Dehradun, November 18
The Uttarakhand government is mulling setting up of a state environment directorate that will act as an umbrella organisation to take up all environment-linked issues which are inseparable to this environmentally fragile hill state.

On the initiative of Uttarakhand’s Chief Conservator of Forests (Environment) office, a proposal has been sent to the state government which is now in active consideration of the government. Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank too has shown a strong inclination for constituting such an environmental directorate to streamline all environment-linked issues in the state.

The proposed directorate will come at a time when a need was being felt for setting up a body that will establish synergy between various state departments and agencies working for the cause of environment unilaterally in the region.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Environment) Jairaj, who heads the office that moved the proposal, is hopeful for its earlier constitution. In very likelihood a senior forest officer is expected to head such a directorate.

Strongly favouring the setting up of the environment directorate in Uttarakhand, Jairaj said it was the need of the hour. All environment issues will then fall under the jurisdiction of the directorate making the task of dealing with such issues much easier for the state and also safeguarding the larger interests of environment.

“Climate change issues, river-cleaning matter and even to the extent to environment clearances in Uttarakhand will be taken up by an umbrella organisation like environment directorate,” Jairaj said, adding that departments that are adversaries of environment as also those that work for its conservation will be answerable to the directorate.

While there are various government institutions like the Lake Development Authority, already working on environment conservation, and the River Conservation Authority, in the proposal stage, an environment directorate will help streamline all these activities thus bringing all these environment conservation-linked bodies under an umbrella organisation.

At present no such body exists in most of the Himalayan states of the country and in case of Uttarakhand its absence often leads to a lack of coordination between various state departments working on environment issues. These are often unaware of each others pro-environment moves. Interestingly, the Uttarakhand government has recently started the Sparsh Ganga programme in the state that is meant to protect the purity of the Ganga. An environment directorate will also help promote these flagship programmes of the state government.

Moreover, Uttarakhand as a state has its very basis to the environment conservation. While the state seeks concessions from the Centre like Green Bonus for its forest conservation efforts, it definitely also faces the wrath of environmentalists for any act of slackness. The rescinding glaciers, pollution in the Ganga, environment impact of hydro projects are some of the key issues linked to Uttarakhand that have hogged the country’s attention in the recent times and often the state has failed to come up with a clear-cut stand on these issues.

Dehradun November 18
The local unit of the Rashtriya Lok Dal staged a dharna at the Gandhi Park against the failure of the state government policies. The policies were formulated for the welfare of the farmer and labour class, but had not been benefiting them. The protesters demanded immediate action on it.

Head of the women’s wing Babita Gupta led the dharna. State president Uma Gupta said their organisation would continue to fight against corruption in the state.

National General Secretary Chaudhary Mohar Singh said atrocities meted out to farmers and labourers would not be tolerated. State Vice-Pesident Pradeep said office-bearers of the party would have to abide by the policies of late Chaudhary Charan Singh and appreciated Chaudhary Ajit Singh for following in his father’s footsteps.

Others present were district president of the Farmer Cell Teg Singh Tomar, organisation in-charge Karmvir Singh, Zulfikar, Savita and Ram Singh Pundir.

Pitthoragarh, November 18
A divided Congress cadre welcomed chief of Uttarakhand Congress Yashpal Arya. He was visiting Champawat and Pitthoragarh districts for the first time after being elected the state Congress chief for the second time.

President of the District Congress Mohan Ram welcomed Arya in Champawat. In Pitthoragarh, chief of the District Congress Mahendra Lunthi welcomed him.

Arya was a part of the procession at Guruna from 15 km away from Pitthoragarh, where he addressed a huge gathering. Though some important Congress leaders belonging to the Harish Rawat faction kept away from gathering, other Congress members were present in impressive strength.

“In Champawat district, lone Congress MLA and former Uttarakhand Agriculture Minister Mahendra Singh Mahra, AICC member Nirmala Gahtori and other senior Congress leaders were absent from the gathering,” said a Congress leader from Champawat, requesting anonymity.

Addressing the Congress workers, the chief requested them to remain united and win the state elections of 2012.

“Till every Congress worker does not eradicate his personal differences with the party, we will not be able to show our strength in the next elections,” Arya said.

In Pitthoragarh, some senior leaders of the Congress, including lone Congress MLA from Kanalichina Mayuk Singh Mahar, former chairman of the Nagar Palika Parishad Jagat Singh Khati, former District Congress chief Narayan Singh and former Gangolihat MLA and SC/ST commission chairman Narayan Ram Arya were also absent from the gathering.

