From the brink of oblivion
Mussoorie, July 8
One would wonder what link a Mussoorie hotel has with Charles Dickens. But there, indeed, is a hotel in Mussoorie that has been immortalised through an article published about it in a London journal (in 1857) edited by the great man himself.

Villagers seek BPL status, hold protest
Dehradun, July 8 Seeking BPL status, villagers from Mohanpur Smithnagar in Arcadia gram yesterday staged a demonstration at Dehradun District Headquarters.  The protesters alleged that they had applied for inclusion in the below poverty line (BPL) category which was further approved after investigation by Aganwari workers, supervisors and patwaris. “But despite all this we are still to get the status of BPL families,” said Geet Bisht, a villager.

Warming up

Rakhi Sawant in woollen clothes at Jollygrant airport near Dehradun on Wednesday. She is here for shooting at Rishikesh for her on-screen ‘Swayamwar.’ Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

 

 

MC revenue target unrealistic
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 8
The Dehradun Municipal Corporation’s approval of over Rs 98 crore budget proposals for 2009-10 on Tuesday comes with major challenges. Managing finances will not be an easy task.

The corporation spends Rs 18 crore annually on salaries while its revenue earning barely touches Rs 8.5 crore, indicating its dependency on the urban development ministry for finances, even for salaries.

There are 1,075 permanent MC employees. The expenditure on their salaries is Rs 12.79 crore while another 1.37 crore goes towards making payments to 307 daily wage employees working witht various sections of the corporation.

Furthermore, Rs 2, 22, 82,000 is paid to contract employees. Similarly an amount of Rs 2 crore has to be paid as contribution to pension. Thus, the corporation ends up disbursing Rs 18 crore annually on salaries alone.

The budget this time has kept the revenue earning target at Rs 8,45,60,000. Achieving this target is not possible under any circumstances.

This apart, the budget has a special provision for street light arrangements. An amount of Rs 1.70 crore has been kept for purchasing streetlights, Rs 25 lakh for electricity poles, Rs 5 lakh for wiring, Rs 1 crore for laying of lines, another Rs 1 crore for energy conservationb and Rs 1.20 crore for lights on dividers.

Th Dehradun MC earned a revenue of Rs 3 crore through taxes on houses last year and in the new budget it proposes to take the revenue earning to Rs 5 crore. Similarly, revenue though advertisements is proposed to go up from Rs 55 lakh per year to Rs 1.5 crore or even more.

But then last year the corporation failed to get its old payments and attaining increased revenue earnings may be something less achievable.Leader of the Opposition Ashok Verma favours exploring new sources of revenue. “Due to the financial crunch, we are neither able to provide best amenities to the people, nor have been able to carry out big projects,” he says. Verma attributes this primarily to dependency on earnings only through two heads - house tax and publicity revenue.

“You can’t put injudicious burden on residents in the name of revenue earning, particularly through house tax,”maintains Verma, adding that the MC needs to explore other sources of revenue.

“We must follow corporations in cities like Ahmedabad and Hyderabad which have better sources of revenue earnings.”

The Dehradun MC has a lot of land in the city under encroachments. If this land is utilised for housing and other purposes, the corporation can see a considerable rise in its earnings.

The working committee had once proposed a hospital that would have, apart from benefiting corporation employees, catered to the health needs of residents.

Similarly, a petrol station was also proposed and that too did not materialise. There are corporations across the country operating city buses and even gymnasiums. Such initiatives can contribute towards the earnings of the corporation.

Councillor Ganesh Dangwal while agreeing that it was all-important to provide the best amenities to residents, said at the same time the corporation needed to work towards increasing its sources of revenue. He said finances continued to be a major stumbling block in case of several development projects.

Significantly, the MC has been short of employees and while it earnings have failed to increase, chances of fresh appointments are bleak, which again is likely to affect daily functioning of the corporation.

Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli says all efforts are being made to increase sources of revenue earnings. He is hopeful of overcoming the challenge through earnings from advertisements, particularly hoardings and property tax.

Imparting ‘Muskaan’ to poor children
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 8
The “Muskaan” pilot project underway in Nainital under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has earned the appreciation of the central government that has recommended the rest of the states to replicate the success story.

The programme ensures education of children of migrant labourers from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh working at quarrying sites on the Gaula river in Nainital district. The project was started in 2006.

