Renuka infuses zeal in party workers
At election office opening, says victory depends on efforts of all
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 12
At the opening of the first election office at Devpura, Congress candidate Renuka Rawat and State Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal tried to infuse enthusiasm and positivity among the party workers.

Renuka Rawat remarked that it was not only her but each and every party worker was contesting from Haridwar seat, so the party win depended on the hard work that each of them would put in.

She urged the party workers to go door to door to disseminate information regarding the development schemes and work done by Congress at the Centre and state level.

“At the union level, Congress started flagship schemes such as Right to Education, Food Security Bill, Land Acquisition Bill, Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, while at the state level Chief Minister Harish Rawat has put his whole focus on Char Dham yatra preparations. Besides, in just a single day, more than 1,000 schemes-cum-projects were launched –which speaks of the development-oriented vision of the Congress government,” she said.

Speaking further on the Char Dham pilgrimage, Renuka said the pilgrimage season this year would help the local traders and public recover from the impact of last year's flash floods in Kedarghati and other regions of the state, as signs of pilgrimage getting started on time were coming from the authorities concerned of the Char Dham route.

Meanwhile, Dinesh Aggarwal, legislator from Dharampur – a segment which falls under Haridwar parliamentary constituency post delimitation- said it was the duty of party workers to take forward the party manifesto and development works to the voters.

Aggarwal said the constituency had witnessed a development spree since Harish Rawat became parliamentarian in 2009 and the seat had become important one again as Renuka Rawat had been named the Congress candidate.

Pradesh Congress treasurer and former Uttarakhand Sanskrit University vice-chancellor Braham Swarup Brahamchari said a Congress wave was going on in the state, with the party being sure of a win from Pauri, Tehri, Haridwar, Almora and Nainital.

Former Haridwar city legislator Ambrish Kumar said the interests of minorities and Dalits were protected only by Congress.

Saint-turned-politician Satpal Brahamchari said the saint community was with Congress and in Renuka they had a good candidate, who had decades of experience of politics.

City president OP Chauhan said in 2004 Renuka had given a good fight to BJP candidate Bachi Singh Rawat from Almora seat, the experience of which would come handy in this election and she would emerge victorious this time.

A change in preference for Haridwar voters
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
Politics has come a full circle in Haridwar plains of Uttarakhand. Once known for its resistance to inclusion of Haridwar in Uttarkhand, Haridwar voters seem to have changed their preferences from backing those challenging the very existence of the state now to pro-state agitation candidates.

During the days of statehood movement, the entire Haridwar district was made as last minute addition to Uttarakhand by the then Vajpayee-led NDA government at the Centre. The state agitationists who had just sought Kumbh mela area of Haridwar were even surprised at the development. But most of the local political leaders of Haridwar, including BJP leader Madan Kaushik and Congress leader Ambrish Kumar, had then opposed the move. There were even often seen supporting voices for separating Haridwar from Uttarakhand.

But the scenario took a turn in 2009 parliamentary election when Harish Rawat was pitted as Congress candidate for the Haridwar parliamentary seat. Furthermore, it was also for the first time in 2009 elections that some parts of Dehradun district were included in the constituency also affecting a bit of its demographic equations.

While in 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Haridwar had BSP’s Mohd Shahzad and BJP Swami Yatindranand, both from plains, losing the poll contesting against Congress Harish Rawat, the 2014 elections now is witnessing a straight fight between two politicians of hill origin. While Congress has put up the candidature of Renuka Rawat, wife of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, BJP has former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. The contest is expected to zero down between these two.

Interestingly before 2009 elections when Harish Rawat got elected from Haridwar defeating his nearest rival BJP Swami Yatindranand by 1,27,412 votes, people from the plains have represented Haridwar constituency. In 2004, Samajwadi Party’s Rajendra Kumar Badi won this seat by a margin of 37,659 votes over his nearest BSP rival Bhagwan Das.

Similarly in 1999 General Election, BJP Harpal Sathi won the Haridwar seat defeating his nearest rival BSP candidate Ramesh Kumar Barman with a margin of 32,847 votes.

In 1998, BJP Harpal Singh Sathi again won this seat by defeating his nearest rival Samajwadi Party’s Jagpal Singh by a margin of 16,861 votes.

