Dehradun, January 10
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said his government was committed for the uplift of tribals in the state.

He was speaking at a valedictory function of the three-day national convention of tribals held at the Information Technology Institute for the Tribals of India (ITITI) at Jhajra, near here, today.

The Chief Minister said it was the initiative of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee towards the tribal welfare, which included the inauguration of the tribal institute at Jhajra and had benefited the country.

He further said his government had implemented schemes and made budgetary provisions for roads, power and water in tribal areas, besides providing residential houses to poor tribals with an annual income of less than Rs 32,000 per annum under the Atal Adarsh Yojna. Efforts were also made to sell the products made by tribal community members at Shilip grams in the state.

Children of the tribal community had been enrolled in 16 state-owned schools that ran on the ashram system of education, he asserted.

An Ek Lavya residential school had also been opened at Kalsi in Chakrata for these students, he added.

He expressed hope that such national-level conventions would go a long way in cross-cultural exchanges.

Participants from across the country attended the convention. Phaggan Singh Kulste, president, tribal cell of the BJP, was also present. Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand Tarun Vijay, who was the brain behind the convention, welcomed the delegates. 

Nainital, January 10
Grappling with water crisis, residents of Mehragaon in Bhimtal have resorted to forcibly stopping boring being done on a private land.

This action of the residents has brought to light the frequent instances of mismanagement of water resources in the region.

Residents have been airing discontent over the issue of private parties being allowed to do boring on their land and claiming that such rampant boring leads to drying up of water sources from where the villagers draw water.

Villagers are again planning to take up the issue with the administration in the next few days.

The residents complained that there were several areas in the region which were grappling with water scarcity even during winters and their plight during summers can be well imagined.

In areas close to Ranikhet, it is a common sight to see women dragging carts containing water vessels over long distances.

With water schemes being devastated in the recent rain-related disasters and the government having failed on their restoration and repair front, people are facing a severe crisis. There are several areas in the Salan belt, near Almora, that are the worst affected.

Another issue that is being raised by people of the area is the devastation of the water mills in the recent rain related disaster.

The residents have been demanding compensation and loans to rebuild these mills that were located along the streams and rivers.

Besides being of economic importance, these mills are also of great cultural importance in the hilly terrains of the country.

Senior BJP leader Suresh Joshi and more recently, state Disaster Mitigation Minister Khajan Das when apprised of the issue agreed that there was a need to save the water mills from becoming extinct, but had no concrete proposal in mind with regards to their reconstruction. In fact, people are still awaiting the much-touted water policy that was in the offing.

In May last, Cabinet Minister Prakash Pant had stated that the draft of the said policy was in its final stages and it would be soon put up on the website of the Uttarakhand Government for public response and suggestions, and the government would move towards the implementation of the policy by July, 2010.

Dehradun, January 10
The Uttarakhand chapter of the People for Animals (PFA) has launched a movement called Sanjeevani Express - a mobile-feeding service - for stray cattle in Dehradun.

Rita Singh, a senior member of the Citizens for Green Doon (CFGD), and Pushkar Singh Dhami, chairman of the Urban Development Board, inaugurated the first mobile- feeding service at the Clock Tower. The movement then reached various localities in the town to feed stray cattle and dogs.

Dr Nitin Pandey of the CFGD felt that the launch of such a service had symbolised the start of an era of cooperation between the PFA and the CFGD.

Gauri Maulekhi, member secretary of the PFA Uttarakhand branch, said the Sanjeevani Express aimed to provide fodder to stray cattle in various parts of the town periodically.

“The PFA, to begin with, also plans to operate this service on a weekly basis depending on donations received,” said Maulekhi, adding that hundreds of stray cattle depend on garbage heaps or dumps for food and even eat things like polythene bags.

She expressed dismay that unproductive cows and old bulls were abandoned by their owners and left to their own devices. Their presence on roads also led to accidents.

Pitthoragarh January 10
The Champawat police and the Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) have taken a strong cognizance of the anti-India slogans pasted on border pillars in the Indo-Nepal border Tanakpur area of the district. They have decided not only to lodge a complaint with Nepali officials concerned, but also to raise the issue in the forthcoming meeting of officers of India and Nepal. “The district police officers, along with the SDM, visited the area today with SSB officers. They inspected the pillars and found that the YCL (Young Communist League), youth organ of Nepali Maoists, had pasted some slogans indicating India as an expationist country and accused India of alleged incursion into the Nepali area in this part of the Indo-Nepal border,” said PS Selal, Superintendent of Police (SP), Champawat district.

