Dehradun, May 10
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region Business Outlook Survey has given a positive indication for business for the current six months (April to September 2010 -11) vis-à-vis actual performance for the past six months (October to March 2009-10).

The survey is based on 137 responses received from the industry across the UT of Chandigarh and the states of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Fiftysix per cent of the respondents were from the manufacturing sector and 39 per cent from the service sector. Fortysix per cent of the respondents were small organisations, 39 per cent from medium and 16 per cent from large organisations. Eighteen per cent of the respondents were from public sector organisations and the balance 82 per cent from private sector.

A total of 96 per cent of the respondents expect GDP growth of 7 per cent or more as against only 16 per cent in the previous October-March 2009-10 Survey. Thirtynine per cent of the respondents expect the GDP growth rate of 8 per cent or more as against only 2 per cent in the previous survey, reflecting a very strong positive sentiment for the economy.

A total of 90 per cent of the respondents expect inflation to be 5 per cent or higher suggesting high inflationary expectations, on the back of the headline inflation nearing double digits.

The survey also looked into the expectations on various elements that build up business confidence viz investments, capacity utilisation, sales etc. Expectations on all counts are positive. A total of 69 per cent of the respondents expect an increase in investments during the current six months, as against 51 per cent in the previous survey.

A total of 77 per cent of the respondents expect the value of production to increase as against only 64 per cent reporting an increase in the past six months. The expected increase in production is supported by expected increase in new orders. Eighty per cent of the respondents expect an increase in orders as against 65 per cent reporting an increase in orders during the past six months.

The outlook on India’s exports, which according to experts are crucial for the country’s economic recovery, seems to be much better for the current six months. Fiftynine per cent of the respondents expect an increase in volume of exports as compared to only 39 per cent actually reporting an increase in the last six months.

The survey reveals credit availability as a concern area. Seventyfour per cent of the respondents did not witness any increase in credit availability in the past six months. Sixtyseven of the respondents expect no change in the credit availability as against 61 per cent reporting no change in the past six months.

Percentage of respondents expecting no increase for the next months has in fact marginally increased to 76 per cent. Fortyseven per cent of the respondents expect the cost of credit to increase during the current six months. Only 29 per cent of the respondents reported an increase in the previous six months.

The survey also asked the respondents about their main concerns. The average score of responses revealed that infrastructure and institutional shortages followed by the Cost and Availability of Labour are the two most important concern areas. These are followed by high interest rates and global economic instability.

Dehradun, May 10
Uttarakhand forest guards’ stir came to an end today with their core demand for better opportunities being accepted by the state government.

But the stalemate over deduction of salaries for the period of strike failed to be solved till late evening.

Seeking better promotion prospects and revised salaries, Uttarakhand forest guards’ had started their stir on April 16.

The Uttarakhand Forest Department had to face a tough time in dealing with the strike even as persistent forest guards not only boycotted the works, but also resorted to locking up forest offices and closing Rajaji and Corbett National Parks.

The agitation had turned worse a few days back, when the police had to resort to a mild lathicharge to disperse the forest guards at the state Forest Headquarters in Dehradun.

Uttarakhand Forest Guards Association’s general secretary RR Painyuli expressed relief over long-standing demands of the employees finally being accepted.

He disclosed that the main concern for better promotion opportunities had been addressed and would pave the way for facilitating the promotion of forest guards to fill the vacant posts of forester.

He disclosed that it was also decided that the government would submit a proposal to the state Finance Department within 10 days for facilitating revised pay scales to the forest guards.

Painyuli held that the association had announced to end to the agitation and the locking up of Forest Department offices had also been ended.

He said the forest guards would resume their normal official duties from tomorrow.

The end of strike came as a big relief for state Forest Department officials fighting forest fires as forest guards form the key frontline staff of their department.

Dehradun, May 10
Members of the Mahanagar Congress Women’s Cell burnt an effigy of the state BJP government over the issue of hydro power projects allotment and other irregularities in the state here today.

The women’s cell gathered at the Ashley Hall Chowk and raised anti-state government slogans before burning the effigy. They alleged that the BJP government had been resorting to rampant corruption and was not working for the betterment of people.

The protesters also sought the resignation of the Chief Minister on moral grounds.