There are plans to replicate the project in Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar. At least 5,000 children are expected to benefit from the project for which a sum of Rs 1.5 crore has been sanctioned for 41 centers.

In Dehradun, the project is underway at the Song riverbed with 350 children enrolled under the programme. Fulfilling the UN charter of right to education that calls for inclusive education, the projectis the brainchild of Rakesh Kumar, secretary school education, woman empowerment and child development, while he was district magistrate.

“Education is the only equaliser, it can help tide over years of neglect and oppression and it is every child’s right to get educated. We cannot deny education to children of migrant labourers who move from state to state in search of work,” he said.

The programme targets children of migrant labourers who have limited choices. “The vicious circle of child labour can only be broken if schools are opened at sites of work,” he said. The nature of migration at the Gaula river makes an interesting study. Each year between October and June, almost 8,000-10,000 people migrate from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh making the Gaula riverbed their abode, while engaging in quarrying activities.

As mothers join in the hard labour leaving children to their own devices, the district administration thought of adopting these children and adding the healthcare component. A study on children of migrant labourers in the age group of 3-14 shows 950 children enrolled under the programme.

Three centers with semi-permanent structures constitute “ Muskaan” centers at Aanwala Chauki, Berr Padav and Haathikhal that have come up on land given by the Forest Corporation. The latter gave Rs 5 Lakh through its social welfare corpus fund.

As with every programme, fears were expressed about it’s longevity. Several components were added to it, creating a synergy between education and health.

The children study for nine months and are given free uniform and books.

It is unwavering dedication of three teachers that has made the programme a grand success. 

Farmers fret as region reels under power cuts
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

From the brink of oblivion
Anmol Jain
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, July 8
One would wonder what link a Mussoorie hotel has with Charles Dickens. But there, indeed, is a hotel in Mussoorie that has been immortalised through an article published about it in a London journal (in 1857) edited by the great man himself.

Situated atop a small hillock, commanding a panoramic view of the Doon valley towards the south and the majestic Himalayas in the north, it is perhaps the oldest hotel in Mussoorie, “The Himalaya Castle.”

Few are aware that this may, perhaps, be the first hotel in Mussoorie although it was then run as a club providing boarding and lodge and entertainment and, hence, referred to as the “Club House”.

It served as a peaceful retreat for the British soldiers in the pre-Independence era.

Established in 1941, this property was known as the “Himalaya Club” as also the “Club House”. It was the most popular and happening place in Mussoorie during the 19th century with a magnificent ballroom, a billiards room a reading room, 23 furnished “apartments” and a large dining hall.

Its erstwhile popularity can be judged from the fact that an article on the hotel (titled “The Himalaya Club”) written by famous barrister-cum-writer John Lang was published in a popular weekly journal published from London called “Household Words”. The editor of this journal was none other than Charles Dickens.

Lang, who refers to this hotel as “the chief sanataria in the Himalaya Mountains,” says in the article that the elite of that time spent considerable time in the “Club House.”

“The club is open to members of the civil and military services, members of the bar, the clergy and to such other private gentlemen who are on the government house list,” writes Lang.

These society people spent time playing billiards or bridge, dancing with their companions in the ballroom, or just smoking and chatting around a cozy fire.

Such was the popularity of “Himalaya Club” that even a proposed rail track from Dehradun to Mussoorie was scheduled to terminate at this hotel.

“The British used to house Italian prisoners of war in this hotel during WW II,” informs Prabhat Vaish, the owner.

Lang himself resided at the hotel and breathed his last here in 1964.

However, post-Independence “Himalaya Club” slipped into obscurity with several hotels mushrooming in Mussoorie and also due to the lack of interest shown by its owners in running the place.

“Our family is based in Moradabad and nobody took interest in running the hotel.

“The property was locked for several decades,” informs Vaish, whose grandfather purchased the property in 1928 from the Maharaja of Nabha at a cost of Rs 1.40 lakh.

The hotel was renovated in 2005 and Prabhat Vaish and his son Pranav have since been making tireless efforts to restore its lost glory.

“We have made renovations to the old building but without altering the Victorian feel,” says Pranav.

He is keen to retain the historical look of the building while at the same time ensuring modern comforts to visitors. 

Villagers seek BPL status, hold protest
Tribune News Service