The Chamapawat SP said he had talked to SSB officers and told them to expedite patrolling in this part of the Indo-Nepal border and had asked Nepali officers that these slogans be deleted. “We have also alerted all the Indian security and intelligence agencies of the district and also informed higher officers,” said the SP adding that the Nepali officers had been requested to not let these YCL workers destroy harmony between the two friendly countries.

Champawat SDM Shiv Charan Divedi said last month he had inspected the border and after finding encroachment from the Nepal side, had instructed the Indian officers concerned to stop it. “This action of the Nepali Maoist outfits can be a reaction of that inspection as they want their people to continue encroach into no mans land and no action from Indian Authorities,” said the SDM. 

Dehradun, January 10
Nitin Mohan, resident of Pithoragarh, is going to debut as a singer with the upcoming album “Tumhari Kasam”. The album is being directed and produced by city-based production house Cinetribe.

Since his childhood, Nitin dreamt of being a successful singer, but never got a good break. But now it seems the wait is over as his album will soon be out in music stores.

Though during his school and college times, he never took formal training in singing, still he participated in competitions like Closeup Sangeet Mukabla and Antakshari etc.

Talking to The Tribune here yesterday, he shared that now it had been three years that he was taking training in classical music from Zakir Hussain in Delhi. “It was my dream to become a singer since I was a child, but never got the chance to explore myself. I kept shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai and meeting people. They liked my work, but there was no positive response from their side. It was only when I met Mukesh during one of the recordings that my dream was fulfilled as he assured me that he would produce my album, and here I am today,” he said.

On being asked why he chose Dehradun for his launching, Mohan said, “Uttarakhand is the place where I was born and bought up, and it is only home from where one can get success. I want to tell people here that the place is full of talent”.

When asked why he was getting himself launched in Hindi language and not a religious language like Garhwali and Kumaon etc, the singer explained, “Making a religious album is not a big issue as it costs less and can be done anytime. Now when I am getting the chance in the Hindi language, I will surely do the others in future”.

The album consists of eight songs. All are romantic ones. Singer Babul Supriyo and Sadhna Sargam, along with participants of Indian Idol (part 2), have also lent their voice in the album.

The lyrics are written by Mohan himself, along with Azeem Shrey and Pt Kiran Mishra. 

To promote artistes from Uttarakhand, Cinetribe is in search of artistes who want to make it big in the film industry. They are looking for talented boys and girls who can act in a soon-to-be released music video titled “Tumhari Kasam”. With this album the production house will also be launching Nitin Mohan as a singer.

While addressing the media here on Saturday, SR Mukesh, owner of the production house, who would be producing the album, said they would be holding an audition for the selection of artistes on January 11 at Hotel Relax and anyone interested in acting could contact them the same day. “We won’t be charging a penny from the contestants, as artists need to be paid money and not money to be taken from them,” he stated.

“We have eight songs. Thus, we will be selecting 16 youngsters - eight each (boys and girls) to make a pair. The participants will be informed then and there only. We will start the shooting as soon as the actors are selected, as we want to release the audio as well as video by February 14. The shots will be captured in the beautiful locales of Uttarakhand,” Mukesh said and added, “This will be the best break for artistes who want to make a career in Bollywood as they will be getting some experience from this album.

When asked why people should believe in their production house, as there weremany in the city who are deceiving peopl, Mukesh said, “If I do any fraud, anyone can sue me anytime”.

Haridwar, January 10
After successfully helping in the peaceful completion of the Maha Kumbh in Haridwar last year, the sole saint community representative front Akhada Parishad seems to be on the verge of splitting though efforts are on to ensure that unity prevails in the parishad so as the Allahabad Maha Kumbh also is held successfully.

But as of now, the Akhada Parishad turmoil continues as today the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad national spokesperson lashed at the other Akhada faction’s claim of they being the major faction and real Akhada Parishad.

Baba Hatyogi speaking to The Tribune today said by having a few akhada representatives and then taking a decision didn’t mean that it was a decision by the parishad. The norm had been that all the 13 akhada representatives sat together and took a decision.

Lashing at the newly constituted akhada parishad led by Mahant Balwant Singh, Baba Hatyogi said, contrary to their claim, no bifurcation had taken place in the parishad and till the new elections were held, the former executive body would continue.

