CM seeks Rs 10,000 crore from Centre for cleaning Ganga
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 29
Maintaining sanctity and purity of the Ganga is a main priority of the state government and it is committed to it. Chief Minister Harish Rawat said this while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day ‘Global Interface Wash Alliance’ summit organised by the Global Interfaith Wash in collaboration with Unicef at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh today.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat appreciated the objectives of this summit, saying this is a beginning to transform India into a clean, green and healthy nation, in which religious leaders from 200 countries extended their support.

The Chief Minister blamed the Union Government for the inability of Uttarakhand to achieve the clean Ganga target owing to paucity of adequate funds.

To achive this target, the Chief Minister demanded a budget allocation of Rs 10,000 crore from the Centre and guaranteed to clean the Ganga from Gaumukh-Gangotri till Haridwar.

The Chief Minister said that if the Central Government gave aid to the state government, “we are ready to ensure 100 per cent clean and pure Ganga.”

Citing two drives of ‘Nirmal Bharat’ and ‘Swachh Bharat’, Rawat said that the main motive of both was the same and the Nirmal Bharat drive was the next phase of Swachh Bharat.

“Like the Indian Constitution the Ganga and the Himalayas are secular. They cater to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, religion or sect. It is high time that we all take a pledge to ensure that the Ganga is cleaned. The Uttarakhand government is doing its job but we need additional funds from the Centre to clean the Ganga,”said Rawat.

Referring to the Ganga Action Plan initiated by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in mid 80s, Harish Rawat said it was the maiden major step towards Ganga cleaning.

He emphasised the pivotal role Uttarakhand had in the clean Gang drive as the sacred river originates from the state at Gaumukh –Gangotri and was clean till Haridwar as compared to other states.

Harish Rawat opens Laloor drinking water project near Nainbagh
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 29
Chief Minister Harish Rawat dedicated the much awaited Laloor drinking water project worth Rs 14.5 crore to the people of the region during the conclusion of the 27th rural sports and cultural fest being organised at Jagdhar near Nainbagh in Jaunpur development region of district Tehri today.

Besides announcing Rs 50 crore sops in Jagdhar village he also approved more than 20 projects at Garkhet village where he reached following his inaugurating the pumping project here.

Harish Rawat, addressing the gathering, announced that the Thatyud-Kempty, Tahtyud-Agyarna, Thatud-Marad, Thatyud-Papra, Uniyal Gaon-Nagrajdhar, Raipur-Kaddukhal, Gorakhori-Aeindi routes and several other roads would be made concrete. He also gave green signal for the Kempty-Chadogi road.

He announced opening of a health centre at Jagdhar and Garkhet.

Rawat sanctioned funds for the playgrounds at Garhkhet Government Inter College.

He announced funds for the upgradation of the playgrounds at Garkhet and Jaagdhar. He announced reconstruction of government school at Garkhet and construction of additional rooms at Government Inter College at Mayani Jagdhaar, construction of a library at the school of GIC Mayani in Jaagdhar, Rs 1 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for books at the library and one-month extra honorarium for Asha workers.

He also made an announcement that the government would share around 60 per cent of the funds while 40 per cent will be given to gram sabhas under MNREGA for the construction of linking roads in the state.

RSS chief: India on verge of becoming superpower
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 29
India is in a defining moment. People have reposed faith in a government that has laid the foundation of India becoming a superpower. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said this while addressing saints at the Jagadguru Ashram at Kankhal in Haridwar yesterday.

The RSS ideologue said after 10 years of misrule in the country the people had made the ‘right choice’ to vote a good government to power. “We all are to be blamed for the wrong choice we made for the past 10 years. Now, we have made the right choice and India is on the verge of becoming the world leader. The government has the determination and right persons to take India on the threshold of becoming a superpower,” said Bhagwat to the applause of the saints.

The RSS chief called for unity among Hindus saying the Hindu religion, culture and society were one of the oldest and most prosperous.

