SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI
D E H R A D U N    E D I T I O N

Scuffles mark anti-encroachment drive
Dehradun, October 28
Heated arguments and scuffles were witnessed between traders and cops on the second day of the anti-encroachment drive in the main market of the city, Paltan Bazar.
The police removes encroachments from the Paltan Bazar in Dehradun on Thursday. The police removes encroachments from the Paltan Bazar in Dehradun on Thursday. Tribune photographs

Nishank puts state demands before Centre
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank addresses a press conference in Dehradun on Thursday.Dehradun, October 28
Uttarakhand has again been pressing the Union government to give green bonus to the state for preserving the green cover.

Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank addresses a press conference in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph



EARLIER STORIES


THE TRIBUNE
  SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS



Mussoorie street vendors seek permanent rehabilitation
Send memo to Chief Minister Nishank
Mussoorie, October 28
Agitated street vendors of the town, under the banner of the Mussoorie Pichda Vyapaar Association, marched in protest against the notice served by the Nagar Palika and presented a memorandum to the Palika Executive Officer (EO) and the SDM demanding permanent rehabilitation.

Minorities panel members Hanspal, Angmo explain benefits of welfare schemes
Dehradun, October 28
Members of the National Minorities Commission said every effort should be made so that minorities benefitted from the various welfare schemes launched by the Central government.

Integrated Child Protection Scheme not implemented yet
Dehradun, October 28
The Uttarakhand government has been unsuccessful in the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), depriving itself of assistance from the Centre for the integrated programme created for the safety of children.

Cops foil anganbadi worker’s self-immolation plan
Officer orders staff to clear her salary dues for 6 months within 2 days
Haridwar, October 28
Though anganbadi activists are recognised for performing duties in odd conditions, the facilities and dues they deserve are not accorded to them. It was evident when an anganbadi activist tried self-immolation in Haridwar today, though alert policemen arrested her before she could succeed in his motive.

GMVN officer caught taking bribe of Rs 10,000
Dehradun, October 28
Eight months before his retirement, an office Superintendent of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Limited was caught in the Vigilance net for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 10,000.

DM listens to problems of industrialists
Dehradun, October 28
While hearing the problems of industrialists here today, District Magistrate (DM) Sachin Kurve asked officials to immediately resolve the problems faced by them.

Haldwani hospital patients to get NHRM benefits
Nainital, October 28
The benefits of Janani Suraksha Yojana of the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) have been extended to the patients coming to Dr Sushila Tewari Hospital at Haldwani.

NGOs called to play role of facilitator
Participants at a workshop in Dehradun on Thursday.Dehradun, October 28
Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Commission Manohar Kant Dhyani today called upon non-government organisations (NGOs) to fulfill the role of facilitator so that poorest of the poor could have access to basic facilities.

Participants at a workshop in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Operation Gajraj begins
Vets, forest workers treat injured tusker inside Terai forest area
Dehradun, October 28
The treatment for the tusker that was injured on the Lalkunwan railway tracks has begun with Terai forest authorities in Uttarakhand starting Operation Gajraj involving a team of veterinarians and scores of forest workers.

No phone found on Slovania trekkers
Pitthoragarh, October 28
After a thorough investigation by the Munsiyari police and an administrative officer into the case of using satellite phones from inner line areas of Munsiyari on the India-China border illegally by a trekker team of Slovania, which reached here after conquering the Hardwal Peak in the Panchachuli range of the Himalayas, the administration let go the members of the team after they filed a written affidavit that neither of their members had used satellite phone from the inner line area.





Top








 

Scuffles mark anti-encroachment drive
Tribune News Service

A shopkeeper jostles with policemen while protesting
A shopkeeper jostles with policemen while protesting 
against the drive. Tribune photographs

Dehradun, October 28
Heated arguments and scuffles were witnessed between traders and cops on the second day of the anti-encroachment drive in the main market of the city, Paltan Bazar.

