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Kaushik visits rain-hit areas in Nainital dist
Above-normal monsoon becomes headache for all
Situation in Haridwar grim
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Dengue scare in Lake City
Trade through Indo-Tibet border picks up
Districts to have toy banks for poor children NCC, SBI hold tree plantation programme Nishank names Doiwala college after Shaheed Durga Mall Two held with leopard skins Licence of shops selling diseased wheat suspended Workshop held for gram pradhans Surat Singh Negi, president of the Gram Pradhan Sangathan addresses a press conference in Dehradun on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph 4 killed as car hits tree ABVP announces representatives
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Kaushik visits rain-hit areas in Nainital dist
Nainital, August 25 The daily life in the region continues to be hampered on account of frequent landslides in the mountainous terrain and water logging in the Terai parts of Kumaon. The government claims to have put alternative arrangements in place so that the masses do not have to suffer for long in the event of roads being closed or the power and water supply being hit. Cabinet minister Madan Kaushik, who is in charge of Nainital district, was here today to take stock of the situation. He said in Nainital district 13 residential buildings had been completely damaged while 174 had been damaged partially. In all 1,084 persons had been affected. While the district had recorded five human casualties, 18 head of cattle had also perished. The minister added 110 roads in the district had been damaged and out of these 26 were closed for vehicular movement. “I have given instructions that the roads that are closed must be opened at the earliest,” he said. A motor has been commissioned from Haldwani to drain out water from the Sukatal residential colony where a large amount of water has collected making lives of the residents difficult. Kaushik said the Irrigation Department had recorded a loss of Rs 22 crore. While 16 schemes of the Payjal Department aimed at providing potable water had been damaged, 80 schemes being run by the Jal Sansthan had suffered heavy damage. Referring to the state of the schools, Kaushik said 74 school buildings had been identified as endangered and three had been badly damaged. “The students studying in buildings that have been declared endangered and those damaged will be shifted to other schools,” he said. He claimed that alternative arrangements for power and water supplies had been made wherever required. The department is learnt to have incurred a loss of Rs 47 lakh. Orders have also been given to ensure that there is no shortage of foodgrains in any part of the district. The government is sensitive to the problems of the people and is trying its best to address them, the minister added. Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator from Sitarganj Narayan Pal has hit out at the government for failing to provide adequate relief and compensation to the flood-affected people of his constituency. He has reportedly said while the area had recorded a loss of infrastructure and land to the tune of Rs 50 crore, the government had declared a compensation of only Rs 25 lakh and was pegging the losses at Rs 95 lakh. Kaushik was clearly on the back foot when he was confronted with facts on the government’s preparedness to deal with natural calamities. He was unable to divulge details about the satellite phones that have been disbursed in districts and their usage in the times when disasters have been striking. He was also left red faced when asked about the failure of the state government to provide land to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for the installation of two doppler radars in the state despite the sanction having come from the Centre for their installation almost two years ago. It is learnt that despite the officials approaching the Chief Minister on the issue, the approach of the state government has been dilly-dallying. When asked on the delay in the provision of land and why the top level leaders have been misguiding the masses by making claims that the Prime Minister’s Office would be approached for the installation of radars despite their already being sanctioned, all Kaushik could say was: “I will take up the matter with the Chief Minister today itself on priority.” The IMD has reportedly sought land from the state government for the installation of doppler weather radars at Mussoorie and Nainital for monitoring and forecast of severe weather conditions. The IMD is in the process of procuring 12 radars. This is a part of the Rs 920-crore phase I plan of the department’s modernisation initiative for improving observations and forecasting facilities in the country that has already been approved by the Union Cabinet. |
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Above-normal monsoon becomes headache for all
