Dehradun, June 27
The elevation of Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' as the next Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and swearing-in of three of his council of ministers today may not stem the dissidence that plagues the state-unit of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

'Nishank' took oath as Chief Minister along with three ministers who were earlier ministers in the Khanduri ministry. And by taking Matbar Singh Kandari from Garhwal, Bishan Singh Chaufal from Kumaon and Madan Kaushik from Haridwar, 'Nishank' has tried to give representation to all the three regions of the state.

However, since no one from former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari's camp was given representation in the first go, the message from Nishank-Khanduri combine is loud and clear.

One of the senior most ministers of Khanduri, who was also a Chief Ministerial candidate from Koshiyari camp opposing 'Nishank', Parkash Pant was not inducted. Pant was a former Speaker in the interim assembly of the state and was Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism minister in the Khanduri ministry.

After the BJP won the 2007 assembly elections, Khanduri took oath as Chief Minister along with Parkash Pant who hails from Kumaon region. Later, other ministers were inducted.

This time, it was also rumored that BJP leaders are contemplating making Parkash Pant Speaker of the assembly in place of Harbans Kapoor. However, Pant was not favourably inclined to the move aimed at taming him politically.

Now, Chief Minister 'Nishank' has to resort to a fine balance in taking care of both the regions, namely Kumaon and Garhwal, and two dominant communities - Thakurs and Brahmins - along with women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

BJP insiders, however, believe that it would be a matter of time before dissidence would spring up again, given the present dispensation of the state BJP.

All in all, 'Nishank', a poet, has to tread cautiously on the 'minefield of dissidence' in the state where a former Army general was recently ambushed and defeated.

Dehradun, June 27
While first death anniversary of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw went unnoticed on Friday, but there were many who flocked to Natraj Publishers in Dehradun to get to know of events from latter’s life through the means of his only official biography available at Natraj and authored by his one-time ADC.

‘Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Soldiering with Dignity’, the first official biography of the latter reveals some lesser-known facets of his life.

Very few know that the manuscript of the biography was sent to the Field Marshal during 1975 with a request to correct and approve but it took almost 21 years before the book finally hit the stands.

The reason - Manekshaw had asked the author Lt Gen Depinder Singh to delay the publication for some time and the draft was only returned to the author in 1996 with permission for publication.

The book comprises lecture delivered by Sam Manekshaw in the centenary year at Sherwood College, Nainital.

His addresses at the three passing-out parades he attended at the Indian Military Academy that includes golden jubilee passing-out parade finds elaborate mention in the book.

Author Lt Gen Depinder Singh hails from Dehradun. After getting commissioned into the 8th Gorkha Rifles, Gen Singh rose on to become Military Assistant to the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

There was no official function to offer tributes to the Field Marshal anywhere in the city, his biography was the sole means to recall Sam Manekshaw, who enjoyed the status of fatherly figure in the Indian armed forces.

Haridwar, June 27
Despite tall claims by the administration, people affected by the massive fire that engulfed more than 400 slums in Chandighat-Majra area on May 1 are still devoid of shelter and other basic needs.

Last week, a group of those affected by the tragedy had held a protest at the city magistrate office seeking temporary shelters, anganwadi schools, identity cards as well as ration cards.

But since no action was taken, a group, under the banner of Uttarakhand Kranti Manch, again held a protest at the city magistrate Archana Grehawar’s office and submitted a memorandum to her.

While raising slogans, the protesters reminded the authorities of the assurance which they had given that at least tricycles would be provided to the six disabled persons injured in the fire.

JP Pandey, chief of the manch, resented the administration’s apathy as well as that of political leaders in this regard. “If the administration too moves away from its assurance, how can the common man have faith in the system,” he questioned.

He also criticised political parties for turning a blind eye to the problems faced by those affected by the fire.

“When it comes to election rallies, political parties use voters of this area on a mass scale, but when it comes to helping them none of the political leaders have come forward,” said Pandey.

Chandighat unit women cell president Mina Sharma condemned the administration and the state government for not coming out with a definite plan or scheme for rehabilitation of the fire-affected people. “If such is the attitude of the authorities, we will have to step up the agitation,” she said.

Those who were present while the memorandum was submitted were Mira Raturi, Babita Dhandriyal, Mahesh Gaud, Sanjay Chopra, Tej Prakash Sahu, Lal Chand Kashyap, Farman Ali, Tej Pal Singh, Shiv Charan Bisht and all the 32 physically challenged persons.

