Dehradun, September 10
In a major victory for Dalanwala Welfare Society, the Supreme Court of India has upheld its petition against construction of multi-storey buildings in Dalanwala challenging the dismissal of its writ petition by the Uttarakhand High Court.

Dalanwala residents have been upset over mushrooming high-rise buildings in their locality alleging that high-rise building in the posh locality would lead to degradation of environment and immense pressure on the meagre infrastructural resources such as road space, electricity, drinking water and sewage disposal.

The Nainital High Court had dismissed the society’s writ petition. The society subsequently moved Supreme Court challenging the dismissal of the petition.

The Supreme Court in its landmark judgement on August 13 set aside the Nainital High Court’s order of March 15, 2007, stating that the case had been dismissed on extraneous grounds and not on the merit of the case.

The Supreme Court remitted the matter once again to the High Court for disposal strictly in accordance with the law.

Following the Supreme Court’s judgement, the Dalanwala Welfare Society in an emergency meeting presided over by its president Maj. Gen. Chander Nandwani welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement.

The society also unanimously resolved to continue their fight against insensitive government authorities and builders to protect the larger interest of its residents.

A number of commercial complexes have been allowed by the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority in posh residential areas like Dalanwala. These builders change the land use from residential to commercial on their own when there were no such provisions in the master plan in force at that time.

Grave hardships are being faced by residents, especially senior citizens, in Dalanwala due to the coming up of commercial complexes, which prominently include apartments where no parking facilities exist and vehicles are parked haphazardly causing inconvenience to the residents.

Residents complain that at peak hours, it becomes difficult to even cross roads. Besides, it creates lots of noise and other pollution.

Moreover, over-population creates security risks. Thefts and robberies are becoming common place. 

Dehradun, September 10
PS Krishnan, former Secretary to the government of India and Chief Patron, National Action Forum for Social Justice, called for full implementation of the rights and entitlement of the scheduled caste (SC) and schedule tribe (ST) communities as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Speaking today at a seminar on the ‘Constitution of India: Human Rights and their Protection’ held today at the AMN Ghosh Auditorium and organised by the National Action Forum for Social Justice, Krishnan said members of SC and ST communities continue to be discriminated and unless effort is made to give these communities their due, the countrywill continue to remain behind.

While Chief Information Commissioner Dr RS Tolia said several incidents of atrocities against SC and ST communities continue to be reported, he called for greater awareness and sensitisation of administration so that perpetrators are punished.

On the other hand, Nanak Chand, National Chairman of National Action Forum, said new states like Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand need to ensure that members of SC and ST communities do not face harassment while getting their caste certificates made.

“There have been instances, when members of other communities with the help of fake caste certificates have cornered jobs,” he said.

On the occasion, a souvenir was also released along with the Dalit manifesto. 

Haridwar, September 10
Attending various functions in the district on his one day visit here Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank motivated party workers to gear up to become a bridge between the state government and common people, at a party workers’ meeting while lauded the efforts pitched in by the Shanti Kunj Gayatri family in spreading religious, moralistic and social messages.

Nishank also reiterated the cultural diversity of India wherein Uttarakhand had a unique place of its own urging people of the state to work together to make it the best state. He pointed out that Uttarakhand could become an important educational hub in coming years and voiced for a change in the current educational system in the country.

Attending a three-day convention of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand teachers’ division, Nishank stated that due status should be accorded to Sanskrit language as it was the mother of all languages.

Nishank also released a book along side the event in Shanti Kunj titled “Bharat mey sikshan ki rajneeti”. Chancellor Dr Pranav Pandya was also present on the occasion.

While Minister of State for Urban Development Madan Kaushik lauded the efforts pitched in by Shanti Kunj and its sister branch Dev Sanskriti University in the fields of social services, education and conserving the Indian culture and traditions.

Roorkee MLA Suresh Jain, too, graced the occasion and was quite amazed by the social, religious, spiritual and educational works being done by the Gayatri Parivar not only in India, but also in other countries.

Earlier addressing the party workers’ convention in Dhanaura, the Chief Minister urged the party workers to focus on strengthening the cadres’ base as well as reaching out to maximum voters to inform them about various developmental schemes being run by the BJP government in the state. If party has to regain the vote of confidence of people of the state, they have to work hard to meet out their expectations level, said Nishank.