The traders also got the Paltan Bazar shut for sometime in protest against the police drive. Earlier, even the meeting of the police authorities and the traders associations failed to reach any agreement.

The police started its drive in the evening and, like yesterday, started seizing articles kept on the roadside and verandahs.

The shopkeepers strongly protested the police action and got the market closed for sometime. They later gheraoed the Kotwali police station and tried to pressurise the police to quit this anti-encouragement drive.

They were also of the view that ahead of this festival season, this drive affected their business.

However, congestion and problem of encroachment in the market spoke volumes of the pathetic situation there.

Top

 

Nishank puts state demands before Centre
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
Uttarakhand has again been pressing the Union government to give green bonus to the state for preserving the green cover. This demand was made by Uttarakhand Chief Mminister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank at a meeting of the central zone council held in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Nishank, while briefing media persons here today, said the Union government would be soon consulting the Himalayan states having enough green cover on the issue.

He said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram also agreed to get a sum of Rs 1,500 crore to Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh spent by the state on Uttar Pradesh pensioners in the past decade. Nishank said Uttar Pradesh had been advised to give the money in instalments. “In case Uttar Pradesh failed to meet its obligation, then the Union government would get the money deducted from Uttar Pradesh’s grant and give that to us,” the Chief Minister said.

On the issue of getting more than 4,000 policemen allotted to Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh, Nishank said the Union government had given its nod on giving these posts to Uttarakhand. These 4,000 policemen had failed to join Uttarakhand on one pretext or the other. The Uttar Pradesh government had agreed to transfer these posts to Uttarakhand but the Central government had objected to it. “Now the decks have been cleared for the recruitment of 3,153 policemen,” the Chief Minister announced.

On sharing power from the Tehri Project, the Chief Minister said he raised the demand of providing 25 per cent power to Uttarakhand that was being given to Uttar Pradesh. He demanded 250 MW of power from the project for Uttarakhand. “The Union government has agreed to look into the demand,” he added.

With regards to power projects, Nishank demanded 2,000 MW of free power from the Union government besides the quota of coal and gas-based projects. “We are in the process of finalising with the Gas Authority of India (GAIL) to set up 500 MW gas-based plants in Haridwar and Kashipur in the near future,” Nishank said.

He also demanded that the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), a Central scheme, should be extended to all 34 blocks of four districts sharing border with China and Nepal. “The scheme is only being implemented in nine blocks and in the past 10 years only a sum of Rs 108 crore were given to the state,” he said.

The Chief Minister also reiterated his demand for Rs 21,200 crore as package for natural disaster and release of forest land for rehabilitation of 244 affected villages. He also demanded extension of the industrial package for the state till 2020.

Top

 

Mussoorie street vendors seek permanent rehabilitation
Send memo to Chief Minister Nishank
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, October 28
Agitated street vendors of the town, under the banner of the Mussoorie Pichda Vyapaar Association, marched in protest against the notice served by the Nagar Palika and presented a memorandum to the Palika Executive Officer (EO) and the SDM demanding permanent rehabilitation.

The memorandum was addressed to Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in which they said street vendors were the most harassed lot. It was the duty of the Palika to rehabilitate them and then begin evacuation in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling.

Association president Arshad Ali said most of the street vendors were from the deprived section and earning their daily bread by sitting on the sides of the Mall Road. If they were evacuated, chances of most of them dying of hunger were strong. Hence, they requested the Chief Minister that they should be removed only after a permanent rehabilitation was created so that they could live in peace and avoid the harassment and uncertainty prevailing on daily basis.

The Mussoorie SDM said he had received the memorandum presented to him which would be delivered to the CM duly.

Ali said whenever there was talk of removing encroachments, poor street members were at the receiving end, not the rich hoteliers who had built hotels without any proper sanction from the MDDA. He also warned that if their demand was not met, then they would be forced to carry out a massive movement against the administration and the Palika.

Palika EO Rohtash Sharma said he had received the memorandum of street vendors demanding a permanent place.

