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CM endorses Gadkari’s proposal on Ayodhya
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Govt neglecting panchayats: Bisht
Cong flays state govt
Lachhiwala to go Dhanolti Eco Park way
Three held in fake degrees scam
Soham Baba takes up cleanliness mission
Investor awareness programme organised
Housing scheme for BPL families gets nod
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CM endorses Gadkari’s proposal on Ayodhya
Haridwar, February 21 Asserting that there is no rift between party leaders over Gadkari’s stance Nishank said with new leadership at the helm, new ideas are bound to come and should be viewed in the larger national interest. Attending an inauguration function of two-wheeler major Hero Honda Group of Companies in SIDCUL, Haridwar, the Chief Minister opined that the last week of the party national council convention in Indore had paved way for a resurgent BJP under the able leadership of 52-year-old Nitin Gadkari. Addressing the function, the CM said the state government was providing the best of the facilities to entrepreneurs and investors in the hill state and said more investment needed to be done in hill districts by which people got direct benefit. Meanwhile, Haridwar district chief Om Prakash Jamdagni too has favoured the party president’s opinion on the Ayodhya issue. Jamdagni said it’s the best solution and would cater to both Hindus and Muslims and also maintain the religious harmony between the two sects. But Opposition parties have termed the BJP president and the CM views as an opportunistic one. Labelling it as a gimmick to lure Muslim voters, they put it as a desperate attempt of a crumbling party. Former Haridwar legislator and founder of Rashtriya Krantikari Manch Ambrish Kumar flayed the Gadkari concept and said the BJP was a bankrupt party and now trying all means to save itself. “It’s not the work of political parties to build temples and mosques. Let it be left to religious heads. The BJP should focus on poverty, education, health and corruption, but was reverting to the issue in which it had burnt its hands twice in the past general elections,” said Ambrish. The Congress too has termed it a mere political gimmick. |
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Rawat urges young Congress brigade to work for ‘aam aadmi’
Haridwar, February 21 Attending various functions in the district, particularly the Youth Congress convention titled “Aam Aadmi Ka
Sipahi”, Rawat addressed the young brigade to take forward Rahul Gandhi’s vision wherein the youth plays a major role in shaping
the nation. “The Congress has been focusing on the common man and this has been the party’s USP in the past two general elections and work done by the UPA government has been rewarded by the public in elections which makes as our task much harder as we have to live to the growing expectations of the people,” said
Rawat. Relating to the Congress’s youth-oriented policy, he said from Mahatma Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi the approach had always been of aligning old wisdom with young blood. “Now Rahul Gandhi is treading the same path and this was reflected in the parliamentary elections wherein dozens of young MPs won,” said Rawat who is also parliamentarian from
Haridwar. Elaborating on the party’s “Aam Admi Ka Sipahi” programme, its national conveyor Nitin Kumbalkar said this was a social service based concept and 80 per cent of works done under this were social service oriented, while the rest was for political
works only. Informing that Youth Congress activists are taking a major part in the
programme, Uttarakhand Youth Congress chief Rajpal Kharolla said as per the directions of Rahul Gandhi and Harish Rawat activists were focusing on ground works. “Youth plays a pivotal role in making the Congress win all five parliamentary seats in the state and will ensure the same is replicated in the 2012 state assembly elections,”
said Kharolla. |
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Govt neglecting panchayats: Bisht
Speaking to mediapersons in Mussoorie, he elaborated further that panchayats had been the backbone of Indian villages and it was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi to empower the panchayati system. This was carried forward by the Congress government in the state during its previous tenure by providing additional financial powers to the institutions, but the present government instead of strengthening the system was bent upon weakening it, thereby destroying the basic fabric of the panchayati system. He further alleged that the state government, instead of providing assistance to kshetra and gram panchayats, was deliberately dissolving their powers and ostracising the panchayati representatives to extremity. He informed that the gram pradhan of Thauldhar block was sitting on dharna due to this high-handed attitude of officials who were threatening them too. He also said the development projects should have been made in consultation and discussion with the elected panchayat representatives, but the government was divulging all powers to district officials who were granting funds according to their own whims and fancy. Not only this, the state government had also decreased the financial allocation to these institutions, thus affecting the development work in villages. He lambasted the BJP government for failing in forming the Panchayati Act till now. Bisht also opined that the lack of communication between panchayat representatives and the government would lead to decimation of the old-age system on which the wheels of development firmly stand. Bisht also rued the fact, that Chief Minister Nishank was not keen on listening to the problems of elected representatives of panchayats. He also said the three organisations of the panchayati representatives’ had been formed and if their neglect did not end they would be forced to launch a strong movement against the state government. |
