Haridwar, August 24
Finally, after more than 37 days of agitating on mere lemon juice, noted scientist and environmentalist Professor GD Aggarwal, after much deliberation and persistence from the Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, agreed to take fruits at least though is still on agitation at Matra Sadan in Jagjeetpur village here today.

Late evening Chief Minister Nishank arrived at Matra Sadan was followed by Jairam Ramesh.

The Chief Minister held a long talk with the agitating professor as well as several saints and environmentalists. Simultaneously Ramesh presented Aggarwal with the signed letter from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clearly stating that the decision taken by high-level group of ministers on scrapping of Lohari Nagpala is final and has been taken in view of the religious sentiments related river Ganga.

The Chief Minister said the state government is too concerned about maintaining the natural flow and sanctity of the Ganga and welcomed the decision of the Central government of scrapping the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala project.

Though both urged Aggarwal to abandon his agitation but as Ramesh could not specify the exact date for the high-level meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority to be chaired by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Aggarwal said till the date is officially declared he will not abandon his fast fully.

Accompanying Nishank were a host of eminent personalities from varied sections of society.

So from Yog Guru Swami Ramdev to RSS ideologue Gobindacharya to Jal Purush Rajendra Singh to MC Mehta were present.

Meanwhile, Magsaysay awardee Rajendra Singh has expressed satisfaction over the scrapping of the project but also added that no one should mistake the breaking of today's agitation as break on the movement against hydel projects in the hilly regions on the Ganga.

Nainital, August 24
Social activists working on the issue of protection of the Ganga have demanded that a development policy be framed in the state that is conducive to its social environment and culture.

Welcoming the decision of the Central Group of Ministers (GoM) to scrap the Lohari Nagpala Project on the river, the activists affiliated to the Ganga Ahvaan group have termed the decision as historic.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Hemant Dhyani, member of the organisation, said such projects were a threat to the future of the Himalayas as the tunnels and lakes being created on account of these caused an imbalance in the environment and also led to the drying up of the weather resources in the region.

The group had also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the high court last year. Dhyani said after the scrapping of the project, the fight would now be for getting compensation to the people affected by the project. He pointed out that several houses had developed cracks on account of the frequent blasting in the area, where the project was being built and people had also been facing water scarcity on account of the river being diverted into tunnels.

“The fall out of such projects is multi dimensional. People have to give up agriculture for temporary jobs on the project sites which also lead to the damaging of the socio-cultural set up in the region,” said Dhyani while adding that the state must look towards power generation from solar and wind energy that he claimed is feasible in Uttarakhand.

He further stated, “We also want that projects that are already existing in the state must be used to their optimum capacity and the power that will thus be generated would be enough for the needs of the state”.

At the same time he advocated setting up of micro projects at the local level to meet the requirement of power.

When asked to react on the issue of wastage of Rs 600 crore that have gone into the Lohari Nagpala Project, he said even the Central government had accepted that it was a small price to pay in the face of Rs 2,100 crore spent on Ganga Action Plan and the aid of Rs 5,000 crore coming from the World Bank to conserve the Ganga.

It was also pointed out that the Centre had also agreed to have cumulative impact assessment done on the projects that were coming up on the Alaknanda river.

Dehradun, August 24
The dream project of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to revitalise the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, in Uttarakhand has gone awry. It was in 2008 that Rahul Gandhi decided to revive the frontal organisations of the Congress at the grass-roots level.

He chose Uttarakhand state as an experiment to start inner democracy in the frontal organisations and held elections for the various units starting from college to the districts to the state level.

Working hard, he paid several visits to the state during the period interacting with college and university students and exhorting them to join the organisation. He supervised the elections that took place for the first time.

His electrifying presence motivated a large number of youngsters to join the organisation across the state. But since then as Rahul Gandhi got busy in other states, the situation of the state NSUI has deteriorated.

The office-bearers of the state NSUI started behaving in manner giving an impression that they were even above the senior Congress leaders of the state since they were handpicked by Rahul Gandhi.

The message that went at the grass-roots level was negative and despite a positive high for the Congress in the state as it won all five parliamentary seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the NSUI lost in all the major colleges and the two universities of the state.

Interestingly, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidayarthi Parishad (ABVP), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) did well in the students’ council polls across the state last year. In all major colleges of Garhwal namely Gopeshwar, Kotdwar, Tehri and Pauri, the NSUI lost to the ABVP on prominent positions.

This year as the election period starts, the indications for the NSUI are not encouraging either. The first student council elections held at Dak Patthhar degree college has gone in favour of the ABVP.

Plagued by factionalism and favourtism, the state unit of the NSUI has not been able to motivate or attract young students. The student council elections in DAV College, Dehradun, the biggest college of the state is marred by infighting within the NSUI leadership.

The choice of the candidates led to the allegations of personal whims and fancies of the state NSUI leadership. According to observers, as per the given circumstances it would be an uphill task for the NSUI to pull a victory in the college polls.