Notably, there were as many as 264 families that were living in the colony when the fire broke out.

Haridwar, June 27
Citing various demands, including pay hike the engineers affiliated with the Uttar Pradesh Diploma Engineers Mahasangh (UPDEM) today sat on a dharna which is a part of a series of protest which would culminate with indefinite strike if their demands are not met.

The UPDEM has warned that a rally would be organised on July 13 at district headquarter and after that they will go on indefinite strike if government doesn’t pay heed to their demands.

Pravesh Kumar Gautam district secretary of UPDEM said that there is no particular basis of pay hike.

“Earlier there was no definite chances of promotion so we had been given time bound pay hike to meet this deficit, but now according to Sixth Pay Commission recommendations we will also be debarred from this time bound pay hike which is gross injustice with us,” said Gautam.

Employees allege that the union had a meeting with Uttar Pradesh government officials in February this year and we were made assured that by all means from April 1 the revised pay scale will be declared but two months had passed and nothing has been done in this regard.

This has prompted the union members to come out on the street.

OP Yadav divisional head Saharanpur lashed out at the Mayawati government for not catering to the union demands. “We are denied basic pay hike while Mayawati is too obsessed with her statues which shows her concern towards the common public,” said Yadav.

Apart from this union is also trying to sort out some other problems of the Jr. engineers.

Union demands promotion in all government cooperation, authorities, ITI, public sector undertakings in every 7, 14 and 20 years of service and giving house rent, travelling allowance in accordance with central governments criteria of cities.

The Haridwar unit members submitted a memorandum in this regard to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of taking instant action.

Among those who addressed at the dharna were RC Upadhyay, SC Nautiyal, Radheshyam Gupta, DC Gupta, DB Singh, NK Sharma, Kaushal Kumar while all the employees affiliated with the union were present at the protest and signed at the memorandum copy.

Kotdwar, June 27
Unusual dry spell in this summer has cast its shadow on the historical ‘Maletha ki gool’ - a water channel of Maletha village. First time ever, since its construction in medieval times, the channel is without water, unable to irrigate the rice fields of Maletha region in Tehri Garhwal.

The gool, a small canal or water channel to irrigate fields, was constructed by Madho Singh Bhandari after he saw the pitiable condition of his fellow villagers. He undertook the task of digging a canal through a hillock to bring water from Chandrabhaga river to the barren land of the village.

In the process of making a tunnel across hillock, he lost his only son. But determined Madho Singh motivated his fellow villagers to excavate the water channel. After one year of hard work and sacrifice of his only son, as the legend say, Madho Singh Bhandari succeeded in bringing the water through a tunnel from the river.

Since then the village never got short of water for irrigation. This water channel turned the barren land of Maletha village in to rice fields growing prosperity for the region. Madho Singh Bhandari became the legendary figure in history of the state. A fair is organised every year in memory of Madho Singh and his heroic work in the village where folk singers invoke the jagar (spirit ) of Bhandari. Madho Singh has been a legend and there are so many traditional jagars eulogising his heroic feat.

But this year lack of rains in Himalayan region has brought down the water level of rivers to unprecedented low. The Chandrabhaga river has become so lean that it was not able to feed the Maletha water channel. The Channel has dried up, and so are the hopes of local farmers for sowing rice this year.

Savitree, an octogenarian said that it is first time in her memory, that she saw the channel go dry and rice fields without plants at this season of the year. Another old man Meharban Singh fears that it may be bad omen as the channel dug by Madho Singh Bhandari has dried up.

For Kammi Krishn, an environmentalist, “Global warming has spelt doom on Maletha ki Gool.”

Roorkee, June 27
This year, the groups of ‘Dak Kanwariyas’ would be kept under strict vigil by the law enforcement agencies during ‘Kanwwar Mela’, starting from July 7 to 22.

The term ‘Dak Kanwariyas’ is used by the police for those religious groups of people, who come here during ‘Kanwar’ more to make marry than performing the religious rituals.

“We have seen that most of the groups of ‘Dak Kanwariyas’, which mainly consist youngsters, indulge in hooliganism and nuisance on their way to Haridwar and other destinations, including Gangotri to bring holy water.

“So we are making special arrangements this time to thwart such nuisance by these groups,” said SP (rural) Ajay Joshi.