Later, talking to mediapersons, Yashpal Arya blamed the Uttarakhand BJP government for misappropriating the Centre alloted funds and using these to pay employees salaries, as the government, during the past three years, could not develop its own sources of revenue.

He said after misusing the Central funds, the BJP government in the state was also fooling people by producing fake data about state development. “Their claims of increasing the per capita income of the state from Rs 14,000 to 42,000 during the past three years is totally fake,” said the Congress chief.

Arya said whatever development the state was showing at present was a result of the Congress rule under ND Tiwari between 2002-07, during which the state received maximum investment in the industrial sector resulting in increased jobs and GDP. “I challenge the Nishank government to provide details about the industrial investment during the past three years for which they are making fake claims,” said Arya.

Dehradun, November 18
The police has arrested two persons in connection with allegedly harassing and beating a group of school students from Rajasthan that was on a school trip in Dehradun and Mussoorie. Three persons are still absconding and the police is interrogating the arrested persons to nab the rest.

As per reports, a gang of about 25 drunken men had allegedly misbehaved with the girl students and pelted stones at the bus in which the students were travelling. When the bus driver and the students of Alwar’s HRD Senior Secondary School resisted, the men also allegedly beat them up.

City Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Joshi told The Tribune that five persons had been been identified by them. Out of them, two had been arrested and the police was close to arrest the remaining three soon.

The arrested two have been identified as Pradip Rana, resident of MSR Road, Rajpur, and Kamal Singh, resident of Khala Gaun, Rajpur.

As per the complaint to the police, a total of 110 students with their teachers from Alwar had come to Dehradun on picnic in two buses. The group of 30 girls and 80 boys on Tuesday night after visiting Shastradhara, a tourist place, in Dehradun, headed towards Mussoorie.

However, near the IT Park on the Dehradun-Mussoorie road they were chased by a car in which some men in an inebriated condition were travelling. They parked the car in front of the bus, following which they had a tussle with the students.

The two buses later left for the Mussoorie, but the gang, along with about 25 persons, brandishing sticks and hockey sticks in cars and bikes chased them. They pelted stones at the bus to break its windowpanes.

They subsequently made the buses stop and entered inside and misbehaved with girl students. They also beat up boys and the driver after they resisted them, the police said as per the compliant it received.

Meanwhile, the police sources said only five persons who were involved in the incident, contrary to the complaint in which a gang of about 25 persons has been mentioned. The police sources also denied that the stones were pelted at the bus and students were beaten.

Dehradun, November 18
Eighteen hapless patients recuperating from burn injuries and clad in sheets were delivered a bitter dose of apathy and neglect as they waited in vain for the ambulances that were to shift them from the Doon Hospital to the new burns ward at the Coronation Hospital.

Not only were the patients shunted out of the hospital, hours in advance in a semi-dressed state, but also exposed to infection as most of their wounds were still raw. As they waited near the main gate of the hospital with their dignity in tatters. Adding insult to injury were the constant jibes made by the medical staff who in the first place initiated a badly managed shifting today morning.

At this time, virtues such as generosity, tolerance and care seemed to have become the first casuality, as the care-givers seemed to be immune to the discomfort of the patients and family members.

“Our experience at the burns ward was that the ward ill-equipped, but even the attendants were careless. So we were keen on the shifting, but this waiting has drained me off all energy,” said DS Vyas, a patient.

All 18 patients suffering from burn injuries will now be housed at the burns ward, especially created at the Coronation Hospital, that is being developed as a specialty ward.

With only 13 beds, the burns ward of Doon Hospital was proving to be too small to accommodate burn patients.

That the patients were standing outside did not bother the doctors one bit and they dismissed the incident as routine. “They are waiting for the ambulance the arrival of whih has been delayed,” said Dr BL Verma, Joint Director, who was on a visit to the Doon Hospital.

Besides lack of space, at the Doon Hospital patients even had to buy additional medicinal kits in case they required plastic surgery from outside.

Notably, the new burns ward not only has a 24-hour air-conditioning, but also facilities for carrying out plastic surgeries.

Dehradun, November 18
People visiting the Municipal Corporation (MC) today faced a difficult time as most of the senior officials, including the Mayor, were on leave.

Mayor Vinod Chamoli was reportedly out of town for work. Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Sushil Kumar Sharma was also away to Delhi for official work as he is also the Food Controller Officer. Additional Mukhya Nagar Adhikari HR Rawat and Aditional Nagar Adhikari Neeraj Pandey are also on leave for two days.