“There are differences in the run up to candidacy but we will sort it out and win the election this year. Last year we only lost by 200 votes,” claimed Sangram Singh Pundir, state president of the NSUI.

He also claimed that the base of the NSUI had increased in the colleges across the state. But the results speak otherwise and it seems that the dream project of Rahul Gandhi has been shattered.

Haridwar, August 24
Lending support to the displaced traders who were removed by the administration citing encroachments on the city roads, former legislator Ambrish Kumar has strictly sought an explanation from the administration as well as local MLA Madan Kaushik on the steps being taken to settle the affected traders.

Seeking options for the rehabilitation of the displaced traders particularly the small traders Ambrish said instead of giving assurances of free land the administration should look out for the unused building lands available in the city itself.

Citing example of the ITI premise, Ranchi Bhawan and several empty bungalows he said these can be used instantly by cancelling the palika lease and as these lands are in the midst of the city thus will be also commercially viable for the traders who fear that allocation outside the city main area will severely affect their business.

Citing several jurisdiction given by the Supreme Court Kumar pointed that as per the Article 21 of Constitution every citizen has the right to live and thus though it is apt that encroachment should be removed it is also the duty of the state to see that the displaced one's are rehabilitated.

Lashing out at Kaushik who is the state Urban Development Minister Ambrish said since the past three years Kaushik has failed to even formulate a specific plan for the city particularly drainage which is making city water logged every time in rains.

Terming the local state minister as a total failure earlier as education minister in BC Khanduri state government and now in Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank regime as urban development minister Kumar said, "For the first time since state inception Haridwar got representation in the state cabinet but all hopes of locals sunk as there is no proper infrastructural plan as well as lack of vision from representatives.

Just clinching for red beacons seems to be the forte of BJP leaders forgetting the woes of common people," said Ambrish who last year after parliamentary elections just left Samajwadi Party.

Pitthoragarh, August 24
More than 100 devotees were injured in the Bagwal ritual (stone war) at Devidhura in Champawat district as the traditional battle was held between four clans today.

“The Bagwal continued for 13 minutes and did not hamper even it was raining heavily before and after the traditional war,” said LS Lamgariya, chairman of the Devidhura Mela Committee, adding that with this ceremony the five-day Devidhura Mela has concluded.

According to the Devidhura Mela Committee, the expected rain this year resulted in less participation of devotees. The committee estimated that the number of devotees would be more than a lakh but according to eyewitnesses it was not more than 30,000.

Nainital, August 24
Veteran socialist and a former minister in the undivided Uttar Pradesh Pratap Bhaiyya passed away last night after a prolonged illness. He had been residing at the Mayvilla Compound here.

He had a heart attack about two years back and had been unwell since then. Born at Churigad village near Padampuri in 1925, Bhaiyya had been attracted towards the socialist cause right from his student days. He was first elected to the state assembly in 1957 from the Nainital seat on a Praja Socialist Party ticket. At the age of 25, he became a minister in the Charan Singh-led government in the state in 1967. He was deeply influenced by Madan Mohan Malviya, Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya, Jai Prakash Narayan and Yusuf Mehr. He was even referred to as modern day’s Malviya for his immense contribution in the field of education. He had helped set up more than 100 schools and had even set up the Bhartiya Shaheed Sainik School in Nainital in 1964 after the Indo-China war of 1962. He is also remembered for establishment of a nurses training center at Nainital and setting up of the government hospitals in Okhalkanda and Haldwani.

Committed to erasing casteism in the society, he had given up the use of his surname and had decided to use Bhaiyya instead and even today the students in Sainik School are not supposed to write their caste along with their name.

He was adverse to use of vehicles while travelling short distances and old timers still remember him as the khadi clad man walking to various places.

He is also remembered in the region for developing the Khutani-Vinayak road through shramdan. Bhaiyya was very close to leaders like Charan Singh, former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, senior Congress leader ND Tewari, former Presidents VV Giri and Giani Zail Singh and former Nepal Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur.

The region has been engulfed by sorrow with Bhaiyya’s death that follows the demise of poet Girish Tewari, who was fondly called Girda.

People from all walks of life had started descending at Bhaiyya’s residence on learning about his demise. He was cremated at Ranibagh this morning.

Dehradun, August 24
The seizure of spotted black terrapin, an uncommon species of turtle found in Eastern India and Gangetic plains, from a Feng Shui dealer in Dehradun is pointer to the growing illegal wildlife trade of lesser known aquatic species in the state, prominently in hick of news for sale and purchase of leopard and tigerpelts.

The other turtle species, Indian tent turtle, scientifically identified as Kachuga teclatecta, is indigenous to Uttarakhand and found in some parts of Haridwar.

This species has a shell on the top which forms a conical shape with a pointed tip at the centre. The Wildlife Institute of India that was asked by the Rajaji Park authorities to identify the species of two confiscated turtles has submitted the report.

