushik, state BJP working committee member Munna Singh Chauhan and state BJP vice- president Dhan Singh Rawat have been made co-conveners.

Mukesh Mahendru has been made the spokesman. Vishwas Davar (Doon), Mayank Gupta (Roorkee), NS Rana (Doon), BS Bhouriyal (Bageshwar), DS Rawat (Khatima), Col CM Nautiyal, retd, (Kotdwar), Chanar Ram (Pithoragarh), Rajkumari Giri (Rudrapur) and Bhagwat Prasad Makwana (Doon) are other members of the committee. — TNS

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Almora villagers threaten to boycott Lok Sabha poll
Their demand for an ANM centre has not been fulfilled for eight years
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 6
Villagers in several areas of the Almora parliamentary constituency have threatend to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if their long pending demands are not fulfilled immediately. They say they will ask the candidates seeking votes about what they have done till now to solve their problems.

The residents of five villages of the Ogla area have decided not to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections as their demand for an Auxiliary Nurses and Midwifery (ANM) centre has not been fulfilled for the last eight years. “We have sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner informing him about their decision not to exercise their right to franchise,” said Deep Pant, a resident of Ogal village in the Didihat Assembly constituency.

According to the villagers, women and children of Ogla, Talla Ohja, Malla Ojha, Pathakgaun and Jethigaun villages have to travel 8 km to avail of essential medical services at Narayan Nagar town. “We are demanding an ANM centre in our area for the last eight years but the administration and representatives of people have done nothing in this regard. Even newborns and their mothers are not being provided necessary vaccination on their doorsteps,” says Pant.

The villagers say they had raised the issue during the Assembly elections in 2009 and despite assurances the public representatives had done nothing to fulfil the demand. “We have also decided to ask the candidates when they visit our villages for votes about what they have done so far to solve their problems,” said Pant.

The residents of Diyuri village in Champawat district have also decided to ask the candidates about what they have done for them in the last five years. “Diyuri village, where Swami Vivekananda had rested for a day during his visit to the Mayawati Ashram in 1901, could have been developed as a cultural and spiritual centre for tourists but its residents are still deprived of proper water and electricity supply. The public representatives have done nothing for us in the last five years,” said Lalit Joshi, a resident of Diyuri village while on his way to the Mayawati Ashram.

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State BJP celebrates foundation day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The Uttarakhand BJP celebrated its 35th foundation day as ‘Vijay Sankalp Diwas’ at the party’s headquarters in Dehradun here today. The leaders gathered at the party office on Balbir Road and distributed sweets to mark the day.

Naresh Bansal, state BJP general secretary, congratulated party workers on the occasion and asked them to pull up their socks to ensure the victory of the party candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP Mahila Morcha also organised a mehandi programme to celebrate the occasion. Mala Raj Lashmi Shah, MP from the Tehri Garhwal constituency, also participated in the programme.

Meanwhile,in Mussoorie, the activists from BJP mahila morcha celebrated the foundation day of the party here today. They conducted a 'kamal (lotus) mehndi campaign' on the occasion in an attempt to woo more women voters.

The women activists along with local women applied mehndi in a lotus pattern on their palms.

Party women activists also discussed about BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's vision and perspective.

Women activists led by Suman Panwar undertook a door-to-door campaign at various booths.

Panwar said the campaign received an overwhelming response in the favour of the party. More than 100 women applied mehandi with lotus sign on their palms.

She said it was a great honour that the party had named women Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah as the candidate from Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat.

"The women's wing of the BJP has been asked to induct more and more women in to party fold," she added.

Anil Godiyal was the coordinator of the programme. He said it was evident from the mood of the people that the BJP was on path of victory in the forthcoming Lok Sabah elections.

Kamlesh,Sharma, Mira Suriyal, Kusum Negi, Meera Kandari, Ganeshi and Sunita from the BJP women’s wing and senior BJP leaders Vijay Ramola, Sunil Raturi and Roop Chand Sharma were also present on the occasion.

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Tamta for strengthening of road, rail network in Almora
BD Kasniyal

Pradeep TamtaPithoragarh, April 6
Pradeep Tamta, Congress candidate from the Almora Lok Sabha seat, said today that he would take ahead the development projects initiated in his constituency in the past five years. He would also persuade the Centre to release more funds for infrastructure development in his constituency and the state.

Tamta said he wanted every road in the area to be declared a national highway as it would promote tourism. “We want proper road and air connectivity in the area," Tamta said after getting the Lok Sabha ticket from Almora for the second time consecutively.

