Dehradun, October 23
The intense infighting in the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress again came to the fore during the executive committee meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) held at Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district on October 21.

The tussle between the state party chief Yashpal Arya, known to be a protege of former Chief Minister and Andhra Pradesh Governor ND Tiwari, and other groups led by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat became too evident when most of the MPs and MLAs owing allegiance to Rawat did not turn up for the meeting.

Leader of Opposition Harak Singh Rawat, who is also trying to emerge as a group leader in the state Congress politics, was also missing from the meeting.

Interestingly, to settle their scores, even Youth Congress workers were “pressed into service” by the rivals of Yashpal Arya to disturb the meeting.

The Youth Congress workers protesting against the framing of a Youth Congress leader in the Kaladhungi violence staged a demonstration against their party for not adequately taking up the issue.

They even tried to barge into the meeting hall making it difficult for the senior leaders to manage the show.

Out of five Congress MPs, who won in the May 2009 Lok Sabha elections, three MPs namely Harish Rawat, Pardeep Tamta and Satpal Maharaj did come to attend the meeting.

Only Vijay Bahuguna addressed the meeting while another local MP KC Singh Baba sat with the Youth Congress workers in their protest.

Out of 20 odd legislators only five attended the meeting indicating that something was wrong in the party organisation.

There has been an intense struggle going on between various factions to force a change in the state party organisation.

Indira Hariydesh, a former lieutenant of Tiwari, who is now in the Harish Rawat camp, has been lobbying hard to replace Yashpal Arya. She also did not attend the meeting on the ground that she was not invited.

Lobbyists against Yashpal Arya are arguing that the party after winning all five seats in the May Lok Sabha elections, later lost two by-elections of Kapkot and Vikasnagar held in May and September, respectively.

Bhola Pandey, co-in charge of state party affairs, was also annoyed with the low turnout of party MPs and legislators in the PCC executive meeting.

But, since he has been looking after party affairs for the past two years, he was also well aware of the intense rivalry between various groups trying to outsmart each other at every step.

Dehradun, October 23
Board meeting of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation again today ended after a verbal duel between ruling BJP councillors and Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli here today.

During a discussion on the new policy on hoardings, the ruling BJP councillors were seen divided. While, a section of them wanted to discuss the new policy to make changes, the other group was determined to oppose them.

The Mayor said a policy about hoardings had already been announced and there was no need for a discussion on the subject any more. This led to heated exchanges between the mayor and some of the BJP councillors. The Mayor called of the meeting and went to his room. The women councillors also went to his room and confronted him.

On the other hand, the Mayor acceding to the demand of the Congress councillors to form a committee to look into the rights of the councillors.

Dehradun, October 23
Uttarakhand government is preparing itself to fetter the public schools in the state. The private public schools would be forced to provide 20 per cent reservation to poor children in their schools from next academic session.

Uttarakhand Education Minister Govind Singh Bisht today announced that the state government has been working on a legislation to make public schools more accountable.

He said a committee under the chairmanship of Karen Hilton, an anglo-Indian nominated member of the state assembly was formed to work on the proposed legislation and it was expected that the bill would be placed on the table of the assembly in the winter session.

He said with the passage of the bill, 20 per cent reservation for poor children would be compulsory for public schools in the state.

He hoped that with the passage of the bill, more than 5,000 poor children would be able to get free education in these schools.

The government would provide for books, stationery and other expenses of the students.

Education minister claimed that with the new legislation, the schools would also not been able to charge exorbitant fees from the next academic session.

About government schools, Bisht said a survey has been done to identify remote schools and action regarding having teachers in these schools would be taken soon.

He also announced that in 500 government schools of the state e-classes would be started and those schools having student strength of 200, Anganwadis would be opened so that younger bothers and sisters of the students could come to the school.

Dehradun, October 23
Demanding right to education for the poor and needy children of the society, a satire on the government’s casual attitude towards these children a street play was enacted by the members of Prayas Jagrukta Manch here today.

The play talked out the basic needs of children belonging to age group of 6-14 and how, in spite of governments constant promises, none of these poor kids are given any benefits.

Enthusiastic and sensitive participants began the play discussing the role of ministers, who time and again make false promises such as stress-free exams, reservation for students belonging to lower middle class families and other such luring promises.

Highlighting this vicious circle, the participants also talked out about the status of the poor parents and kids, who get mesmerised by these gimmicks, which till date has only helped government to get sympathy in fulfilling their so-called mission of imparting education to each and everyone.

The participants for the play were Vishal, Sawan, Ahmed, Haider, Jaspal Rana, Rajesh Sharma and few others who enthralled the audience with their passion and courage.

Dehradun, October 23
Leprosy-cured patients thronged a two-day reconstructive surgery camp in which top doctors from JJ Hospital, Mumbai, and Doon and Coronation Hospital gave expert advise.

Twentyfive leprosy-cured inmates from eight Kusth Ashrams in Dehradun and three from Rishikesh participated in the screening camp and among these 12 were selected for the surgery that would help the patients gain lost limbs.

“Usually leprosy patient’s movement is greatly hampered by missing limbs, lost while battling the disease.

“Through reconstructive surgery we will be adding a limb that would be a big help in performing day to day tasks,” said Dr Atul Shah, plastic surgeon, JJ Hospital.