Hatyogi even questioned the credibility of some saints in the bifurcated Akhada Parishad executive body saying that they were misleading people by saying that in 2005 when Mitra Prakash Singh of the Nirmal Akhada, who was the then chief of the parishad and now supporting the revolt faction, had called a meeting stating that the elections would be held in one month, but now he himself was supporting the faction without the proper election procedure.

On the writ petition relating to the acquisition of prominent shrines of Mata Mansa Devi, Mata Chandi Devi temple and other temples located in the district, Baba Hatyogi termed it as a decision which would benefit pilgrims and help in the development of these shrines.

Referring to the temple of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir, Hatyogi said now the temple provided the best of facilities to pilgrims as well as the management of the temple property, which would be the same in case the same was done with these pilgrimages.

Meanwhile, in a meeting of the newly constituted akhada yesterday, the members said as they had a majority of akhadas with them they were the real executive body, though unification steps were also being taken with the remaining five akhadas of the former parishad. Their spokesperson Mahant Ramanandapuri said the newly constituted Akhada Parishad was in majority with efforts on to include the other five akhadas too going on.

Notably there are 14 akhadas recognised by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, of which 13 take part in the Maha Kumbh-Ardh Kumbh melas belonging to different sects. They are Aahwaan, Atal, Anand, Niranjani, Maha Nirmani, Juna, Agni, Nirmohi, Digambar, Nirvani, Maha Nirvani and Nirmal.

Pitthoragarh, January 10
The Pithoragarh unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had exploited Pithoragarh Zila Panchayat chairperson Ranjana Devi politically and individually.

In a meeting held today under the chairmanship of JC Lohni, the BSP district chief, the party stated that it has been now proved that the BJP has from the first day exploited Ranjana Devi after she became zila panchayat chairperson under constitutional obligations. “The BJP leaders in the district selected this less-educated ordinary Dalit woman for the chairmanship only to exploit her as she had no political experience due to her rural background,” said Jagjiwan Singh Kanyal, senior leader of BSP Pithoragarh.

Kanyal said that for the first 18 months - till Ranjana Devi was totally indifferent to the day-to-day work of the zila panchayat - the BJP leaders tolerated her and allotted the zila panchayat budget according to their will. When she started taking her own decisions, it was seen as interference by the local BJP leadership who then decided to oust her.

“These BJP leaders even hatched a conspiracy and created a gap between Ranjana Devi and her husband as well as her father-in-law,” said Kanyal.

The BSP said that if the BJP is out to oust Ranjana Devi as zila panchayat chairperson on January 19, when the voting on the no-confidence motion has been scheduled, then the assets of all former chairpersons should be checked. They should be asked as to how they had earned crores of rupees after becoming zila panchayat chairperson for a short period.

“These persons are trying to trap Ranjana Devi because of her innocence and her commitment to transparency in zila panchayat works. They should also investigate if Ranjana Devi has amassed any property in the past two years,” said Kanyal.

Pithoragarh BSP stated that if the BJP did oust this Dalit woman from the chairmanship of the Pithoragarh Zila Panchayat, then the BSP will start an indefinite movement demanding investigation into the functioning of all former chairpersons.

Dehradun, January 10
Trivender Singh Panwar, president of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), ultimately called a meeting of the working committee of the party at Rishikesh. The resolutions, which were to be placed before the committee before their implementation such as the withdrawal of support from the government, were passed at the meeting. The party passed three resolutions unanimously. These are the approval to the withdrawal of support from the state government, expulsion of Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt from the paty and the condemnation of the BJP for ‘plotting’ a split in the UKD. Senior leader Kashi Singh Aeri and MLA Pushpesh Tiwari too attended the meeting.

Party presidents at the city, district and cell levels, general secretaries, secretaries and other senior leaders like Jagdish Kapri, Narender Singh Rawat and party activists were present at the meeting. General secretary of the party Shish Pal Singh said: “These resolutions, which were passed with a thumping majority, should have been adopted much earlier.”

The dissident faction led by Diwakar Bhatt and BD Raturi too held its own separate meeting under the leadership of acting president of the faction DN Todriya. The meeting reacted angrily to the meeting held by Panwar and called it illegal and unconstitutional. The spokesperson for the faction said: “The quorum of the meeting of the working committee at Rishikesh was not complete. Office-bearers of only district and city units of the party participated in it”

The UKD dissident faction has called a meeting of its working committee for January 16. All the district presidents, office-bearers and former MLAs of the party have been invited to the meeting.