Dehradun, August 25 Arti Shah, a housewife, complained, "My carpet and sofa got spoilt by the inlet of sewage water inside my drawing room. Also a bag full of 25 kg of rice has got spoilt. We are all ironing our clothes to dry them in the damp climate". With every rainfall, Clement Town and its adjoining areas are in a state of flood, including the ISBT. A few days back, three houses got washed away by the rivulet, which had risen up due to the heavy rainfall at the Mohini Road. "Parents and children get drenched in the rain during day time while returning from school," said Niharika. Anand Sharma, Director of the Meteorological Department, said in August, the rainfall has reached an average of 1110.9 millilitres, which is greater than the normal average rainfall of 942.5 millilitres. It is certain that the rainfall will continue till the first week
of September. "In the past 24 hours, Dehradun alone recorded 78.5 millilitres of rainfall positioning it on the third place. Kashipur has received a maximum of 165 milliliters of rainfall in the past 24 hours,
while Nainital is at the second place with the recorded rainfall of 150
millilitres," informed one of the officials at the Meteorological Department. The department has forecast that the situation will prevail same in the next 24 hours too and has sent an alert to higher areas of receiving heavier rainfall than lower areas of Uttarakhand. |
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Situation in Haridwar grim
Haridwar, August 25 Every time the city wakes up to rains, residents know that the day is going to be a tough one as the city gets submerged in rain water making commuting almost impossible, while the municipality and district administration are still pondering over the passage of a month when on July 19-20 the city witnessed almost a flood-like situation. With the rain continuing for the second consecutive day, the situation worsened. While in the past few weeks, rain had affected new and old Haridwar areas, the situation aggravated with a major part of the city also coming under the rain fury. Almost 70 pc of the city got submerged till noon today, making it almost impossible to commute. Be it the Har-ki-Pauri area in old Haridwar, the sky scrapping New Haridwar or the industrial area of SIDCUL, the city remained submerged. The Ranipur-BHEL Road, one of the heavily congested roads, saw the water level on the roads at an unprecedented level with heavy vehicles too getting jammed in the water. At the Bhagar Singh Chowk Colony, people saved many from drowning as their vehicles got stuck in the water-logged road. Adding misery was the adjacent nullah flowing from the BHEL side. Its water backstreams submerging the under road of the Bhagat Singh Chowk till Chandracharya Chowk. A man saved himself by swimming on this stretch as he tried to commute on foot but was swept away by the current till a long distance. Other parts of the city like Jwalapur, Shivalik Colony, Hanna Nagar, Gobind Puri, Krishna Nagar, Bhoopatwala, Bhim Goda, Moti Market, Upper Market also remained submerged. Water entered several colony houses and commercial establishments in various parts of the city posing problems galore for the residents. Bhagirathi Nagar where state Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, a couple of days ago, had paid a visit following the colony getting submerged in rainwater witnessed the same scenario and many residents leaving temporarily. Residents of this colony were quite angry with the administration and particularly with Kaushik terming his inspection of the colony as a media stunt to only gain publicity while nothing had been done till date, forget the compensation package as assured by the minister. Shivalik Nagar, city’s posh colony mostly housing SIDCUL executives, is also facing wrath of the rain. Cluster-S houses faces an impediment threat of flooding due to the adjacent monsoonal river check dams getting caved in. Residents are quite angry that despite umpteen complaints, the authorities concerned haven’t paid heed to their grievances. Residents of houses 383/01-07 Bimla Barthwal, Ram Pratap, Surya Dev, Ashutosh Negi, VK Bansal, who are severely affected, have pleaded to district administration to look into this matter as they are having sleepless nights keeping an eye on the river flow. Meanwhile, the administration continued with the anti-encroachment drive in the city after a brief hiatus of four days at Kankhal, Shankaracharya Chowk and Jwalapur. |
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Dengue scare in Lake City
Nainital, August 25 A patient from the Bindukhatta area who was being treated at the hospital, died when he was shifted to a nursing home on Monday. Meanwhile, another patient has arrived at the hospital with symptoms of the disease. Getting into action, Health Department officials have started surveys in the areas suspected to be the breeding ground of the mosquitoes causing the disease and have started taking blood samples of suspected patients. People are also being made aware of the precautions they need to take to prevent getting infected with the mosquito bites. With large-scale water logging being reported at several places and the water being contaminated, the region has become a breeding ground for disease-causing insects, bacteria and viruses. The administration has undertaken cleanliness drives and started health camps in the areas where the spread of the disease is expected. |
