The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Man kills wife, himself at in-laws’ house
Dehradun, January 5
An angry husband killed his wife, at his in-laws’ house, 7 km from Roorkee, with a gun and simultaneously killed himself at the same spot today. According to the police, Salman reportedly detained his wife Sahruma at gun point at his in-laws’ house at Bukkanpur village almost for over 9 hours.

Villagers beat up doctor in his office at health centre
Dehradun, January 5 The thrashing of a medical officer on duty at the Purola Primary Health Centre in Mori Block has angered the government doctors. They have demanded the immediate implementation of the Security Act for Doctors in Uttarakhand. Mohammad Hasan, in charge of the Purola Primary Health Centre in Uttarkashi district, at the Doon Hospital on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Sushila Tiwari Hospital
Delay in gazette notification angers staff
Haldwani, January 5
The failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, led by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in getting the gazette notification of taking over of the Sushila Tiwari Hospital done has led to heartburn among the employees who are now unable to get the promised benefits as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Protests continue in Kumaon over shortage of LPG, electricity
Haldwani, January 5
Even as the state government goes around tom-toming its claims on the development front, people across the Kumaon region continue to grapple against odds to get even the most basic of civic amenities. The region continues to witness protests and resentment from the common people on the issues of basic services like the cooking gas and electricity.

Haridwar police to tighten noose on traffic violators
Haridwar, January 5
In view of a large number of accident deaths occurring in Haridwar due to not wearing a helmet by two-wheeler drivers, the city police has now decided to up strictness regarding traffic rules within the city circle too.
A traffic policeman stops a girl driving a scooter without helmet in Haridwar on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur

SDMs told to check exploitation of weaker sections
Dehradun, January 5
The Dehradun District Magistrate (DM) has asked the SDMs of Kalsi, Chakrata and Tyani Tehsil to immediately stop the practice among the upper class of employing Dalits and people from other weaker sections of the society as bondage.

Bagauli finds irregularities at BD Pande Hospital
Nainital, January 5
District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli had the experience of the mismanagement at the local BD Pande Hospital first hand on Tuesday afternoon when he paid a surprise visit to the hospital.

Youth Cong protests against black marketing of gas cylinders
Dehradun, January 5
Agitated over the black marketing of gas cylinders, members of the Uttarakhand State Youth Congress protested here today. Later in the day they visited Anurag Gas Agency where they measured cylinders and found that the weight was less in comparison to the actual weight.

INTUC members submit memo to Governor
Dehradun, January 5
Agitated over the anti-labour policy, members of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Uttaranchal, submitted a memorandum to the Uttarakhand Governor here today. Before visiting the Governor, they agitated at the Gandhi Park.
Workers of INTUC hold a protest at the Gandhi Park in Dehradun on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Guru Kirtan held on 344 Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh
Dehradun, January 5
A Guru Kirtan was organised in the city on the occasion of 344 Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh. Sri Gurdwara Granth Sabib was kept in a decorated palanquin and carried through various pockets of the city led by the Panch Piyaras.
Sikh youngsters perform gatka during a procession in Dehradun on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

2 wildlife smugglers arrested with leopard skin
Pitthoragarh, January 5
In a second such case within one month in the district, two wildlife smugglers have been arrested by forest officials with a 8-ft-long leopard skin which was to be carried to New Delhi to be smuggled to the international market.

Boy held on charge of raping minor
Dehradun, January 5
A boy who allegedly raped a minor girl after enticing her to flee with him was nabbed today by the police. The incident angered people of Kargi Grant as the two were of different communities.

Renaming Chanderbani Area
BJP team meets Mayor
Dehradun, January 5
A delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under the guidance of MLA Sahaspur Rajkumar, along with general secretary Govardhan Bhardwaj and former district president Om Veer Singh Raghav, met Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli here today.