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Cong flays state govt
Dehradun, February 21 Dhasmana added that the Supreme Court in its verdict had clearly said in government offices and industries no regular nature work should be done through the contract system and only regular employees should be hired for the work. Dhasmana criticised the ruling state BJP government for not following the directions of the Supreme Court as from the state legislative assembly to the secretariat and all government departments and hospitals regular nature work was being done through the contract system in the state. Dhasmana also said the state government didn’t have any strong plan for the benefits of the labourers. In most of the industries, minimum wage was not being given to the labourers, while this was the responsibility of the state to provide the labourers with minimum wage as per the rules and regulations. Addressing the gathering, state president of labour cell JP Sharma also gave his views for the betterment of the labours. |
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Lok Dal chief hopes for better results in
assembly polls
Dehradun, February 21 Lok Dal Uttarakhand President Rishipal Baliyan said the Lok Dal kept a potential of winning at least four assembly seats in the state. “We gave a close contest in as many as four assembly seats in the last assembly elections even standing second in the Mangalore assembly seat,” said
Rishipal, while adding that little efforts could make them victorious in these seats. “We have always believed in the ideology of late Prime Minister Chowdhary Charan Singh and never compromised on principles,” Baliyan added. He also announced appointment of Yogendra Singh Rathi as Uttarakhand party General Secretary and spokesman for the party. |
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Lachhiwala to go Dhanolti Eco Park way
Dehradun, February 21 Come summer and the Lachhiwala picnic spot is abuzz with activities. Spread on an expanse of 5-hectare within Reserve Forests, Lachhiwala, that falls midway between Dehradun and twin holy townships of Rishikesh and Haridwar, is a most popular resort for picnicing. Tourists love to make a halt at this forested picnic spot with turnout reaching as high as 5,000 on weekends. The Dehradun Forest Division that manages the spot is trying to replicate the Dhanolti Eco Park success, one of the most successful examples of eco-tourism ever witnessed in the state. Dehradun Forest Division officer Meenakshi Joshi has expressed keenness to make Lachhiwala as the finest example of eco-tourism. “We intend to involve locals as done in case of the Dhanolti Eco Park to ensure that Lachhiwala eco-tourism destination ends up as more tourist friendly and profit-making venture,” disclosed Meenakshi. She backs a continuous income generation concept for Lachhiwala as done in case of Eco Park rather than depending on grants from eco tourism cell of the Forest Department. Already as part of tourist-friendly measures, the Forest Division is introducing series of measures, including better laboratories, changing rooms and also posting of woman guards to facilitate family picnicers. Only a year back, the Dehradun Forest authorities had also spruced up over a century old Rest House at Lachhiwala. The 1,884 British Rest House now has two excellent suites with a study, drawing and dining facilities overlooking the picnic resort. Water harvesting has been introduced in the Rest House, apart from fitting a solar water heating system and strengthening electricity supply arrangements. Significantly, Lachhiwala also stands as the most preferred tourist destination for Dehradun schools. The spot is considered as the most safe picnic resort, particularly for schoolchildren. There have been instances when mishaps have taken place in water bodies like Shastradhara, but fortunately Lachhiwala has been devoid of such incidents as forest officials keep a close tab on a stretch of the Song river that cuts apart the Lachhiwala. Over two lakh tourists visited Lachhiwala in 2009. |
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Three held in fake degrees scam