Earlier Bhagwat unveiled a statue of Brahmaleen Samrat Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Shri Prakashanand Maharaj at the ashram. Jagadguru Raj Rajeshwaram Maharaj and other revered saints such as Mahamandaleshwar Shri Hari Chetanand Maharaj, Shri Ravindra Puri Maharaj, Swami Chinmayanand, Jai Devji Maharaj, and Kapil Muni Maharaj also spoke about Shri Prakashanad Maharaj’s life and his contirbution to humanity.

Later Bhagwat went to Yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth. He refrained from speaking to mediapersons and remained silent on other contentions issues.

IIP to tie up with GCE group on energy conservation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, and GCE Group of St Petersburg, Russia, have pledged to work together towards energy conservation. IIP and GCE group deliberations comes at a time when the Indo-Russian Working Group on Energy and Energy Efficiency in its 19th meeting held in New Delhi recently highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries for increasing the competence of the Indian industry in terms of improving their energy efficiency.

In line with the above, GCE Group of St. Petersburg, Russia, and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, organised a joint workshop on “Energy efficiency advancement methods in Dehradun for industries trends and innovations” that concluded today. CSIR - Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehardun, has over the last several years led the country’s efforts to improve energy efficiency of the refining sector by applying advanced refining techniques.

The workshop focused on understanding of advanced methods and their applications in energy savings and efficiency improvement in refining process. These methods include energy efficiency benchmarking, energy management system, column targeting, auditing strategy and guidelines for energy managers.

Dr. M O Garg, Director, IIP, hoped that the learnings from the workshop will lead to significant energy savings in various plant operations, lower maintenance costs and extended equipment life. GCE Group of St. Petersburg was represented by Anastasia Savelena.

The speakers having several years of experience of working in area of energy efficient enhancement and energy conservation from Russia and India took part in the workshop. More than 100 engineers and officers working and interested in this area from various organisations like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, Reliance, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Essar Oil, Oil India Ltd, GAIL, Kuwait National Petroleum and Haryana Power Corporation took part in the workshop.

Carman School sports day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
The primary and junior annual sports day of Carman School was organised here today. The theme of the sports day was “The states of India”. The sports day began with primary school parade and the nursery class. In the nursery section race, Manya stood first followed by Diya Badoni.

In the KG section, Sayuri Rana, Purohit and Saumya Pawar held the top three positions. For class I, Angela Howard, Samridhi and Anshika Sharma were the position holders.

Magic show at KV

Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, Hathibarkala, Dehradun, today organised a magic show with the help of Red Cross Society of Dehradun on the school premises.

The objective was to inculcate and develop a scientific outlook among the students so that the students get rid of superstition. Famous magician VK Samrat (Junior) performed varied magic tricks during the show.

Magician Samrat also unfolded the tricks devised behind several common magic acts.

The students were spellbound during this show. After every magic the magician kept reminding the students that it is just a trick and illusion.

Students liked the show very much and gave a positive feedback to the magician and school teachers about the concept of the programme.

The magician was welcomed by the Principal Indrajeet Singh on this occasion. PC Joshi, SS Malik and the entire staff of KV No1 HBK were present.

Waverly Convent School celebrates annual day

Mussoorie: Waverly Convent School for Girls in Mussoorie celebrated its annual day function with fervour and gaiety on Saturday. The chief guest, MLA Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi, distributed the awards and citations to the students excelling in academic and sports.

The principal of the school Sister Anita read out the annual report highlighting the achievements of the school.

The students presented several dance and song items to mark the annual day function which was much appreciated by the parents and the gathered audience.

MLA Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi highlighted the fact that the girls are much more sincere and no less than the boys in any field. He also appealed to people to stay away from female infanticide and promote education among the girls.

The school staff along with senior BJP leaders Virendar Rana,Vijay Ramola and others were present on the occasion.

