Dehradun, August 17
Uttarakhand will soon get a new university for which the government will shortly issue an ordinance.

In an important Cabinet decision today, the government said the university in the name of Deen Dyal Upadhyay would be temporarily headquartered in Dehradun. The Cabinet also announced the streamlining of entertainment taxes.

The creation of a new university became necessary after Srinagar-based Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (HNB), the erstwhile state university, was accorded Central university status.

"Close to 193 government and non-government colleges are awaiting affiliation and some more new colleges are in the pipeline. Once this university comes up, the issue of affiliation will be sorted.

“We are negotiating with the Human Resource Development Ministry for permanent headquarters at Badshahi Thaul in Tehri, one of HNB Garhwal University campuses," said NS Napalchayal, Chief Secretary, while briefing mediapersons, shortly after the Cabinet meeting.

He said all professional courses would be run by the technical university, while the new university would be responsible for giving affiliation for basic graduate and postgraduate courses.

"As a temporary arrangement, the technical university had stepped in to bear the burden of affiliations. These would be allowed to complete the full term,” said PC Sharma, Principal Secretary, Higher Education.

In another decision, the Cabinet also decided to rationalise entertainment taxes under one bylaw. It also fixed the rates for the newer forms of entertainment and decreased rates for existing ones.

The decision, the government claims, would help it earn an annual revenue of Rs 7 crore.

"Entertainment tax on commercial flying has been brought down to 30 per cent from 50 per cent, on horse racing from 100 per cent to 30 per cent. Taxes for activities such as ropeways, hot air balloon rides, paragliding and rafting have been set at 20 per cent," said Napalchayal.

The government also fixed weekly charges of Rs 2,000 on cable operators who are showing films and song and dance programmes through television channels.

Bringing relief to old artistes, poets and writers living in penury, Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary, Culture, announced a hike in monthly pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.

"Even if the artiste receives pension from other sources, he will still be eligible for pension provided the income from all sources is not more than Rs 3,000. A committee has been constituted to oversee the selection of these artistes," said Rakesh Sharma.

The government also announced the setting up of a facilitation council to be headed by Director (Industries) for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises, to sort out issues of outstanding payments.

"These industries usually supply goods to government departments and corporations, but never get payments on time. The council will solve these matters, bringing relief to the owners,” said Chief Secretary Napalchayal.

Dehradun, August 17
Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) leaders and activists registered their protest, against a threatening and anonymous letter sent to their senior leader and Cabinet minister Divakar Bhatt a week ago, at the District Magistrate's office today morning. The DM has assured them of rapid action in this matter.

State President Omi Uniyal said the threat given to their leader to stay away from politics lest he should lose his life amounted to a challenge posed before the collective state machinery and law-order agencies. He deplored the failure to find out the culprit even after a week of the incident.

City President Bahadur Singh Rawat gave an ultimatum to the state government saying that if it did not resolve the matter soon, they would start a state-wide demonstration.

The UKD leaders also conveyed their displeasure over sending their national President an 'F' category invitation card for the Independence Day state function. They asked the state authority to abide by the protocol ethics whereby they should have sent a special card for their leader.

Haridwar, August 17
Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, who was at the helm of affairs as the Maha Kumbh mela in charge, has lauded the efforts of the district administration for successfully conducting the Kanwar mela in Haridwar.

At a programme held at Dakshin Kali Peeth in Chandighat, Kaushik said the Kanwar fair had become the best fair in the entire state with the district administration paving the way for an organised, peaceful and smoother Kanwar fair.

This time the mela administration’s strategy and better management helped the fair pass off peacefully.

Dakhsin Kali Peethadheeshwar Shri Mahant Kailasha Nand Brahmachari felicitated the minister, District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram, SSP Sanjay Gunjiyal, ADM VS Dhanik and other officials at the function.

At another function at Jagannath Dham, administration officials were felicitated for a well-managed Kanwar fair. Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Hanshvedacharay Maharaj felicitated the officials in the presence of Kaushik, vice-chairman of the mela authority Ashok Tripathi, Baba Hatyogi, Ram Moorti Veer and Dakhsin Kali Peethadheeshwar Shri Mahant Kailashanand Brahmachari.