Nainital, February 21 According to information, a large number of fake stamps, degree certificates and related matter have been recovered from the three accused. Those arrested are Pankaj Srivastava of Bhatni Deoriya, Bhanu Pratap Gangwar and Godglal of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh. The police had been receiving complaints of a gang operating in the region that was supplying fake degrees to unemployed youth for a hefty amount. A special team was constituted for zeroing on the accused. Following a tip-off received on Friday night, the team swooped upon a spot near the bus station and nabbed the three. The fake degree certificates and stamps recovered from them pertain to authorities of several Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) of Uttar Pradesh and a series of inter colleges. A large number of blank matriculation and inter certificates of the Uttar Pradesh Board of School Education were also recovered from them. During sustained interrogation, the accused are learnt to have confessed to have sold more than 40 fake degrees. The police authorities have asked the employers at various industrial units in Udham Singh Nagar district to verify the educational qualifications of all applicants before recruiting them. Teenager goes missing, residents hold protest
ROORKEE: Residents of Akoda Kalan village held a protest following the disappearance of a teenage girl of the village about 12 days ago. Demanding a speedy action in the matter, the villagers also closed schools forcibly and put a jam on the highway in Laksar the other day. Fourteen-year-old girl Anu has been missing for the past 12 days when she went for her tuitions. The police sources said during their investigations it was found that she was last seen in the room of a reporter of a vernacular newspaper. “The investigations are on. The guilty will not be spared at any cost. The case will be solved very soon,” said the police officers while pacifying the relatives and the residents. Ex-Armyman held for fraud
A former Havildar of a local Army outfit, BEG, was arrested by the police on the charges of swindling a person of Rs 58,000
here today. The police sources said accused Guru Prabhjit Singh, a resident of Amritsar, had cheated Pritam Singh on the pretext of providing him cheaper return air ticket to America from the British Airways. As the accused had disappeared after taking the money from Pritam Singh, the military police arrested him from the BEG area, where he was found roaming with his girlfriend Namrata. Prabhjit, who is married to Manjit Kaur and has two children, is said to have taken voluntary retirement from the Army two years back and started doing the private job of a guard at the Delhi airport. He took Rs 58,000 from Pritam Singh last month to provide him a British Airways ticket on lesser rates. Prabhjit’s wife Manjit also termed him a “swindler” and alleged that he did not take care of his family in any respect. The military police handed him to the Civil Lines police station, where a
case has been registered against him. Israeli held with satellite phone
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand police has nabbed an Israeli national on the charges of using his satellite phone without permission in Uttarakashi. The Israeli has been identified as Dori Ishtiyak and was arrested yesterday by the police. He was produced in the local court, which granted him bail. But Ishtiyak could not produce sureties for the bail and was sent to judicial custody. The Israeli Embassy has been informed of the matter. He had come to Uttarakashi on February 13 on a tourist visa. He was spotted by the police talking on the satellite phone in the Dodital area on Thursday and rounded up for interrogation, but was officially arrested yesterday. |
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Jain temple celebrates founder’s day
Dehradun, February 21 Ajay Jain, patron of Sakal Digambar Jain Samaj, Dehradun, said, “We have been taking out this
procession to celebrate the founder’s day of our Jain temple at Rochipura in the month of February. And this year too, more than 400 devotees from the entire state have gathered on
this occasion”. “The ceremony was a conglomeration of group prakshal (prayer), hoisting of the Jain flag, lighting the lamp at the temple, auctioning of devotees to accompany Khwasi and finally the rath yatra. Another huge curriculum of the ceremony was the bhoj (lunch for devotees). This year women took great participation in the procession unlike prior years. They also served the devotees in the temple and held a helping hand during the bhoj,” he added. Moreover, the entire rath yatra was an interesting and pious ceremony for the followers and for others. The remarkable part of the procession was the bidding of ‘khwasi’ (seat in chariot accompanying the idol of god during the procession), which was won by Rajiv Jain at Rs 2,500, he added. However, that was not all they auctioned during the procession. Khwasi, dhankuber (idol of god), sarthi (chariot driver),
saudharm indra, ishaan/mahendra indra and aarti were also set to bid by the followers. |
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Mohisin-e-Insaniyat conference held