In its report submitted to the wildlife warden of the Rajaji National Park, the WII has revealed that both turtle species are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The turtle with high aesthetic look, spotted black terrapin, scientifically identified as Geoclemys hamiltonii, lives in fresh water with its habitat in Eastern Ghats and Gangetic plains.

Significantly, both turtles are fresh hatchlings indicating to the fact that there could be a well-connected network to facilitate transport of turtles from waters to fish aquarums.

Then there is a demand in Dehradun for turtles. There has been a spurt in the number of shops selling Feng Shui items in the capital city with aquariums getting much of prominence.

An NGO, Endangered Flora and Fauna on Earth Conservation (EFFECT), which in assistance with the local forest authorities conducted raids, visited as many as seven of such shops in downtown Dehradun within a day amply revealing that the trade was fast picking up in the city.

Interestingly, while there have been leopard skin seizures, wildlife authorities least go for any punitive action against those indulging in turtle trade. This often leads to little awareness on part of consumers that the turtle trade could land them in trouble.

A study done by Khalid Pasha and Dr Karthikeyan Vasudevan on turtles between January, 2001, and February, 2004, a total of 43 records were collected from the Forest Department staff and newspapers reports accounting for seizure of 4,665 turtles and tortoises.

These seizures were spread over 13 states with most seizures being made in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar, in that order. Apart from live and dead turtles (due to suffocation), turtle carapaces and meat were also traded and have been seized in huge quantities at several places.

Turtles in general are facing increasingly severe threats that need to be dealt with effectively. Nearly 100 per cent of Asian freshwater turtles and tortoises are affected by the trade with over half of Asian freshwater turtle and tortoise species already in the endangered list as per the IUCN criteria which includes 18 of them as critically endangered species.

Dehradun, August 24
For ensuring accountability and better work culture, especially in the wake of reports about doctors missing from duty, a core team comprising Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), District Tuberculosis Officers will conduct surprise checks at district hospitals, PHCs and CHCs in September.

The team will be provided vehicles for carrying out inspections in all districts. “We have received reports that at least 70 doctors are not reporting to their duty. The surprise inspections will be able to instill discipline among hospital employees and medical staff. Until unless we do not improve our system from inside, we cannot get good results,” said Dr HC Bhatt, Director General, Health and Family Welfare.

To improve the all round working and instill efficiency and discipline among medical staff, Director General (Health) and family welfare, Dr Bhatt has specifically asked the core team to rate the district hospitals, PHCs, CHCs and sub centres on 17 points which include punctuality of staff, upkeep of medical equipment, compliance of order regarding writing of generic medicines on prescription slips by doctors in all OPDs, list of the doctors writing branded drugs on prescription slips, progress report on the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), position of user charges, condition of toilets in the hospitals for patients and appraisal of all national health programmes.

Dr Bhatt said, “If doctors after selection, do not report to the duty, the selection and rejection procedure needs to be reviewed. We need to look at the selection procedure more seriously as it has been found that the doctors do not join duty from day one, especially those who are transferred to the hilly districts where we are facing shortage of doctors.

Even if a departmental inquiry is initiated against missing doctors, the procedure takes at least two years,” he said. Most of these doctors detest going to the 10 hilly districts in comprising Pitthoragarh, Pauri, Tehri and Almora, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Champawat, etc., while things are easy in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar.

Dehradun, August 24
In the absence of police checks, anti-social activities at night on city roads, particularly on the Rajpur Road, are going on unabated making roads unsafe for commuters in 
the evening.

People drinking in cars and drunken driving/riding are a regular feature on the roads at night. The absence of streetlights also attributes to the problem. People finding any secluded dark place on the roads, stop their cars to have liquor and later indulge in anti-social activities. Most of these people are outsiders and students who stay in the capital city in hostels and as paying guests.

This also leads to accidents on the roads. Youngsters riding at breakneck speed, flouting all traffic norms, not only put their lives in danger, but also of other commuters in the city. Going up to the Rajpur Road late in the evening is certainly insecure with little presence of cops there.

Eve-teasing and racing on bikes by youngsters is visible on the roads. About a fortnight ago, three drunk youths were racing on two bikes on the Rajpur Road taking wrong cuts at high speed putting other commuters’ lives at risk. However, at some distance both bikes collided with each other. While one escaped with minor injuries, the other two had to be taken to the hospital by the police.

This is one of the several cases of drunken riding and creating nuisance on these roads mostly by youngsters. In Sunday’s incident screams of a girl from a Scorpio car were heard some distance from the Karanpur police chowki on the EC Road at about 9.15 pm. This surprised passers-by.

Even the girl tried to open a door of the car twice, but it was instantly closed from the inside and the car sped away. The police control room was informed of the matter resulting which the Circle Officer and the SHO of Dalanwala police station, along with police force, checked the Rajpur Road, but they could not trace the car, as, they said, the passers-by had failed to note down the number of the vehicle.

The need of the hour is regular checks and patrolling by the police at night. There are hardly any checks on suspected cars parked on the roads at night. Though the police claims it makes regular checks, nothing seems to be in practice.