Dehradun, November 2
In view of the approaching winter months, the government has instructed the District Magistrates to provide non-permanent shelters for 1,041 persons made homeless in the rain-induced disaster.

In an important Cabinet decision, the government has asked the District Magistrates to look for land where these non-permanent shelters can be built in 21 days, “The situation is extremely grave in four districts comprising Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar where people with no roof over their heads have to be taken care of. Of the 1,041 persons rendered homeless, 211 persons have been provided temporary living arrangement in government colonies, 180 are living in tents and another 732 are sharing accommodation with relatives,” said Rajiv Gupta, Principal Secretary, Home and Ayush, while briefing mediapersons today.

He said the total number of people rendered homeless are: Almora-219, Bageshwar-104, Pithoragarh-117, Tehri-233, Uttarkashi-285, Udham Singh Nagar-46, Nainital-35, Champawat-2. “We hope to construct permanent structures in four-month time,” said Gupta.

The government has also constituted state-level, district-level, block-level and village-level disaster management committees monitored by ministers so that the decision is implemented.

Dehradun, November 2
Members of the Uttarakhand Pradhan Sangathan have sought the appointment of pradhans as administrators after the culmination of the tenure of panchayats in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand. The sangathan members today staged a massive rally followed by a protest at the Secretariat in Dehradun.

Surat Singh Negi, president of the sangathan, said the district administration was planning to appoint Assistant Development Officer as administrators. “This is against the spirit of democracy as an elected representative like the gram pradhan was the most effective in dealing with the village official works,” Negi said. He said in a state like Uttar Pradesh, pradhans had been appointed as administrators for panchayats whose tenure had ended.

The sangathan had also staged a dharna in Haridwar on October 29 in protest against the decision and would intensify its agitation.

Rao Asfaq Ali, senior state office-bearer of the Pradhan Sangathan, was among the prominent protesters.

Dehradun, November 2
Equipping itself with better arms, the Uttarakhand Forest authorities are contemplating arming its Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) with pistols. This apart from putting its staff to more of rigorous training under guidance of the police.

The second day of Uttarakhand forest officers’ convention today saw discussions towards strengthening of wildlife and forest security. Informing mediapersons of the outcome of the convention, Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RBS Rawat said the convention held discussions towards providing pistols to the Divisional Forest Officers in the sensitive divisions. “This would help Divisional Forest Officers in effective dealing against forest mafia and wildlife smugglers,” Dr Rawat pointed out.

The problem of emergence of a large number of snakes in Dehradun a month back also came up in one of the sessions. “There were even cases when snakes entered Chief Secretary’s office and even Chief Minister’s office and thus a need to train forest staff on snake catching was felt,” he said, adding that a total of 100 forest officials will be trained for the purpose. Further, the convention was informed that all pending ex gratia in human deaths in wildlife animal attacks would be delivered at the earliest and the same with the case of injury victims.

The convention today stressed qualitative plantation rather than quantity. Dr Rawat said the success of plantation and relevance of trees to be planted would be taken up in priority while undertaking the plantation exercises. It was for the first time that 1.5 crore tree saplings were available with the department, including those of oak trees.

Dr Rawat also held that the wild animal rescue centre at Chidyapur was almost complete and would be inaugurated shortly. Efforts are also being undertaken to ensure the opening of the Rajaji and Corbett National Parks on time. The van margs that are used by villagers are being repaired on a priority, he added.

The two-day convention was attended by all Uttarakhand Forest Officers above the rank of Divisional Forest Officer.

Dehradun, November 2
Agitated with the lipstick contest at IIT, Roorkee, Thomso 2010, Kamlesh Singhal, vice-president of the State Women Commission, today summoned the Director of the institute on November 9. She said the lipstick competition was against the Indian culture and had shocked everyone.

The controversy started last week when in an informal event a boy was asked to hold a lipstick between his teeth and apply it on the lips of his girl partner.