Dehradun, February 21 He was speaking today at the Mohisin-e-Insaniyat conference held at Town Hall here to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammed. The conference was organised by the Sunni Muslim Welfare Organisation in which Islamic scholars participated. The scholar said, “Prophet Mohammed, the messenger of the Almighty Allah, and his teachings are relevant for each country and it’s people. In fact, Prophet Mohammed had an abiding love for India and had said the country is imbued with divinity,” said Ahmed Naimi Dehalvi. While Maulana Amir-ud-Din Rizvi said Prophet Mohammed gave the message of peace and brotherhood. “He who is kind to his neighbour will truly be blessed by Allah and only those who do not follow these simple guidelines
are not true Muslims,” said Rizvi. Maulana Rizvi said Prophet Mohammed’s life was spent teaching people about the virtues of unity, love, brotherhood and peace. The conference was presided over by Manzoor Beg Kadri and conducted by Maulana Ghulam Mustafa Sahib Dehalvi. The programme was coordinated by Syed Ashraf Hussain Kadri, president (state), Sunni Muslim Welfare Organisation. At the conference it was decided to take out a procession in Dehradun to commemorate Eid-Miladunabi. |
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40 women get Art of Living lessons
Dehradun, February 21 The camp began with the women learning meditation and pranayama for a relaxed and a stress-free mind. They were also made aware of the importance of healthy living, cleanliness and hygiene, along with the values of being compassionate towards the ecology. “We laid importance on pranayama and meditation as it gives strength to the body and calmness and alertness to the mind. Women are the pillars of our society and if they are healthy and happy, automatically prosperity will be there,” shared Mudhulika, Art of Living teacher, who conducted the camp. Further, Madhu and Naresh who assisted the camp said, “It was a great experience to see these women laughing and becoming vibrant during the course of the camp”. A participant Parveen Khan (36) said, “This camp has given me new strength. Now, I plan to do something for society,” while another participant Nazreen (45), said, “I feel more energetic now and can take care of my family better”. In this free-of-cost camp, valuable lessons of sharing, how to deal with criticism, as well as pranayama and meditations were taught to relieve them of the stress and develop their personality. |
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Renu is Agarwal Women Cell chief
Mussoorie, February 21 Following that, the function was celebrated with fervour and members played with colours and dance on Bollywood tunes. Kids enjoyed the delicacies served on the occasion. President of the mahasabha Dhan Prakash, treasurer Ashwani Mittal Neeraj Agarwal, KG Goel, Anuj Tayal, Rakesh Mittal, Neeraj Garg, Vidushi and others were present on the occasion. |
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Soham Baba takes up cleanliness mission
Haridwar, February 21 Actively taking part in the Baba’s mission, followers cleaned the nullah thereby putting questions on the city Municipal Committee and mela administration working, which despite crores of budget and two months of commencement of the Maha Kumbh have not been able to clean the city as is desirable. The Baba’s mission has also got appreciation from Haridwar MP and minister Harish Rawat. Urging people to make the mission successful, Rawat said, “By generating awareness about global warming he is creating awakening among us and it’s our duty to make the mission successful”. The Baba urged people, “Conserving environment and preservation of nature is our duty and we should take pledge to stop pollution in the Ganga. |
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Investor awareness programme organised
Dehradun, February 21 The programme was organised under the aegis of the Investor Education and Protection Fund, Ministry of Corporate Affairs for the dissemination of information and creating awareness among investors about the various aspects of the capital market. About 150 participants of various management institutions attended the
programme. MC Joshi, Additional Secretary Finance, government of
Uttarakhand, presided over the function as the chief guest. The chief guest emphasised on holding such programmes in the interest of small investors. He added that programmes like these would mobilise saving for investment in productive assets. Chairman of the institute HP Vyas apprised the participants on the various aspects of the capital market. He said before investing in the capital market the investor must carefully read public offers like document and prospectus. The investor should consider the risk factor, financial statement, price of the issue, details of the business of the company legal and other information and background of the promoters. |
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Housing scheme for BPL families gets nod
Mussoorie, February 21 According to Palika president OP Uniyal, the Palika has agreed to dole out land for the construction of houses for BPL families. Uniyal further said 96 people had been identified so far and the land near the Civil Hospital had been allotted for the purpose. Poor residents of Mussoorie have welcomed the move, but are ambiguous of the plan and are of the view that if the housing scheme is built on schedule it will benefit them and provide permanent shelter to their families. |
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Mussoorie, February 21