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Water Crisis
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Women’s quota Cong initiative: Junwantha
AICC flays CM for parishad head’s appointment
Water flow resumes, life back to normal at Ganga ghats
Traditional millets, cereals to be served at mid-day meals
Unique ID numbers to be merged in MNIC
Sixth Pay Panel
Children future of nation: Chancellor
Prakash Utsav celebrations of Guru Nanak begin
Postmortem of leopard conducted
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Water Crisis
Dehradun, October 25 Manoj Tewari, Pritam Singh and Kishore Upadhaya, three Congress legislators, told mediapersons here today that after failing to get any positive assurance from the present BJP government to address the problem of drinking water shortage in Almora, they have decided to start their agitation. They claimed that all party legislators and a majority of the MPs would be attending the dharna. They were hopeful that Union Minister of State Labour and Employment Harish Rawat and Pardeep Tamta, MP from Almora Lok Sabha seat, would also participate in the dharna. Tewari said Almora had been facing water shortage as the town was getting only 7 MLD of drinking water as compared to the demand of 11 MLD of water every day. “The demand shoots up during summers while the supply drops down to 4.5 MLD,” he added. He said he had been raising the demand to start the Almora-Saryu-Seraghat Pumping Scheme for the past three years, but nothing had been done so far. “Only this scheme and a barrage on the Kosi river could solve the drinking water problems of the town,” said Tewari. He said the Almora-Saryu-Seraghat Pumping Scheme was prepared by Jal Nigam, but was not implemented on the ground. Since then it had been hanging fire. In a letter to the CM, a month ago, he had requested him to do something urgently to solve the problem. Tewari alleged that the CM immediately went to Almora on October 24 and performed the Bhumi Pujan of the proposed Almora medical college, a long-pending demand of people of Almora, but again failed to make any commitment on the water woes of the town. |
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No change in state leadership: Pandey
Dehradun, October 25 Pandey, who was on a visit to Dehradun to supervise the membership drive in the state, said here
today that there was no move to make any change in the Uttarakhand Congress leadership as speculated by some state Congress leaders. “In the May Lok Sabha elections, we had won all five seats and there is no question of any leadership change in Uttarakhand,” he said. There was a concerted effort by the Congress camp led by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat to dislodge Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya who belong to the ND Tiwari camp. The legislators and MPs owing allegiance to Harish Rawat did not even attend the executive committee meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee convened by Yashpal Arya at Rudrapur on October 21. Bhola Pandey took a meeting of the in charges of all districts for a membership drive and directed them to visit their respective districts to complete the membership work by November 15. He said that on the lines of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Youth Congress, there was a possibility of holding such an election in the Congress in some states after December 31. “Since assembly elections in Uttarakhand are scheduled to be held in 2012, there is a possibility that Uttarkhand could be selected for holding organisational elections in the near future,” he added. On the other hand, three Congress legislators namely Manoj Tewari, Pritam Singh and Kishore Upadhaya today said that they had information about the executive committee meeting of the PCC at Rudrapur. “I got the invitation very late and at that time, I was on my way to New Delhi. The Congress organisation is united,” said Pritam Singh. In response, Congress office-bearers maintained that letters were sent to all members in time to attend the meeting. |
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Women’s quota Cong initiative: Junwantha
Dehradun, October 25 Junwantha, who was on a tour to Kumaon region, said this while interacting with mediapersons in Kashipur. She said the Congress’ victory in the recent assembly elections in the three states amply reflect the party’s growing popularity in the country. She also reiterated that the Congress with all sincerity was working for the betterment of the unprivileged sections of society. She said that the Uttarakhand Women Congress was all prepared to ensure the party’s success in the 2012 assembly elections. She said the women’s wing had already started preparing a plan at the village and block levels. The Congress leader also accused the state BJP government of doing little for the development of backward areas of the state. She said the BJP government was not working for the betterment of people and their sole motto was to occupy the chair. Earlier, Junwantha also met Congresswomen of the city unit. During the interaction, Junwatha asked party functionaries to ensure that the membership campaign did prove to be a resounding success. She also asked them to ensure that central schemes are implemented properly in the state. |
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AICC flays CM for parishad head’s appointment
Dehradun, October 25 Khanduri said there was no justification for the constitution of such a parishad without formulating the appropriate housing policy because merely appointing a political person of the ruling party amounted to misusing the public money. “Before constituting the Awas Vikas Parishad, has the state government done a complete analysis of
the advantages and disadvantages of such parishad with reference to the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000?”
