Dehradun, November 26
Tehri Hydroelectric Development Corporation (THDC) has blamed the Uttarakhand government for not only the delay in relief and rehabilitation work for the Tehri dam affected people but also for huge losses following the delay in the impoundment of the Tehri reservoir up to the 830m level.

In a letter to the Tehri Lok Sabha MP Vijay Bahuguna, chairman and managing director of the THDC R.S.T. Sai said that during the impoundment of the reservoir up to 820m in 2007, some villages namely Raulakot, Nakot and Sayansu were identified by an inter-departmental committee comprising of scientists from the Geological Survey of India, Central Soil Research Institute, as highly prone to landslides.

These villages were to be rehabilitated and a sum of Rs 4.3 crore were released by the THDC on August 21 but so far, the notification under Sections 4 and 6, necessary for government action, have not been initiated by the state government.

Vijay Bahuguna had asked the THDC authorities to explain the delay in the relief and rehabilitation work for Tehri dam affected people of his constituency in the light of Rs 149 crore special package announced by union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde during his visit to Tehri in February.

Sai, in his reply, further said that as soon as the survey, enumeration and detailed estimates of amount of compensation for landslide prone villages would be received, the balance amount would be released.

Similarly, the issue of other risk prone zones above 835m are under consideration of the expert committee and money would be released as soon as its report is received by the THDC.

Sai further alleged that for the additional families to be rehabilitated due to new final survey of 835m, a sum of Rs 37 crores was released from February to June and 118 agriculture/residential plots for beneficiaries were readily available at different locations for resettlement.

"Unfortunately, even the notification under Section 4 for acquisition of such additional land has not been done by the state government in spite of follow-up at various levels including by secretary (power), Government of India," he wrote.

The THDC chairman said that it was agreed upon by the state government to share the cost of Dobra Chanti bridge costing Rs 90 crore with the Central government. The THDC has already released Rs 35 crore between October 2006 to July 2008. However, the matching contribution from the state government has not come.

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation department has said that the cost of the bridge is likely to go up to Rs 120 crore. The sanction of the state government for the cost estimate and expenditure on the bridge has not so far been accorded. The THDC said that in absence of the same, it may not be able to release further payments.

The THDC chief said that the delay in the impoundment up to 830m of the Tehri reservoir is leading to huge losses to the corporation and also to the Uttarakhand government which is entitled to 12 per cent share of free power from the Tehri project. 

Dehradun, November 26
To update the survey conducted for the proposed project to lay broad gauge railway line from Rishikesh-Karanprayag, the railways ministry has asked the state government to provide more inputs.

In a recent communication from chief commercial manager, traffic survey, Boota Singh to chief secretary I.K. Pandey, the state has been asked to work out per unit cost of all foodgrains, cereals and general goods to the areas in different districts falling under “zone of influence” of the proposed rail line.

This would help assess the savings in cost of transportation of goods and passengers correctly. Since all these items are transported to hill areas especially high altitude from plains, it involves heavy transport cost and excessive transit time.

The government has also been asked to provide segregated figures related to the number of tourists under leisure, religious and adventure categories, the places visited by them as well the states they come from along with their duration of visit.

It will help in early completion of the survey and to expedite the clearance of the project at the higher level. Pandey assured that all required information would be sent as early as possible.

Boota Singh informed that the biggest benefit of the new line will go to the Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts. The next highest gainers will be New Tehri, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh and Pauri districts.

Uttarakashi and Almora districts will also be benefited as 25 per cent of its area will also be the influence zone. Of the total, about 60 per cent of the survey work has been completed.

This rail line to Garhwal Himalayas entails great economic significance. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are situated in the area besides the famous Sikh pilgrimage site of Hemkund Sahib. More than three 
million pilgrims visited these places last year.

The survey work on the Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail line was almost complete in 2000. The 126km broad guage railway line from Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar and Devprayag was to be built at a cost of Rs 1,372 crore. But the project was shelved.

As Union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav showed interest in it following his visit to Badrinatah and Kedarnath temples last year, the work to update the earlier survey was undertaken. As of now, about 60 per cent of work has been updated.

Haridwar, November 26
The three-day annual fest organised in Gurukul Kangri University named 'Jyanangn' concluded on a high note. The event saw participation from various colleges and about 1500 students participating in various competitions.

The three-day event enlivened the Gurukul campus with interaction among the students. The fest showcased several programmes notably Midas Touch which analysed the speech and talking capability of the students.

"Gurukul provided the right atmosphere and we got to interact with the students which is very beneficial "avers Harprit a national awardee from Arya College Ludhiana who performed Gidda dance at the fest. The fest gave about Rs 55,000 cash award to the winners apart from the gold medals, various scholarships, books and gifts.

VC Swatantra Kumar thanked all for the success of the fest. The winners in various catergories were Nakul Nishant, Dhananjya, Ram Krishna, Abhishek, Sameer Sehgal, Sumit Bachani, Mayukh Mitra, Amrit Jeeth Singh, and Ambarish Pathak.

Dehradun, November 26
Scientists at the premier forestry institutions of the country falling under the ambit of Indian Council of Forestry Research (ICFRE) including Forest Research Institute (FRI) are finding themselves sidelined vis-à-vis Indian Forest Service officers obviously due to their dwindling representation in the institute’s top hierarchy and lessening of budgetary support for carrying out of the research activities.

Forest Scientists Association members today submitted a memorandum to the Union State Minister of Forest and Wild Life Sevugan Reghupathy seeking his intervention for redressing long-standing concerns of the scientists at these forestry institutions.