He added Almora required a proper rail network and he would work to extend the rail network from Tanakpur to Bageshwar and Tanakpur to Jauljibi. "These rail projects will help the armed forces in gaining an easy access to the strategically important positions,” said Tamta.

The sitting MP said agriculture in the hill areas of the region should be developed into a full-time profession with the help of technology. He added mass migration from the area was happening due to the neglect of agriculture. “I will try for the establishment of a central agriculture institute so that the surplus production could be marketed through a chain of cold storages," Tamta said.

Asked how he would tackle the water, electricity and health problems in the rural areas of his constituency, Tamta said to increase the number of doctors in the region the Centre had increased the number of trainee doctors in the AIIMS all over India, including at Rishikesh, by 10,000 and Chief Minister Harish Rawat had announced to provide Rs 100 crore to establish an institute at Bageshwar to develop the traditional skills of craftsmen in the region which would benefit the craftsmen belonging to the Scheduled Castes category. “I will strive for the formulation of a water policy for the Himalayan region,” Tamta said.

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Cong leaders discuss strategy for LS polls
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Chaudhary Lal Singh, newly appointed AICC co-in charge of the party affairs in the state, yesterday held a meeting with party leaders at the Congress Bhavan to discuss the party’s strategy for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. State Congress president Yashpal Arya was also present.

Chaudhary Lal Singh deliberated on the issues likely to have an impact on the electorate. He called upon the party leaders to publicise development works carried out by the UPA government at the centre. He hoped that the party would retain all five Lok Sabha seats in the state which it had won in the last parliamentary elections.

Vice president of the state Congress Suryakant Dhasmana, Cabinet minister Dinesh Aggarwal, MLAs Umesh Sharma and Rajkumar also attended the meeting.

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127 to cover five km to exercise their franchise
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, April 6
The Bongling polling station in Dharchula subdivision of Pithoragarh district has only 127 voters. The voters and the staff on election duty will have to travel more than five km to reach the booth, District Election Officer HC Semwal said here today.

Over 540 polling booths in the district have been divided into nine zones and 67 sectors. Zonal and sector magistrates have been given the charge the zones and the sectors, respectively. “We have arranged 309 vehicles for the polling day to ferry the staff on election duty,” said Semwal.

According to information, the maximum number of 53 polling booths that are more than 5 km away from villages are in Dharchula subdivision. “Dharchula is followed by Gangolihat, Pithoragarh and Didihat in the number of polling booths that are 5 km away from residential areas or villages,” he said.

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DM tells gas agencies to check sale of cylinders on black market
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 6
The District Magistrate, D Senthyl Pendiyan, yesterday directed LPG gas agency owners to maintain transparency in the supply of gas and ensure that cylinders were not sold on the black market.

He said this at a meeting of all LPG agency operators here in view of a number of complaints regarding a shortage of LPG cylinders, black marketeering and levying of Rs 15 surcharge for home delivery even from those consumers who take cylinders from agency godowns.

Pendiyan expressed unhappiness at the recent media reports about black marketeering of gas cylinders and levying of surcharge on consumers for home delivery.

He directed the gas agency operators to set up a complaint cell at their offices so that the grievances of consumer could be redressed.

Pendiyan said if he received similar complaints in the near future he would take strict action against those who violated the directions.

He directed representatives of oil companies to ensure regular update of the demand and supply of LPG cylinders, both domestic and commercial.

District Supplies Officer Mahendra Singh Bishen said it had also been found that employees of some gas agencies were selling subsidised domestic cylinders on the black market. He added they would recommend the cancellation of the licences of the guilty gas agencies.

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate visited the Child Reform Home at Roshanabad. He expressed displeasure over the working of the institution.

He said cleanliness and sanitation should be maintained at the institution round the clock and nutritious and fresh food should be served to children.

The District Magistrate also directed the health officials to conduct health check up of children every month and provide them medicines at affordable rates. He told them to install a water purifier so that children could get pure drinking water.

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Sikh body activists to march to Har-ki-Pauri on Baisakhi
To press for the construction of Gyan Godri Gurdwara at the site
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 6
The All-India Sikh Conference has started preparations to lead a march to Har-ki-Pauri on Baisakhi to press for the construction of Gyan Godri Gurdwara adjacent to Subhash Ghat.

The organisation has announced to hold a march up to Subhash Ghat demanding handing over the present office of the Bharat Scouts and Guides to them so that a gurdwara could be constructed there.

President of the conference Guru Charan Singh Babbar said they would perform ‘ardas’ and ‘shabad kirtan’ at the site on Baisakhi. He claimed that the site was visited by Guru Nanak Dev. The conference also claimed that this time spiritual guru Baljit Singh Dadhuwal would visit Haridwar on Baisakhi.