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Trade through Indo-Tibet border picks up
Pitthoragarh, August 25 “The import figure this year at present is Rs 1.08 crore which was not more than some lakh of rupees last year. This figure has emerged as the custom office at Gunji allowed imports of Chinese silk of worth Rs 1 crore by Indian traders,” said the trade officer. According to the trade office, the Indian traders have exported goods worth Rs 13,48,950 so far to Tibet. “A total of 167 Indian tribal traders have obtained trade passes for this year as so far at least 30 traders are in Tibet till date and the rest are in transit,” said the trade officer. According to the trade officer, due to damage on the route from Gunji to Dharchula, caused by heavy rains, the Indian traders are dumping their goods at Gunji mart and will be able to carry these down only after the rainy season ends. The Indo-Tibet border trade resumed in 1992 after the Indo-China war of 1962. The trade is meant to improve the traditional tribal economy of Bhotiya people who live in the high valley of Dharchula and Munsiyari sub-division in the district. “Keeping their welfare in mind the government of India has not allowed traders from outside to take part in the state neither the goods of no use to traditional economy are allowed,” said the officer. |
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Districts to have toy banks for poor children Dehradun, August 25 While chairing eight general body meetings of the Uttarakhand State Council of Child Welfare at the Raj Bhawan here today, the Governor, who had set up similar banks in Delhi, said these would be of immense help to children of underprivileged families who longed to play with toys, but were unable to do so due to poor financial conditions. At the meeting, the Governor said sustained monitoring of programmes was necesary for effective operationalistion of all programmes connected with child develpment. This was followed by a detailed discussion on the functioning of 137 creches for children in the age group of of six months to three years in 10 districts and non-establishment, non-operationalisation of child centres in Haridwar, Pauri and Rudraprayag districts, it was decided that children above three years of age be compulsorily shifted to aanganwadi centres. In view of the Governor's intention of developing possibilities of granting more and more facilities to beneficiaries in creches, a five-member committee was constituted which will submit a report on their functioning. The Governor laid special emphasis on the implementation of legal procedures related to adoption for orphaned children. It was also decided to make the State Bal Bhawan multi purpose, where information regarding health was also available. The views and suggestions of the council members were also invited while laying stress on strengthening of the council. Earlier, the participants observed a two-minute silence and condoled the death of 18 children who had lost their lives in the Sumgarh school landslide mishap in Kapkote. |
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NCC, SBI hold tree plantation programme Dehradun August 25 This programme was conducted with an aim to create awareness amongst people about the issue of saving the earth. Apart from the NCC cadets, Principal of Guru Nanak Academy and Cambrian Hall gave speeches on ''My Earth My Duty”, followed by a pledge-taking ceremony by the cadets. Along with colourful cultural programmes, a skit on “Save the Planet Earth” was performed by the cadets of Sardar Bagwan Singh PG Institute. Officers, women JCOs and NCC instructors took part enthusiastically in tree plantation at the NCC complex at Nanur Khera. “As the global warming and its concerns are increasing at an alarming rate, the NCC through its vibrant force of cadets is taking on the plantation of trees in a big way. The plantation drive undertaken by the NCC, Uttarakhand, was part of the campaign,” said BS Ahluwalia, Commanding Officer. |
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Nishank names Doiwala college after Shaheed Durga Mall Dehradun, August 25 The Chief Minister made a flurry of announcements. He announced Rs 10 lakh for the library of the college, apart from assuring the opening up of a polytechnic at Doiwala. Nishank said it was his endeavour to strengthen higher education in the state. He said there were international-level institutions in Uttarakhand which were either operational or on the verge of the opening. He later participated in a programme organised by the Uttarakhand Rajya Nepali Bhasa Samiti on the Doiwala Nagar Panchayat campus. Here the Chief Minister announced naming the Doiwala Chowk as Shaheed Durga Mall Chowk and Doiwala Degree College as Durga Mall Degree College. Earlier, the CM was accorded a warm welcome at the Doiwala Chowk. He also interacted with people here.
