Dehradun, May 9
UPA chairperson and All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi today launched a frontal attack on the Khanduri government terming it as “non-performing”.

Expressing disappointment at the lack of development in the state, despite having no dearth of funds, Sonia said Khanduri government has failed to meet the expectations of people.

Addressing an impressive election rally at the Parade Ground, Sonia said, “Development is only possible when the state government takes interest, but unfortunately Khanduri government even failed to provide basic amenities like drinking water.”

In her ten-minute speech, Sonia mainly dwelt on the issues pertaining to Uttarakhand and made a fervent appeal to the masses to vote for Congress candidates for better future of the hill state.

“Under the Jawharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Dehradun, Nainital and Haridwar were selected but so far state government had not even submitted the proposals for development projects,” said a visibly charged Congress president.

The UPA chairperson said Khanduri government failed to utilise funds amounting to Rs 175 crore, which were provided to the state under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for financial year 2008-09.

Continuing her attack on the state government, she said the BJP-led government couldn’t put to use funds to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore meant for roads, irrigation and other development projects.

“It is sad to see that there are no teachers in the schools. Hospitals are without doctors and government has not been able to provide basic amenities like drinking water.

“The power situation in the state has deteriorated so much that once tagged as ‘Urja Pradesh’, today Uttarakhand is in darkness,” said Sonia, while exhorting the electorate to cast their vote in favour of Congress candidates.

Appreciating the five-year tenure of the UPA government, Sonia said despite global slowdown, it was due to the competence of the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh that the economy is “stable”.

“The decision of the UPA regime to waive farmers’ loans amounting to Rs 65,000 crore was historic. Besides, four crore unemployed were given jobs and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission had benefitted lakhs of the government employees,” she said.

Sonia said the Congress is concerned with all sections of the society, and they had constituted a high-level committee to look into the matter of pension of ex-servicemen. She added that constitution of the Ministry for the Minorities and declaration of the Ganga as National River are some other important decisions taken by the UPA government.

Taking a dig at the NDA on the issue of terrorism, Sonia said, “Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their life while fighting terrorism. Hence, we do not need a certificate from any political party about the stand of the Congress on this issue,” while adding that before leveling baseless allegations, NDA leaders must recall that it was their minister who took terrorists lodged in jail to Kandhar and released them.

“UPA government mounted so much pressure that for the first time Pakistan had to admit that Mumbai attacks were planned on their soil. This is a big diplomatic victory for India,” she claimed.

Prominent among others present at the rally were Congress candidates from Tehri and Haridwar constituencies Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat, respectively, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief Yashpal Arya and Congress leader in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Dr Harak Singh Rawat.

Haridwar, May 9
In a major boost to the Congress party Uttarakhand Swatantra Senani and predecessor organisation, Uttaradhikari Sanghtan has decided to give support the Congress party in the state.

A decision in this regard was taken in a meeting of the organization, here today. State president of the organisation Doongar Singh Bisht said the decision was taken unanimously to vote and support the Congress in all five seats of Pauri Garwhal, Tehri Garhwal, Almora, Nainital and Haridwar.

Bisht lamented at the sorry state of the freedom fighters. “Every other party barring Congress doesn’t give respect and due recognition to the fighters who played a pivotal role in making India an independent nation.”

He cited examples of other parties indifferent attitude towards them and termed it lack of leadership, vision and thinking among other parties.

State vice-president Suresh Kaushik lashed at Khanduri led government in the state. “BJP has nothing to do with us and our families though, a retired major general is at the helm of affairs and party but of no avail,” said Kaushik.

While organisation members put forth the word ‘terrorist’ termed by Bahujan Samaj party supreme Mayawati on the freedom fighters as derogatory and said that this very fact exposes the dual nature of Mayawati who wants to be Prime Minister but doesn’t have a bit of respect of the freedom fighters.

While Bisht termed Samajwadi Party also as anti-freedom fighters as in Uttar Pradesh his government had last time reduced the 5% reservation to 2% for the freedom fighters.

The members expressed satisfaction on Congress government’s role as in Narayan Dutt Tiwari led government pension was increased of the freedom fighters and due to the secular policy of the party.

Notably, there are more than 10,000 family members of the freedom fighters which is quite a number considering that these families vote in numbers due to having freedom fighter background.

Present at the meeting were freedom fighters organisations Satyawati, Jamuna Devi, Ramswaroop Arya while from predecessor organization were RamPrakash, SC Chabra, ,Bhawani Vishnoi,Subash Ghai, Omprakash Tagi Dr,Sunil Kumar , Ramesh Vishal among others.