Police official said that this time they would seize all the vehicles, having installed loud music system or DJ system or tableaux by the ‘kanwariyas’.

Besides, no one would be allowed to carry the objectionable material, including liquor, baseball bat, hockey sticks and lathis etc during the mela. Anybody found violating the rules and regulations, would be treated sternly.

Even the vehicles of these violators would be seized, added Joshi. Apart from that, the police is contemplating to deploy extra force in the Muslim dominated areas to avoid any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, the administration has already issued orders to ban non-vegetarian food and eggs in an around the area during the mela.

Dehradun, June 27
Play Grounds have become a scarce commodity in Dehradun and those available are badly maintained. Authorities maintaining these grounds seem to be undermining their importance. With Dehradun being the center of some popular tournaments especially in cricket and football, good grounds in the capital city is the need of the hour.

Two months back city had witnessed a popular All-India Gold Cup Cricket Tournament at Rangers ground that belongs to Forest Research Institute.

The popularity of this tournament owes to participation of players like MS Dhoni, Piyush Chawala and Ritender Singh Sodhi in it. But the ground on which it was organised is not maintained accordingly. Similar is the condition of other department grounds in the city.

PC Verma, secretary of Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), said, “We had applied to FRI department for seeking rights for usage of this ground. In turn we promised them to bear the cost of maintenance of the ground. But the plans could not materialise, as the officials were only ready to offer them ground on Saturdays and Sundays.”

This is not the only ground used by CAU for its cricketing activity. The association also hires Survey Stadium for organising their District Cricket League, which is being organised for the past 57 years. The condition of the ground there is equally bad. The association every year clears the ground of wild weeds and bushes before bring it to the use for league.

Verma further added, “One does not have to make much effort for maintaining the ground here. To avoid any kind of trouble one could just water the ground on daily bases. But there exists no proper system for watering the grounds here.” He advised the departments to enter into agreements with parties who are interested in using the ground for the purpose.

Another major football ground is at Garhi Cantt. Known as Mahendra Ground, which is named after the Nepal King, is under the Army’s possession.

The Army occasionally use this ground for their training activities. For the rest of the year the ground is used by footballers. It also witnesses tournaments like Narayan Gurung Memorial Football Tournament and Narandra Singh Kharola Memorial Football Tournament.

But due to lack of maintenance by the Army the ground has developed a hard rough surface. As a result of which players face difficulty in controlling the ball and also receive major injuries while playing.

Dharmendra Singh Kharola, who is national football referee and had previously played for Churchill Brother team said “Small effort can turn many grounds into excellent playing fields. There is no proper system for watering the grounds, lack of proper care of ground has resulted in developing a rough surface which could hurt the players if they fall.”

Other grounds like Survey Ground and Ordinance Factory Ground face the similar problems.

Dehradun, June 27
Doon Valley team registered a thumping 4-1 victory over Junior Cantt team at the ongoing District Football League at Pavilion ground, here today.

Doon Valley team brought its experience into play while playing against relatively inexperienced side of Junior Cantt team. Doon Valley team surprised its opponent in the 10th minute of the match through a outstanding shot taken by Tarun Aswal to make it 1-0.

The second setback came soon for Junior Cantt team in the 18th minute when Amit Chandel scored the second goal of the match through a powerful kick to make it 2-0.

Junior Cantt team tried to minimise the goal difference but their lack of experience came in their way as they missed out on number of occasion.

In the 30th minute Doon Valley’s Sahid earned them the third goal. Finally in the 33rd minute Junior Cantt efforts paid as Arjun scored the first goal for its team making it 3-1 at the half time.

In the second half Junior Cantt team raised its play to denied to many free score opportunity to Doon valley team. In the fifth minute of the half Nikunj scored the fourth goal for his team to make it 4-1.

Thereafter Junior Cantt strengthened it defense to obstruct the strategic moves of Doon Valley team. In the end it proved to be an easy victory for Doon Valley team.

In the second match Cantt Blues won by 1-0 against CT Young team. Cantt Blues launched some sharp attacks in the initial minutes of the match but good goalkeeping by CT Young team denied them this opportunity.

CT Young was equally placed and came close on scoring on a number of occasions but failed to score. At the end of the first half both the teams were locked at 0-0.

In the second half Cantt Blues scored an opportunity goal in the 31st minute of the half to win by 1-0 to register a win in the end.