Pitthoragarh, August 17
As many as 48 pilgrims of the 13th batch of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra strayed into the Rung Ling forest between Narayan Ashram and Gala camp on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

Yatra officers of the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) had diverted them on the Pangu route in a sudden decision to avoid landslides at Tintola on the scheduled route. All 48 pilgrims are now reported safe at Gunji camp.

“The pilgrims were told by the KMVN manager that the distance between Narayan Ashram and Gala is only of six hours and by 8:30 pm, the batch would reach Gala. But this distance is 22 km and no one can cover it in this time,” said Harish Paravathanieni, the batch liaison officer (LO).

As the guides accompanying the batch as well as the pilgrims did not know the route, they strayed into a forest. “But now, all pilgrims have now reached Gunji camp and are hale and hearty,” said the LO.

The batch had to stay at Gala camp on Sunday as the members, who lost their way, continue to reach the camp till 11 am on that day.

“These members reached Gala camp one by one starting at midnight till 11 am the next day. They wandered for eight hours in the Rung Ling forest at great risk to their lives due to the misinformation given by KMVN Yatra officer,” said the LO.

According to KMVN sources, the route was changed because there were heavy landslides between Tintola and Mangti. “We sent our guides and yatra officers to Narayan Ashram and requested the batch to stay there for the night, but they insisted on continuing their pilgrimage and wanted to reach Gala camp on the same day. On the alternative way, some pilgrims forgot the route,” said DK Sharma, Manager, KMVN.

According to the strayed pilgrims, there was neither any arrangement for their stay at Narayan Ashram nor were any cooks there. These were the reasons for their departure for Gala camp.

But the KMVN claimed otherwise. “Our yatra officers offered the arrangement of all amenities with the help of local villagers, but the pilgrims refused to stay there,” said DK Sharma.

According to some members of the batch, they could hear the roars of wild animals in the dense forest at night, but fortunately, no one was harmed.

“It was the shortsightedness and mismanagement of the KMVN, the nodal agency, in letting the batch go on an unknown track which had been closed for seven years without any arrangements,” said a woman pilgrim.

The batch, which has lost a day due to the incident, will now have skip their additional stay at Gunji camp to reach the Lipulekh pass in time to cross into China.

Pitthoragarh, August 17
A loss of Rs 1 crore was estimated in a major fire that broke out at midnight in a market of Pitthoragarh town today. It gutted three shops, including two shops of readymade garments, the Pitthoragarh police informed.

According to the police, the fire that probably sparked out of a short circuit was controlled and an entire dense market was saved by the prompt efforts of fire fighters. “It was around 3 am when fire service jawans were actually informed about the fire. They rushed to the spot immediately and controlled it, thus preventing it from spreading towards other shops of the market,” said NA Barare, SP, Pithoragarh.

The fire which broke at Subash Chowk of the town gutted Sethi Garments and Joshi Garments, two shops selling school uniforms to nearly 50 private schools of the district. “My shop contained readymade clothes worth Rs 40 lakh, including school uniforms which have been destroyed competely,” said MC Joshi, owner of Joshi Garments.

Pitthoragarh, August 17
Pitthoragarh Nagar Panchayat today launched a massive scheme to construct 200 houses for weaker sections living in slum areas of the town at a cost of Rs 10.96 crore which has been launched for the first time in Pitthoragarh, claimed the Nagar Panchayat.

“Under this integrated housing and slum area development programme, the 60 per cent expense will be bore by the Central government and 30 percent by the state, a total of 200 houses will be constructed in two years,” said Rajendra Singh Rawat, Chairman, Nagar Panchayat, Pitthoragarh.

“Out of a total budget of Rs 10.96 crore, a sum of Rs 4 crore has been released by the government for the houses each of which having two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom will cost Rs 2 lakh to the beneficiary out of which he will have to pay 10 per cent of the total cost in installments,” said Khemanand Joshi, Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat.

According to the schemes, people living in slum areas and belonging to the BPL category will be benefited by this schemes for which they will have to provide their own land. “Out of 12 wards of Nagar Panchayat, we will construct houses in nine wards where the slum dwelling people live,” said the Executive Officer adding that the foundation stone for these schemes had been laid at Lunthura ward today by the Chairman of the Nagar Panchayat.

Haldwani, August 17
In a gruesome incident reported from the Ramgarh area of Nainital district, a teacher from Haldwani, Dinesh Hadiya, went to Mauna village near Ramgarh and allegedly strangulated a teacher of a primary school there after attacking her with a sharp-edged weapon.

