Dehradun, July 11
The budget session of state Legislative Assembly, scheduled to get underway on July 13, is likely to be a stormy affair with Opposition legislators gearing up to corner the ruling BJP on several important issues, including deteriorating law and order situation, unemployment and lack of overall development.

Addressing mediapersons at the Vidhan Sabha today, Dr Harak Singh Rawat said he had already spoken to BSP legislators and it has been unanimously decided that entire opposition should jointly take up the issues pertaining to the state and the common man.

Asserting that the Congress party would aggressively raise the issue of the lawlessness in the state, Rawat said, “The fake encounter of Ranbir shows that ‘Jungle Raj’ is prevalent here. Incidents of loot, dacoity and murder are on the rise and cops are busy gunning down innocents in fake encounters.”

“The matter has brought a bad name to the entire state and the police,” he added.

Rawat alleged that role of the police is not suspicious in Ranbir case alone, but the recent murder of Anshu Nautiyal as well. He alleged that in the latter, the police was trying to shield some influential persons who may have been involved in the murder.

Further, he alleged that during the past two years, there have been several incidents where BJP government has discouraged and demoralised honest cops. “Because of this, cops having shady records are working in an autocratic manner and are killing innocent persons in fake encounters,” he said.

Another burning issue that the Congress plans to take up in the Assembly is that of unemployment. Rawat said it was unfortunate that during its two-and-a-half year tenure, the BJP government had not recruited a single person. “Shiksha Acharayas, Shiksha Mitras, NTT teachers, contractual employees of various departments are staging protests across the state, but the government seems least bothered,” he alleged.

Rawat clarified that people who got jobs during the past two years were those who had been accommodated in schemes run by the Union government. “The state government has not nothing to ensure employment for the youth,” he said.

Rawat also alleged that ever since BJP took over reins of the state, development projects are hanging fire. “There has been no development in the state from the past two years,” he alleged, while adding that the clean sweep by the Congress in the recent parliamentary elections in Uttarakhand was testimony to the fact that BJP had failed on all fronts.

Haridwar, July 11
On the fifth day of the strike the junior doctors locked the gates of the OPD and emergency services department.

The agitation got intense when one of the agitating doctor’s health, who is on fast unto death, got deteriorated and had to be admitted to the hospital.

Kapil Sharma, who sat on fast unto death, didn’t want to go for a medical check up but after the request by the city magistrate Archana Grehawar, CO City Navneet Singh and SO City Arvind Singh Rawat, Kapil was taken for medical supervision in presence of tight security.

As a mark of protest the agitating students locked the OPD services and two of the junior doctors Dinesh Kumar and Praveen Kumar have now sat on fast unto death at the agitation spot fuelling the agitation.

“We will continue the agitation from where Kapil has left and will not bend in front of the administration and police,” said Dinesh and Praveen.

Other students sat on dharna at the campus and raised slogans against the state government and college management.

Meanwhile, Youth Congress activists, who are supporting the protest, have warned to intensifying the movement if the state government doesn’t pay heed to the matter. District head Rajeev Chaudhari has termed it as a silent torture by BJP led state government on junior doctors.

“The state government led by Nishank seems to be intolerant towards public which shows in the Haldwani case,” said Chaudhary.

The junior doctors are on strike demanding pay stipends in accordance with the Sixth Pay Commission alleging that the college management is trying to create divisions among the agitating students instead of supporting their movement.

Medicos who sat on strike today were Hemant Kand Pal, RajPal Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Ravi Rai, Nisha Verma belonging to ‘Ras Shastra’, ‘Salya’ and ‘Panchkarma’ medical department.

Dehradun, July 11
National Students Union of India (NSUI) members today staged a demonstration at Shakuntla Devi BEd College alleging that the college was resorting to irregularities in the admission process.

The protesters said the college management was not carrying out admissions in BEd despite the university list being declared. NSUI activists threatened to carry out a lock out at the college if admission process is delayed further.

State president of NSUI, Sangram Singh Pundir, along with NSUI activists demonstrated in the college.

Pundir revealed that the college was not going as per the university list that was issued a month back.

The college has not done any admission till date said Pundir.

National president of Training Cell, Pankaj Chhetri said the students had been working hard to clear their BEd entrance examinations but they are denied admission in the college, which clearly indicates the level of corruption that exists here.

Chhetri said that such corruption should be rooted out in order to improve the standard of education in the state.

The NSUI members have already brought the matter in the notice of secretary higher education and have got the admission date extended by 10 days.

Haridwar, July 11
In protest against the Delhi High Court’s decision to repeal Section 377, members of Human Rights Association, Teerth Maryada Rakshak Samiti and Gandhi Vadi Ekta Manch yesterday held a rally and said the concept was alien to our culture.

Chief convener of Human Rights Association, Uttarakhand, Sanjay Chopra said: “The law was there since 1860’s, what was the need to repeal it now?” An unnatural act is being given legal support.” “Innocents will be targeted as there will be no fear among homosexuals now with the scrapping of punishment clause of Section 377,” he added.

Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti’s Tej Prakash Sahu questioned the need for the court to take up this issue when several other important ones pertaining to the common man were lying pending.

“There are far more important issues like the need to control corruption, provision of water and electricity, et al, than the issue of homosexuality,” he said.

Many others felt that court has based its decision keeping in mind the western culture than our own and hoped the Apex Court will restore Section 377.

The agitators said they would file a PIL in this regard and also write to President Pratibha Dev Singh Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Justice KG Balakrishan.