asked Khanduri. He demanded that a proper housing policy should have been formulated not only for urban areas, but also for rural areas before taking any such decision and also keeping in view the environment, culture and natural beauty in the geologically and geographically sensitive areas. During the previous Congress regime, 90 per cent spade work for the formulation of the housing policy for rural and urban areas was completed through several drafts. |
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Water flow resumes, life back to normal at Ganga ghats
Haridwar, October 25 The Ganga flow was stopped on the eve of Vijay Dashami for cleaning, maintenance and renovation and to complete various Maha Kumbh-related works at the ghats. Since then there was no water at the Ganga canals and the city was missing its usual charm and buzz as without water, pilgrims and tourists were scant at Har-ki-Pauri and other Initially, the Ganga closure was to be till October 16 and water had to be released on the eve of Diwali, but due to delay in upgrading works such as building of two permanent bridges, it was decided to extend the duration of There was quite a verbal tussle between Uttarakhand and the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department over the duration of the closure too, but finally it was decided that water would be released before Chhath puja. People wanted water to be released as early as possible so that Chhath rituals could be performed without any hassle. Mela officer Anand Vardhan and Xen, Irrigation Department, DD Dalakoti were in constant touch with UP officials regarding the release
of water. The restoration of water at Ganga canals came as a festive gift for the thousands of people observing Chhath in the district. Devotees thronged Har-ki-Pauri early in the morning to perform rituals here. Today women broke their fast after offering prayers to the Sun God. According to Poorvanchal Jan Jagriti Sanstha head Brahma Shankar Chaubey, observing a fast on Chhath brings happiness and peace to family members of the observer. Chhath is also linked with Mahabharata epic tales. It is believed that when Pandavas were confined in Lakshagraha, their mother Kunti had prayed to the Sun God for their safety and after their safe exit, Chhath gradually became a festival. Citing dry Ganga canal ghats, most of the people had made alternate arrangements too. Apart from observing puja on main river ghats, people had also built small water fillers in their homes and offered rituals there itself. “We had built a water tank on our terrace where we offered water to the Sun God and performed rituals of Chhath, but now with the release of water my mother went to the ghat for today’s rituals. Earlier, it was confined to us only, but now through media everyone knows and the festival has gained national importance,” said BHEL resident Neetu Upadhyay. In 1916, under the erstwhile Britishl rule after differences between Hindu organisations and the British on Ganga closure, a written agreement was made between the Ganga Mahasabha, which operates the affairs at Har-ki-Pauri, and the British. The agreement stated that during the Ganga closure water would not be dried up at Har-ki-Pauri so that religious works and rituals would not get affected. Under Section 32, paras 1 and 2, this agreement clearly states that there will be no disruption in the natural flow of Ganga at religiously important Har-ki-Pauri and if need arises, Hindu organisations’ consent will have to be taken. |
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Health camp organised at Shuklapur
Dehradun, October 25 A seven-member doctors team was present at the venue, with the motive to not only guide people about deadly diseases, but also how to maintain hygiene standards while living and eating. Founder of HESCO Dr Anil Joshi said, “In the rural setup, it’s common that people hold a very casual attitude towards health-related issues and hygiene, which plays a crucial role in avoiding any sort of diseases”. However, with an endeavour to reach out to rural masses, time and again with the help of schoolchildren, HESCO has organised such camps and strongly believes that through awareness camps people can get a clear picture and solutions to avoid any such deadly diseases. “Awareness in must and acts a powerful tool in reaching out to needy people. And if once in a while private hospitals contribute to such missions, it will become easier to tackle a number of health-related issues,” added Dr Joshi. Along with residents of Shulkapur, people from Doiwala, Ambiwala, Hartbatpur, Kosawala and other nearby areas participated in the day-long health camp. “People in rural areas are definitely not aware of the basics of hygiene and so its essential that private hospitals should get together and organise more of such events,” said Dr Mahesh Kuriyal, neurosurgeon, CMI Hospital. “I appreciate that today amid doctors and members of HESCO, we are helping people to know how to take care of health and other grave issues, which need to be addressed for a
