Dehradun, June 30
BSNL workers today staged a protest at the Cross Road office of the department 
seeking redressal of their long-standing grievances.

Employees of BSNL Workers Alliance also submitted a memorandum addressed to chairman-cum-managing director and demanded early wage settlement of Group C and Group D employees.

It also sought cancellation of all transfers issued partisan and violation of transfer policy.

Granting limited trade union facilities to all unions was other major demand raised in the memorandum.

The agitating employees propose to hold a daylong dharna at BSNL headquarters on July 3 and threatened to go on indefinite stir from July 6.

The employees accused the management of resorting to unwarranted, partisan and motivated transfers.

They reminded that on November 12 last year, there was consensus between unions and management for grant of minimum trade union facilities while also pointing that no progress has been till date in this regard.

Dehradun, June 30
Visitors to Corbett National Park will now have to shell more money as district Nainital authorities plan to bring the park under ambit of entertainment tax.

There has been substantial increase in the number of visitors to Corbett in recent times leading to soaring revenue earnings.

District Nainital Entertainment office at the behest of district administration has sent a notice to the park and also sought tourist visit details.

A total of 2.1 lakh tourists visited Corbett in 2008-09 leading revenue earnings to the tune of Rs 3.6 crore which is 15 per cent more to last year. In the year 2007-08, as many as 1.7 lakh tourists visited the park leading to earnings as high as Rs 2.80 crores. A total 1.3 lakh tourists visited the park in 2006-07. Similarly, 1,30,043 and 1,12,298 tourists visited the tiger famous park in 2005-06 and 2004-05, respectively. These figures clearly indicate the steady rise in the number of tourists' vis-à-vis Corbett.

Taking into account this high volume of tourists visiting the national park, district Nainital authorities are contemplating imposing entertainment tax on visitors.

They point out that the purpose of their visit is purely recreation and thus the park was the fit case to impose the entertainment tax. Entertainment tax DS Bora categorically held that section 2 (G) of Entertainment tax of 1979 calls for imposing entertainment tax on place visited by people purely for entertainment. "We have served notice to Corbett National Park authorities and has even sought details regarding number of visitors to the park in 2008-09 season," Bora said.

He said the entertainment fee could be 30 per cent additional to the entry fee charged at the Corbett.

However, director Corbett Vinod Kumar has contested district authorities' claim to impose any entertainment tax on visitors to a tiger reserve.

Many believe that protected areas cannot be levied entertainment tax under any circumstances.

Haridwar, June 30
While addressing members of the Working Journalist Union of Haridwar yesterday, newly appointed district magistrate of Haridwar R Meenakshi Sundaram said one of the vital aspects of democracy is that it gives press the freedom and role to point out flaws in the system, which goes a long way in improving efficiency of the administration.

“If government and administration are hands and legs of the democratic set up, media is the conscious,” he said.

Assuring the media of full support, he said: “It there is harassment of mediapersons, you can meet or contact me anytime.”

Addressing the gathering, veteran journalist and national chief of Working Journalist Union of India (WJUI) Avohri Suresh Prasad said mediapersons should not look for short cuts to success and money.

“Dignity and honesty is the key to ethical journalism and it should be maintained, otherwise the faith people have on this pillar will fall in no time,” he said.

On the global economic meltdown, Prasad said its repercussions were being felt in the media world as well.

“But journalist organisations and government should ensure that the media is protected, as it will not be favourable for people and the country,” he said.

Otheres present on the occasion were state chief WJUI Manmohan Lakheda, Vishwa Jeet Singh Negi, Durga Shankar Bhatti, general secretary Kumar Dushyant, Adesh Tyagi, Kaushal Sikhola, Gopal Rawat, Kamal Kant Budhkar, Yogesh Yogi, Pradeep Garg, Ramesh Khanna, Rajesh Sharma, Mahavir Negi, RM Dobhal, Ashish Mishra, Dharmendra, Kulboohsan, Kunal Dargan, Arun Sharma and A Bansal.

Dehradun, June 30
To check the spread of HIV infection, the Uttarakhand AIDS Control Society (USACS) will increase the accessibility of medical services among high-risk groups.