Notably, defined as unnatural sex under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, homosexuality was punishable with imprisonment up to life, but now that clause has been waived off by the Delhi High Court last week.

Dehradun, July 11
State minister for Food and Civil Supplies Diwakar Bhatt has said although only 18 lakh persons fall in the Above Poverty Line (APL) category, cards for subsidised food items has been issued to 22.3 lakh persons. He said after verifying facts, directions have been issued to cancel cards that have been procured after submitting wrong information.

“As many as 4.3 lakh cards will be cancelled soon and it will be ensured that in future they are issued after proper verification,” he said.

He said it has also come to light that consumers who take cylinders from gas agencies are often forced by agencies to buy gas pipes, regulators, gas stoves, etc.

“A gas connection used to cost around Rs 3,700. But now instructions have been issued to all agencies that they can only charge security of the cylinder and won’t be allowed to sell things that the customer does not want.

“Now, the consumer will have to pay just Rs 1,735 for a gas connection and cylinder,” he said.

Bhatt announced that in case the department received any complaint pertaining to forcible sale of gas stoves and other accessories, license of the erring gas agency would be suspended.

While urging consumers not to pay home delivery charges if they are procuring the cylinder from the agency outlet, Bhatt said, “It has come to our knowledge that even if the consumer procures cylinder from the agency, he or she is charged home delivery charges. We won’t allow agencies to carry on with this wrong practice.”

Dehradun, July 11
It may have been accorded national river status in the country but have failed to make a mark in run up to the new list of New Seven Wonders of Nature being prepared by New Seven Wonders Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland. Now, India’s stakes are left only with Kaziranga National Park in the solo category and Sundarbans, that too jointly with Bangladesh.

Interestingly, while Ganga got big chunk of votes, lack of official support failed to take it closer to the final round and the river, one of the longest in the world failed to make up to the final list of 77. The New Seven Wonders Committee had asked the Indian government for soliciting support for Ganga but later took little interest in the matter. Unfortunately, Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand also lost the race in the very first round itself due to lack of official support.

While 77 final candidates are in contention for the New Seven Wonders of Nature out of which 28 official finalist candidates will be selected and declared by the N7W Panel of experts on July 21 at 7 minutes past mid-day GMT.

This will be followed by voting that will take place throughout 2010 and 2011. During this period New7WondersWorld team will also be visiting 28 finalists sites. The voting being done in the official New7Wonders of Nature will be chose by over 1 billion votes.

Initially, when the campaign started there were over 400 candidates in the race by with every round the numbers reduced to final tally of 77. The New7wondersofNature will finally be declared by 2011 end.

Dehradun, July 11
Raipur villagers today staged a demonstration at SSP office here and sought immediate arrest of those responsible for assault on Raipur gram pradhan Mahesh Yadav on July 5.

The villagers of Raipur gathered at SSP office and raised anti-police slogans.

The protesters met circle officer Kotwali GC Tamta and also accused the police of trying to protect the assaulters.

Dehradun, July 11
Cantt Blues and BC Milan played a goalless draw at the District Football League here today.

BC Milan improved its game to play a draw against a tough side.

Cantt Blues looked under pressure in the beginning as they lost possession of the ball to their opponents on a number of occasions.

Cantt Blues came close to scoring in the 15th minute of the match as they penetrated the defence from the right.

But their forward missed out on scoring as his shot went straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.

In the 25th minute, Cantt Blues came close to scoring as their forward made a solo run from the left to dodge two defenders before losing control of the ball.

Slowly, BC Milan got back its rhythm to launch another attack in the 28th minute but to no avail.

In the 32nd minute, BC Milan was on the attack again but they failed to penetrate the defence of Cantt Blues team.

At the end of the first half, both team were goalless. In the second half, Cantt Blues came with a better strategy and launched a number of attacks but failed to score.

In the second match, it was a draw between Sunderwala Boys and Nagar Nigam. Sunderwala team dominated the first half.

They displayed greater ball control and coordination to pressurise Nagar Nigam defence.

Sunderwala Boys came close to scoring in the 10th minute.

But its forward fumbled and missed out on the golden opportunity to score

In the 21st minute, Sunderwala Boys made a sharp move from the right but they too failed to score. At the end of the first half, both teams were locked 0-0.

In the second half, Nagar Nigam’s Sandeep opened the account for his team in the 6th minute.

Sunderwala Boys found the equaliser in the 20th minute. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Haridwar, July 11
In the three-day kabaddi championship organised at the BHEL Sector 4 sports complex here, the BHEL (Plant) team defeated Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the final.

In the first half, BHEL (Plant) was in an aggressive mode. Their players displayed excellent attacking moves and solid defence to score points at ease.

BHEL captain Kushalvir Singh led from the front and scored vital points. At half time, the score was 17-8 in favour of BHEL.

In the second half, CISF players changed their strategy and scored back-to-back points thrice but failed to level the lead of the first half. CISF lost 21-30.

At the presentation ceremony, chief guest PK Modi, BHEL executive director, stressed on the need of having such sporting events. MD Vimal Kumar and Commandant CISF P Saklani gave away the prizes.

After the final, a 12-member team was picked by the organising committee which will take part in the BHEL Inter-Kabaddi Championship in Trichanapalli, Tamil Nadu, on August 10-12.

The team members are Gulbir Singh, Subash Tyagi, Ashutosh Chauhan, Vikas Kumar, Dinesh Saloniya, Kushal Bir Singh, Subash Malik, Dinesh Chauhan, Kunwar Pal Singh, Pradhyuman Sharma, Dharam Veer Chauhan and Anjani Shrivastava.