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Protesters lock up forest offices
Fire engulfs Rajaji park areas
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Power cuts: Inverters sell like hot cakes
On court order, shops removed from forest land
UK couple offers help to Raphael centre
‘Hydel projects not drying up rivers’
3 students held for motorcycle thefts
4 killed as jeep falls into gorge
Farmer murdered
UKD burns effigy of hoarding mafia
Heart camp on April 23, 24
Nainital Bar assn election held
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Protesters lock up forest offices
Dehradun, April 22 Forest Guards Association general secretary RR Painuily said today that the forest guards would now be shifting their agitation from the Forest Department headquarters to the Secretariat and would be staging a rally on Monday. He reiterated that there was no going back this time and the forest guards would not end their stir till the genuine concerns were addressed to at the earliest. Meanwhile, even Uttarakhand forest guards who had gone to the states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have decided to hold a symbolic boycott of training as part of solidarity with their protesting colleagues in Uttarakhand. Meanwhile, the committee constituted to look into the demands of the forest guards by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has submitted its report to the Forest Rural Development Commissioner. Sources reveal that the committee has come up with a favourable decision for the forest guards. On other hand forest fires continue to rage in state forests. Fires were reported today from protected area of the Rajaji National Park and the Kalagarh Tiger Reserve. The stir is bound to affect the forest authorities efforts to curb forest fires. |
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Fire engulfs Rajaji park areas
Haridwar, April 22
The fire that started from Bhimgoda Colony reached nearby forest terrains and assumed a dangerous proportion. With joint efforts from Rajaji Park Forest personnel and district Fire Department fighters, the fire was controlled before it could reach a human settlement. Fire tenders have been stationed at the colony. The hill bypass gate has been closed for people’s use till the Poornima Snan of the Kumbh falling on April 28. Ranger Vikram Singh said fire was controlled after more than six hours of operation. Soaring temperatures and wind made their task more arduous. Meanwhile, reports have been coming of infernos in the Motichur and Gohri ranges of the park. Wildlife warden SB Lal said the department was suing the sanitation employee whose negligence caused the fire. The Forest Department has urged people not to leave anything burning near the forest area and to inform forest officials or crew stations as soon as one notices fire. Notably, for the past fortnight, Haridwar forest terrains are burning with almost every day a fire incident coming to light. Massive fires at Mata Mansa Devi and Mata Chandi Devi temple forest terrains had rocked the city, while in several ranges of the park hundreds of hectares of forest wealth had been destroyed in fire. |
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Haridwar reels under scorching heat
Haridwar, April 22 Electricity cuts have been implemented despite the Maha Kumbh is still going on and residents are worried to think of the situation after April 28 when the mega fair comes to an end. Scorching sun has left people scurrying for shelter and water. Before noon and till evening markets bear a deserted look. When people come out of homes in the evening it seems city life has returned to normalcy after hours of lull. While the Maha Kumbh is almost nearing completion, local residents to get respite from hot and humid conditions are taking bath at Ganga ghats daily. At all ghats situated near localities, including Kankhal, Prem Nagar Ashram, Jatwada Pull and Lal Taura, locals are seen at ghats till late evening. While juice rehris and fruit stalls have cropped up at every nook and corner of the city, people can also be seen at shops of electrical equipment purchasing fans, coolers and air-conditioners. Sales of these goods are already touching an all-time high. Optical stores at posh Ranipur Mod are being flocked by customers while open sunglasses squatters are also doing a brisk business. “Sun glasses are in major demand and specially girls are opting for the 70s fashion statement broad sunglasses,” said a salesman. While school students are waiting for the closure of schools for summer holidays next month, parents are not taking any chances and many are seen picking their children from school bus stops with umbrellas and drinking water bottles in their hands. “Going to college for examination in mid-noon is
another major challenge we face along with the subject question paper. Even before we reach the examination venue our clothes are drenched in sweat and we are looking for cold water. Somehow we tend to lose our focus and concentration,”
said Priyanka Arora, a postgraduate student of SMJN College, while on her way to take her MCom examination. |
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Power cuts: Inverters sell like hot cakes