Ramdev to train youths from North-East in yoga
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 29
A yoga training camp for practitioners from northeastern states concluded at Patanjali Yogpeeth here yesterday. Yoga guru Ramdev has decided to focus on the northeastern states and impart yoga training to the youth of the region. He said he wanted to make the youths from Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur well versed in yoga art.

“Northeast India is the heart of our country. By popularising yoga in this part, we will make the local youth healthy and happy. Yoga transcends boundaries of international borders, religion, caste, creed, geography and age. Patanjali Yogpeeth is committed to carrying out yoga training camps in northeastern states in the near future,” said Ramdev.

Acharya Balkrishan threw light on the pledge taken by Ramdev to make society healthy. He said they were receiving a huge response from the youths of the North-East. “Youths are enrolling for the yoga camp training at Patanjali Yogpeeth, while several organisations and institutions are interested in collaborating with us to hold camps in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and West Bengal,” he said.

Women, NSUI protest against girl’s murder at Haldwani
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
Members of the Women Rights and Development Committee staged a protest at Gandhi Park here today in support of their demand of death sentence for the arrested accused who raped and murdered a seven-year-old girl at Haldwani on November 20.

President of the committee Anjana Uniyal said the tragic incident at Haldwani had brought shame to the state. “We demand that the killers should be hanged till death to set an example. Also, stringent action should be taken against administration and police officials who have failed to control the law and order situation in the state,” she added.

Lakhi Ram, Savitri Thapa, Bittu Rawat, Alka Sharma, Sushila Desai, and Adhir Chamoli took part in the protest.

The Dehradun chapter of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has expressed grief over the rape and murder of seven-year-old girl in Haldwani.

Demanding stringent punishment for the culprits, Swati Negi, a national delegate of the union, said that while the state government is taking all steps to ensure justice is served to the victim, some anti-social elements are trying to create unrest in the state by issuing statements. “The Opposition should stop trying to gain mileage from the incident,” she added.

Hindu organisations for verification of outsiders

Pithoragarh: Hindu organisations today held a silent march in Pithoragarh town and staged a peaceful dharna at the District Magistrate’s office in support of their demand for verification of persons who come to Uttarakhand for jobs from other states and neighbouring countries such as Nepal.

Activists of Hindu organisations alleged that outsiders had been found to be involved in various heinous crimes in the hill region of the state. “These outsiders work in Uttarakhand as hawkers, rag-pickers and labourers and commit crimes,” said Jagdish Pandey, district president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Pandey said the verification of the credentials of people who come to the state for employment from other parts of India and neighbouring countries such as Nepal had been demanded several times but the police had not been serious about the issue. “We have now decided to verify the credentials of such persons ourselves and have formed teams for the purpose in every village of the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hindu Jagran Manch activists said they had formed a Yuva Pariwar Sewa Samiti for the verification of the outsiders working in the district.

Minister flays China, Pak for proxy war
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 29
Union Minister for State Information and Broadcasting Rajya Wardhan Singh Rathore cornered neighbouring countries China and Pakistan for their indulgence in proxy war for decades against India.

This he also attributed to the fact thatthe neighbouring countries know that they cannot face India in a direct war. So they try to indulge in such tactics.

Rathore on the recent incursion and infiltration along the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control said that intent of the neighbouring countries is not clean. That is why despite several peace, bilateral and table talks with them, still proxy war is being witnessed.

An Olympic medalist Rajya Vardhan Rathore stated this while addressing 5000 youths at Patanjali Yogpeeth here today in Haridwar.

Citing his three-year service in Indian Army where he retired from the rank of Colonel, he said that many a times with just a couple of soldiers his patrolling team used to force the terrorists to retreat from Indian soil.

Appreciating the role of Uttarakhand in Indian defence, Rajya Wardhan Rathore pointed that out of 12 lakh regular Army personnel, 3 lakh hail from Uttarakhand state, which considering the percentage and population aspect is the highest among all the states of the country.

Urging youths to contribute to the motherland and society in any way they can, Rathore also suggested to them to opt for self employment in their home hill districts too.

