Dehradun, August 7
Rains in the state continue to wreak havoc even as the capital city of Dehradun stood drenched in the rains that lashed the city on Thursday, throwing civic affairs in complete disarray.

Each monsoon brings overflowing drains and water-logged roads in Dehradun even as most localities in low- lying areas face inundation. The municipal authorities are always found wanting in managing the affairs.

Rain-fed rivers, particularly the Bindal and Rispana that criss-cross most part of the city, were yet again bursting on the seams due to the sudden rise in their volume caused by incessant rain last night.

Those living in settlements alongside rivers spent the night awake to ward off any possible threat.

While water spilled over the Shivpuri Mohini road bridge, it entered the premises of Durga Temple at Sanjay Colony, Guru Nanak Enclave at Race Course and Pathribagh areas. Rispana river waters entered Sanjay Colony, Deepnagar and Bhagat Singh Colony, taking residents by surprise. To make matter worse, the rains led to caving in of embankments at scores of localities.

Councillors at the Dehradun Municipal Corporation squarely blame corporation officials for lack of preparations to meet rain exigencies. Dehradun Congress councillors led by Ashok Verma had a week back staged a demonstration at the district headquarters, accusing the MC officials of lack of preparedness to meet monsoon woes.

Submitting a memorandum to the district magistrate, the councillors had demanded that corporation officials be responsible for any damage caused to houses and other public property during the season.

“Before the onset of monsoon, temporary disaster management offices are opened at the Municipal Corporation, but no such preparations were made this year. Residents have now to pay for the complacent attitude of the corporation,” said Ashok Verma, Leader of the Opposition in the DMC.

He said the initial spell of monsoon had caused large-scale devastation in Dehradun, which was a matter of concern. Another councillor Arun Valmiki said the slum dwellers faced a harrowing time.

“While embankments on two major seasonal rivers are missing at several stretches, repairs are needed at some places.

“This makes localities alongside rivers most vulnerable to flooding,” Valmiki observed.The problem is likely to get aggravated in days to come with Dehradun Met officials forecasting more heavy rains. This certainly would mean further troubled times ahead.

Councillor Raj Kumar, in whose ward are a large number of settlements alongside the Rispana, expressed anguish over the sorry state of affairs.

“While last evening rains struck havoc in Sanjay Colony, there has been no response from the so-called MC control room,” he pointed out.

He alleged that water-logging in houses in close proximity to the Rispana had become an annual feature and there had been little effort on the part of the Dehradun municipal authorities to redress the problem.

He said it was becoming increasingly difficult for the councillors to face the voters in their respective wards with water-logging turning from bad to worse each passing day.

While riverside localities faced the brunt, roads in downtown Dehradun were rendered unfit for travel. Almost all prominent crossings were choked with rain- water and the dirt in the drains lay scattered about. However, the MC claims to have gone on a cleanliness drive months before the start of the rainy season.

The authorities argue that despite shortage of sanitary workers, it had began preparations in March to deal with the garbage menace caused due to the rains.

“We began cleaning of the drains from as early as March in order to ensure that there was no choking of drains leading to spilling over of litter onto the streets,” senior health inspector Dr Gurupal Singh said.

He said the corporation with its limited resources was trying to take every possible measure to help people get respite from rainwater woes.

Dehradun Municipal Corporation limits generate an estimated 257 metric tonnes of solid waste per day and it only 155 tones per day finds way into the dump site; the rest finds way into vacant plots, into drains and ultimately seasonal rivers.

The situation turns worse during the rains with overflowing drains spreading the litter onto the roads.The corporation officials claim to pressing into service fogging and spray machines to check the spread of mosquitoes and other insects.

But public resentment against the corporation and the district authorities seems to be growing. Public resentment has time and again been spilling over to the streets.

“It’s high time the authorities become more sensitive towards the concerns of rain-affected localities and go for long-term steps to remedy the water-logging problem in the city,” said Verma.

n Several roads in city water-logged n Water enters Sanjay Colony, Deepnagar n Bindal, Rispana bursting

Dehradun, August 7
Heavy rain has caused a crisis of plenty with silt brought into rivers by excessive water affecting power generation. This has forced Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) to overdraw power from the Northern Grid.

Over the past three days, it has rained heavily in the hill areas in and around Uttarakashi district. The silt gathering in the Bhagirathi river is affecting the speed of turbines at the Tiloth and Dharasu powerhouses. This has led to a shortfall in power generation as both powerhouse shut down for over 12 hours to prevent damage to the turbines.