The seven-point memorandum seeks increasing the strength of scientists at both FRI and ICFRE in the larger interests of carrying out of research activities. Interestingly, the strength of research staff (scientists and supporting staff) has been dwindling in the past years. While the present sanctioned strength of scientists in ICFRE (including all the institutes) is 280 out of which only 257 are filled.

“Moreover, the strength of 280 is not sufficient in carrying out the wide research spectrum in the forestry sector, especially keeping in mind the latest additions in technology and specific specialisation”, argues Dr Sudhir President Forest Scientists Association.

The Association while asserting that the scientists of the Council were committed to achieve national goals in the fields of forestry and environment, has also sought better budget support asserting that research works were of paramount importance keeping in mind its outcome, which was essential for survival of mankind.

Significantly, the Forests Scientists Association in particular seeks representation of scientists in various management posts. Presently, out of 25 sanctioned posts of top management in ICFRE and its institutes, a scientist mans only one post.

Haridwar, November 26
It is quite surprising to see today’s generation queueing up in large numbers and patiently listening to the orators who were talking about a Hindi poet. Surprising it sounds! But those who were present at the SMJN college auditorium in Haridwar weren’t. It was the occasion of 101st birth anniversary of late Harivansharai Bachchan, where number of speakers turned up to pay their tribute to the poet.

"Earlier I knew him as father of Amitabh Bachchan but today I got to know him as a great poet. I read "Madhushala" for the first time and believe me it’s a classic,” opined Jaya Adlakha, student.

Born on November 27, 1907 in a village in Uttar Pradesh, Harivansharai Bachchan brought romantic upsurge (Chayavaad) in the Indian poetry and later went on to ink "Madhushala" the best selling book in Hindi yet today.

From village municipal school to Cambridge university Bachchan churned literary works in his inimitable style. He studied at Allahabad university and later taught for ten years English at the same university and then went to Cambridge University where he got a doctorate in English on his research on WB Yeats and his Occultism.

Bachchan was equally proficient in Hindi and English language besides Urdu too which is better testified by his translation of Bhgavad Gita into simple Hindi and Shakespeare's classics Othello-Macbeth into hindi language.

But Harivansharai is best known for his master piece Madhushala which he penned in 1935 which catapulted him to instant fame. “Still today Madhushala is demanded by all age group readers and sells like any other bestseller" informs book sellers in Dehradun and Haridwar.

Harivansharai was greatly admired by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahrlal Nehru so much that Gandhiji listened Madhushala's recitation personally from Bachchan and Nehru brought him in Ministry Of External Affairs a special officer to work on the evolution of Hindi as national language.

Bachchan got several prizes notably Padma Bhushan (1976), Sahitya Akademi Award (1969), Yash Bharati (1994), Soviet Land Nehru prize from Russia, Afro-Asian Writers Conference Award among others.

Dehradun, November 26
No state or central official should expect any VIP treatment during their visit to Maha Kumbh mela as the organisers expect around nine crore devotees from all over the world to turn up on the occasion. The mela will start from January 2010 at Haridwar.

A high-level meeting of all concerned officers of the mela organising committee held here today under the chairmanship of Uttarakhand urban development minister Diwakar Bhatt at the state secretariat here today, extensively deliberated on the proposed arrangements and gave final shape to them.

Elaborating the arrangements, Bhatt informed that the organising committee has already intimated to all state governments as well as the Centre that no officials would be accorded any special treatment. Those desiring to visit should come as normal devotees.

Given the three times bigger scale as compared to Ardh Kumbh mela held previously, this coming mega event would be a greater challenge for the state government in terms of organising it in a smooth manner especially in view of the expected rush and security concerns.

To provide necessary facilities to the devotees, the budget has been pegged at Rs 350 crore. “We have taken steps so that the shortcomings noticed in organising Ardh Kumbh mela last time are not repeated,” said Bhatt.

The committee has decided to turn the temporary arrangements including structures put up on these occasions in the past into permanent ones over the mela area covering 130 sq km.

“The rationale behind the permanent arrangements regarding lodging, sewerage, electricity and roads among others is to save on expenditure for these events to be held in the future,” he said. Around Rs 88 crore have been allocated for this purpose.

Earlier, the state machinery used to be under pressure to create facilities in 8-9 months before these events. But this time, the preparations have been started about a year and half before. This would help ensure quality while giving shape to various arrangements. “We will conduct quality checks of all works. No laxity on part of the concerned officials will be tolerated,” he assured.

It was decided to divide the entire mela area into 31 sectors which would be self-sufficient units containing all facilities and concerned officials. For internal security, the state government has, besides the state police, 
requisitioned 60-70 companies of police, Home Guards from outside as well central paramilitary forces.

For better crowd management, all roads leading to the main area would be widened to prevent any traffic bottlenecks. The bypass to Mansa Devi temple will also be extended.

The work on the proposed railway overbridge at Lachhiwala will get underway soon. “We are trying to expedite the clearance for another overbridge at Motichur,” he said while assuring all arrangements will be put in place in a time-bound manner.

Dehradun, November 26
Chief Minister BC Khanduri has ordered a magisterial inquiry into yesterday's jeep accident in which 13 persons, including three women and a child, were killed.

Expressing shock over the tragedy, Khanduri asked Pratapnagar SDM Anil Garbial to look into the causes of the accident, Tehri district magistrate Saujanya said today.

The Chief Minister also announced an ex ratia of Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 5,00 each to the three injured. The officer is to submit the report in a fortnight.

The jeep carrying 16 persons was going from Tehri to Pratapnagar when it skidded off the road and fell into a 80-metre deep gorge near Lambgaon in Tehri district. The condition of one of the injured is stated to be critical. — PTI