Sharma also said the Palika had passed a proposal regarding constructing more than 70 shops, but due to the PIL filed by certain residents of Mussoorie that project had to be aborted. Now plans were on for creating a hawkers zone where they could sell goods.

Former Palika president Manmhan Singh Mall said serving notice had become a mere formality and after some time the whole issue was kept on the backburner.

He also said some concrete measures had to be found to solve this chronic problem. 

Top

 

Minorities panel members Hanspal, Angmo explain benefits of welfare schemes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
Members of the National Minorities Commission said every effort should be made so that minorities benefitted from the various welfare schemes launched by the Central government.

Expressing these views while interacting with representatives from minorities communities, HS Hanspal and Angmo Spalzes said the minorities should reap benefit from the economic and educational schemes launched for them.

“Awareness camps should be held so that members of the minority communities came to know about the various welfare schemes,” Hanspal said.

General Manager of Wakf Vikas Nigam Chander Lal said the Nigam had already disbursed Rs 130 lakh as grant and bank loan to 64 beneficiaries and Rs 34 lakh as educational loan to 46 beneficiaries.

A delegation from the All-India Congress Committee (Minorities Cell) also met the members and asked for his intervention in the Gyan Godri Gurdwara incident so that it be handed to members of the Sikh community in Haridwar.

Those present at the meeting included Additional Secretary Social Welfare BR Tamta, Secretary Minorities Commission RS Yadav and others.

Top

 

Integrated Child Protection Scheme not implemented yet
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
The Uttarakhand government has been unsuccessful in the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), depriving itself of assistance from the Centre for the integrated programme created for the safety of children.

To access assistance from the Central government, the scheme mandates that the state government sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre, but the Uttarakhand government is dissatisfied with the fund-sharing arrangement. The government is demanding that, under a special category, the state should be given concessions and that the finances be shared in the ratio of 90:10, instead of the 75:25 ratio as suggested by the Centre.

“The file has not moved an inch since the approval of the scheme last year. We are not getting any assistance from the Centre for building homes and shelters for children,” said a top official.

The ICPS provides preventive, statutory, care and rehabilitation services to all children in need of care and protection or in conflict with law as defined under the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act, 2000.

“The scheme mandates setting up child protection societies at the state and district levels; state project support units and state adoption resource agencies to register every single Licensed Adoption and Protection Agency (LAPA). Most LAPAs and child service organisations, including NGOs, are not yet registered. This is in violation of the Juvenile Justice Act,” said Malti, member, Juvenile Justice Board.

In Uttarakhand, children continue to go missing. Some children are forced to flee homes to escape ill-treatment at the hands of step-parents. Escape from home seems to be the only solution to young impressionable minds. What follows once they take the plunge is even more horrific and chilling. Data provided by the police headquarters shows that till date 2009-2010, 31 boys and 14 girls were missing. Only 17 boys and six girls were traced. In 2008, 256 boys and 122 girls were missing. As many as 184 boys and 80 girls were traced.

Top

 

Cops foil anganbadi worker’s self-immolation plan
Officer orders staff to clear her salary dues for 6 months within 2 days
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 28
Though anganbadi activists are recognised for performing duties in odd conditions, the facilities and dues they deserve are not accorded to them. It was evident when an anganbadi activist tried self-immolation in Haridwar today, though alert policemen arrested her before she could succeed in his motive.

This incident sent shivers in the administrative hierarchy and instantly orders of probe into this shocking incident were given by the District Project Officer of the Child Welfare Project.

According to eyewitnesses, a woman activist, Usha Yogi, who hails from Roorkee tehsil, was quite perturbed over delay in the payment of her dues. Given poor economic condition of her family, she was quite in problem and had apprised the department concerned of all this, but in vain.

Almost her six months’ dues have not been cleared. Perturbed over this delay in the payment, Usha decided to commit self-immolation at the office of the District Project Officer of the Child Welfare Project situated at Roshanabad, about 15 km from here.