The conference claims that Gyan Godri Gurdwara existed at the site at Subhash Ghat till the mid ’70s.

Guru Nanak Dev had visited Har-ki-Pauri in 1504-05 and had an interaction with local teerath purohits as well, it said. It was demolished in the ’70s for ‘renovation’ and was later handed over to the Bharat Scouts and Guides, which still has its office there.

Meanwhile, Bharat Scouts and Guides officials claimed that their office existed at the site before 1970 and they had documents to prove it as well.

Notably, a heavy deployment of police was made after the organisation made similar announcements last year too. The aggressive activists were not allowed to enter the site due to fear of breach of peace.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Veer Singh Budhiyal said no information regarding this had come to his office. He said the district administration had urged the Sikh organisations to adhere to peaceful means.

As the Gyan Godri Gurdwara issue has cropped up again, the local police have sounded alert to ensure a Baisakhi festival and the Lok Sabha election process.

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Protest against transfer of gas connections
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The residents of Deepnagar ward yesterday held a protest against the transfer of 2,500 gas connections to another gas agency which was located far away from their locality.

The residents led by local councillor Lalit Bhadri said the gas connections of 2,500 residents had been arbitrarily transferred to Himani Gas Agency from Shiva Gas Agency.

They added Himani Gas Agency was 7 km from Deepnagar while Shiva Gas Agency was located near their locality. The residents demanded that their gas connections be restored to Shiva Gas Agency lest they would intensity their stir.

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Documents for unemployment allowance
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The senior employment officer has instructed registered educated unemployed candidates to submit the requisite documents for claiming the unemployment allowance or else the same would be revoked.

In a notification issued here, it was stated that the educated unemployed youths, who had registered themselves for unemployment allowance from November 2012 till October 2013, were required to submit an affidavit on a Rs 10 non-judicial stamp paper along with other documents in his office before April 20.

In case the documents were not submitted till April 20, the state government would discontinue the allowance, said the notification.

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Encroachment removed from Clock Tower, Rajpur Road
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam held a meeting with senior officials of the district here today to chalk out a detailed plan to implement the Nainital High Court’s order regarding the removal of roadside encroachment in Dehradun.

The police also carried out an anti-encroachment drive in the stretch between Clock Tower and Rajpur Road here today. The shopkeepers were also asked to remove illegal encroachment.

A few shopkeepers were also issued challans for keeping items on pavements meant for pedestrians.

The District Magistrate also directed the officials to send a notice to the respective trader’s association regarding the anti-encroachment drive on Clock Tower and Rajpur Road.

A joint team of the Municipal Corporation, the MDDA and the PWD will carry a drive against encroachment on the roadsides and pavements on Monday.

SSP Ajay Rautela was directed to ensure smooth traffic flow on Rajpur Road during the drive. It is to be noted that Chakrata Road, Darshan Lal Road, ISBT, Paltan Bazaar and Tehsil Chowk would also be targeted.

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Man held for snatching purse
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The police have arrested a man who allegedly snatched a woman’s purse in broad daylight here yesterday. The accused has been identified as Himanshu, a resident of MDDA Colony in Patel Nagar.

Himanshu snatched the purse from Vimla Chauhan, who along with her husband was going to the Electricity Department office at Vasant Vihar. Himanshu fled after committing the crime.

On a complaint filed by Vimla Chauhan, the Vasant Vihar police arrested Himanshu from the Malik Chowk in the Vasant Vihar area and recovered the stolen purse for his possession.

Drug peddler arrested

The Sahaspur police arrested a drug peddler and recovered one kg of charas from his possession here yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team from Sahaspur police station laid a trap around Kushaalpur and detained Ikraar on suspicion during checking. Charas worth Rs 70,000 was recovered from his posesssion.

According to the police, Ikraar told them that he used to supply the banned substance to the students studying in private institutions in Dehradun.

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Medicine counters’ timings extended
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
The extension of timings of medicine counters at Doon Hospital till 2.30 pm evoked a good response on the first day yesterday. Dr RS Aswal, PMS, Doon Hospital, has extended the timings on the request of patients.

“Earlier, the counters would open at 8am and close at 2 pm. Patients were complaining that they were unable to get medicines. Following this, we extended the timings," said Dr Aswal.

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Kathak exponent: Indian classical dances have spiritual element
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 6
The classical dance is a complete dance and the Indian classical dance forms, which are nine in number, are perfect as they have a spiritual element in them.