Only Assistant Nagar Adhikari Prahlad Singh Rawat, Senior Health Official Gurpal Singh, and Executive Engineer Ravi Pandey were present in the office to sort out various matters.

Sources claim that already the Nigam is moving at a snail’s pace and now with all officials on leave, work will be suspended for some more time.

Haridwar, November 18
With the formation of an integrated industrial estate in SIDCUL a few years back as part of state’s development as a industrial hub in Haridwar, the pilgrim city is fast becoming a hot destination for various industrial houses. To cater to the requirements of these industrial units, the expo kicked off, with a large number of localities also thronging in large numbers.

The expo is being organised by the SIDCUL Industrial Association of the Haridwar Chapter. It is an attempt to provide a one-stop platform for the industrial units to meet their industrial requirements, which need to be either import from outside. The expo will also spread awareness regarding the technological advancements, the lack of which either increase their manufacturing cost, and focus on the benefits of the technologically advanced machinery and equipments.

The expo will create awareness regarding handling equipments like aerial maintenance platform, an essential equipment in factories for performing of various tasks, transmitters, converters, power suppliers, refrigerated air dryer, heatless air dryer, centrifugal blowers, dust collector systems, filters for control cabinet wiring. A major segment of the industrial requirements would be met through this expo, conceptualised on the lines of the business expo organised at New Delhi trade fair.

Speaking to The Tribune, Harendra Garg of the association, said expo would attempt to provide a platform for the city based industrial units, so they would have direct access to technological tools. This would make their production efficient, cost effective and apprise them of the latest technological leap. They would be able to upgrade their units and the quality of work and production.

Dozens of stalls have been erected while many will be functional from tomorrow. The initial rush witnessed on the first day, is an indication that in the coming days the expo will be a big hit among the corporates, traders and the localities.

Preeti Saini, sales executive of a Delhi-based Mars Entrepreneurs, said the response of local industrial houses was positive with the stall getting several enquiries and orders.

While another positive also being extracted from this expo by SIDCUL-based industrialists, is that it will bring the local industrial units closer. This will provide a right opportunity for various industrial to buy products from their neighbouring counterparts instead of importing them from neighbouring states. “This is a right step as despite as hundreds of industrial units are present in Haridwar, and most of us don’t know what other units are churning out. In many cases we buy from Delhi or Mumbai the products easily available in our local units. This expo will also give provide us a platform of interacting with the local industrial corporates, which will enhance the inter city industrial cooperation and trade,” said Daleep Suneja, CEO of Victoria Automotive.

Haridwar, November 18
In a late night vigil inside the Rajaji National Park, park employees, nabbed half a dozen persons, in suspicious circumstances. This has once again raised the security issues inside the world-famous park territory.

Taking strict action, the park management suspended a forest guard, found in an inebriated condition, during the night patrol. The persons nabbed have been slapped monetary fines and their vehicles have been seized.

During the investigation, the three reasoned that they were trying to inform forest employees of the intrusion of elephants, but failed to provide a valid justification regarding the citing of elephants and the danger they posed to them.

The executives, against whom action has been taken, work in a SIDCUL factory. They had a car and visiting tickets but as the entry is only till 5 in the evening, it made their entry illegal at night. They said they had lost the way in the jungle, but failed to answer the question why they had left the car and ventured inside the park despite it being dark and fear of wild animals looming large.

A fine of Rs 30,000 each has been slapped on these executives and their car has also being seized. An inquiry has been ordered in the issue.

Director of the Rajaji National Park SS Rasailly said, No suspected material had been found from these persons. They violated the park rules and stringent action would be taken.

Meanwhile, vigil in the park area has been increased with regular patrolling being done round-the-clock.

Dehradun, November 18
Portals of the Central Himalayan Hindu shrine of Badrinath in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand were closed for winter today amidst the chanting of Vedic rituals.

At a height of 10,248 ft above sea level, the Badrinath shrine was closed for winter at 3.55 pm in the presence of priests, dharmadikaris and other temple committee members.

Badrinath Dham’s temple committee office-bearer Jagdamba Prasad Sati said the temple was decked with flowers and other decorations even as closure rituals continued most part of the day at the temple precincts. The mild snowfall and inclement weather conditions did not deter the devotees from thronging the temple to witness the auspicious occasion. The Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre band was also present to rejoice the occasion.

The Utsav doli has also left Badrinath for Pandukeshwar, where the presiding deity will be worshipped during the winter.

With the closure of the Badrinath shrine, the Char Dham yatra has come to a close in Uttarakhand. The other shrines of Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri have already been closed for the winter.