Usha had warned the department officers that if the next time her payments were not cleared, then she would commit suicide in front of the office.

Today she came prepared but alert policemen foiled her attempt by arresting her as soon as she reached the Roshanabad-situated Vikas Bhawan.

District Project Officer SK Singh, taking cognisance of the complainant, ordered for the clearance of the dues within two days.

While Haridwar CDO BK Sant assured protesters of an inquiry into this matter.

Top

 

GMVN officer caught taking bribe of Rs 10,000
Tribune News Service

Jitender Kumar Sood
Jitender Kumar Sood

Dehradun, October 28
Eight months before his retirement, an office Superintendent of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Limited was caught in the Vigilance net for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 10,000.

Jitender Kumar Sood had allegedly asked for Rs 20,000 as bribe from an office assistant of the same department to release the latter’s funds.

According to SP, Vigilance, Brijendra Kumar Juyal, office assistant of Ram Kumar Sharma complained to the Vigilance on October 26 in this regard in writing.

On his compliant, Sharma was suspended and terminated from his job by the GMVN on false allegation to which he appealed in the high court and the court of Nainital directed the department to take him and release his funds, the SP told reporters.

This complaint further said after the court’s order, Sharma and the GMVN settled for a contract that the latter would get 80 per cent. The department gave Rs 3.18 lakh to him and told him that the rest of the amount would be paid later.

For releasing of the remaining funds, the application of Sharma was sent to office superintendent Jitender Kumar Sood who asked for Rs 20,000 for releasing the amount.

At this the assistant approached the Vigilance Department that laid a trap and caught Sood red-handed with the advance of Rs 10,000 .

Man duped by kin of Rs 7 cr

A resident of the Balbir Road area has alleged that his brother-in-law and the latter’s son had duped him of over Rs 7 crore.

According to the police, Indersen Agarwal stated in his complaint that he had a joint account with his brother-in-law Giradhari Lal Agarwal and the latter’s son Hemant Agarwal in ICICI Bank, Amritsar.

The three used to invest money in shares from this joint account and had been doing business for sometime now. However, when he returned from a abroad trip and checked the bank account on October 8, he found Rs 7 crore and Rs 4 lakh of his share missing, the compliant added further.

He asked the two to return the amount, but they refused to do so. Indersen approached the Dehradun SSP. The SSP has directed the Dalanwala police to lodge a case of under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

Top

 

DM listens to problems of industrialists
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
While hearing the problems of industrialists here today, District Magistrate (DM) Sachin Kurve asked officials to immediately resolve the problems faced by them.

Reviewing the Udyog Mitra Samiti, he said its work was to provide facilities to entrepreneurs.

All factory owners who were present in the meeting appraised the DM about the Mohabee Wala road in the industrial area, which was lying damaged.

On this, the DM asked the Executive Engineer of the PWD to inspect the same and take action immediately.

Kurve also asked officials of Lead Bank at Patel Nagar to open a delegate counter after the industrialists requested him to open the branches of various banks in the industrial area.

MK.Diwedi, Lead Bank officer, apprised the DM that the inauguration of the said counter was on the cards and expected to start on November 9. 

Top

 

Haldwani hospital patients to get NHRM benefits
Tribune News Service

Nainital, October 28
The benefits of Janani Suraksha Yojana of the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) have been extended to the patients coming to Dr Sushila Tewari Hospital
at Haldwani.

Chief Medical Officer DS Garbyal said the women from urban areas being admitted to the general ward for delivery would be paid Rs 1,000, while the ASHA worker bringing her to the hospital would be paid Rs 200. Similarly, rural patients would be paid Rs 1,400 by the medical institution, while the ASHA worker would be paid Rs 600. The ASHA worker would be paid by the doctor in charge only after due verification.