Meanwhile Congress city unit members have welcomed the decision taken by the organizations, which they termed proves the ability to govern and take along various sections of the society.

Dehradun, May 9
Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla has directed the District Poll officials in Nainital to facilitate voting arrangements for those affected by natural disasters. The country’s Chief Election Commissioner, who today presided over a meeting of elections officials in Nainital was in particular referring to 103 forest fire victims in the Nainital district.

“Those families who have lost their documents due to natural disaster but have their names on the electoral rolls would be allowed to exercise their franchise provided they are identified in person by Patwari and Block Development officer”, Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla pointed out.

En-course of the meeting, Chief Election Commissioner directed for stern action against any anti-social elements to ensure free and fair polling. He also directed the poll officials not accept any hospitality from any party or person on the polling day. He said Bhojan Matas would do food arrangements that too on payments.

Chawla said micro-observers have been deployed in sensitive and hypersensitive booths. He said the campaigning on part of star campaigners is also being filmed. Chawla also directed for ensuring complete compliance of Model Code of Conduct during the elections.

Uttarakhand Chief Election Officer Radha Raturi said as many as 22,79,281 voters have been issued voter identity card for the two parliamentary seats falling in Kumaon region.

Haridwar, May 9
On the pious occasion of Buddh Purnima lakhs of devotees thronged the holy Ganga river ghats in Haridwar and Rishikesh. Devotees and tourists were seen arriving in large numbers in the city yesterday evening only and by early morning thousands had thronged the Ganga ghats.

In Haridwar, especially at Har-Ki-Pauri BrahmaKund ghats, people took bath and performed rituals.

Sighting the large number of people thronging the ghats, the administration and the police had a tough time to manage the crowd and the traffic in the city. With the Maha Kumb scheduled in 2010, the development works are being done in the city, which made the movement of the people and traffic chaotic.

The people are facing tough time due to the laying of sewer pipeline which is going on the majority of city roads leading to the Har-Ki-Pauri area from Bus station and Railway station. The traffic movement was stopped on this road due to the holy bath so as to avoid traffic jams, as has been the norm during the major baths.

Additional security measures were in place with sniffer dog squad and bomb disposal squad at high alert, besides stationing of police personnel in large numbers in the Har-Ki-Pauri area and old Haridwar.

With only two days remained for the polling in the state, election rallies and cavalcades too made tougher for the locals and visitors in commuting. 

Dehradun, May 9
In keeping with the wishes of their father, the children of 84-year-old Kharak Bahadur performed ‘Chaurasi Pujan’ that culminated today at Nehrugram village paving way for a life of salvation and spiritual elevation.

A similar ceremony would only be performed when Kharak Bahadur turns 100 years of age.

“Among Nepali Hindus there is a strong tradition of sons organising poojan in honour of their father on the Budh Purnima.” said Govind Prasad, who performed the puja.

Prior to the ceremony the person has to keep fast and observe strict rituals in keeping with the importance of the occasion. The ceremony attracted lot of attention among the youth as most of them did not know about the tradition.

“My children are full of questions and want to know why we decided to honour our father, these traditions are becoming extinct in our community, we have revived it.

“May be when I enter the landmark years of my life my children too would be tempted to hold a similar pujan,” said Pooran Neoypane, eldest son of Kharak Bahadur.

In the two-day ceremony, Kharak Bahadur and his wife Kender Devi participated in ‘Lakshwarti poojan’, deep daan, rudrabhishekh and havan. Thirteen priests performed the puja for which the offerings were also made in tune with the numerical significance of the event.

“We have even placed 81 religious “peeths” at the site of the havan and deep daan was also performed.

As per Hindu faith in Kalyug one is entitled to only 120 years and in this age and time though life span has increased I think to reach the ripe age of 84 years is an achievement itself and should be rejoiced, said Govind.

Interestingly, among the Nepali community, for the last fifteen years this is the first chaurasi puja undertaken in the area. 

Dehradun, May 9
Self-financed BEd colleges in Dehradun are charging exorbitant fee from students seeking admission in their colleges. As a result of this, many of the meritorious students are finding themselves in lurch.

The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP) carried out a demonstration at Shakuntala Devi Education Institute today forcing closure of the institute.

Parishad members alleged that the institutions had been charged exorbitant fees from the students and had denied admission to those students, who failed to deposit these amounts.

Members of the ABVP, led by Sumit Pundir, university representative, and Virendra Gusain, student leader, reached the Shakuntala Devi premises earlier this afternoon.

Pundir said most of the BEd colleges of Dehradun, who have been gone to the court and have received orders to carry out their BEd counseling are now charging fee in excess.