‘Set up police cells for crimes against kids’
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh November 29
Former Almora MP and Congress leader Pradeep Tamta has questioned working methods of the state police. He has said for the police to be sensitive to crimes against children and women, their working style needs to change. A separate cell needs to be constituted in all districts to deal with such crimes, he said.

Tamta told this correspondent that the failure of the police in crimes against children and women was largely due to the traditional mindset of the force. They should be sensitive towards children and women. “It is evident from the state police’’s 14-year record that it could not solve cases relating to crimes against children and women,” the former MP said.

Tamta said criminals from adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh were entering Dehradun, Haldwani and Udham Singh Nagar districts and using methods unknown to the Uttarakhand police to commit crimes.

“We need to incorporate a special course in police training syllabus to investigate and solve cases pertaining to crimes against women and children in the state,” said Pradeep Tamta.

Mediamen protest lathi charge
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 29
Demanding removal of Haldwani SSP Santhil Abudei, local journalists and some other parts of the region today staged dharnas and handed over a memorandum to the Governor through District Magistrate or sub-divisional magistrates against the police lathi charge on mediapersons in Haldwani yesterday during the stone pelting incident on Chief Minister’s motorcade by activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

The mediapersons gathered at Ramlila ground in Haldwani and staged a dhrana protesting against the lathi charge on them last evening. “It was the SSP who ordered the lathi charge on the journalists, going to cover the Chief Minister’s visit, without taking nod from the District Magistrate of Nainital. He should be removed on the charges of crushing democratic institution of press,” said a Haldwani based senior journalist.

The dharna was later supported by leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt and Nainital MP Bhagat Singh Kosiyari, who arrived at the spot and extended their support to the protesting journalists. Journalists in Pithoragarh gathered at the District Magistrate’s office and handed over a memorandum to him to be sent to the Governor. They demand was to remove the police officer who ordered lathicharge on mediamen at Haldwani. “We have demanded for the safety of mediamen covering some event, as without getting protection, the fourth pillar of the democracy cannot function fearlessly,” said Jugal Kishor Pandey, a senior journalist from Pithoragarh.

BJP men attacked CM’s motorcade: Congress
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
The Uttarakhand Congress has sought strict action against BJP activists for their alleged involvement in stoning of the Chief Minister’s motorcade at Haldwani. In a memorandum addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, New Delhi, it said the BJP workers stoned the Chief Minister’s motorcade at Haldwani yesterday when the latter had gone to meet the rape victim’s family to express his condolences.

Surendra Singh Arya, media coordinator of the state Congress, said they had handed over the memorandum to state Election Commissioner Saujanya to be forwarded to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Arya said the act of the BJP workers was an attack on the life of the Chief Minister and a violation of the Representation of the People Act.

Congress state programme coordinator Rajendra Shah, Mathura Dutt Joshi, Lalchand Sharma and Prithvi Singh Chauhan were prominent Congress leaders who were part of the Congress delegation that submitted the memorandum.

Races mark Doon World sports day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
The annual sports day of Doon World School was celebrated with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm by the students here today. The day started with a marchpast, carrying a message of tree plantation, presented by the students. Later, in the 150-metre race Emerald house stood first followed by Topaz house getting the second position.

In the 120 metre relay race for girls, Vanshika Sharma and Shubhangi stood first. In the boys’ category, Sapphire house bagged the first position.

Those who were present on the occasion included Beena Kalia, Mandeep Dang, Urvashi Anand and several others.

Man accused of killing wife still at large
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 29
The man accused of stabbing his wife to death in Defence Colony here is still absconding. Sagar allegedly stabbed his wife Divya after they had a heated argument on Tuesday night. Divya was brought to hospital where she died.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple had been living in separation for the last two years. Sagar was annoyed with her as she had filed divorce papers. SP (city) Ajay Singh said two teams had been sent to neighbouring states to arrest Sagar.