Nishank stated that since inception of the BJP, party had never been centered on one family or personalities, but party ideology came first, so one should not look to the benefits that come along with power but the responsibilities that came attached with it.

Pitthoragarh, September 10
Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP National Vice-President, today again opposed the construction of the 75-km-long Ghatiabagar-Lipulekh motor road.

The road will link the Chinese border to mainland India in this part of the Himalayas, downward from Lipulekh pass at the China border to Garvadhar.

He said that by doing so, the Indian government is facilitating the progress of the Chinese if any war with that nation erupts.

“The Chinese have reached close to Indian border through Lipulekh. Even after the construction of this road from upside, we are still 35 km away from reaching the China border. Defensively, it is not a good position,” said Koshiyari.

“Instead, this strategically vital road should have been constructed from Garvadhar to Lipulekh via Gunji. This would not only have kept the Chinese away from the motor road facility in Indian Territory, but psychologically, the local villagers in lower valleys would also have benefited from the road,” said Koshiyari.

Koshiyari said that he had not only raised this issue in the Rajya Sabha, but also talked to Defence Minister AK Anthony personally. “But the government did nothing in this direction which seems to indicate that the UPA is not worried about national security, but only concerned with vote banks,” said Koshiyari.

Koshiyari said that in the entire Himalayan border with China, the Chinese have constructed strong infrastructure for defence, while India was still 50 km away from the border.

“The completion of a 9-km motor road from Lipulekh to Kalapani cannot be called an achievement because this will be of no use to locals, but would render China stronger psychologically,” said Koshiyari.

Koshiyari added that the Ministry of Defence should immediately interfere in the matter and should start constructing the 35-km-long road from Garvadhar to Gunji first.

“The Chinese should not be given safe passage into Indian territory by making stray roads until our defence personnel become capable of reaching there,” said Koshiyari. 

Pitthoragarh, September 10
Pitthoragarh district administration and disaster mitigation teams have reached the worst rainfall-hit village of Qurie-Jimia, 30 km upward from Munsiyari town in Malla Johar area.

The village is slowly sliding and has become unsafe not only for living, but also for cultivation purposes.

“Keeping in mind the continuing landslide in this village of 145 residents of 46 families, we have sent 46 tents for the villagers whose houses have become unsafe to live, but we are not finding any safe place to erect the tents as the entire land patch is prone to landslide,” said JS Rathor, SDM Munsiyari.

According to the Disaster Mitigation Cell in Pitthoragarh district, 16 tents have been sent from the district headquarters and 30 have been provided by the ITBP.

“Our geologist has gone to the spot to find if the villagers can be given shelter in some nearby villages by erecting tents there,” said Manju Pandey, an officer at the cell.

According to sources close to Munsiyari sub-division administration, the villagers of Qurie-Jimia do not need temporary shelters for monsoon, but pucca houses as their own homes were not left worth living in the village, specially in Jimia sub-village.

“This village needs to be permanently shifted like Garbiyang and Milam during the ‘50s when these villages were permanently shifted due to continue landslides,” said the source.

According to the Disaster Mitigation Cell in charge, the condition of Qurie-Jimia was the most alarming this monsoon.

“This is the first case of its kind when the entire village is caving in and villagers do not have a place even to erect temporary shelters in and around their centuries-old village,” said in charge of the Disaster Mitigation Cell. 

Nainital, September 10
The Standing Committee on Education for Nainital district has called for provision of proper drinking water and toilet facilities in the girls’ schools across the district.

The meeting was held here today to take stock of the implementation of Sarv Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). Chairing the meeting, the local legislator Kharak Singh Bohra warned that the authorities in schools in which toilets are being kept locked would have to give an explanation for doing so.

He said the schemes already passed by the government must be implemented in time to promote education amongst the girls.

The officials of the education department were asked to conduct surprise inspections in various schools at the district and block levels to determine why facilities are not being provided despite adequate funds being sanctioned for the same.