In 1996, BJP rival Harpal Singh Sathi won this seat by defeating his nearest rival Samajwadi Party candidate Jagpal Singh by a margin of 66,100 votes.

Teams activated to monitor poll expenditure, videos
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
With the process of filing nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand kicking off today, Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi activated assistant expenditure observers (AEO), expenditure monitoring cells, video surveillance teams (VST), video viewing teams (VVT) and accounts teams in the five parliamentary constituencies.

While the static surveillance teams (SST) and the flying squads were already active in the state since the dates of the general elections were announced, the remaining seven teams engaged in the monitoring of the candidates and their expenditure were activated today.

The flying squads comprising 70 teams and headed by local gazetted officers and police officials and 70 static surveillance teams have been actively collaborating with income tax officials.

“An expenditure monitoring cell each has been set up in all 13 districts along with 13 accounts teams, which will keep a watch on the expenditure of the candidates. They will be aided by 13 video surveillance and 14 video viewing teams (one additional team has been set up at the Dehradun headquarters) and the media certification and monitoring committee,” said Radha Raturi.

About 1.5 lakh security and government employees would be deployed on election duties in the state on May 7.

461 polling centres designated hyper sensitive
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
For the general election on May 7, 461 polling centres have been designated as hyper-sensitive and 732 as sensitive across the state.

Dehradun district, which falls under the Tehri parliamentary seat, has 63 hyper-sensitive centres followed by Haridwar with 63, Udham Singh Nagar (Nainital) with 58 and Nainital with 47 hyper-sensitive centres.

On the other hand, Uttarkashi district that falls under Tehri parliamentary seat does not have any hyper-sensitive centre. Similarly, Haridwar has 166 sensitive polling centres, followed by 150 in Udham Singh Nagar, 140 in Dehradun, 100 in Nainital and 25 in Uttarkashi.

“The sensitive and hyper-sensitive nature of the polling centres will be revised after the list of candidates, who are in the fray is finalised as soon as the process of withdrawal of nomination is over,” said Radha Raturi, Chief Electoral Officer.

While designating hyper-sensitive and sensitive status to the polling centres, the prevailing situation in the areas is assessed based on the report prepared by the law and order agencies and assessment of the last election.

“We have to take into account the occurrence of communal, caste or other local conflagrations and also the track record of the final candidates. In certain cases, polling centres where over 75 per cent votes are cast and there is a high turn out of voters, the centre is designated sensitive or hyper sensitive,” said Raturi.

Congress will lose, says BJP MLA
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
BJP MLA and former Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Harbans Kapoor said the Congress would lose by a big margin in the elections as the conditions were not conducive for the party in the state as well as the Centre.

“The anti-people policies of the UPA government at the Centre, that led to spiralling prices and withdrawal of a number of subsidy cylinders, has led to resentment among people. Further, the state government’s mishandling of the situation during the mid-June natural disaster last year has heightened the resentment in the state. The people are eager to punish the Congress government,” said Kapoor while addressing a press conference.

Kapoor also questioned the role of Chief Minister Harish Rawat when he was the Union Minister for water resources. “He failed to solve the plaguing water problem in the state as his sight was fixed on occupying the Chief Minister’s chair,” he added.

BJP complains to EC against Cong
Dehradun: Led by the Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt, the BJP yesterday lodged a complaint against the Congress government for violating the model code of conduct by changing the liquor policy for foreign liquor. Admitting the complaint, the Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi has issued show cause notice to the Congress government, giving them three days to reply. Ajay Bhatt said in order to collect funds for the Lok Sabha elections, the government had on the sly brought changes in the liquor policy for which a government order was issued in March without putting it before the cabinet. “During that period the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha poll was already imposed, but the government went ahead and made changes in the policy,” said Bhatt. — TNS

Vote for Saket Bahuguna, says Mahila Congress
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
Under the people to people contact campaign launched by the Uttarakhand chapter of Congress in the wake of the forthcoming general elections, the district unit of Mahila Congress urged the public to cast votes in favour of Saket Bahuguna, contesting from the Tehri constituency.

A team led by District Mahila Congress president Kamlesh Raman took out a padyatra from Prem Nagar chungi and held small public gatherings.