According to the information available, victim Deepa Martoliya of Bhotia Parav in Haldwani had been working as an assistant teacher at the primary school in Mauni for the past five years.

The woman had been on friendly terms with Dinesh who was teaching at a government school in Vanbhoolpura of Haldwani for the past several years. The two had been visiting each other regularly. It is learnt that Dinesh went to visit Deepa on Sunday evening at Mauna and after a heated exchange of words allegedly hit her on the head with a sharp-edged weapon and then strangulated her.

He has been at large since the incident.

The victim’s body was discovered lying in a pool of blood by a woman of the village who went to visit her on late Sunday afternoon.

It is being alleged that Deepa’s murder was committed as a part of a calculated strategy. It is being alleged that the accused had been promising to get married to the victim, but had been postponing the move. It is being assumed that he chose to reach Mauna village along with an accomplice by car of August 15 as he knew that Deepa’s roommate was not present at the house.

It is learnt that the car being driven by the accused was purchased by Deepa after availing a loan.

Dehradun, August 17
The state will now be able to contain the exodus of industries which suffered power cuts as long as 36 hours this summer and attract new industries without bothering about extra power load, as the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulation Commission (UERC) is heading towards the finalisation of a draft whereby the industries would be able to buy electricity from different states under Open Access Regulation (OAR) during power shortage.

Today, prominent industrialist participated in a hearing session presided over by Vijay Talwar, UERC Chairman, and attended by Jagmohan Lal, Chairman, Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited. It was an exercise undertaken before bringing out the final structure of the draft.

VK Goyal, Senior Advisor, Tata Power Trading Company Limited, said this draft contained the proposal by which the industries would be able to buy electricity from other states under Open Access Regulation during power shortage only. Goyal suggested to overrule the precondition of power shortage and desired to permit industries to buy electricity even in normal times, as according to him, the UPCL had already expressed its inability to provide power to industries on a continuous basis.

The second important aspect of this regulation will be that from the day of its implementation, the UPCL will provide the information of power cut to the industries two days in advance, which till now had been given a few hours ago only. The system has been evolved to give time to the industries to buy electricity. But, industries had put forth their reservation on it, as Bikram Singh, assistant vice-president, Indian Energy Exchange Limited, said: “We want the UPCL to update us about the load shedding one day before as we can not engage in power purchase two days before. The regulation of power exchange system permits purchase only one day before the power shortage. These are some of the few hiccups which we hope to clear with the authorities”.

Punit Mohindra, vice-president, Galwaliya Ispat Udyog Limited, raised the third point as per which he wanted the UERC to reconsider its decision to charge industries on account of transmission as well as distribution losses. He said: “If we cut short the route of distribution, and buy it at transmission juncture only, then the industries should not be charged distribution losses, but the UERC has insisted upon imposing that cost factor on us also."

It would be a historic decision to bring in the OAR mechanism which proved to be a win-win situation both for industries and state, affirmed JB Aggarwal, Director, Kashi Vishwanath Steel. He said: “The state will earn revenue for bringing in the electricity supply which the industries purchase from other states, and industries will be able to fulfil their requirement of power purchase from outside resources. No doubt, the UERC will have to put in place a system to oversee and manage this new mechanism and we hope that the UERC and the UPCL will positively reconsider the suggestions made by us which will serve the interest of both sides”.

Haridwar August 17
In what could have turned out to be a major accident, a huge banyan tree fell at around 2 am in the Nirmal Chawni area. However, no one got injured.

The impact of the tree was such that residents of the colony felt tremors. Fearing an earthquake they came out, but found the huge tree had fallen on the road.

Since the area comes under railway property, residents are quite angry over the laxity of the department as they complain that despite repeated alerts officials concerned did not pay heed to the danger posed by the tree.

A temporary residence had also cropped up in the area round the roots of the huge tree. Luckily no one got injured though the brick wall had fallen on the roadside. “These old and weak trees need to be cut as these pose danger to the residential colony,” said the residents.

Electricity supply also got interrupted and wasn’t restored till afternoon with electricity employees working on the line facing problem as tree branches had also damaged the electricity pole.

Residents have demanded pruning of tree branches as well as cutting of trees that pose danger.