“These colleges are violating the norms set by the National Council of Teacher Education concerning fresh admissions,” said Pundir. Pundir further alleged that the concerned college has given admission to less meritorious students.

“We asked the college authorities to show us the admission list so that we could know the fairness with which they are carrying out their work. But they denied showing the list.

“The fee charged by the college is much above the prescribed fee charged,” he added.

Gusain further revealed that last year around 18 colleges were black-listed for giving admission to students below the cut-off list prescribed by Garhwal University. But these colleges brought a stay from high court in this regard and as per the court order did their counselling.

Dehradun, May 9
As part of its All-India Coordinate Project on the Taxonomy of Orchids, Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute, which was assigned the task of survey, collection identification and preservation of orchids in the states of Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, has come up findings of immense importance.

This apart from coming up with Geodorum attnuatum Griff. (Orchindaceae) that has been added to the flora of India from Jharkhand.

The project that was initiated in June 2003, concluded in December 2008. According to WII scientists and investigator for the project, GS Rawat, more than 130 species of orchids have been located in the state and their populations widely studied.

Referring to the highlights of the study in the state, Dr Rawat said apart form the survey, collection and identification, the project aims to develop user-friendly identification manuals and also to train students and local community in para-taxonomy.

Field-level workshops to train and educate the local people about the importance of orchids were also held at the Gori valley in the state, which in itself was first ever such training initiative on orchids in the region.

For the state of Jharkhand too, the project resulted in many important findings. A total of 70 species have been collected from Jharkhand with 31 species of orchids collected from the first time in Uttarakhand.

Significantly, orchids continue to be in high demand for decorative purposes in the international market and are also utilised for the preparations of medicines.

The state has pockets in the higher reaches that are hot spots for orchids.

“After identification of orchids from both state, we have suggested appropriate actions for in-situ conservation have been suggested to the respective forest departments”, said Dr Rawat, who was assisted by Dr Jeewan S Jalal and Pankaj Kumar as researchers in this Ministry of Environment and Forest-funded project. 

Dehradun, May 9
Dehradun and Haridwar district teams to clash in the final of the 9th Aspen Crew Uttarakhand State Junior (u-18) Basketball Championship.

In the first semifinal match, the Dehradun team outclassed Haridwar city team by 63-22. In the first quarter, Dehradun spikers scored 14 points against Haridwar who could only scorer 3 points.

In the second quarter, Dehradun further increased their score tally by 13 points, whereas Haridwar could only score 4 points.The Dehradun team kept on increasing their lead and scored another 20 points in third quarter.

The final quarter saw Dehradun score 16 point to make its scorer 63, whereas Haridwar could only score 22 in the match.

In the second semifinal between Haridwar district and Mussoorie team Haridwar district won the match in a tough contest. Haridwar district scored 44 points against Mussoorie who could only score 38 points.

In the first quarter it proved to be neck to neck fight between Haridwar district and Mussoorie as they both scored 9 points each. In the second quarter also witnessed nail-biting contest as both teams scored 12 points.

In the third quarter Haridwar district lagged behind by three points as it could only managed to score 5 points, whereas Mussoorie managed to score 9 points. The final quarter saw Haridwar district take control of the proceeding as their spikers scored 18 points against Mussoorie who could only score 8 points. 

Dehradun, May 9
Welham’s Girls School lifted the DDCSA senior Girls Hockey Trophy for the sixth consecutive time here today. In the finals, they registered a thumping 4-1 victory over Unison World School.

The valuable player award was given to Radhika Singh of Welham’s, whereas Unison’s Ruchi won the promising player award. Radhika scored a hat trick to help Welham’s win the match.

Welham’s was on the offensive right from the start. They made a strategic move from the right in the 3rd minute of the game to miss the goal by a whisker.

The Welham’s kept Unison defence on their toes throughout the match and scored their first goal in the 15th minute of the match. Welham’s Radhika scored the first goal for her team on a crossed received from the right. Welham’s launched a number of attacks in the first half, but failed to increase its goal tally.

The first half ended with the score 1-0 in Welham’s favour.

In the second half Welham’s changed their strategy and came with a difference approach. They increased their goal tally by three goals.

Welham’s scored their second goal in the 39th minute of the game.

It was Radhika again for the team, who made a solo run to the Unison goal and neatly placed the ball in the goalpost to make it 2-0. The third goal for Welham’s came barely two minute later.

It was Alisa who took a cracking shot at Unison goalpost to earn another goal for Welham’s.

Radhika scored its third goal in the 45th minute making the scorer 4-0 for Welham’s. Unison managed to score the solitary goal in the 46th minute of the match to make the score 4-1.