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Ward Politics
12 hurt in BHEL blast, fire
Lease of 118 plots cancelled |
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Three youths run over by train
Tiger kills woman; angry villagers block highway
Notice issued to Forest Survey of India
Report favours resuming work on hydro projects
Job fair on Feb 7, registrations today
Guv meets Kashmiri children
Workshop on tourism
Global warming causing flash floods, say experts
Anti-polythene task force
Tulash, SAI Institute enter final
UPCL register victory
Wicket-keeper takes off the bails as the batsman makes an attempt to complete a run at the ongoing 57th District Cricket League at Survey Stadium in Dehradun on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir
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Ward Politics
Dehradun, February 4 Interestingly, instead of taking the guilty to task, the police have registered a case against Saleem. Congress leaders have accused the police administration of “playing in the hands” of the BJP. They have threatened that they would stage a dharna outside the office of Uttarakhand DGP Subhash Joshi on Thursday if the police fails to take action against the culprits. Congress activist Raees Fatima claimed that in the morning today, she went to the Municipal Corporation to complain that BJP Councillor of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony, Kamli Bhatt, was harassing slum dwellers in her ward. “Kamli and her supporters came to our house and thrashed my husband Saleem and me,” alleged Fatima while adding that her husband sustained serious head injuries. She further alleged that when she, along with her husband, went to Raipur police station to lodge a complaint, activists of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), led by its president Rajkumar Jaiswal, reached there and assaulted them in front of the cops. However, denying all allegations, Kamli Bhatt claimed that it was Raees and Saleem who assaulted her while she was on her way to the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA). “Saleem and Raees stopped me near Mohini Road and started beating me. It was the the people passing by who saved me. I don’t know why the duo assaulted me,” she counter- alleged. She further alleged that Saleem hit himself on his head in order to make his case strong before the police. Kamli also alleged that when she went to the police station to lodge a complaint, Raees and Saleem again assaulted her. After getting the information, leaders of the BJP, including MLA Ganesh Joshi, and the Congress reached Doon Hospital. Incharge of Raipur police station, Jawahar Lal, said that Kamli and Raees met on the road and after having a verbal duel, both indulged in a brawl. He denied any scuffle within the police station premises. “On the basis of the medical examination of Kamli, a case under Section 323/506 of Indian Penal Code has been registered against Saleem,” he said. UPCC media incharge Suryakant Dhasmana alleged that the police was not even ready to conduct Saleem’s medical examination. “Saleem has sustained grievous injuries and it is only after our intervention that his medical examination was done,” he claimed. |
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12 hurt in BHEL blast, fire
Haridwar, February 4 The blast occurred at the SMS (steel melting shop) plant in a 70-tonne capacity furnace due to water leakage and due to it, fire spread in the adjacent area. Such was the gravity of the blast that apart from three Central Industrial State Force fire brigades, additional fire brigades were called. Till the evening, the fire fighters were unable to extinguish the fire. Late in the afternoon, water leaked into the 70-tonne furnace, in which iron is melted at high temperature, and caused the blast. A few more workers got injured as everybody began to run away from the furnace area. The electric transformers, which were in a separate room near the furnace, also caught fire. Officials said that the losses may amount to crores of rupees though the details will be calculated after the full survey. All injured have been admitted to BHEL Main hospital. |
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Lease of 118 plots cancelled
Dehradun, February 4 The decision to cancel the lease was taken at a meeting at New Tehri town, the district headquarters of Tehri district, under the chairmanship of Garhwal Commissioner Umakant Panwar. The decision followed displeasure shown by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) over the inaction of the officials on reports of sale of leased land to outsiders. The Chief Minister took cognisance of the reports that the land leased to local farmers to develop a fruit belt on the Chamba-Mussoorie road a decade ago has been sold off to big builders, officials and hoteliers for building personal farms, resorts and bungalows. The expose came following large-scale illegal felling of trees by a private builder to build a housing colony in alleged connivance with forest officials. District Forest Officer (DFO), Tehri, along with his subordinates was suspended and the builder was arrested following an inquiry into the felling of trees. In the entire belt from Chamba in Tehri district up to Mussoorie, large-scale illegal construction has been done as the land leased to local farmers exchanged hands. Interestingly, senior forest and wildlife officials were also allegedly involved in the scam. The fruit belt was developed during the Uttar Pradesh days and 118 local farmers were leased lands. However, after the formation of the state, land prices shot up and the picturesque Chamba-Mussoorie road overlooking Dehradun valley became hot property. Many senior officials, politicians and hoteliers purchased land. Now, the state government has decided to cancel the lease of 118 allottees and started the process to get back the land. Five of these plots would be reverted back to the forest department, according to officials. The administration has also decided to demolish some illegal constructions being done on these agricultural plots in violation of the law. However, the decision has come as a shock to the local farmers. “It is good that those who misused their plots were penalised but those who had been involved in producing fruits as per the mandate have also been made to suffer due to this decision,” charged Birender Singh Negi, president of the Chamba Fruit Growers Association. However, the state administration has given an indication that the process for re-allotment of these plots would