There were some other patients who also sought advise on the wounds that were not healing. The disfiguring nature of leprosy can be arrested to some extent through reconstructive surgery, “The leprosy-cured persons were also distributed implements that are easy to handle keeping in mind there limitations.

“We have given them special combs, glasses and even grips that can give them better grip,” said Dr DS Bisht, surveillance medical officer, leprosy.

The disease of the nervous system, leprosy strikes due to mycobacterium infection, any portion of the skin can suddenly feel loss of sensation and develop white patches, “Depending on the number of anaesthetic patches that are formed on the body the severity of the disease is assessed.”

For Pauci Bacillus leprosy if the patches are below five, Multi Drug Therapy treatment is given for six months while the patches are more than five the leprosy is termed Multi Bacillus and the Multi Drug Therapy treatment is given for a period of 12 months.

Along with Dr Atul Shah, senior surgeon Dr Rajat Kumar, senior orthopedic surgeon Dr SK Gupta, senior orthopaedic surgeon, Doon hospital, Dr YS Thapliyal, orthopedic surgeon, Coronation Hospital, Dr Jyoti Bohra were part of the team that conducted screening and surgeries on patients.

Dehradun, November 23
Poor families in Uttarakhand can now access health services available at private hospitals.

Through the cashless smart card, under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), patients living below the poverty line (BPL) have already started getting treatment for 980 diseases at five private hospitals.

In the next 15 days, Doon Government Hospital and District Women’s Hospital will be empanelled along with scores of other hospitals.

Already, 50 families have availed the services in Dehradun by getting themselves treated at the private hospital. Hari Prasad, a poor farmer living in Mianwala, had never dreamt that he could visit a private hospital about which he had always thought it was beyond his means.

“The card is indeed handy, I have already started treatment for chest infection, thanks to the cashless card,”said an elated Hari Prasad.

The RSBY Health Insurance Scheme, launched last year, was earlier under the Ministry of Labour and Employment and now has been handed to the state government which is implementing it through the United India Insurance Company.

The company then selected a third party administrator which is responsible for issuing biometric cards and provides software.

The beneficiary and his family can avail services of Rs 30,000 by making an yearly payment of Rs 30 only.

“It would cost the government Rs 600 on one person per family, besides, the beneficiaries would have greater choice in selecting hospitals of their choice especially in the private sector which earlier were beyond their means,” said Dr Sudhanshu Bahuguan, Additional Health Director.

Five private hospitals have been empanelled in Dehradun and four in Udham Singh Nagar. In the coming 15 days Doon Hospital will also be empanelled.

“The hospitals that have been empanelled in Doon include City Heart and Medical Center, Narayan Swami Hospital and Dental College, Life Line Hospital, Rawal Nursing Home and Polyclinic and City Hospital,” said Dhirender Dubey, Branch Manager, MD India, the third party administrator.

The scheme empowers poor families by giving them freedom of choice for using healthcare services from an extensive list of hospitals, including private hospitals.

The maximum contribution of 75 per cent is made by the centre and 25 per cent by the state government.

Already 18,030 cards have been distributed in Dehradun and 36,011 in Udham Singh Nagar. The scheme will be renewed every year. The cards have to be distributed among 43,000 persons in Dehradun living under the below the poverty line.

Dehradun, October 23
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has called for early completion of hydro-electric projects in the state so that the state could become self-reliant. Chief Minister was talking to chairman and managing director of Satluj Hydro-electric Corporation Limited H.K.Sharma here today.

Nishank said the state government, besides inviting private builders, wanted to involve local people in the construction of small hydro-power projects. He further said a new technology to produce electricity from the water of the canals would be tried for the first time in the state.

Satluj Hydro-electric Power Corporation chief HK Sharma said a total of 360 MW of power projects had been allocated to the corporation. The 252 MW Devsari Project in Chamoli and 60 MW of Natwari Mori were allocated to the Satluj corporation. He also offered the state government to cooperate in Utpalu Hydro-Power Project.

Dehradun, October 23
Community leaders, social activists and researchers from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand deposed before a jury on the impact of climate change on their life and livelihoods at a public hearing held at Rishikesh.

The two-day hearing of over 30 testimonies from different parts led to the conclusion that fundamental changes are required in the environmental governance of the Himalayas.

The first day was devoted to depositions from people on the environmental changes felt and the conditions that forced adaptation in every aspect of their lives. Depositions from Kumaon on the borders of Nepal to Uri on the Pakistan borders, everywhere there has been significant changes in weather patterns demanding cropping system changes. There is a great instability of agricultural and animal husbandry yields. And appropriate mechanisms are not in place to combat this situation. Some forewarned a grave future if we do not reverse the trend.

Dehradun, October 23
Jaunsar Bawar Mahasabha will observe martyr and member of Azad Hind Fauj Kesri Chand’s birth anniversary on November 1.

They have also asked permission from district magistrate for installing life-size statue of Kesri Chand at a prominent place.

Kesri Chand was born in Kyava village of Jaunsar Bawar, he completed his education from DAV college and joined the Royal Indian Army Service Core as Subedar. Later, he joined the Azad Hind Fauj and was captured by the British force in 1944 and was put on trial the same year and hanged in 1945. “We are keen that the administration will assign a place for installing his statue,” said Munna Rana on behalf of Mahasabha.