The director, Met Department, DrAnand Sharma, said Uttarakashi district had received heavy rainfall for the last three months. A total 762 mm rainfall had been recorded between June 1 and August 5 against the normal 613 mm. This is the highest rainfall recorded in the state so far. He said the trend was likely to continue.Officials at UPCL said besides Tiloth and Dharasu, silt had to be flushed out at the Khatima powerhouse. Power generation had to be stopped for this. 

Dehradun, August 7
Padma Shri awardee Avdhash Kaushal, along with people from 1,220 villages in the state without power supply, would launch a massive agitation from October 2 to pressurise the government into resuming work on stalled power projects.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Kaushal said the government had surrendered to the whims of a few saints.

“It is surprising that after spending more than Rs 100 crore, the state government has stopped work on Maneri Bhali and Bhaironghati power projects as the saints and ‘sadhus’ have raised objections.

“Due to stalling of these projects farmers are facing great hardships, as they have no electricity for irrigation purposes,” said Kaushal.

Shortage of electricity was also expected to affect the growth of industries and delays in power projects would scale up the cost once these are resumed.

Kaushal said the state government had set a wrong precedent by bowing to the demands of ‘sadhus’.

“Just because they threaten to launch indefinite fasts and resort to other gimmicks, the government listens to them. We will launch a massive agitation against this from October 2,” he said.

Kaushal informed that the central ministry of power had set a goal of electrification of villages by 2012 under the National Mission.

“But if the state governments continues to stop the ongoing projects, the aim of the mission will not be achievable.

“Therefore. it is absolutely imperative that the government does not succumb to pressure of religious heads.

“ It should rather be concentrating on over-all development,” he stressed.

Dehradun, August 7
Going beyond the barriers of religion, caste and creed, the Syed Kamal Shah’s ‘mazaar’ (grave), situated in the heart of the city, speaks volumes about people’s devotion and faith.

Syed Kamal Shah worked for the welfare of mankind and his compassion instilled faith in people belonging to different sects and religions.

“Nobody exactly knows when the ‘mazaar’ was built, but it is believed to be more than 100 years old.

“When people started believing in the miracles of the ‘baba’, they built it as a tribute to him,” said Rasheed Niyazi, caretaker and committee member of the ‘mazaar’.

“Not only locals, devotees from Delhi, Punjab and many other places visit the ‘mazaar’, especially on Thursdays.

The baba’s blessings have cured many people of their ailments. Once any problem is solved people come again to offer a coloured ‘chadar’ (sheet) on the sacred grave,” added Niyazi.

From people plagued with severe diseases to students appearing for examinations, there are several visitors to the ‘mazaar’ each day.

“Belief in the powers of God is a personal choice, but my experience here has been very fruitful.

“That is why I visit the mazaar regularly. It gives me peace of mind” said Rekha, a devotee.

Dehradun, August 7
Noted environmentalist Prof GD Agrawal has postponed his indefinite fast by a month. The postponement of Prof Agrawal’s protest has come about following appeals by the local citizenry of Varanasi as well as by the Shankaracharyas, including Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati of Jyotish and Sharda peeth, Swami Nischlalanad of Puri and Swami Bharathi Teerth Mahaswami of Sringeri.

Prof Agrawal had announced to sit on fast-unto-death at Varanasi’s Kedar Ghat from August 5 in support of his demand for saving Bhagirathi Ganga and restoration of its original and natural flows.

Earlier, in his letters sent to the Centre as well as to the state governments on July 18, Prof. Agrawal had warned that he would sit on fast-unto-death from August 5 if the work on hydroelectric projects along the Bhagirathi river upstream of Uttarkashi were not stopped.

He had also gone on fast in support of his demands, on two earlier occasions in June 2008 and January 2009, in response to which both centre and state governments had given him assurances in writing.

However, when despite the government orders, work at Loharinag-Pala and Pala Maneri projects continued, Prof. Agrawal decided to go on fast again on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi.

Prof Agrawal has now decided to postpone his agitation and has said that 
he would renew his protest after a month if the Centre does not heed to his demand.

He also announced that till then he will survive only on a 'single meal a day'.

A group of Varanasi citizens, including Prof. Veer Bhadra Mishra, president of Sankat Mochan Foundation, Anand Bahadur Singh, and many others held a meeting on Tulsi Ghat on August 5, afternoon to convince Agrawal about their sentiments.

In a written statement signed by all participants, they requested him to postpone the fast.

They promised to extend all support to him for the cause of the river Ganga. They also sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister, demanding fulfillment of the government's promises.