Addressing a gathering, Raman said that Congress was the only party that believed in equality. “The party has always placed the development work and welfare of the general public on its priority,” she added.

Those who were part of the campaign included Sushila Sharma, Kiran Tiwari, Radhika Sharma, Pushpa Panwar, Manju Chowdhary, Reena Sharma and Saleem Pradhan along with several others.

Poll-shy Cong leaders have dented Rawat’s reputation: BJP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
Trivender Singh Rawat, national secretary of the BJP, yesterday said the reputation of Chief Minister Harish Rawat had been badly dented after top Congress leaders declined his request to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Trivender told mediapersons that the Congress leaders’ refusal showed that the Chief Minister did not carry weight in the party. “All men he approached refused pointblank to fight the elections as they did not want to face an imminent defeat. This has undermined Harish Rawat’s leadership,” said Trivender.

He added in comparison to the Congress, the BJP was better placed in the elections. “We will emerge triumphant as there is a discernable Narendra Modi wave in the country. The heavy voter turnout in parts of western Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Haryana on April 10 gave indications of the complete rout of the Congress,” he said.

On the issue of disgruntled senior leaders in the BJP trying to sabotage the prospects of the official candidates, Trivender said they had been won over. “Most of the leaders were hoping to get the party ticket in these elections and I was one of them. No doubt there was disappointment but all that had been sorted out. We are all working to ensure the victory of the party candidates on all five seats,” Trivender said.

Private firm re-starts waste collection
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
The Doon Valley Waste Management Private Limited re-started garbage collection in 10 wards of the state capital yesterday.

The work was re-started more than two months after the private player terminated its 15-year contract with the state government of door-to-door garbage collection and its scientific treatment. Since the termination of the contract, the Dehradun Municipal Corporation was collecting garbage from 60 wards of the city.

As per the renewed contract, the company would be lifting garbage from areas such as Jakhan, Arya Nagar, DL Road, Karanpur, Clock Tower, Dhamawala, Dalanwala and Sahastradhara Road.

The company, hired for the waste management project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), ended its contract after being operational for three years. The company officials said they revoked the contract after the DMC failed to fulfil their demands.

Among the demands raised by the company was revision of tipping fee from existing ~350 per metric tonne to ~472 metric tonne. Following the termination of the contract, the then Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Ashok Kumar was sacked and attached with the Secretariat for his failure to handle the situation.

Congo Governor visits FRI
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
Governor of Democratic Republic of Congo Alex Kande Mupompa along with Congo’s Ambassador to India Francois Balumuene Nkuna visited the Forest Research of Institute (FRI) here today.

Mupompa visited museums and the bamboo common facility centre in the forest product division. A meeting was also convened later in the board room of the FRI. Dr PP Bhojvaid, Director, FRI and Vice-Chancellor of FRI University, briefed him about the history of the institute and other projects being run by its different divisions. Mupompa showed keen interest in the research works going on in various divisions. He expressed his desire to collaborate with the FRI and FRI University for their different educational programmes in future.

The Congo Governor gave away prizes to the FRI University students, who had stood first, second and third in the essay writing competition organised on World Forestry Day.

Temporary shelters gutted in fire
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 12
Several temporary shelters were gutted in a major fire that broke out in the Sapt Sarovar area here this morning.

The fire broke out in a settlement at Sapt Sarovar in the Neel Dhara area along the Ganga around 7 am. A large number of saints and slum-dwellers, whose shelters were gutted in the blaze, lived in the area.

According to local people, the fire broke out in a hut and quickly spread to nearby temporary shelters due to the wind blowing in the morning.

Fire Department officials said two fire engines were summoned from Haridwar and the fire was extinguished within an hour.

Firefighter Madhu Sudan said the high intensity fire and the wind made the job difficult for the firefighters.

Saint Vinod Maharaj said more than 60 houses were gutted in the fire. However, all persons were evacuated in time and no loss of life or injury to anyone was reported from the area.

Maharaj demanded adequate compensation and temporary shelters for the affected people from the district administration.

Though no exact reason for the incident was yet known, Fire Department officials said the fire may have probably started from a kitchen and spread to nearby temporary shelters.

NGO cautions residents against defacing property
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
In their bid to keep the state capital clean during the ensuing campaigning of various political outfits in the wake of General Election, Pramukh, a non-government organisation, has urged the residents to be alert regarding the defacement of their properties.