Dehradun, April 22 “Earlier, the weather in Dehradun was so pleasant throughout the summers that we never thought of purchasing coolers, ACs or even using fans. But the rise in temperature and prolonged electricity rostering has affected the lives of Doonites adversely. Last month, we bought an inverter costing Rs 15,000 and are enjoying this luxury this summer,” Sarla Bisht, a homemaker. However, the huge demand for inverters and their batteries has opened the floodgates for dealers. An average of 60 batteries are sold in a month which cost anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 13,000. Sanjay Chawla of SK Batteries said, “Our business never earned so much profit as it did in the past three to four months. In comparison to domestic inverters, commercial inverters have a great demand with several colleges, hospitals and institutes having sprung up in the city. We are doing good business that has increased 15 per cent in the past one-and-a-half year”. Inverters are no more away from the reach of the lower middle class. For those who cannot afford heavy duty and expensive batteries, they can go for the local version at an affordable price. Locally made inverters cost somewhere from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 and local batteries are priced between Rs 4,500 and Rs 6,000. Inverters are available with various features and processing capacities. They range between 500 kw to 850 kw and some are equipped with microprocessors. Purchasing inverters at EMI (easy monthly instalment) is a very convenient way for those who cannot pay the amount in one go. Another local dealer Neeraj Naithani, who deals in inverters as well as automobile batteries, said, “My shop is 20 years old. Leading institutes, hotels, business houses and others are our regular clients. Both domestic and commercial inverters are selling like hot cakes this summer season.” “We sell inverters on EMI schemes. One can take away the inverter by paying half the cost and pay the rest in instalments every month. Batteries come with warranty and can be replaced if there is any problem during its service period,” added Naithani. A senior citizen Col AK Vij (retd) said, “This is an indication of global warming. Otherwise, why would a hill state like Uttarakhand witness a rise in temperature? It is high time that the government as well as citizens come together to save mankind from this natural disaster”. |
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On court order, shops removed from forest land
Pitthoragarh, April 22 “If the Kumbh at Haridwar can be organised on forest land after taking permission, why can’t we organise the Purnagiri fair after taking permission from forest authorities?” asked Pandey. After an interim court order on the eviction of shops from forest land on Monday, the Champawat zila panchayat started removing the shops from the forest land. “If this condition continues next year, we will lose 80 per cent of revenue we get from the fair,” said Pandey adding that almost the entire Purnagiri fair, which is being attended by more than 40 lakh pilgrims every year, depends on forest land and prior to this year, the organising body never faced such difficulties. But the persons who erected temporary shops on forest land are surprised at the order and said that they should not be evicted till the fair ends. “I have been coming to the fair for the past seven years and setting up my cosmetics shop, but this year the zila panchayat authorities said I cannot continue here despite having paid the rent to the zila panchayat in advance,” said Punam Devi, a shopkeeper from Mathura. Shopkeepers, who had been setting up temporary hutments on forest land during the fair for the past two decades, were surprised over the sudden order given to them to remove their shops from forest land. “I had paid the rent for my mini-shop to the zila panchayat in advance, but my shop is being removed before the conclusion of the mela. This year, I have brought more goods to sell in the fair which have not yet been sold. This way, I will not be able to earn any profit this year,” said Sita Devi, a businesswoman from UP. The Champawat zila panchayat has started acting on the interim court order immediately. “We have started removing barber shops and cycle stands from Thauligar area of Purnagiri and gave notices on Tuesday to other shopkeepers to pack up,” said Rajesh Kumar, chief executive officer, zila panchayat, Champawat, adding that the court has given them a week’s time to remove all shops from the forest land. |
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UK couple offers help to Raphael centre
Dehradun, April 22 A visibly touched Sir Richard Stagg and his wife Lady Arabell Stagg, while on a visit here, spent time interacting with the differently abled children and adults who were once forsaken by their families and lovingly taken over by Raphael. “I am humbled by the experience. It is as though the founders never left Raphael. I am impressed with the quality of care being provided here and would like to extend help to the children in whatever way we can. The UK is supporting several philanthropic and environment protection conservation activities in India,” Sir Stagg said while talking to reporters. The Commissioner was informed by the centre’s staff about the in-house training that is imparted to teachers who then go on to teach children with various disabilities at early intervention centres. Mostly day scholars, their mental and physical performances are measured through different classroom and out-of-classroom activities. The Chairman of centre, Air Marshal BD Jayal (retd), also gave details about another innovative programme that aims to provide residential care to mentally challenged girls. “The aim is to integrate them with society. These underprivileged girls after leaving at the campus would be integrated with the community,” said Air Marshal Jayal. The British envoy also visited the 26-bedded Tuberculosis Hospital about to be designated as a nodal agency for most resistant form of tuberculosis (MDR) by the state government. Their children too are being provided education at CNI Boys Inter College. Lady Arabell Stagg was particularly impressed with the quality of handloom material being spun at the loom by fully cured tuberculosis patients. “The activity is mentally stimulating and the loom was started several years ago to provide employment to the TB patients who lived in filthy hovels. They were first to be embraced by the Ryders,” explained Ranjit Singh, an active member of