As the high-risk groups (HRGs) comprising sex workers, migrant labourers, intravenous drug users and truck drivers who practice unsafe sex, their vulnerability to sexually transmitted disease is quite high.

These views emerged at a workshop for NGOs on public private partnership model for sexually transmitted infection (STI) and reproductive tract infection (RTI) held here today.

“Untreated sexually transmitted infection and reproductive tract infection invariably leads to HIV infection. The number of HIV positive cases continues to be high in the state, though the situation is not alarming but we need to reduce the numbers.

“It can be achieved if those suffering from sexually transmitted diseases are given treatment,” said Dr DC Dhyani, member secretary Uttarakhand State AIDS Control Society.

In fact under the National Aids Control Programme-III, the treatment given for STI and RTI is standardised. The preventive and curative treatment would be given to HRGs through network of preferred private providers comprising of registered doctors who be given training.

“It has been seen that sex workers and migrant labourers normally do not go to district hospitals or dispensaries for treatment, they usually approach doctors in private clinics. We would be engaging these private doctors through NGOs.

“The preferred providers would be trained to deal with syndrome cases and management of STI and RTI,” said Dr Aman Singh, technical expert sexually transmitted infection (STI), National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).

In Uttarakhand the high-risk group comprises of a population of 12,000 that is the maximum focus of Target Intervention Programme underway. 

Dehradun, June 30
Apollo Clinic organised a health camp for the employees of Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) and their families today at the institute. The camp was held in association with Indraprasth Apollo Hospital.

Dr Vivek Aggarwal, heart specialist from Delhi and doctors from Apollo clinic examined the patients. At the camp the echocardiography, ECG facilities were extended and blood pressure, blood sugar and BMI tests were carried. All these facilities were given at nominal rates.

Hema Garg, managing director of Apollo Clinic a total of 150 employees and their families availed the facilities at the camp. Most of the employees envisaged keen interest in Apollo Clinics preventive health check up packages.

The packages include Apollo Master Health Check, Apollo Well Women Check, Apollo Executive Health Check, Apollo Child Check and Apollo Hearth check.

Dehradun, June 30
In connection with a petition pertaining to the ownership of irrigation department properties in the hill state of Uttarakhand, which were under the control of the Uttar Pradesh government, the Nainital High Court has ordered that such properties be handed over to Uttarakhand.

Acting on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an Uttarakhand farmer, a Division Bench of the HC, comprising Chief Justice VK Gupta and Justice VK Bist, pronounced the judgement yesterday and ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to relinquish control over such properties.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has hailed the decision of the High Court.

The properties are said to be worth more than Rs 1,000 crore.

On November 7, 2000, just two days before Uttarakhand came into being, the Ganga Management Board had given ownership rights of these assets to the UP government.

Although Uttarakhand became a full fledged state on November 9, 2000, these properties were still being controlled by the Uttar Pradesh government.

One Arvind Chauhan had filed a PIL pertaining to the transfer of 65 bighas of land in Haridwar and other irrigation properties to Uttarakhand.

According to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pande, the properties, which are to be transferred to Uttarakhand, include 28 big canals, some water bodies and buildings located in Udham Singh Nagar and 65 bighas of agricultural land in Hardwar.

“Following the High Court judgement, the notification issued by the Centre on November 7, 2000 with regard to the control of Uttar Pradesh over these properties has now become null and void as Uttarakhand became a separate state after the notification,” said the Chief Secretary 

Dehradun, June 30
Poor credit off-take as manifested by low credit-deposit (CD) ratio has the Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal worried.

As a result, he has asked the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) to step up efforts to increase it substantially to facilitate creation of more self-employment opportunities and effective implementation of welfare schemes in the hill state.

Pokhriyal termed the prevailing CD ratio of 38 per cent as grossly inadequate as compared to the average national mark of 60 per cent. “We urgently need to make efforts to meet the national mark.

“There is a dire need to fully achieve the target of annual credit plans of banks. In that case only, we can attain the aim of economic uplift of a majority of our population living in tough conditions in the hilly areas,” he commented while addressing the meeting of SLBC here today.

