Dehradun, August 24
Three prominent candidates filed their papers on the last day of nominations for Vikasnagar assembly byelections, setting the ground for an interesting contest ahead. Navparbhat, a former Uttarakhand Forest and Urban Development minister and Congress candidate, filed his nomination papers today.

This was preceded by a rally outside the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) where senior state party leaders addressed hundreds of workers.

Uttarakhand Congress Chief Yashpal Arya, Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand assembly Harak Singh Rawat, Tehri Garhwal Congress MP Vijay Bahuguna, party legislators Tilak Raj Behad, Balbir Singh Negi and Rajesh Juvantha were also present on the occasion.

Congress leaders launched a scatching attack on the BJP state government alleging that the entire state machinery has failed. Referring to yesterday’s violence at Kaladhungi where a BJP leader was shot dead in the police station and subsequent killing of a cop, Yashpal Arya said law and order was at its worst under the current regime.

He appealed to people to cast their votes in favour of the Congress candidate for better administration and overall growth of the state.

Later in the day, Munna Singh Chauhan, also filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate. Munna Singh had won the seat during the 2007 assembly elections, but before the Lok Sabha elections in May this year had resigned from the seat as well as from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate from Tehri Garhwal.

After losing the election, he is again trying his luck from Vikasnagar assembly segment. Abdul Wahid, a Congress leader who had also contested the Vikasnagar assembly seat in 2007 as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate, also filed his nomination papers as an Independent. He had polled more than 7,000 votes as BSP candidate in 2007.

It would be interesting to watch whether he would quit in favour of the official Congress candidate Navparbhat or fight as an Independent. Already, another Muslim candidate, Gulfam Ali of Samajwadi Party, is in the fray and if the situation remains the same it would be difficult for the Congress candidate to win from a constituency that has a sizeable presence of Muslim voters.

Dehradun, August 24
The Kaladhungi incident where a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was shot dead by a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) activist inside the police station yesterday has demoralised the state police.

The incident had led to arson and violence in which Kaladhungi police station in Nainital district was burnt and cops brutally beaten up, which resulted in the death of one of them. Following the incident, reactions of police officials and the state government indicate that either both these vital institutions have a huge communication gap or they have been working at cross-purposes.

People of the area went berserk yesterday after Balwant Singh Kanyal, block head of nearby Katabagh area who had gone to police station to seek refuge, was shot dead by the accused inside the police station in presence of the cops. There were also allegations that the police were involved in the incident.

Later, the irate crowd went on a frenzy burning vehicles and beating up policemen, which led to the death of head constable Puran Sharma. The Uttarakhand government in its reaction said Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has taken a serious note of the incident and ordered that the entire staff of Kaldhungi police station be placed under suspension.

Subhash Kumar, principal secretary (Home), in a press release informed that the CM has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

On the other hand, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Satyavrat Bansal and Inspector General of Police Ashok Kumar at a press conference held at Haldwani today denied that the entire staff of Kaladhungi police station has been placed under suspension by the CM.

They claimed that only Station House Officer (SHO) Anil Saklani has been suspended.

Since the BJP government came to power in the state after winning the February 2007 assembly elections, the police has found itself on the backfoot.

In the very first month of its rule, the then Chief Minister BC Khanduri, bowing under RSS pressure, shifted Dehradun Kotwali police station incharge Mahender Singh Negi who had taken stern action against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists who had indulged in violence at a city restaurant. ABVP activists had refused to pay the food bill and later beat up the owner.

Later, two senior BJP leaders, Umesh Aggarwal and Vishawas Dabur, publicly quarreled with policemen on road duty.

Aggarwal, holding a ministerial rank, even allegedly tore the uniform of a cop. Both these leaders went scot-free; rather the cops were at the receiving end.

The alleged fake encounter of Ranbir Singh in July this year led to the complete demoralisation of the police force. After much hue and cry, the state government had ordered a CBI probe and more than 12 policemen would soon be facing CBI charges.