This was stated by noted kathak danseuse Madhavi Bhattacharya, a disciple of Pundit Birju Maharaj, in Haridwar today. She is holding a workshop on kathak for children for the first time from April 8.

Madhavi Bhattacharya, a resident of Haridwar, said the workshop would be organised for children at the Jawaharlal Nehru Youth Centre, Bhagat Singh Square, from April 8 to 12 .“There is immense potential in the younger generation. I teach them at my residence at Dehradun. We are in a process of opening an institute in Haridwar but till that happens, I decided to organise kathak workshops so that the younger generation gets a first-hand experience of this dance format,” said Madhavi.

With television channels churning out dance-based reality shows in a large numbers, the younger generation is more interested in western, salsa and bollywood styles of dancing.

About this, Madhavi said children were being exposed to these dance formats so they were following them. "However, a large number of children are learning the classical dance throughout the country and even in reality shows, whenever a classical dancer performs, judges and audience find it quite different from other dance formats.

Sukanya, a prodigy of Madhavi Bhattacharya, said she was teaching kathak to a large number of girls even after marriage, which proves the popularity of the classical dance form.

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Actor Raj Pal pays obeisance at Mata Kali temple
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 6
Bollywood actor Raj Pal Yadav today paid obeisance at the ancient shrine of Mata Kali at Chandi Ghat on the banks of the Ganga.

He also sought the blessings of religious guru Kali Peethadeeshwar Kailashanand Brahamchari. As soon as the news of Raj Pal being in the city spread, the locals gathered in a large number to have a glimpse of the actor and comedian.

He has acted in various films such as "Jungle", "Pyar Tune Yeh Kya Kiya", "Hungama" and "Phir Hera Pheri".

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Mussoorie residents demand waiver of Mall Road entry fee
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, April 6
Social activists have opposed the Mussoorie Municipal Council decision to collect annual fee for entering Mall Road. Terming it gross violation of human rights, social activists have appealed to the State Human Rights Commission to direct the MC to waive the fee.

The MC to deter vehicles from entering Mall Road has placed barriers at two entry points and is charging vehicle entry tax from tourists and local commuters. This is violation of basic rights of the residents of the town, said social activist Ajay Uniyal.

He filed his application with the State Human Rights Commission and said the residents owning vehicles had to enter Mall Road on a number of occasions to visit important government offices, hospitals, schools, court, domestic gas agency etc regularly. They were being charged annual fee by the MC.

Uniyal said the MC was charging around Rs 3,00 as annual fee from the locals and Rs 100 to Rs 150 from tourists as a one time vehicle entry fee on Mall Road. This often results in verbal spats at the two barriers.

Uniyal alleged that the MC, despite charging fees from the residents, had failed to provide proper parking spaces and other basic amenities.

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Lecture organised
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Sardar Bhagwan Singh PG Institute organised a lecture on ‘Development of Commercial Kits in Immuno-Diagnostics and prediction of infectious diseases’ here yesterday. Prof DN Rao from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, delivered the lecture.

He guided the students about how to improve the basics of the subject and implement it to applied research and commercialise it.

Rao discussed the development of peptide-based immunogens for vaccine designs and the methods to develop immune-diagnostics for the prediction of diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, chicken guinea and dengue.

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Volunteers of MAD clean up Sahastradhara
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Making a Difference (MAD), an NGO, carried out a cleanliness drive at Sahastradhara and its adjoining areas here today. As many as 79 volunteers, who were divided into groups and sub-groups, were assigned particular areas.

The volunteers informed tourists and the locals about the ways to practise environmentally-sustainable means of waste disposal.

After nearly three hours of work, hundreds of kilograms of assorted garbage were collected.

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DIT shines on day 2 of sports fest
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 6
Cricket, badminton and football matches were played on the second day of ‘Sphurti 2014’, a sports festival, at the Dehradun Institute of Technology (DIT) here today.

In cricket matches, the DIT team won its match against GRD Academy by 8 wickets. In the second match, the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) team beat the THDC team by 8 wickets.

The host DIT maintained its winning spree in the badminton matches as well and defeated the College of Engineering Roorkee (COER) 2-0. In another match, the GBPEC team won its match against Uttaranchal University 2-0. In the basketball matches, the DIT team trounced the Maya team 31-28 score while the IMS defeated the COER team 33-30. Quantum College won its match against UIT 31-25.

In the volleyball matches, GBPEC defeated Dolphin Institute 25-18 and 25-15.

In the two football matches, DIT defeated DBS PG College 3-1 score whereas Shiwalik beat DIET 1-0.

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