healthy life. “Women in rural areas are very negligent about their health and so more of such camps should be organised in the future,” said
Neha, gynaecologist at CMI Hospital. |
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Traditional millets, cereals to be served at mid-day meals
Dehradun, October 25 Pant Nagar University has helped in preparing recipes that have already been put on trial and have come with
satisfactory results. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) officer Sujata Singh said ‘mandwa’, ‘gahat’ and ‘jhangora’ had long been valued for their high nutritional components and now they would be part of the meals to be served to children and
expectant mothers. The cereals would be distributed at all anganwadi centres. Along with boosting nutritional levels of children and mothers, the exercise would encourage sale and consumption of local cereals. The nutritional content of the cereals have also been tested at the university. A memorandum of understanding will be signed between the Organic Board and the Department of Women’s Welfare and Child Development. As per a national survey, 41 per cent of women are anaemic while 41 per cent of the children are malnourished. Besides anaemia, growing malnutrition among women and children is also a cause for concern, 40 per cent of women and children have diarrhoea and other
related illnesses. Malnutrition due to diseases is quite serious in the state, poor diet is responsible for such a scenario. The government plans to arrest the gap by introducing traditional cereal cooked meals and introduce them at aganwadi
centres. |
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Lhasa - ideal destination for Tibetan, Chinese cuisine
Dehradun, October 25 Besides regular Chinese dishes such as chowmein, chilly chicken, munchurian, spring rolls and many others, the taste of rich Tibetan food is what draws attention of foodies. “Nowadays, momos and many such similar dishes are available at every nook and corner of the city, but the reason why we opened this restaurant is simply to maintain the authenticity as well as hygiene levels, which are mostly missing at the roadside eating joints,” informs M Hussain, owner of Lhasa. With comfortable homely treatment, it’s a family business where with combined teamwork and care, sumptious food is served to customers and particularly on weekends the joint is entirely jam-packed. Moreover, being in the close proximity to the scenic beauty of the mountains, the food looks all the more alluring. “I love the chicken momos at Lhasa for being yummy and cooked in neat and clean surroundings,” says Prannoy, a student. Tibetan dishes, such as the vegetarian, chicken and beef momos and half-fried kothe (momo), thupa, a soup mixed with noodles and vegetables in veg and non-veg variety, special steamed bread called tingmo another form of chapatti in the Tibetan cuisine is relished with curry dishes such as the shapta, a mushroom-based curry dish and other many delectable dishes, are priced economically so that everyone can enjoy with family and friends. “While the steamed momos are for Rs 40 and Rs 60, depending on the filling insid, mushroom shapta are for Rs 100 a plate and served with spicy red chutney, which doubly adds flavour to the food. We use quality ingredients and try to keep the prices at minimum so that each and everyone can enjoy tasty food,” adds Hussain. |
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Unique ID numbers to be merged in MNIC
Pitthoragarh, October 25 Pitthoragarh subdivision of Pitthoragarh district in the state was included in the pilot project for this scheme started by the government of India. The pilot project was also introduced in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura, J&K, Pondicherry, West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Gujarat, Punjab and Goa. “In Pitthoragarh subdivision, the project ran for five years and winded up on March 31, 2009. More than 60,000 MNICs were issued to the genuine citizen of India living in the subdivision after detailed scrutiny,” said NS Negi, District Magistrate, Pitthoragarh. The digital, multi-purpose national identity card scheme was launched by the government of India in 2004 to identify the genuine citizens of India. The scheme was launched by the Registrar, General (Population), government of India, after amending the Citizenship Act, 1955, to make this card mandatory for every citizen. According to the norms laid in the scheme, the person living in India before January 26, 1950, or born