Anuradha Tiwari, Roshni Godiyal, Rayees Fatima and Sudha Shukla were among the protesters.

Mussoorie, May 10
Members of the Rawanlta-Jaunpur Community under the aegis of the Aglar Yamuna Ghati held a protest over the issue of including persons residing in the area from 2004 in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. They also presented a memorandum addressed to Chief Minster Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank here today.

The members gathered  on the Kacheri premises and read out the memorandum in front of Nayab Tehsildar Matadin.

It stated that the community was enraged at the decision of including people residing in the region since 2004 under the OBC list. President of the Aglar Yamuna Ghati Manch Soorvir Rawat also said the directions of the BJP government would hurt the interest of the members of the community, who were residing in the area since ages.

He also said the new directions would benefit the builders who had settled since 2004 and that was against the spirit of including the community under the OBC list. Congress leader Manmohan Singh Mall also said the community was given the OBC status after a long struggle and these new directions would only strengthen the hands of the land mafias, who were working actively in the region.

Pradeep Bittoo, Amrendar Bisht SS Kharkai, Bijendar Panwar, Ram Prasad Kavi and others were present on the occasion.

Dehradun, May 10
To discuss the future strategy and make the party strong, the National Executive Committee of the Samajwadi Party (SP) will hold meetings in Kolkata on May 21, 22 and 23.

Announcing this in a press conference here today, state unit party president Vinod Barthwal said in the meeting that problems of Uttarakhand would be discussed at length.

He also said on June 1 a protest would be held in the state, for which approval would be taken from the committee during the meeting.

He expressed resentment at the confusion prevailing in the state due to the hydel power projects. “A thorough probe should be done into the projects allotment and whoever is found guilty should be penalised,” he added.

Barthwal said he was very unhappy seeing the plight of hilly areas of the state. “A railway line is being laid in hilly areas and the impact of it is really disastrous. Trees and hills are being destroyed and there is no account what effect it will have on nature?” Barthwal asked.

“There were several orders of the Chief Minister that officers will stay in villages for three days and there is also a provision for that. But not a single officer stayed in the villages and no development work has been started there yet,” he added.

Haridwar, May 10
Farmers in Ranipur, who had given their land to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Ranipur unit, decades ago, have demanded immediate recruitment of at least one member of their families in the BHEL.

Under the aegis of the BHEL Bhoomi Vistapith Kisan Sthaniyaa Berozgar Manch, hundreds of farmers are holding daily protests to press for their demand.

In 1961, during the foundation of BHEL in Ranipur area in Haridwar, land was given for setting up a plant to the public sector undertaking under the Farming Land Acquisition Act 1894.

Farmers, whose land were acquisitioned, remarked that in lieu of it, they were given resettlement land as well as an assurance of employment in BHEL, but till date, apart from assurances, they have not been given anything substantial.

Speaking to The Tribune, Tilak Ram Saini, chief of the manch, said that the displaced farmers have still not been settled properly despite the passage of five decades.

“We gave land to the company which makes profits in hundreds of billions. Our situation is that we are living in penury and our youngsters have no jobs. We have mere assurances from the BHEL management, nothing concrete, nothing substantial,” said Saini.

Irfan Ali, general secretary of the manch, said that this time they want employment and not assurances. He added that now the agitation has entered its fourth week and will continue till the state and Central government take notice of their demands.

“We, in our way, helped build one important institution of India. BHEL was accorded Navratna status and has changed the fortunes of the region. But the sad part is that we only have empty assurances from the government and BHEL,” rued Irfan Ali.

Support has been pouring in from various quarters to the manch’s movement with the Rashtriya Krantikari Manch (RKM) too pitching in to support the displaced farmers.

RKM’s city secretary Rao Zahid Ali said that the manch is legally as well as humanly right in its agitation and should continue its agitation till desired results are achieved.

Zahid Ali boosted the morale of the agitating farmers by saying that the RVM was fully supportive of the farmers’ agitation. They would also be participating in the stir at the agitation spot in large numbers along with their women members.

The city unit of the Congress has also lend its support to the farmers with Congress committee general secretary Lalu Shah saying that their demands were legitimate and it was high time that they be given their due.