Addressing a press conference, organisation's chairman Paramjeet Singh Kakkar said: ''It is often observed that during the election time, a lot of political parties and contesting candidates display their posters and other publicity material on the walls, poles, trees etc. This not only makes the city dirty but also is in violation of the Prevention of Defacement of Public and Private Property Act.''

''The general public is not aware of the rules related to the Defacement Act. We are aiming not only to educate the people of the city but also ensure that the defaulters are punished under the law,'' said Kakkar.

Secretary, Pramukh, Florence Pandhi, said that the police could register a complaint regarding defacement as an FIR. ''The law is very clear in its condemnation of such acts and awards stringent punitive punishment for the offenders. Even the Election Commission of India is of the opinion that nobody has any right to deface or spoil any public or private building by pasting their posters, writing of slogans and painting of symbols. ECI clearly states that if such an activity is undertaken without the permission of the building owner than the erring person is liable to be prosecuted under the law,'' she added.

Elaborating further, Brig KG Behl (retd), a member of the NGO, said that the Model Code of Conduct under Item (6) states that no political party or candidate shall permit its or his followers to make use of any individual's land, building, compound, wall etc, without his permission for erecting flag staff, suspending banner, pasting notices, writing slogans etc.

''The district administration should be more vigilant during this period so that the city does not become filthy as a result of elections. Even though we are taking every possible step, we require the help from city residents in this campaign against defacement,'' he added.

Those who were present in the meeting included Col JS Maan (retd), Promila Kaul, Suchitra, Kusum Kumar and Dr Arun Kumar.

IIP, EIL sign MoU with Numaligarh refinery
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
The Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, and the Engineers India Limited (EIL), New Delhi, have entered into a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Assam, for setting up a wax plant in Guwahati.

The signing of the memorandum took place in Guwahati today.

Dr MO Garg, director of the IIP, said the solvent deoiling technology on which the NRL was setting up a grass root wax deoiling unit, was developed by the IIP.

Engineering inputs in the technology were being provided by the Engineers India Limited (EIL). The estimated cost of the unit would come up Rs 750 crore. It would process low value wax distillates in a series of steps comprising of fractional crystallisation and filtration.

Dr Garg said the successful commercialisation of the wax deoiling technology at the NRL was a matter of great pride for the CSIR as it would be one of the biggest indigenous technology transfer deals, fetching handsome design and licensing fee for the CSIR-IIP.

Shankaracharya’s samadhi restoration work from June 15
Tribune News service

Dehradun, April 12
The restoration of the samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, located near Kedarnath, which was damaged in the last year’s mid-June natural disaster, will begin from June 15.

Soil from the places which were visited by Adi Shankaracharya will be used to perform the rituals. The yatra titled ‘Mission Kaladi to Kedar’ for collecting soil from all the places has been undertaken by Faith Foundation in New Delhi.

Raghav Chaudhary, secretary of the mission, coordinator Sanjiv Gaur and Uttarakhand in charge of the Shankaracharya Peethh Goverdham Math Shantanu Gaur met Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi today and requested him to give soil on behalf of Uttarakhand for the mission.

The Governor will contribute on behalf of the state on April 17 at Raj Bhavan.

He said the kalash yatra was symbolic of national unity and he would support it.

It may be mentioned here that the yatra began on February 8, 2014, from Kaladi in Karnataka, which is the birth place of Adi Shankaracharya. The yatra will enter Dehradun on April 17.

Arun Dhaundiyal, secretary to the Governor and additional secretary Nidhi Pandey were also present.

Projects worth Rs 575 cr sanctioned
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 12
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar presided over a high level committee meeting of NABARD at the Secretariat in Dehradun yesterday.

During the meeting, sanction was given to a total of 600 projects worth Rs 575 crore for 2014-15.

The projects included Rs 275 crore for Public Works Department (PWD), Rs 100 crore for the Irrigation Department, Rs 50 crore for higher education, Rs 25 crore for ITI, Rs 25 crore for polytechnic and Rs 100 crore for construction of basic structures of engineering colleges.

Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary, PWD, SS Sandhu and Additional Secretary food Ravinath Raman were present during the meeting.