Pitthoragarh, November 2
Citing closure of three hydro power projects on the Ganga as unfortunate for the future of the state, senior Uttarakhand Karanti Dal leader Kashi Singh Airy said today that with the closure of Pala Maneri, Bhairo Ghati and Lohari Nagpala projects, the state has not only lost 1,500 MW of electricity but also thousands of jobs which the state youth needed.

“These projects do not need big reservoirs like the Tehri Dam and simply manage generation through a tunnel, causing minimum damage to the environment,” said Airy.

The Uttarakhand Karanti Dal leader said the real utilisation of water available in the rivers of Uttarakhand is to generate electricity for the state otherwise this water flows towards the plains and used in multiple category to generate prosperity there. “We, the producer and protector of this water, are being deprived of using this for our prosperity under some conspiracy of which the governments are being part of,” he alleged.

The UKD leader dared the Uttarakhand government to show the scientific study on the impact of these three projects on the Ganga. “If there is no base of scientific study for this, it is only whims of some white clothed intellectuals before whom the Uttarakhand government and the Centre have submitted the interests of the youth of Uttarakhand, who would be getting jobs in big numbers at these projects,” said Airy.

According to the Uttarakhand Karanti Dal leader, his party is against big dams in the state because these cause problem of rehabilitation but the small and run-of-the-river projects do not cause the problem of rehabilitation but can lead the state towards being a electricity state as well as help in creating more jobs.

Haridwar, November 2
Since the present BJP-led municipal committee came to power two years ago, all board meetings as well as sub-panel elections have been marred by controversies, protests and internal factionalism. Such is the sorry state of affairs at the Haridwar Municipal Committee (MC) that every time there is a board meeting, councillors as well as local residents already know that it will be held only to be suspended or postponed.

This time too the much-awaited suspended board meeting has been postponed for indefinite period. The meeting was organised this week by Municipal Committee Chairman Kamal Johra as the last board meeting held previous month had to be cancelled midway due to ruling board members accusing their own Chairman of having a nexus with the Opposition and favouring them.

The reason this time for the cancellation of meeting is being given as non-submission of complimentary agenda by Executive Officer (EO) BL Arya. Chairman Johra had directed the EO to send to him the agenda as per the demands of the councillors which couldn’t be discussed last time as the board meeting was cancelled.

But with the EO failing to fulfil the due procedure once again, the board meeting had to be cancelled. The development has highlighting once again the pathetic working of the MC and the negative impact it’s having on the state of city. Opposition parties have rejected the reasons given by the authorities for the cancellation of the meeting, particularly of calling the meeting during festival time, questioning the working ethics of the Chairman and the municipality officers.

Now, the efforts are on to make sure that the board meeting is again held post Divali, but the sanitation, cleanliness and lighting of the city is suffering due to more than half a dozen cancellations of the meeting of board executive. “The new date for the next board meeting will be finalised after Divali and this time it was only due to EO’s non-submission of the agenda that the meeting had to be cancelled,” said Johra.

Opposition councillors have severely criticised the working of the palika, particularly the umpteenth time cancellation of the board meeting. Leader of Opposition in the municipality Sanjay Sharma said while on the one hand the city was reeling under filth, garbage and stink, on the other hand Chairman and EO seemed to be unconcerned about this aspect forgetting the mandate of city people and their responsibilities, respectively.

Meanwhile, councillor Ashok Sharma organised a ward meeting at Kankhal where he urged people to put forth various local problems they were having due the ill-working of the city municipality. “Local people are fed up with this shoddy working of the municipality with even the festive time of Divali also not being taken into consideration when the role of municipality becomes quite vital” said Sharma while addressing the meeting.

Dehradun, November 2
Irked over registering of cases against forest officials linked to the Dhaulkhand Range shootout incident, the Uttarakhand Van Rakshak Sangh has threatened to disrupt opening of the Corbett and Rajaji National Parks November 15 if the cases were not withdrawn immediately.