	UKD heads for split; Bhatt camp to call general house Panwar suspends 12 more members of the party working committee for being in contact with the expelled leaders Seema Sharma Tribune News Service Dehradun, January 5 The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) is headed towards a virtual split with Revenue Minister in the BJP Government Diwakar Bhatt and other senior leaders supporting him claiming to be the representatives of the real UKD. Bhatt and another UKD MLA Omgopal Rawat, along with other senior leaders, today met Governor Margaret Alva and submitted to her a letter stating that they would continue to support the state BJP Government. BD Raturi, former president of the party, who has joined the Bhatt camp, announced that UKD President Trivender Singh Panwar has been suspended and all of his decisions cancelled. Raturi was present at Bhatt’s residence along with other leaders of the party. The leaders appointed DN Dodriyal as acting president of the party. Raturi said they would explain the overall situation in the party to the Election Commission. Meanwhile, Panwar continued his diatribe against the expelled minister Bhatt. He suspended 12 more members of the party working committee for being in contact with the expelled leaders. On the other hand, the Bhatt camp has told all the suspended leaders that they are welcome in their camp. Its members announced that they would call a meeting of the working committee and then a general house on January 16 to expel the president from the UKD. A committee comprising founder members Kashi Singh Aeri, BD Raturi, Luxman Singh Chufal, Ved Uniyal and Krishan Bhatt, was formed. It was handed over the task to sort out the prevailing crisis in the party. Aeri was conspicuous by his absence at the meeting. The suspended members of the working committee who have been served a three-day notice to explain the reasons for their interaction with the expelled leaders despite party’s whip against doing so are chairman of the disciplinary committee Krishan Bhatt, chief spokesperson Satish Semwal, general secretary Mahender Singh Rawat, vice-president DN Dodriya, secretary Vir Chander, organising secretary Ramesh Ramola, organising secretary Baleshar Dangwal, publicity in charge Vasant Joshi, invited member in working committee Capt Luxman Singh Chufal, district presidents Sud Singh Manwal and Uttam Singh Pundir and acting president of the working committee Baldev Raj. Publicity in charge Subok Khalik Ahmad, who was also suspended, has been taken back in the party fold for he has mended his ways. Meanwhile, Panwar made it clear that if more members were found defying the party whip, they too would be punished and expelled subsequently. He spared BD Raturi, whom he had served 15-days notice to resign from the state government for interacting with Bhatt and other rebels, saying that he did not want to take the blame for deteriorating further the health of already unwell leader by suspending him.
	BJP activists sell vegetables on loan, subsidised rates Tribune News Service Haridwar January 5 With inflation touching an alarming level of plus 12 pc and food inflation 14 pc mark in the first week of the New Year, subsequently aiding high prices of consumer items, youth wing activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today set up vendor stalls selling vegetables on loan and subsidised rates. Their innovative eye-catching protest mode caught the nerves of the common man perturbed by the sky-rocketing prices of food, supplies and vegetables. As a result, the vegetables put on display sold like hot cakes as one got some respite from buying high-priced vegetables in the open market. Party representatives lashed out at the Congress-led Central Government accusing it of chalking out anti-common man policies. Pointing at the recent scams involving UPA ministers, BJP district chief Om Prakash Jamdagni said be it 2-G spectrum scam, Commonwealth Game scam, Adarsh Housing Society scam, Aircraft deal and other several huge frauds Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would be remembered as the PM under whose leadership such a record number of scams took place. The party activists also had prepared a chart in which comparison was made of the present UPA Government tenure and the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government, analysing the rates of essential commodities of even two years back with the present ones. “The 10-day Commonwealth Games sporting extravagansa touched whopping 70,000K mark in which only 12,000 people participated, and if the Games had been corruption free, lakhs of poor people could have been benefited from the huge money taken by Congress-related organising committee members,” said Naresh Sharma, district youth wing chief. At the vegetable stalls, public, particularly women, were seen quite aggrieved at the inability of the Central Government to check inflation. “Pulses had already stopped being a routine dish in the household kitchen. The prices of petro products and LPG are hiked every six months so as to make these subsidy free. If this is the governance of the Congress, they should change their all-time election favourite slogan of ‘Congress ka haath, gareeb ke saath’ (hand of Congress with the poor) to ‘Congress ka haath, gareeb ka gaal’ (hand of Congress as slap on the face of the poor),”remarked Sanjana Sharma, a housewife.