in India till June 30, 1987, or born after July 1, 1987, to either mother or father of Indian citizenship will be considered an Indian citizen. “The objective of issuing the identity (smart) card is to empower you and aid you in establishing your identity as a citizen of India. It carries your national identity number, photograph, finger print and personal details in a microprocessor chip stored in the card,” said DK Sikri, the then Registrar-General of India, in his letter on January 16, 2008, to card holders of Pitthoragarh who were issued the first batch of MNI cards. “As the authority is going to publish a new guidelines for the states to implement this project, the old pilot scheme seems likely to be of no use,” said Indu Kumar Pandey, Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand. “The number issued to an Indian citizen in MNI cards will be now merged with the UID number and the new number given in UID will prevail,” said Pandey. “We have stopped the process of inviting applications for new MNIC cards as the instruction concerning this have not been issued by the
government of India,” said RC Tiwari, DDO, Pitthoragarh, in charge of this scheme in Pitthoragarh
subdivision. |
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Sixth Pay Panel
Dehradun, October 25 The field workers are demanding removal of anomalies in the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. State general secretary of Jal Nigam Jal Sansthan Mazdoor Union Chandi Prasad Sharma said if the office order was not ratified immediately, they would launch a stir in the coming days. “We communicated with the higher authorities, but did not receive any favourable response. The vexed issue of the MD office’s order pertaining to the implementation of the recommendations remains unresolved. The order states that the revised Sixth Pay Commission is only for regular employees, but it states that all employees who are receiving salaries from the government, are eligible for the recommendations,” said Ravinder Singh Solanki, secretary (Publicity) of the union. Ministerial staff threatens to launch stir
Demanding the removal of anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and demanding pay parity with central government employees, ministerial employees have threatened to launch a stir from November 6. At a meeting held today, Federation of Ministerial Services Association general secretary Sunil Dutt Kothari said the demands of the ministerial employees had been ignored for long. As a result the association had decided to stage a stir. “The anomalies in the commission continue to persist,” said Kothari. |
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Children future of nation: Chancellor
Haridwar, October 25 Various activities were part of the function comprising cricket, tennis, carom, athletic events, kho-kho, kabaddi, song, dance, elocution, etc. Junior students of Gayatri Vidyapeeth in Shantikunj celebrated their sports day. From 2010, Gayatri Vidyapeeth will be shifted to Dev Sanskriti Vishav Vidyalaya and will be a part of the university from thereon. Meanwhile, yoga practitioners from 22 states today left for their respective states after a culmination of a three-day pranayam and dhyan camp held under the aegis of Bharatiya Yog Sansthan. |
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Prakash Utsav celebrations of Guru Nanak begin
Dehradun, October 25 Sikh devotees gathered at the Railway road-situated Nanak Niwas in big numbers during the early morning
hours. The devotees reciting the Gurubani crossed the length and breadth of Rishikesh town. Gobind Singh, pradhan, Guru Singh Sabha, said the prabhat pheri would be regularly taken out till October 31. He disclosed that Diwan would be laid on November 2 which would be witness to a series of programmes. He said the Sukhmani Sewa Society, students from Guru Nanak Public School, the Guru Teg Bahadur Stri Satsangh Sabha and the
Kirtan Jatha Hemkund Sahib would be participating in the celebrations. “A discourse by Bhai Karnail Singh and presentation by Ragi Omkar Singh
will be the highlights of the celebrations,” Gobind Singh observed. |
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Postmortem of leopard conducted
Dehradun, October 25 The post-mortem formalities were conducted at high-altitude Nanital Zoo. The zoo authorities held that the deceased leopard was supposed to be seven years of age. The body of the leopard revealed that it was five-day old and the reason of its death was attributed to lack of food. According to Forest Officer at the zoo Manoj Shah, the dead leopard was buried inside the zoo premises after the conduct of postmortem. There has been a
spurt in the incidents of leopard deaths in Uttarakhand in recent times. |
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