Referring to October 20 shootout at the Dhaulkhand Range of the Rajaji National Park, RR Painuily, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Van Rakshak Sangh, said the forest guards had only responded to the firing by the poachers which had led to the death of one of the poachers. He said it was unjustified on part of the police to register cases against the forest officials.

“Such false cases slapped on forest officials will only lower the morale of the forest officials that are fighting against the poachers and will strengthen those engaged in anti-forest activities,” Painuily pointed out.

Dehradun, November 2
The Moradabad Ramlila is known for its distinct style. Artistes hailing from Moradabad perform the exploits of Lord Rama in a traditional and pure form.

Students of Bhatkhande came face to face with Moradabad artistes who were in Doon recently to give a demonstration of their style at a workshop.

Hosted by political leaders and other dignitaries, the artistes, who are members of the Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, have been regularly performing at Subash Maidan in New Delhi.

“The Garhwali and other Ramlilas of Uttarakhand are quite popular, but in order to make students conversant with versions of other regions, we thought a workshop will be a good idea,” said Beena Bhatt, Director Culture.

Almost all artistes follow other vocations and performing voluntarily. Their dedication is unsurpassable. As the Ramlila season nears, these artistes from Moradabad move to New Delhi and Mumbai.

“All of us are teetotallers. Special care is taken while delivering dialogues. Diction and expressions have to be pure as we are performing a Ramlila,” said Shri Ram Sharma, a member of the Ramlila Sangh.

Enacting the role of Ravana, Radhey Sharma, who has been nicknamed Lankesh, has several firsts to his credit, including playing the role of Ravana in Shri Dharmik Leela for 37 years.

“Ravana is not an out-and-out villain. One has to remember that he was a learned man,” he told the audience.

A former employee of the Northern Railways in Moradabad, Radhey Sharma said he eagerly waited for this time of the year.

“My son has performed the role of Rama. Now of course, he is busy with his work. As for me, I wait with bated breath when my turn comes to take centrestage.

“As soon as I wear the robes and the crown, the character takes hold of me. My eyes become naturally red,” claimed Sharma, who wishes to play Ravana for three years more so he can enter The Limca Book of Records.

During the workshop, not only were students told to pay special attention to their diction, but they also got to know what keeps the traditional Ramlilas going.

Dehradun, November 2
The Indian Military Academy (IMA) undertook another step in the direction of its social responsibility and for overall enhancement of special children at the Raphael Home. Furthering its image as a nation-building institution, a delegation of wives of IMA officers visited the home and interacted with the staff and children.

Madhu Rampal, wife of Brig LK Rampal, was part of the team that visited the home, which is meant for special children. The women distributed sweets and cakes among the inmates to share festive euphoria with them. Their gesture brought smiles and cheers on the faces of the little ones. The IMA will be sponsoring a lunch for the children on Diwali.

Donations collected from Gentlemen Cadets and all ranks of the academy amounting to Rs 37,639 have been presented to Director of the home by Rashmi Sujlana, Chairperson, Family Welfare Centre, IMA. The amount will take care of the expenditure incurred on girls’ treatment and stay at the home.

Nainital, November 2
Close on the heels of having recovered a huge cache of animal parts from across the Kumaon region, the police has nabbed two smugglers and recovered the much sought-after kasturis (musk) from them.

The two smugglers, who are said to be from Bageshwar, were nabbed from Haldwani in a joint operation of the police and the Forest Department. According to the information, the police on getting a tip-off about two persons willing to sell kasturis, laid a trap and called them to Haldwani while posing as potential customers. Just as the two landed at a pre-decided destination on the Haldwani-Nainital Road, the police nabbed them. The two have been identified as Kedar Nath of Gwad village and Manohar Sing Danu of Kapkot tehsil of Bageshwar district. Two kasturis are learnt to have been recovered from them.

During the course of interrogation, the accused are learnt to have divulged important details about the trade in animal parts that is on in this part of the state. They are also learnt to have revealed that they had brought the kasturis from the Pindari glacier area.