In yesterday’s incident, policemen were mercilessly beaten up and one of them lynched. Probably, senior police officials have not been able to muster up enough courage to implement the orders of the Chief Minister to suspend all those on duty due to fear of further demoralisation of the force or even a revolt by them. Ashok Kumar, IGP, Kumaon range, said four FIRs have been registered against 15 identified and other unidentified persons for arson and violence.

Dehradun, August 24
An attempt is being made to forcibly occupy Cosy Nook Estate valued at several crores on Landour cantonment area (Mussoorie) by influential persons who are resorting to threat and intimidation to drive away owner Santanu Sirkar.

He charged the cantonment board with working hand in glove with these influential persons in the illegal sale and purchase of property when it had no powers to do so.

At a press conference today, Santanu Sirkar charged Vigyan Bikram Shah with sending goons to the estate with the sole intention of scaring his old mother and a servant who looks after the property.

“Our watchman TB Thapa was intimidated by the goons who said they were there to finalise the purchase of the property that was not on sale. As the situation was getting out of hand, on June 22 I met MA Ganapathy, IG, Garhwal, and lodged a complaint.

“Following the complaint, the police got moving. On June 25, Bikram Shah accompanied by his goons approached the watchman again, saying he wanted to buy the property.

“ I notified the police which immediately took the goons away for interrogation. Bikram Shah and his goons apologised and filing of the FIR was kept on hold.” The matter did not end there. Once again Bikram Shah submitted a “malefide, fraudulent illegal application to the Landour Cantonment Board seeking transfer of property.

“I am amazed at the attitude of the board that knows I am the owner of the property which I purchased in 2000 from Sunil Thukral, the undisputed owner of the property.

“I have all records with me and a certificate from the Sub Registar of Properties, Mussoorie, proving that the property has come clean,” emphasised Sirkar.

He said Bikram Shah was making bogus claims because his father Shardul Bikram Shah had once brought the property in 1960 which was later sold in 1988.

Dehradun, August 24
Expressing dismay at the rising AIDS graph in the state, Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank called upon the State Aids Control Society (SACS) to give direction to the AIDS programme currently underway.

At a meeting of SACS held today at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister said the society should work towards keeping the infection rate to 1 per cent and also controlling the rate of infection during blood transfusion. “

For this, SACS needs to increase awareness and prepare a strategy for vulnerable groups,” he added.

As per National Aids Control Organisation, between 2002-2007, a total of 2,027 HIV positive patients have been identified in the state. In 2007, the number of HIV patients were 504 while in 2008, about 549 new HIV patients have been identified.

The Chief Minister called for increasing awareness about the disease especially among high risk groups. While Labour Minister Prakash Pant said AIDS control programme should be strengthened.

Dehradun, August 24
A significant reduction in stamp duty on rent deeds is on the cards. The state stamp duty and the registration department has sent a proposal to reduce duty from prevailing 7 to 2 per cent.

Sources said final touches were being given to the proposal and the government order is expected soon. The decision when it comes into force is likely to motivate people to register rent deeds of houses and buildings used for commercial purposes. In the government eyes, people tend to do so to evade higher rate of stamp duty. The government rationale is that the lower duty would bring more revenue.

The major gain for the lease/rent holders is that reduction in duty would help protect their legal rights.

Mostly the rent agreements in case of large office spaces are done on a stamp paper of Rs 100 value. This is done to circumvent registration of agreement to conceal actual amount of rent, which may invite higher duty. Though this way tenants and landlords may save money to be paid as stamp duty, it does not stand in the court in case of any dispute. So in a way, proper registration on account of reduced duty legally empowers both parties.

As of now, 4 per cent duty is payable if a premises is rented for less than a year. But its registration is not compulsory. But as per prevailing stamp duty slabs, 7 per cent duty is charged on rent deeds for the periods ranging between two to 30 years.