	Man kills wife, himself at in-laws’ house Tribune News Service Dehradun, January 5 An angry husband killed his wife, at his in-laws’ house, 7 km from Roorkee, with a gun and simultaneously killed himself at the same spot today. According to the police, Salman reportedly detained his wife Sahruma at gun point at his in-laws’ house at Bukkanpur village almost for over 9 hours. Although the police had reached the spot and was positioned there for almost 7 hours struggling to rescue the hostage, it was in vain. Salman (25), a resident of Simarsali village in Saharanpur district in UP, who was married to Sahruma two years ago, reached his in-laws’ house on Tuesday evening. His wife and her younger brother and sister were the only ones in the house at that time. The couple had taken divorce two months ago, but it is said Salman was not in favour of it. Jilted Salman kept his wife and her siblings in captivity at gunpoint in the girl’s house on Tuesday evening. The alarm raised by Sahruma and her siblings eventually invited the attention of neighbours who informed the police immediately. Meanwhile, Salman allowed the brother and the sister of his wife to leave the locked room. Later, he shot his wife at about 4 am on Wednesday and then committed suicide after a while. The shocking aspect of the incident was that despite having a sizable presence of the police, the incident could not be stopped. “The captivator was not a terrorist to warrant a commando operation. It was a matter between a husband and a wife. Therefore, we were left with limited options. We tried, but the room, where he had kept his wife in captivity, did not have any window or ventilator from where we could take position to shoot him,” said PK Rai, Circle Officer, Manglore.
	Villagers beat up doctor in his office at health centre Tribune News Service Dehradun, January 5 The thrashing of a medical officer on duty at the Purola Primary Health Centre in Mori Block has angered the government doctors. They have demanded the immediate implementation of the Security Act for Doctors in Uttarakhand. At the Purola Primary Health Centre, villagers barged into the doctor’s office and hit him with a sharp-edged object, after he expressed his inability to employ a candidate favoured by a group of villagers. “The appointment of Auxiliary Social Health Workers (ASHAs) is done by the Gram Swasthya Committee and the village Pradhan is responsible for it, but the villagers put pressure on me even though I had told them that I had no role to play in these appointments,” said the recuperating doctor, who was referred to the Doon Hospital last night. Though out of danger, the doctor has suffered injuries on his head and face. An unconscious doctor was brought from Purola to Dehradun by the medical staff of the centre. Meanwhile, general secretary of the Provincial Medical Health Services DP Joshi today demanded that the doctors be given adequate protection. “Our pleas for security have had a little impact on the government,” said Dr Joshi.
	Sushila Tiwari Hospital Delay in gazette notification angers staff Rajeev Khanna Tribune News Service Haldwani, January 5 The failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, led by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in getting the gazette notification of taking over of the Sushila Tiwari Hospital done has led to heartburn among the employees who are now unable to get the promised benefits as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. Terming the entire exercise of the taking over of the hospital by the Nishank Government and promising the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations to the employees from January1, 2006, as a sham, the employees say Rs 26 crore sanctioned for the purpose of paying their arrears and other benefits would have to be surrendered as the money cannot be disbursed in the absence of the gazette notification. According to sources, there are no less than 269 employees who were to get the benefits of the government decision, which the latter had touted in a big way to get publicity. The General Secretary of the Medical College Faculty Association, Dr RK Nautiyal, told The Tribune that his organisation had been pursuing the matter since February, 2009, and all that it had got was assurances. “Over the past few months we have met the Chief Minister, the Health Minister and others. On the last two occasions Cabinet minister BS Bhauryal told us that we would not have to remind the government on the issue again but till now nothing has happened.” The sources say around 11 representations have been made before the state government on the issue. “Our arrears merely amount to Rs 4 crore. We just wonder what is stopping the government from delivering on its promise.” The faculty sources have pointed out that way back in 2006 then Chief Secretary RS Tolia had given an affidavit stating that this hospital was a government institution. They are now questioning that if this was the case what was the need to do the entire “takeover drama to gain cheap publicity” in 2010. The erstwhile Sushila Tiwari Forest Hospital Trust and Hospital at Haldwani had become a full-fledged institution of the state government from May 1 last year. While the government had formally taken over the hospital from May 1, the complete process of transfer was expected to take several more months. Secondly, the process of pay fixation of the employees was also expected to take almost a year. The biggest beneficiaries of the government decision were the employees who were set to get the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. The contractual employees were also to get payments based on these recommendations. The patients were also to stand benefited, as they would be able to get free medicines on the lines of the facilities being provided at other government hospitals.