The price of kasturi is currently running into lakhs in the grey market. It is known to be used for preparation of the performance enhancing drugs. It is said a kasturi is presently selling more than the price of gold.

The authorities are keeping a high vigil at railway stations and bus stands across the region these days to check the transportation of animal parts. It has come to light that the easiest transportation mode for the accused dealing in animal parts has turned out to be the railways.

Dehradun, November 2
Demanding the conduct of re-election for the two vacant posts of the college student council, members of the independent parties at DAV PG College gheraeod the Principal’s office here today.

BL Nautiyal, Principal, DAV, did not agree to the demand of the students for conducting re-election of the union.

“HNB Garhwal University had constituted a high-powered committee in 2007 to study the Lyngdoh Recommendations, which say that the college has no provision of conducting mid-term elections in one academic session,” said Nautiyal.

He was threatened by the students that they would stage a protest against the college management followed by a hunger strike.

It is relevant to mention that two of the student council’s posts are vacant for now. Two of the elected members were withdrawn from the posts for producing bogus certificates at the college.

Meanwhile, the candidates who recently appeared in the law entrance test for LLB also gheraeod the Principal regarding the discrepancy in the question paper.

Dehradun, November 2
hile reviewing the pulse polio drive that will commence on November 14, Dehradun District Magistrate (DM) Sachin Kurve today said no child should be deprived of polio drops and for this it was necessary that everyone should come forward for the cause.

He asked the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to be in touch with SDMs and arrange a meeting of BTF and DTF and try to involve the tehsil as well as block-level officials.

The DM also told him to engage patwari and lekhpal at the tehsil level and gram panchayat official at the block level so that a large number of children were given the drops.

Passing the orders, he said the patwari and the gram panchayat official should be provided with five booths each. They would be popularising the benefits of polio drops administered to children.

Students from various schools would also participate in the rally that would be taken out on November 12 and 13 to make the drive successful.

The CMO said 1,150 booths had been put up at various places. He said 230 observers had been appointed. Of them, 649 would be visiting door-to-door, 120 in transit and 29 in mobile teams, along with 827 Asha workers and 419 ICDS.

As many as 485 NGOs would be working and they required about 15,000 vaccination for it.

Dehradun, November 2
On the directions of Uttarakhand Mahila Congress chief Sarojini Kainthura, Kamlesh Raman, Dehradun City Mahila Congress chief, has appointed the following as officer-bearers of the City Mahila Congress.

Councillor Rama Gaud, councillor Nisha Rana, Geeta Nagpal, Uma Thapliyal, Santosh Joshi, Subodhani Sharma Thapliyal, Nirmala Rathi, Gulnaaj, Kalavati Joshi, Amita Yadav, Gulabo Devi, Savitri Kapoor, Sarita Devi, Vakila Praveen, Sushma Aggarwal, Jaya Negi and Meta Gupta, respectively, have been appointed vice-presidents, while Mamta Tayagi has been selected as spokesperson and Premlata Negi as treasurer.

Chandrakanta Bhatt, advocate Seema Chadha, Baladevi, Zarina Begum, Jahuran, Meena Yadav, Saheen Praveen (former councillor), Sushma Aggarwal, Urmila Devi, Sushila gurung, Swarn Kalra, Kusum Rani, Hasina Begum, Santosh, Maya Devi, Nirmala Devi, Vimla Salve, Ranjit Kaur, Devika Rani, Meena Rana, Rekha and Prabha Verma have been chosen as secretaries.

Other than them, Malti Devi, Krishna Devi, Kanchan Regvi, Jayanti Rajsri, Alpana Jaidli, Sashi Kala, Payal Behl, Veenu Sharma, Meena Rana, Manjit Kaur, Sunita Dheeman, Krishna Devi, Rekha Ganguli, Vandana Gupta, Sushlia Devi (former president), Anita Sharma, Raisa Fatma and Sumiti Sharma Dhyani have been chosen as general secretaries.