start soon. |
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Three youths run over by train
Roorkee, February 4 The inconsolable parents of the deceased — Sachin Kumar and Monu, both aged 19, and Rohit (20) — were accompanied by relatives. Sachin and Monu were residents of Jafferpur village while Rohit hails from Sardadi village of Ambala district. The incident happened around 6.30 pm yesterday when the victims along with two other friends, namely Parveen Kumar and Saurabh Chauhan also from Ambala, were walking along the rail track on their way to
Roorkee railway station from Dhandera. Sub-inspector RS Rawat said, “Hemkunt Express, from Rishikesh to Jammu Tawi, came from behind and pulled Monu and Sachin towards it and knocked them down. “The third victim, Rohit, who was walking on the track, jumped to the adjoining track and was crushed under another train, coming from other side.” Saurabh and Parveen, who were walking ahead of the victims, managed to jump
to safety. Sachin and Monu died on the spot while Rohit, who was immediately taken to a hospital by the railway police, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. “The youngsters came here for recruitment in the Army. They were on their way to the Roorkee railway station to find a shelter for the night,” said a relative of a victim. The postmortem was conducted in the morning today following which the bodies were handed over to
the parents. |
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Tiger kills woman; angry villagers block highway
Dehradun, February 4 The victim was identified as Bhagwati Devi (55), wife of Bhuwan Chandra Nainwal, a teachers at Dikuli Inter-College. Bhagwati Devi had gone to collect firewood when attacked by the prowling tiger. The incident led to an agitation where villagers blocked the National Highway 121 that falls in the close proximity of
the area. Angry villagers are demanding the administration to declare the tiger as a man-eater. Warden Corbett, DS Rawat and ranger UC Tiwari had a tough time pacifying angry villagers who have staged a gherao. “We have started our patrolling to locate the tiger,” Rawat said. This is not the first such incident in the area. “Conservationists talk a lot on wildlife, but the problems of villagers living in the close proximity of reserve is seldom addressed,” said Munish Kumar, villager. Meanwhile, wildlife authorities had decided to give compensation to the victim’s family. |
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Notice issued to Forest Survey of India
Dehradun, February 4 The Division Bench of the court, while hearing a petition filed by Goa Foundation, an NGO, sought assistance from the Forest Survey of India for completing the identification and demarcation of private forests in the state, a process that was scheduled to restart in October, 2008. Goa Advocate-General Subodh Kantak told the court that a satellite imagery could not be the basis to determine which areas qualified as private forests. |
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Report favours resuming work on hydro projects
Dehradun, February 4 Dehradun-based NGO Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), which had filed a PIL against the government decision, has claimed that the report is a vindication of its stand that the work should not be stopped. The state government had in June 2008 stopped work on Bharon Ghati and Pala-Maneri projects in the wake of an indefinite fast by environmentalist Prof GD Agarwal. The committee of experts, formed by the union government to go into the environmental and sentimental objections raised by Agarwal against construction of all hydro-projects on the Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi, has decided in its recent meeting in Delhi that work on the two under-construction state-owned projects between Gaumukh and Uttarakashi can be resumed with certain conditions. According to Yogendra Prasad, chairman, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam, the technical conditions included that availability of four cusecs water should be ensured in the river at all times. On special religious occasions like the Kumbh Mela and Makar Sankranti, 15 cusecs water should be released into the river on the demand of the local administration. The committee had in January conducted an on-the-spot study of the projects. “The report has upheld our stand. We never had any objection to such conditions on account of religious sentiments. The government decided to stop work under pressure from vested interests. It amounted to deny the basic facility of electricity to the people of Uttarakhand, especially when more than 1,200 villages are without electricity,” claimed RLEK chairman Avadesh Kaushal. In a letter dated June 2008, a copy of which is with The Tribune, Uttarakhand power secretary Shatrughan Singh had conveyed to Agarwal of the Bhagirithi Bachao Sankalp that the state government had stopped work on Bharon Ghati (381 MW) and Pala-Maneri (480 MW) projects with immediate effect. Requesting Agarwal to terminate his fast, he had also reiterated the government’s commitment to maintain purity and sanctity of the Ganga. Apex court lawyer MC Mehta, who also joined Agarwal, filed a PIL in the Nainital HC in June last with a plea to stop all hydro-projects on the Ganga despite the decision of the state government. The RLEK, which filed a PIL against the government decision, maintained that the decision of the state government to stop the projects was concealed from the court. Interestingly, Mehta and the state counsel said in the counter reply that the government had only ‘suspended’ the construction work.