	Protests continue in Kumaon over shortage of LPG, electricity Tribune News Service Haldwani, January 5 Even as the state government goes around tom-toming its claims on the development front, people across the Kumaon region continue to grapple against odds to get even the most basic of civic amenities. The region continues to witness protests and resentment from the common people on the issues of basic services like the cooking gas and electricity. The township of Haldwani had once again witnessed a massive public protest on Monday afternoon on the issue of improper supply and mismanagement of the liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The agitated consumers from the Manpur West locality had gone on to block the Haldwani-Rampur road. The protestors had mainly comprised women who had come to the spot in the thick fog in the hope of getting a timely supply of LPG. They once again aired their grievance that despite having a proper booking, people were not being given the LPG. They also asked why was it that only domestic consumers faced shortage of LPG, while supplies to hotels and restaurants were never hampered. The blockade was removed only when the police intervened and persuaded them to let the vehicular traffic resume. The villagers complained that despite having proper connections, they were being forced to use wood as fuel in their homes. Protests on the issue of LPG have become a norm of the day and there are reports of people agitating across the region in various townships on an almost daily basis. Despite claims that the matter will be resolved at the earliest, the administration has failed to address the issue. The protest on Monday had led to the Civil Supplies Department carrying out raids at the premises of the agency against which the women were agitating. Large-scale anomalies were found in the maintenance of records and the roster. It was also seen that a proper supply chain was not being maintained. Reports say that Haldwani is getting a sufficient supply of LPG according to the number of consumers, but somehow the cylinders are not reaching the genuine consumers. On the other hand, the region continues to reel under power crisis. While officials are attributing the power cuts to a fall in generation, people are accusing the government of being insensitive towards the genuine needs of people and resorting to unscheduled cuts. The areas around Bhawali experienced a power cut of around 12 hours on Monday. Similarly, there were reports of an increased number of unscheduled power cuts in the Chorgaliya region. People have been complaining of cuts in the evening. The region had witnessed a massive public outburst a couple of months back on the issue and after a brief respite the things are back to square one. In Haldwani, residents of Nawabi Road and Indira Nagar areas had to face a power cut on account of a fault with the transformer. Several other areas are also facing problems on account of local faults.
	Haridwar police to tighten noose on traffic violators Tribune News Service Haridwar, January 5 In view of a large number of accident deaths occurring in Haridwar due to not wearing a helmet by two-wheeler drivers, the city police has now decided to up strictness regarding traffic rules within the city circle too. Though from January 1 the wearing of the helmet gear has been made compulsory on highways, now the traffic police has decided to implement it in the main city intersections too. Taking a more precautionary step, the traffic police administration has decided to first generate awareness among the two-wheel vehicle owners by apprising them of the importance of wearing a helmet, having number plates clearly displayed, proper licence documents and following the traffic rules. So a week-long traffic awareness drive is being carried out wherein violators are not penalised, but politely apprised of their negligence and essentiality asked to follow safety traffic rules. Informing The Tribune about the drive, Superintendent of Police (City) Dr Kiran Lal Shaw said the awareness drive was being carried out so that people knew of the repercussions of violating traffic rules, legally and, more importantly, to their life. “We are trying to inculcate traffic awareness and impact it has on their life as well as their families, apart from other people suffering owing to their negligence. Don’t people wear helmet in other cities like Delhi and Dehradun? So there is no excuse for people of Haridwar as it’s ultimately for their well being that we are carrying out this traffic drive,” said Dr Shaw. Local people too have welcomed the police initiative