Top

 

NGOs called to play role of facilitator
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Commission Manohar Kant Dhyani today called upon non-government organisations (NGOs) to fulfill the role of facilitator so that poorest of the poor could have access to basic facilities.

“Not money, but service should be the motivating force. But often NGOS do not follow the basic creed,” he said.

He was speaking today at a workshop on State Voluntary Sector Policy and Gender Budgeting held under the aegis of Disha, an NGO.

Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission Sushila Baluni said NGOS could play a constructive role in the development of the state.

Representatives from different organisations also held a discussion on the merits having a state policy for the voluntary sector.

In the second session, Budget Officer LN Pant said though Uttarakhand had adopted the Central Budget statement on gender budgeting, a separate mechanism had not been set in the state. “The gender budget is still in the evolutionary stage and we are still looking for directions from the Centre,” he said.

He said due to lack of clarity half-hearted attempts had been made by states for institutionalisation of the gender budget.

Pant advocated setting up of separate cells, and said altogether 26 departments were under the gender budget and for 2009-2010, 26.4 per cent allocation of the Plan budget was made for the gender budget.

District Protection Officer Ramindari Mandarwal lamented that till date no budget allocation had been made for the cells set up under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. “For the past three years we have been hearing that Rs 50 lakh has been allocated for the cells, but no amount has been released so far,” she asserted.

Jhanavi Tiwari of Disha organisation said the gender budget should prioratise spending for women-related schemes.

Top

 

Operation Gajraj begins
Vets, forest workers treat injured tusker inside Terai forest area
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 28
The treatment for the tusker that was injured on the Lalkunwan railway tracks has begun with Terai forest authorities in Uttarakhand starting Operation Gajraj involving a team of veterinarians and scores of forest workers.

A tusker at Lalkunwan had strayed along the railway track on October 22 and was hit by a speeding train severely injuring it.

The injured pachyderm had subsequently moved 10 km inside the Terai forest area making the task of administering treatment to it much more difficult for the veterinarians.

Left with no choice, forest officials, led by Divisional Forest Officer Parag Madhukar Dhakate, were left with no choice, but to administer treatment to the tusker at the very spot. Thus, Operation Gajraj was initiated by them.

According to Tanda Range Forest Circle Officer DK Pandey, the tusker had consumed food and even took a bath. He said the tusker consumed some sugarcane that was thrown on it from a distance by forest officials.

DFO Parag Madhukar Dhakate said the treatment of the elephant had begun and the animal was responding to it.

He said the elephant would be kept under observation for a week. He admitted that it was tough for the doctors that they had to venture deep into the forest area treat the beast.

The Terai forest authorities efforts come at a time when elephant has been declared a national heritage animal. Forest authorities have also filed a case against the train driver under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Top

 

No phone found on Slovania trekkers
Our Correspondent

Pitthoragarh, October 28
After a thorough investigation by the Munsiyari police and an administrative officer into the case of using satellite phones from inner line areas of Munsiyari on the India-China border illegally by a trekker team of Slovania, which reached here after conquering the Hardwal Peak in the Panchachuli range of the Himalayas, the administration let go the members of the team after they filed a written affidavit that neither of their members had used satellite phone from the inner line area. Munsiyari SDM JS Rathor informed the whole development to this correspondent here today.

“Liaison officer of the team Gajendra Deshmukh as well as the Slovania members of the team, Golaf Arban, Josh and Matiza, gave in writing to the Munsiyari SDM that they have not used any satellite phone beyond Munsiyari,” said the SDM, adding that after the submission of the affidavit the administration let them go.

Last month when the Slovenian mountaineering team was on trek towards the Hardwal Peak, ITBP and IB intelligence wings had informed the agencies concerned that the team had used satellite phones from the inner line area. After the team returned today, the administration and intelligence personal could not trace any satellite phone on the team members. “Now, the intelligence tip given by the agencies last month is being investigated,” said the SDM. 

Top

 





HOME PAGE | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Opinions |
| Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi |
| Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Classified |
Suggestion | E-mail |