the centre. The couple also spent time watching the special Olympic selection trials for basketball and Boccie underway at the campus. Also accompanying the couple were former foreign secretary and former envoy of the Prime Minister on climate change Shyam Saran, his wife Anita Saran and Max India Founder Chairman Analjit
Singh. |
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British envoy meets Nishank
Dehradun, April 22 People in the UK were also attracted towards ayurveda and his country might extend bilateral co-operation with Uttarakhand through the Government of India in this direction. Admiring the beauty of Uttarakhand, Sir Stagg put forth the proposal of cooperation in the renovation of George Everest Bhawan situated at Mussoorie. Nishank told him that the Department of Tourism, Uttarakhand, had been working for the all-round development of the whole region, including George Everest Bhawan. The British envoy also praised the Sparsh Ganga Programme run by the state government, which was aimed at maintaining the sanctity and flow of the Ganga and added that the Thames river in the UK was also cleaned through collective efforts in the same way. |
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‘Hydel projects not drying up rivers’
Dehradun, April 22 “Dam are neither a cause of pollution in rivers nor are they a cause behind lessening of waters in them,” said NK Aggarwal at a meeting of the Uttarakhand Science Writers Association in Dehradun on Saturday. While reacting to the CAG report that had held hydro projects responsible for the drying up of rivers in Uttarakhand hills, the ex-GSI head said these projects never caused drying up of rivers. He even held that the mandate for any project calls for maintaining 25 to 30 per cent of the flow in the river even after tunnel diversion. Even the diverted part of the water is put back into the same river downstream. Strongly backing the necessity for hydro power projects, the former Director of the GSI said the per capita energy consumption today stood as a new development index and thus power generation was the need of the hour. “To improve the quality of living, we need to utilise our hydro potential. Unmindful opposition to hydro projects is no solution,” he added. Suggesting a dialogue to ensure smooth construction of hydro projects, Aggarwal said the opposition to hydro projects during the construction stage was a farce as changes can only be made at the conceptual stage. He said that changes can only happen at the conceptualisation phase. Delays only belittle its utility and increases construction cost. “You can’t expect the construction of a project going around for years and years together. Projects that start delivering results in five years need to be formulised,” he stated. “Run-off-the-river dams are highly preferred. Even planned big dams need to be developed in segments to exploit the hydro potential to the maximum while avoiding setbacks linked to bigger dams,” he said. An authority on geological studies with his experience spanning over three decades, Aggarwal said Uttarakhand was presently utilising only 20 per cent of its hydro-power potential. |
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Mahatma Gandhi visited Haridwar for Kumbh in 1915
Haridwar, April 22 Mahatma Gandhi visited Haridwar in 1915 when the Kumbh fair was going on. Accompanied by his wife Kasturba, he visited other places of the region, including Nainital, during his stay. Having returned from South Africa recently then, Mahatma Gandhi’s visit drew mass attention and he even observed a fast on April 9. Crowds of people gathered to have a glimpse of the Mahatma all over in Haridwar and he himself acknowledged that it was in Haridwar that he came to know what deep impressions his services in South Africa had made throughout India. From books like “Uttar Pradesh Mey Gandhi” to “Mahatma Gandhi aur Gurukul”, details of his visit for the Kumbh can be traced besides his experiences at the mega fair and serene environs of hilly regions of Garhwal and Kumaon. Acknowledging the spiritual-religious aspect of the Kumbh, Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his autobiography: “... and then the Kumbh mela arrived. It was a great moment for me. I have never tried to seek holiness or divinity as a pilgrim, but 1.7 million people cannot be hypocrites”. Gandhi had also kept a diary of minor incidents like he stayed at Shravananth Ashram and met Baba Ramnath of the Baba Kamli Valley in Haridwar. He also attended various other programmes and visited Swami Shraddhanand-founded Gurukul Kangri University, which had just completed a decade of its formation. |
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Film fest begins today
Dehradun, April 22 While addressing mediapersons, Kuldeep Sinha, Director-General of the Films Division, Unit of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said the week-long festival would be more of education than entertainment. He hoped that although it’s the first festival of its kind in Uttarakhand, it was likely to attract a large crowd as it would showcase some of the best award-winning documentary films from India and abroad. Besides, the festival would consist of a section of Uttarakhandi films. Sinha said the Films Division would have a cinema museum in Mumbai by 2013. “With an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore, this will be the first such museum in Asia and the third in the world, after the one in New York and the other in London,” he said. Sinha said the Film Division had a digitised library of more than 8,000 films. Referring to the famous Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films (MIFF), he said the festival was initiated in 1990. In the Mumbai Film Festival, too, the first prize-winning film was given a prize of Rs 3 lakh, besides golden conch in different categories. The division also offers best student film award from the MIFF, 2010. The MIFF also offers the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award to a veteran personality from the documentary film world. Dr RK Verma, president of the Uttaranchal Film Chamber of Commerce (UFCC), was also present at the media conference. The UFCC is the co-organiser of the Uttarakhand International Film Festival. |