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Two held with leopard skins Haridwar, August 25 As per the international market estimates, the cost of the four skins seized from the duo may range anywhere from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and has exposed the illegal trade of leopard skin in Uttarakhand. According to the arrested persons, they were involved in this animal skin trade as sellers only, with the chief culprit, a resident of Uttarkashi, named Deepu who provided them with the leopard skin in lieu of giving them a substantial share from the money generated by selling the outer leopard skin to possible buyers. The arrested persons, named Jagat, alias Joth Singh, resident of Vikas Nagar, and Jali Nath Singh, resident of Shanti Vihar, Rajpur Road, admitted their involvement in the act but said they were just a chord in the whole nexus and didn’t know the animal skin mafias behind this trade. The four confiscated leopard skins are about 5 ft long and 3.5 ft-4.5 ft in width numbering. Informing about the whole episode, Senior Sub-Inspector Vinod Singh Gusain told The Tribune that he along with five other police personnel nabbed the duo from the Rishikul area on a tip-off from a police informer. Gusain said they cordoned the area patrolling secretly when late night they found two persons in a suspicious condition with huge bags. When the police team neared them they tried to flee, but were nabbed and four leopard skins found with them. IGP, Garhwal Range, MA Ganapathy has announced an instant cash award of Rs 5,000 to the six-member police team which carried out the whole operation. Senior Superintendent of Police, Haridwar district, Sanjay Gunjiyal said with such cases being witnessed in large numbers in Haridwar, special vigil was being taken in this regard. Gunjiyal also awarded the police team with Rs 2,500 incentive. SSI Vinod Gusain, SI Atula Naithani, Head Constables Balbir Singh Pawar, Vidya Charan, Neeraj Thapa and Manish Rawat. |
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Licence of shops selling diseased wheat suspended Dehradun, August 25 Local residents have complained to the District Magistrate (DM) regarding Naveen Bansal, who is running a shop at Karanpur as he was offering diseased wheat to them forcefully. He kept on distributing the same even when the residents objected to it. The cardholders then went to the DM who immediately asked the DSO to intervene in the matter. On investigating, the DSO found that two of the sacks were not appropriate for consumption. He asked all shopkeepers not to distribute soiled wheat to people and should immediately contact the supply office. The DSO also said anyone found guilty of doing so would be punished. |
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Workshop held for gram pradhans Dehradun, August 25 Programme manager TC Mathur said under the complete sanitation programme all gram panchayats would have personal toilets. He said after the toilets were constructed, those from BPL families would be given Rs 2,700 as incentive paid through the gram panchayat. The workshop was conducted by Virender Bhatt. |
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4 killed as car hits tree Nainital, August 25 Those who died on the spot have been identified as Virendra Singh Rawat of Nandpur village near Ramnagar, Mandeep Singh of Tanda Golu in Rampur and Vir Singh
of Jagir village near Baheri. Anurag Singh of Gokulnagar in Pratapgarh died on the way to the hospital. The survivor Deepak of Halduchaur has been admitted to a hospital. |
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ABVP announces representatives Dehradun, August 25 Surender Singh and Vikas Badav from SGRR College have been elected president and general secretary, respectively, while Anjali Gupta has been announced as president followed by Nisha Rani as vice-president, Rajni Nautiyal as general secretary, Nilima Bangwal as co-secretary, Aakanksha as treasurer and Ina Bahuguna as union representative from MKP College. Anshul Chawla from DAV College and Kuldeep Singh Rawat from DBS PG College have been selected as president and Ashok Nautiyal from MP College, Mussoorie, as president. Representatives from Lalit Mohan Rajkiya PG University Rishikesh are Pradeep Singh Rana as president, K Abapuri as vice-president and Kaushal Prasad Bijlauvan as union representatives. Kuldeep Kumar is president of Rajkiya Mahavidhyalaya, Lamser. Narendra Maher as president followed Azad Chauhan as vice-president, Dinesh Topwal as co-secretary, Manoj Arya as treasurer, and Deepak Ranakoti as union representative were announced from Rajkiya PG College, New Tehri, while Anil Chauhan and Nav Prabhat Bhatt were announced as president and general secretary, respectively, from Rajkiya PG College, Ghansali. |
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Dehradun, August 25
Village Development Planning Director Dr RS Pokhria today conducted a workshop for the gram pradhans of Atal Adarsh Gram Panchayat at Vikas Bhawan Auditorium here. He said the village would be provided with all the facilities like education, water, electricity, health, roads etc. Pokhria asks the gram panchayats to carry work on priority basis.