Those who addressed the gathering were Tuffail Khan, Tuffail Ahmed, Shaukin Ahmed, Rao Achchan, Dinesh Pundir, Shamim Matti, AK Sharma, Fakira Khan, Arshad Ahmed, Dharampal Sainil, Atar Singh Sainti and Idhrish Monshuri.

Dehradun, May 10
Dr Jeichien Wolma, an intern from Amsterdam (Netherlands) and studying to become a House Doctor, is undertaking a three-month internship at the Doon Hospital here.

In order to enhance the skills of their medical interns and broaden their knowledge of prevalent tropical diseases, developed countries have begun sending their students to India and Africa for internship training.

On training at the Doon Hospital here and getting exposed to ailments commonly present among little children, Wolma has already worked with the Latika Roy Foundation (NGO) in Doon.

“She is with me at the OPD since morning taking in each and every detail of the patients who flood the OPD. Cases of worm infestation, anaemia and malnutrition in children are hardly reported in developed countries, so they get exposure here,” said Dr DS Rawat, senior paediatrician, Doon Hospital.

He said during their training period they would be exposed to various India-specific diseases like typhoid, scabies, mums, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis that had been completely wiped out from European countries.

“Malnutrition and poverty go hand in hand as most patients cannot afford a good diet. It is a vicious circle. Little babies are born undernourished and live through most of their lives battling diseases,” said Wolma.

The work for interns at the Doon Hospital usually entails six hours of duty at the OPD and discussions with the doctors at the Paediatric Department.

In fact, such visits by interns to the Doon Hospital also allows students to get an all-round exposure to the Indian system. “From private clinics to government hospitals things are very different here, and it’s a good exposure for foreign interns. Some other students are also expected to come down for their internship and the trip,” emphasised Dr RK Pant, Chief CMS, Doon Hospital.

Commenting on the differences in the way medical education is conducted in India and her country, Wolma said, “In the Netherlands we get the MBBS degree after six years of study. Of these two years are devoted to internship. In India it is slightly different”.

After her gruelling internship, Wolma will be going to the Himalayas to find peace and discover new places. 

Mussoorie, May 10
The police is still groping in the dark in the case of the death of a students of ITL Public School, Dwarika, New Delhi, at Hotel Dunsvirk Court in Mussoorie. SSP (City) Jagat Ram Joshi today inspected the spot and the room occupied by the student and directed the police to collect his belongings.

While inspecting the balcony of the hotel, Joshi was shocked at finding that the height of the railing was very low.

Speaking to media persons, he said prima facie it looked like an accident. The post-mortem report suggests severe head injury and respiratory failure, added the SP (City).

An FIR has been registered and investigations were on under Section 302, IPC, against unidentified persons.

Joshi said there was negligence on the part of the school administration as no checking was done prior to the allotment of the rooms to students of such a tender age.

Meanwhile, there was an eerie silence at the hotel as the rest of the students had left with the school staff for their homes. The four persons from the school staff detained by the police were let off after a brief questioning on the condition of being available when recalled.

Shivam (10), a resident of Najafgarh, New Delhi, died under mysterious circumstances at the hotel on Sunday. He was found lying unconscious on the road. Presumably, he had a fall from his room’s balcony from a height of about 25 feet. More than 23 teachers were accompanying 183 students of the school.

The mystery over Shivam’s death has become the talk of the town and questions are being raised on the investigation procedures adopted by the police.

Dehradun, May 10
A drug peddler, who used to sell drugs to students of different schools of the city, was caught by the police near the Nanda Chowki here today. The cops seized 696 drug injections from his possession.

He was caught on a tip-off from an informer. The injections, which cost between Rs 5 and Rs 15 in the market, were being sold by him at the price ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 100 since these are sold in the market only if prescribed by the doctor.

Accused Chanchal Chetri (21), a resident of Nai Basti, Race Course, left his schooling after Class X and later got into this trade. He told the police that he sold drugs in different schools in Prem Nagar and Dharampur.

The police said he used to get injections from a railway station at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. He told the police that a man used to supply him the injections at the railway station, however, he claimed that he didn’t know him.

Meanwhile, the police registered another case against him in the Patel Nagar police station today.