That is why people normally enter agreements for 11 months if the actual agreement is for more than a year. Both parties go on extending this 11-month agreement with mutual consent. But this means loss of revenue for the government.

He said that large-scale encroachments were taking place in the cantonment areas whereas the board was acting as a mute spectator. The leader also sought time from the CMr to put forward the concerns of ex-servicemen. 

Dehradun, August 24
Meerut-bound passengers travelling on Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation buses on the Dehradun-Delhi route are a harassed lot.

The reason, a ban on these buses from entering Meerut city between 8 am and 8 pm which has been in force since Saturday.

Drivers and conductors of the buses were taken in by surprise when their buses were not allowed into Meerut.

The passengers now have to disembark at the bypass and spend extra bucks on local transport to reach their destination.

As many as 26 buses ply daily on the Dehradun-Delhi route.

The GM of Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation, Deepak Jain, said the ban had been imposed by the Meerut district administration. Transport officials in Meerut said the administration had taken the step to regulate traffic in the city.

They argued that all long-route buses ought to take the bypass.

Earlier, the district administration of Muzaffarnagar had prohibited the entry of Uttarakhand buses on this route.

Sources said middle-rung officials were negotiating with their counterparts in Meerut as the ban entailed loss of revenue for Uttarakhand with its buses unable to pick passengers from Meerut on way to Delhi.

Dehradun, August 24
Abishek Rawat emerged winner in the open category at District Judo Competition organised at Parade Ground here today.

Results:

In open category: Abhishek Rawat of Gautam International won gold. Abhay Rana of Drona’s International School got silver. Vinod Singh of Ideal Children Academy bagged bronze.

In 50 kg: Anurag Rai of Dronas School bagged gold medal, Pradhum of Heritage School won silver and Lovepreet of Bala Hissar School got the bronze medal.

In 45 kg: Abhay Rana of Dronas School managed to get gold. Abhishek of Gautam International School won the silver medal. Vinod Singh of Ideal Children Academy bagged bronze for himself.

In 40 kg: Akil Khandelwal of Summer Valley School got gold. Shreya Dobhal of St Joseph Academy won silver. Sunny Sharma of Marshall School bagged bronze.

In 35 kg: Shivam Mittal of St Joseph Academy won gold. Ashish Guta of SGRR School won silver medal. Vyom Bangwal of Bright Land School got bronze.

In 30 kg: Rishab Dabral of SGRR won gold. Dhruv Dutt of Doon International School won silver. Nitin Negi of SGRR School bagged the bronze medal.

In 25 kg: Akhil Gupta of Heritage School won gold. Ashish Singh of Shishu Sonsar School got the silver medal. Sachin of Guru Nanak Inter College bagged the bronze.

In 20 kg: Aryan Bangwal of Brightland won gold. Ishan Gandhi of DPS School got silver and Shivam of Guru Nanak International School won bronze.

Dehradun, August 24
Nainital cruised into the semifinals of the u-19 Ram Bahadur Chhetri Memorial Football Championship at Ambedkar Stadium here today. In the quarterfinal they defeated Udham Singh Nagar by 5-0.

Nainital team frequently scored goals on their opponent to demolish them completely in the end. Nainital scored its first goal in the initial minutes to unsettle their opponent. Satnam scored the first goal for his team in the 9th minute of the match through a powerful kick to take the keeper by surprise.

Udham Singh Nagar was trying to come out of the first blow when Nainital’s Prakash struck for his team barely eight minutes later to leave Udham Singh Nagar disappointed.

Thereafter, the third goal for Nainital team was scored in the 19th minute through Prakash. He completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute making the score 4-0.

In the second half, Nainital team increased its lead by another goal to make its 4-0. It was Akram who scored a goal in the 57th minute of the match. Throughout the match Udham Singh Nagar was under pressure and made little to launch a counter attack.

Dehradun Blue team became the second team to make it to the semifinals stage. In the quarterfinal it defeated SAI Kashipur team in a tiebreaker.