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Job fair on Feb 7, registrations today
Dehradun, February 4 Arvind Gupta, chairman and MD, Dolphin Institute, said, “Our main aim is to create awareness for life sciences stream, which has more diversified avenues and scope for placement as compared to other sectors like IT, computer science, banking and finance,” he said. “Around 62 reputed companies would be participating in the fair to provide job opportunities to at least 1500 students from 11 states. The last date for registration is February 5. The job fair will last for a day only,” said Arvind. “Our mission is not only to provide 100 per cent placement to our own students, but also help other students at the national level,” added Arvind Gupta. |
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Guv meets Kashmiri children
Dehradun, February 4 While interacting with children, Joshi said they must be proud of being citizens of a India. He exhorted kids to work hard in order to keep the pride of the country intact. “India is a great country, in which people from different religions and culture remain together,” he said. Under the Operation Sadhbavana, a group of 34 students from Surankot of Jammu & Kashmir have come to Dehradun. The students will also be going to Mussoorie. It is worth mentioning that Operation Sadbhavana was launched by the Army to win the hearts and minds of the terrorism affected people, particularly in the remote areas of Jammu
and Kashmir. Under the unique Operation, Army has launched several development schemes in the far-flung areas, where the civil officials feared to venture out earlier. |
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Workshop on tourism
Dehradun, February 4 “As Uttarakhand is a tourist destination, we have organised this workshop for service providers, so that we can teach them basic manners, which in turn would help the tourism industry of Uttarakhand to flourish,” said Renu
Bamrara, coordinator, Ministry of Tourism. The workshop would four hour-long workshops, under the guidance of VK Srivastava, head, training cell, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam(GMVN). Topics such as importance of tourism, hygiene and good behaviour towards tourist, would be covered in the lectures. “The response till now has been excellent, and after Dehradun we are going to organise the workshop in Rishikesh and
Badrinath,” said Renu. |
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Global warming causing flash floods, say experts
Dehradun, February 4 He was addressing the inaugural session of Geomatics 2009, a national conference on geomatics and impact of climate with specific reference to mountain ecosystem, organised by the Indian Society of Geomatics in assistance with the Uttarakhand Science and Application Centre in Dehradun. Khanduri said climate change today stood as a challenge before humanity and was a big cause of concern. Global warming was leading to less snowfall which would mean less water for hydropower sector, he said. Minister of Science and Technology Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said Uttarakhand, a state gifted with rivers and forests, has had to confront ecological imbalances in recent times. He said the phenomenon like early flowering in some plants was the direct fallout of climate change. Environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt said the receding Himalayan glaciers needed immediate attention. He held that events like flash floods were the result of climate change. Uttarakhand has always led the nation in environment initiatives, he added. Earlier, Dr SS Negi, director, Forest Research Institute, welcoming the delegates to the three-day conference said climate change was a global concern and called for immediate attention of the scientific fraternity. Dr MM Kimothi, organising secretary, said that as many as 400 delegates that include scientists, researchers and students are participating in the conference. The Chief Minister also presented the Indian Society of Geomatics awards to scientists for their achievements in various disciplines of geomatics. Prof KS Valdya delivered the millennium lecture. |
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Anti-polythene task force
Haridwar, February 4 District health officer Dr Anil Tyagi has formed a task force comprising ward members and health officers with Dinesh Joshi as the chief. District Magistrate Shailesh Bhagoli said that total elimination of polythene looked a daunting task as polythene had made a foothold in day-to-day life and “we have to focus on how we can minimise its use.” — TNS |
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Tulash, SAI Institute enter final
Dehradun, February 4 In the first semifinal SBS (PG) College defeated Tulash Institute. While batting first, Tulash went on to score 114 runs in allotted 20 overs. Dipankar was the top scorer for the team with 24 runs followed by Chandresh with 22 runs and Sachin with 19. For SBS (PG) College Pradeep Sadan took three wickets and Abhishek took two. In reply SBS (PG) College achieved the target in the last over, with four wickets in hand. Shekhar was the top scorer for SBS (PG) College team, with 37 runs. In his inning of 37 runs, he hit six fours and one six followed by Sudhakar who scored 34 runs. The Man of the Match award went to Sudhakar of SBS (PG) College. In the second semifinal match, Sai Institute defeated NIIT by 22 runs. Batting first NIIT piled a huge total of 154 runs. Vishal was the top scorer for the team with 63 runs and Bhisham scored 22 runs. Chasing the massive target, NIIT fell shot by 22 runs. Vikas was the only batsman in form who scored 71 runs but rest of the batsmen could not do much and the team was all out for 123 runs in allotted 20 overs. |
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UPCL register victory
Dehradun, February 4 Kiran played a fiery inning of 52 runs of just 25 balls, hitting 6 fours and 4 sixes. While Deepak hit 33 runs, giving good support to Kiran from the other end. Later, the inning of Umesh, in which he made 43 runs helped the team pile a massive total of 239 runs. For LIC, Devesh Negi took three wickets however, Virender and Ashish picked up two wickets each. In reply, LIC lost its wickets at regular intervals and was all out for 114 runs. Sharad was the only batsman to reach the double figure mark and made 21 runs. For UPCL, Sanjay and CS Pathak picked two wickets each. |
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Dehradun, February 4
Dehradun, February 4
Dehradun, February 4