Most of the members of the Standing Committee expressed their resentment over the delay in construction of classrooms that were cleared last year by the government. The members also raised the issue of convening meetings of education committees at district and block levels at regular intervals. The chairman ordered convening of such meetings every six months.

It was unanimously decided to send a proposal for reconstruction of damaged school buildings and those declared endangered on account of the recent rains to the District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli. The District Magistrate informed that a technical committee would be constituted once the list is made available to him. This committee

would comprise officials of various departments on whose recommendation the decision would be taken regarding demolition and reconstruction of the school buildings in question.

Bohra raised the issue of non-presence of a night watchman at Government Inter-College at Bagad village following which Bagauli asked the District Education Officer GS Hyanki to probe the matter and submit the report to him. Orders were also given to the officials concerned to investigate complaints regarding non-functioning of computers in certain schools.

The legislator from Ramnagar, Diwan Singh Bisht raised his objections towards non-utilisation of solar equipment that have been provided to many schools. The members unanimously decided that the schools that have failed to construct additional classrooms despite clearance been given to them last year would loose the opportunity now. These classrooms would instead now be constructed in other schools. 

Dehradun, September 10
It is difficult for the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) to wriggle out of its old habits. On its asking the police administration did provide it the police team one Inspector, one Sub-Inspector, five constables, five women constables, one and half section of the PAC, all equipped with arms to deal with riot, along with a police van to take along during anti-encroachment drive against rheri-pullers and squatters which was to start today, but on the very first day of the drive, the police team was all set but the DMC team was nowhere in the sight.

Embarrassed Additional Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Harak Singh Rawat felt sorry to the Inspector and postponed the drive for Monday.

Mayor, too, laughed away the matter. But what he could not smile about was the content of the letter, which was allegedly written by MNA to Rawat regarding provision of police personnel. Rawat informed that the letter made it clear that the police facility could be used only during raid against the rheri-pullers, which meant not against encroachers, which was a major issue for the DMC officials.

The loose end left in the MNA letter is seen as linked to the squabbling equation, the MNA has with Mayor. Since Rawat is seen as a Mayor’s handpicked man, therefore, he too is bearing the brunt.

Rawat’s shifting from sanitation work to land section is considered to be a part of the gambit. Rawat was divested from the Sanitation Department, he was keen to use to better the sanitation condition of the city, a purpose for which he was brought in the city by the Mayor seeing his good track record in Tehri, where he worked earlier.

But Rawat seems equally adamant in sticking to his guns as far as sanitation concerned, as he said, “My junior, Uppar Nagar Adhikari Neeraj Pandey has been given the sanitation charge but this does not mean, I’ll go out of the picture. As an AMNA, I’ll continue to have sway over all departments, including sanitation. Therefore I’ll continue my battle against insanitation in the city”. 

Nainital, September 10
Reports of murder of two women in separate incidents have come in from Rudrapur. In one of these incidents, the victim was allegedly raped before being strangulated. According to the information available, passers by found the body of a woman from the forests of Tanda in the morning today.

The body was half naked. It is being assumed that the victim might have been raped before she was murdered and dumped in the forest. Those who had found the body lying in the bushes went on to inform the police.

On close inspection, it was found that a clutch wire had been wound around her throat and was used to strangulate her. The victim is said to be in her early twenties.

All efforts to ascertain her identity proved futile. In the second instance, a woman was strangulated with her scarf allegedly by a person said to be her brother-in-law. It is learnt that one Raj Kumar had been residing in a tenement in Resam Badi Colony along with his wife Rubi, two children and his cousin Om Vir.

On Thursday morning, he left his home along with his rickshaw which he plies to earn his living. In the afternoon when his younger son Arjun started crying, his landlady Zubain Nisha called his elder son Vishal to ask his mother to take care of the child.

When Vishal tried to wake his mother up, she did not budge following which he too started crying. When Nisha went to see Rubi, she found the latter dead with a scarf tied around her throat.

A panicky Nisha called the neighbours who went on to inform the police. It was during questioning that Vishal told the police that he had seen his uncle Om Vir fighting with his mother during the day.

Om Vir had asked him to get out of the room. However, he had hidden close by and had seen Om Vir strangulating his mother. Om Vir has been missing since then.