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3 students held for motorcycle thefts
Haridwar, April 22 On a tip-off, the Bahadrabad police team nabbed the three while they were on their way from Kaliyar to Bahadrabad. At the Dhanauri bridge, checking was carried out and all three, who were on a newly looted motorcycle, were arrested. Pradeep Singh, a polytechnic student at Muzafarnagar Polytechnic College, Rajeev and Azad, both BBA students of SD Management College, Muzaffarnagar, have confessed to their involvement in various cases of theft of new motorcycles. The police confiscated a month-old Hero Honda Splendour motorcycle (UK08P-7269), another same-model motorcycle without number, a Nokia 6030 cellular phone and ornaments which they had looted from Rishipal Singh and his wife Kamna of Bahadarbad on April 3 alongside a small canal at revolver point. A case was registered at Bahadarabad police station under Section 392, IPC. The three had also carried out mobile thefts at Mirapur in Muzaffarnagar district of UP. The police also seized two local-made revolvers, ammunition and a knife, which they used for threatening bike commuters. They revealed that they came to Bahadrabad and stayed in a rented room on April 2. The police has sent a notice to the room-owner and initiated action related provisions, including the Uttarakhand Police Act. Meanwhile, Haridwar district SSP Sanjay Gunjiyal has lauded the efforts of the police team that comprised Ritesh Shah, Vinod Singh Gusai, Kuldeep Rawat, Neeraj Negi, Manish Chaudhari, Sanjay Singh and Mahavir Singh. A reward of Rs 2,500 has also been announced to them on behalf of the
SSP. One held for
plotting theft
Dehradun: The police has arrested a thief, who claims to be son of a UP Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), here last night when he was planning to commit a theft near IMA Blood Bank, along with his three accomplices. The police has recovered a non-licensed pistol and two ammunition from his possession. The other three, who were with him, fled the spot. The arrested accused has been identified as Shalender Dhaka. He told the police that he was son of Omvir Dhaka, DSP at Junapura district of UP. The police said it needed to be confirmed from the UP police. |
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4 killed as jeep falls into gorge
Dehradun, April 22 Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank condoled the death of the passengers and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. He also ordered the Pauri Garhwal district administration to immediately release
ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased and ensure proper medical treatment of injured. |
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Farmer murdered
Nainital, April 22 The tractor belonged to one Firasat Ali of Ahmadabad village and had been rented out to Baba Seed Plant in Bagwara. Mohan was bringing 305 bags of wheat from Mudiankala village of Sitarganj. Firasat Ali was informed by the Seed Plant owner that his tractor was lying abandoned near Shimla Pistor village. Ali reached the spot, but could not locate the driver of the tractor. It was only on Wednesday morning that Mohan’s body was recovered from the bushes near the road. |
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UKD burns effigy of hoarding mafia
Dehradun, April 22 Mahanagar president Bahadur Singh Rawat said the hoarding mafia was a danger for the people. The hoardings put up on the side of the roads, buildings and terrace were very dangerous for commuters. “We will come on the roads if the government does not take any strict action on this issue,”
he said. He added that in the past few days several such accidents had occurred and the authorities after the initial start had taken a
backseat. Mahanagar activist Virender Bisht said due to a handful of hoarding mafias, the face of the Dehradun city had gone bad. No work was being done in the Municipal Corporation because of this menace and Mayor Vinod Chamoli as well as the government were responsible for this, he alleged. |
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Alva lauds activists of thalassaemia
Dehradun, April 22 Shiv Prasad also handed over “Yugwani”, a book elaborating on the symptoms, causes and treatment linked to thalassaemia. He also apprised that at a camp in the Kumbh, as many as 80 lakh copies of this book in Hindi and 20 lakh in Bengali were distributed among the pilgrims. |
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Heart camp on April 23, 24
Dehradun, April 22 The camp is a part of the Community Outreach Programme of the IIP, which is aimed to spread awareness about health, suggest preventable measures and, if required, suggest treatment. The additional attraction of this camp will be orthopaedic check-up module. The IIP has been organising such camps annually for the betterment of staff, their families and retired employees of the institute. |
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Nainital Bar assn election held
Nainital, April 22 Contenders for the post of the president are MC Pant, KN Joshi and BD Kandpal, while for the post of general secretary are Anil Dabral, Anil Kumar Joshi and Rajesh Joshi. |
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