though some still view it as a burden to wear a helmet. Like at the Bhagat Singh Chowk, a vital intersection of the city owing to its gateway to BHEL, a special camp has been erected to apprise traffic violators of the benefits of following traffic rules. The violators are not being penalised, but just being apprised of the need to follow properly traffic rules with their names, address and number being noted down. If they are again found violating traffic rules, they will be penalised. Sub Inspector Sanjay Solanki, in charge at the intersection, said throughout the day more than 120 violators were asked to log their violation, address, vehicle number as well as their comments so that the drive could become more interactive. Meanwhile, Himani, a SIDCUL employee who was without a helmet, while jotting down her credentials remarked that the on-going drive made her feel embarrassed as she was without a helmet. On the other hand many like Jahoor Hussain, a milk vendor, though wearing a helmet, specially stopped to enquire more about traffic rules and was appreciated by all.
	SDMs told to check exploitation of weaker sections Tribune News Service Dehradun, January 5 The Dehradun District Magistrate (DM) has asked the SDMs of Kalsi, Chakrata and Tyani Tehsil to immediately stop the practice among the upper class of employing Dalits and people from other weaker sections of the society as bondage. After receiving a number of complaints from the labourers of the Jaunsar area, the district administration carried out an investigation into these complaints. It has found that the people who belong to SCs, STs or other weaker sections of the society have been made to work at the places of the people of the upper classes for generations, which is not permitted by the government. The DM has stated that the government is running schemes for the labourers and it is ready to give them jobs or even loans if anyone wants to start their own venture. A team of the administration would organise seminars for Dalits to apprise them of these schemes. According to sources, the people of the upper classes in the area provide loans at higher rates of interest to the people of weaker sections of the society and in return ask them to do various kinds of work for them. There are many people who have been working for the people of the upper classes for generations. Talking to The Tribune, Sachin Kurve said these people would be provided jobs at the places that had been damaged in natural calamities.
	Bagauli finds irregularities at BD Pande Hospital Tribune News Service Nainital, January 5 District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli had the experience of the mismanagement at the local BD Pande Hospital first hand on Tuesday afternoon when he paid a surprise visit to the hospital. He was annoyed to come across a series of irregularities with regards to the working of machines and stocks. He has ordered the authorities to seek clarifications from the two pharmacists posted at the hospital on certain irregularities. Coming across a digital X-ray machine, which had been nonfunctional, Bagauli asked the authorities to hire companies through agreements for the maintenance of the machines. He also ordered the officials concerned to ensure that a proper sanitation was maintained in the dental wing. The maximum irregularities were found with regards to the stocks of the medicines where the number and the names of the medicines did not correspond with that of the patients. There were some stocks lying in access of what was mentioned in the records. He called for an explanation from the pharmacists regarding these irregularities.
	Youth Cong protests against black marketing of gas cylinders Tribune News Service Dehradun, January 5 Agitated over the black marketing of gas cylinders, members of the Uttarakhand State Youth Congress protested here today. Later in the day they visited Anurag Gas Agency where they measured cylinders and found that the weight was less in comparison to the actual weight. “The weight of LPG cylinders was found to be 3-5 kg lesser than its actual weight,” Vinod Kumar, state spokesperson of the Youth Congress, said and added that they had been receiving lots of complaints against the black marketing of gas cylinders by agencies. Thus, they decided to check the agencies as they had been asked by the district food and supplies officer to provide proof against the agency so that they could take action against it. “This is the beginning and we will keep our drive on against the black marketing of gas cylinders,” he affirmed. Kumar claimed that the agencies were selling cylinders in black openly. They sold domestic cylinders to hotels and restaurants etc at double rates. They got around Rs 700 from them instead of the Rs 345 they got from people. He further alleged that people could get the cylinder after 21 days, but the distributors took around 15 to 20 days to deliver it and thus got the time to sell it in black. “We have warned the gas agencies that if they do not stop black marketing, we will ensure that their licence is cancelled,” Kumar stated. Talking to The Tribune, the Dehradun District Magistrate said he was returning from Paudi and had no clue about it, but would ask the district supply officer to investigate the matter.