Dehradun, May 25
After a fortnight, the yatra on horses and mules from Gaurikund to Kedarnath has been finally resumed, said sources in the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee.

The yatra was disrupted with a large number of these animals suffering from influenza.

It took herculean efforts on the part of the animal husbandry department and veterinary officials from Pantnagar to heal the horses and mules back to health.

Meanwhile, some horses are reported to have been inflicted with influenza in the Banbasa region of Kamaon on the Indo-Nepal border.

According to Dr Bharat Chand, animal husbandry, blood samples of the affected horses have been sent to Hisar for further investigations. The ban on entry of horses and mules from neighbouring Nepal continues.

Haridwar, May 25
Under a welfare programme run by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) tricycles and wheel chairs were distributed to the 30 physically challenged children.

Tricycles were allotted to the needy facing major problem in commuting of their own.

The district coordinator of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Mukesh Semwal, urged all and sundry to contribute in the scheme so that the disable feel a part of the mainstream society.

“This is an initiative to reduce the difficulties of the physically challenged and also to make them self-dependent.

They face lot of trouble in commuting as they are always dependent on others which hampers their social life,” said Aggarwal.

The wheel chairs were sponsored by a firm ALIMCO in collaboration with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Company representatives pointed towards the need of bringing physically challenged to mainstream.

Manmohan Dutt Raturi urged all to contribute in every possible way to help the differently able and to make them feel a part of society. 

Dehradun, May 25
The annual India-Tibet barter trade at Taklakot mart in the Himalayan region, which starts from June 1, may be delayed as the authorities are still awaiting permission from the Centre and the Chinese government.

Last year, the trade could not take place, for the first time since 1992, due to protests in Tibet in wake of the Beijing Olympics.

This year, China has not given its permission so far heightening the suspense over resumption of the trade at Taklakot mart in Tibet. There has been no response from the Centre too in this regard.

Pitthoragarh district authorities have sent a fresh letter to the Centre requesting for the early resumption of the trade as well as passes required for visiting Tibet.

"We are still waiting for an early reply from the Centre," District Magistrate of Pitthoragarh PS Gusain said.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also sent similar letters to Beijing in this regard.

The other main issue is the landslides that have occurred at a big stretch of a track in the border district of Pitthoragarh leading to Taklakot.

Due to poor infrastructure, traders have to trek a 60-km distance from Pitthoragarh crossing inhospitable terrains to reach Taklakot, the trade mart in Tibet, where the two sides indulge in barter trade.

The volume of the barter trade has been falling during the past few years. Business of Rs 1.5 crore was registered two years ago.

Indian traders are calling for resumption of trade this season as well as revoking a ban on the import of some trade items like Chinese raw silk and livestock which are in good demand in India.

The import of livestock has been banned since no quarantine facility is available at Gunji, the Indian mart at Pitthoragarh.

Through the barter trade with their Chinese and Tibetan counterparts, Indian traders exchange goods like jaggery, wool, spices and blankets among other things.

The India-Tibet barter trade, which was resumed in 1992 after a gap of 30 years following the 1962 War, reached the Rs 14 crore mark in 2004. But after the ban on certain items like livestock and Chinese silk, the volume of trade is gradually falling. — PTI

Dehradun, May 25
Dehradun’s Congress councillors have expressed concern over the displacement of people following a decision of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) to widen as many as 30 crossings across the city.

Addressing mediapersons here, Leader of Opposition at the DMC, Ashok Verma, said that while the Congress was not against the widening of crossings, there would certainly oppose tooth and nail the uprooting of houses and business establishments for the purpose.

While blaming the BJP-majority DMC for uprooting the denizens of Doon, Ashok Verma said it was strange that while the DMC was planning to proceed with its crossing widening plan, it was still to hold talks with the affected people.

“At least, the government should have taken the affected people into confidence while undertaking the exercise,” Verma said.

He held that the affected families, who have been residing in Dehradun for many decades, were now living under the constant fear of losing their houses and shops.

He also pointed out that the DMC had not even sought financial provisions while approving the widening of crossings under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission.

Verma also drew attention towards the plight of Dehradun residents vis-a-vis potable water and power supply. He said that while power cuts have increased, potable water problems are galore in almost each and every locality in the city.

Congress leader Ashok Verma categorically held that their party would oppose any move on part of the DMC to hike taxes of residential and commercial buildings.

While threatening an agitation in the city over these issues, Verma said while they have repeatedly put forward these issues before the government and the mayor, their pleas so far have fallen on deaf ears.

“We have been left with no option but to go for mass-scale agitation,” said Ashok Verma.

Haridwar, May 25
Farmers from all over the country are expected to converge at the Kisan Mahakumbh that will take place in Haridwar from May 31 to June 2. The convention assumes significance as last year, the UPA government had waived farmers’ loans worth Rs 65,000 crore.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has done well in farmer-dominant areas.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ambavat) state chief Rao Irshad Khan said that the Kisan Kumbh will be a major success and all issues pertaining to the welfare of farmers will be dwelt upon in the three-day convention.