The bankers as well as the state planners are expected to do a serious review of the past performance to increase the CD ratio. Since the formation of Uttarakhand, the record has not been encouraging.

It was 22 per cent in 2001 and increased to 35 per cent in December 2008. It recorded a further increase of three per cent up to March 2009. The CM’s concern seems all the more justified as the total credit distribution in the state for the financial year 2008-09 was 15 per cent short of target.

Analysts concur that the low ratio is indeed a cause of concern. If the ratio of 96 and 59 per cent recorded in Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts is excluded, it is much lower in the remaining 11 districts of the state.

It also indicates its regional imbalance. “It reflects that credit off-take is comparatively lower. Primary, secondary and tertiary sectors are not picking up in all these districts. The situation underlines the need to give a drastic push to credit off-take,” observed Pankaj Gupta, chairman, Industries Association of Uttarakhand. 

Haridwar, June 30
The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) today secured a Rs 170 crore contract from Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) for setting up an energy-efficient and eco-friendly co-generation power plant at the corporation’s Manali Refinery.

The 20 MW, five gas turbine based plant would be set up to meet additional power requirements of the refinery and help it achieve Euro-IV emission norms.

Manali Refinery is already equipped with three BHEL-installed captive power plants, all of which have been operating successfully and meeting the power as well as steam needs of the refinery since its commissioning.

A BHEL executive informed that the present work envisages design, supply, erection, engineering, manufacture and commissioning of a frame-5 gas turbine generator and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) of 85 tons per hour (TPH) capacity with associated auxiliaries.

BHEL plants at Hyderabad, Trichy, Ranipet, Bhopal, Bangalore and Jhansi would supply equipment for the project. The company’s branch at Chennai would carry out the work of erecting the plant.

Notably, BHEL has emerged as the market leader in co-generation and captive power plants, offering units from 10 MW onwards for both steam turbine-based and gas-based combined cycle power projects for various industries.

According to data, BHEL has supplied and commissioned more than 700 steam turbine and gas turbine based plants for number of industries, including paper, sugar, cement, metals, fertilisers, refineries and petrochemicals.

Pitthoragarh, June 30
Pre-monsoon rains have taken a toll of five lives in this area prone to landslides during the past three days.

Three Nepali citizens, including one former jawan of the Indian Army, were washed away in Mahakali River on the Indo-Nepal border on June 27 while they were attempting to cross it to reach a market at Julijibi.

Attempting to cross the river with the help of tubes, the trio - Nar Bahadur Chand, Narendra Bahadur Chand and Manohar Singh - were swept away by the strong current of the river.

In another incident, two minor boys drowned in a pond near Pitthorgarh, which they had entered to take a bath. The bodies of Rakesh Kumar and Sanjay Kumar, residents of Kanna village, were later fished out by the police. The otherwise dry pond was full of water on the day due to heavy rains.

Dehradun, June 30
The match between Doon Eagle and Garhwal Sporting ended in a draw at the District Football league underway at Pavilion Ground here today.

In the first half Garhwal Sporting despite several efforts failed to earn a goal.

In the 15th minute of the match it was a close call for Garhwal Sporting but its forward played a rash shot that sailed over the bar.

In the 23rd minute Garhwal Sporting forward were on the attack again.

Despite a good coordination the team could not get a desired result. In the 36th minute of the match Doon Eagle launched a counter attack.

In the closing minute of the first half Garhwal Sporting team launched a shape move from the left.

The 25-yard kick by its forward just missed the bar by a whisker. At the end of the first half both the team were locked at 0-0.

The second half of the game was played in the midst of rain, which made it difficult for the players to control the ball.

Garhwal Sporting constantly developed pressure on the Doon Eagle’s defence, though they could not take advantage of the opportunities and the match ended in a draw.

In the second match New Gypsy beat Pachwadoon 3-0. New Gypsy was on the offensive right from the beginning.

They scored a goal in the 25th minute of the first half through Brijesh. The first half ended with score of 1-0.

In the second half New Gypsy increased its lead by two goals.

Brijesh scored his second goal in the 44th minute of the match, whereas third goal for the team came in the 51st minute from Mahendra.

In the end, it was a easy victory for New Gypsy team.