Rao lashed out at the state government for not paying heed to the problems of farmers. He said that while in Uttar Pradesh, the government has waived the electricity penalty, the BJP government in Uttarakhand still continues to levy electricity penalty.

In the convention, Bharatiya Kisan Union national president Chaudhari Rishipal Singh, all district heads of the union and other farm leaders will be participating.

The agricultural policies of the central and state governments and various issues related to farmers will be discussed in detail. 

Dehradun, May 25
To help the needy and deserted kids, New Look, a modelling agency, distributed summer T-shirts among 40 kids on the city streets here today.

The coordinator of the event, who was accompanied by super model contestant Miss Photogenic Aashi Soni and Niharika Bhel, said: “Our motive is to make these children feel special and discourage them from taking up petty crime.

“The children were overjoyed to get the T-shirts and we were glad to be part of this wonderful cause,” said Ankur Verma, owner of the agency.

Dehradun, May 25
‘Piyaoo’ (a free service to provide drinking water) are resurfacing in the city. One can see these ‘piyaoo’ in the form community water tanks or clay pitchers, which are proving to as a boon for thirsty people in the scorching heat.

Recently, the mercury rose to 30 years high in the month of April in the city, forcing pedestrians to shell out money on mineral water or other drinks available in the market. But a private organisation has come forward with the idea of bringing relief to the public through the community water tanks.

It is almost two months now that these piyaoo have become a regular sight at Ashley hall, Clock Tower and Prince Chowk. And the general public is flocking at these tanks to quench their thirst. Om Kar Samaj - a voluntary organisation made the service available for people.

President of Om Kar Samaj, Harish Agarwal said they had installed these community water tanks at three places for the benefit of the public, especially for the poor. “The concept came up when we realised that public taps have disappeared slowly from the city and few that remains are not well maintained,” said Agarwal.

Cost of installing a tank came to around Rs 38,000. But the per day expense borne is much higher, which comes to around Rs 1200 therefore, we could not afford to provide the service in other areas of the city.

The expenses include the salaries of the people involved, the cost of water and ice brought from the factory. The samaj aims to increase the number of piyaoo from next year.

“At least 2,000-3,000 people visit piyaoo everyday,” said Kishore, one who provides services at the tanker. At least 7,000-8,000 people are getting benefited from the service provided in the city.

Sandeep a passerby who stopped at the community water tank said, “Government should make enough water sources available at the various public places. He terms establishing of such community tank as a commendable work.”

Pradeep, who was another local said, “Lack of public taps at various places make us move to shops to buy soft drinks to slake our thirsts.” More such community water tanks are needed in the city. 

Dehradun, May 25
Chief Minster BC Khanduri declared a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each to the nine-member group lead by Col MM Mansoor, who successfully scaled Mt Everest.

He also declared a one lakh cash prize for state player, Manish Pandey for his outstanding performance at IPL matches.

Khanduri said, “Mountaineering group of Nehru Mountaineering Organization that scaled Mt Everest had made state proud and will be a source of inspiration for the youth of the state”.

On the occasion, he also praised Pandey’s performance at IPL, he said that his performance has brought fame to state at the international level. 

Dehradun, May 25
UPCA registered a 24-runs victory over Army XI Hyderabad at the ongoing 27th All-India Uttaranchal Gold Cup at Rangers Ground, here today. A lower order batsman Rahat Elahi was the star in the team’s victory.

It was not a flying start for the UPCA team as they lost their first opener Amit Singh for a duck. The team bounded back in the match through the innings of Shivakant Shukla and Prashant Gupta.

They both contributed 52 runs for the second wicket partnership. Prashant smashed 51 runs off 56 balls, hitting six fours and one six, whereas Shivankant Shukla made 23 runs off 22 balls.

In the lower order, it was Ashish Yadav and Rahat Elahi who accelerated the team’s runs rate. Rahat was the highest scorer for the team with 60 runs off 67 balls. He smashed three fours and three sixes in his innings. Ashish Yadav smashed 47 runs off 43 balls.

For Army XI Hyderabad, Irfan Khan was the lead wicket taker with four wickets off eight overs spell, whereas Ritesh Negi took two wickets each.

In reply Army XI Hyderabad team was all out for 248 runs in 39.3 overs. It was the bad start for the team as they lost their first wicket when the team score was zero. Army team kept losing its wickets on regular intervals. They failed to resist the fine bowling display by UPCA the team.

Brijesh Nayar was the highest run scorer for the team with 65 runs off 62 balls. For UPCA team Rohti and Shivakhand took two wickets each.

In the second match, which was played between Food Corporation of India (FCI) and BCA Patna at Sports College, Dehradun, FCI won the match by 157 runs. Batting first FCI team went on to pile a 194 runs in 30 overs. Akash was the top scorer for the team with 40 runs.

For BCA Patna team, Vineet was the lead wicket taker with 2 wickets. Chasing the victory target of 195 runs. BCA team was all out for 60 runs. Inderjeet was the top scorer for the team with 28 runs. For FCI team, Rohti Saini picked up five wickets and Sanjay took three wickets each.