Dehradun, February 27
According to the recent environment clearances of the expert committee of the Union Environment Ministry on some rivers of the state, particularly in Dehradun, has set two key conditions that will take some more time before getting into a logical conclusion and in all probability not before the next working season.

Acting on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a double Bench of the Nainital High Court had issued interim orders prohibiting quarrying on the riverbeds in Dehradun district. The petition had held that the quarrying was disturbing the natural course of the rivers in the city and, hence, this practice must be stopped immediately.

Thus, the court had asked the state to get necessary environment clearances. With much effort, some environment clearances have been received by the state. In the case of Dehradun, the environment clearances have been received for Song 1, Song 2, Song 3, Jakhan 1 and Jakhan 2 stretches of the rivers.

Anil Dutt, MD of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation, admitted that the environment clearances have been received for some of the rivers with conditions of seeking permission of the local Pollution Control Board and the National Wildlife Board.

“While in case of Dehradun, we have applied for permission of the local pollution control board, the next meeting of the standing committee of the National Wildlife Board will take place in April, where we will put up her case for permission,” he pointed out.

Interestingly, even if the Wildlife Board Standing Council headed by Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh grants permission in its April meeting, the process of going to the High Court to inform the court about clearances to vacate the stay may take some time. Moreover, arranging labourers will also require some time and this may not take place before the start of the rainy season.

Thus, the start of quarrying before October looks bleak. Interestingly, the state BJP has found a good opportunity in targeting the Congress-led Centre for the quarrying woes.

The party has been frequently raising the issues at various platforms taking it as one more example of the Centre’s apathy towards the state.

The scenario can turn worse with the rainy season just some months away. The seasonal rivers that are already full up to the brim with sand and gravel can overflow leading to death and destruction. “The Centre should stop its discriminatory attitude towards the state. If quarrying does not take place in the rivers, the state may witness unprecedented floods this time,” said senior BJP leader Raghunath Singh Negi.

Dehradun, February 27
The state Congress has decided to ghereo the Vidhan Sabha on the second day of the proposed Budget session of the Assembly on March 15 in protest against the alleged failure of the BJP on all the fronts.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the district presidents and senior party leaders chaired by state Congress President Yashpal Arya.

Arya also released a poster highlighting the alleged failures of the state government and the achievements of the various schemes undertaken by the UPA Government at the Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Arya asked the party leaders to remain united to fight the alleged corrupt practices of the state BJP government and also highlight various achievements of the Central Government. “There is need to go to each and every person in the state to expose this BJP Government, which is trying to hoodwink the public with its’ populist schemes like Atal Adarsh Khadyann Yojana,” he charged.

He said the state government had completely failed on all the fronts and was thoroughly exposed in providing relief to the victims of the monsoon fury of last year, despite getting more than Rs 600 crore from the Centre.

“The governance has gone for a six as bureaucrats are ruling the roost in the state much to the misery of the common man. The Atal Khadyann Yojana is a farce, as the Antodaya scheme had been launched long back by the Centre for BPL families,” he alleged.

He called upon all the senior party leaders to come in large numbers on March 15 to Dehradun to participate in the gherao of the state Assembly.

Dehradun, February 27
The Uttarakhand Sarv Samaj Sangathan has decided to give support to the demonstration by the Uttarakhand Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Sanyukt Sanghrash Morcha scheduled to be held on March 6 at the Gandhi Park here.

They will protest against the alleged discrimination meted out to those residents of the state who are not of local origin and also to demand getting permanent residence and caste certificates for them.

Harish Narang of the sangathan in a statement alleged that the discrimination being done with the residents, who were not of local origin, had fuelled resentment amongst a large section of the population in the state. “It was decided by the sangathan that to voice against these moves by certain politicians, the sangathan will wholeheartedly participate in the proposed dharna on the issue,” he said.

Narang further said, “Each and every individual who is a resident of the state has a role in its development and there should be no discrimination on the basis of the origin, religion, caste, creed and languages”.

Uttarakhand Punjabi Mahasabha president Subhash Kohli, Aggarwal Mahasabha president Sohan Lal Gupta, Gorkha Democratic Front president Surya Vikram Shahi, Tanzeem-e-Rehnuma-e-Millat president Nabi Ahmed, Tyagi Mahasabha president Brahmadutt Tyagi, Bhartiya Gorkha Parisangh vice-president Lt Col DS Kharka (retd), Shri Kalika Mata Mandir Trust members NK Dutta and Gagan Sethi, All-India Saini Sabha president Mahavir Saini, Gujjar Chetna Samiti president HS Rathore, Bhartiya Mair Sabha general secretary Chander Kiran Verma and president of the Maidani Kranti Dal Harbir Singh were present on the occasion.

Dehradun February 27
Members of the Uttarakhand Freedom Fighter and Successors Organisation took a pledge to follow the teachings of martyr Chander Shekhar Azad while paying homage to him on his martyrdom day.

Former Chief Minister ND Tiwari could not make to the occasion. Mayor Vinod Chamoli focussed on the need to emulate the example set by Azad and said that countrymen needed the intensity of his passion to devote their life to the cause of society and nation.

Chairing the session, president of the organisation Buddhi Prakash said people like Azad were a source of inspiration.

Azad’s friend Ramkrishan Khatri’s son PK Khatri and stalwart, who led the famous “Kakori episode”, said, “In today’s times of widespread corruption, we badly need to remember the sacrifices of these great martyrs and follow in their footsteps to eradicate this malady”.

Secretary Rajiv Kothari emphasised that the sacrifices of the country’s freedom fighters would be justified only when Indians learnt to live with honesty. 

Mussoorie, February 27
Members of the Mussoorie Rotary Club came out in force to assist in the free-country-from polio campaign being carried out on the days popularly known as “Polio Ravivaar”. More than 50 tinytots were administered polio drops at the booth near the Tilak Memorial Library here.

According to medical officials, the polio drops were also administered at booths set up at different places of the town. Rotarian Nitish Mohan said the club would organise a free one-day health camp on the Library Gurdwara premises on March 7.

Medical experts from an NGO, Roko Cancer, England, will conduct a mammography test to check breast cancer. Experts from the Himalayan Institute will conduct various tests for heart, dental, blood sugar and bone density ailments on the same day.

Nitin Gupta, Vipul Mittal, Pranav Ghilotra, Rajat Agarwal and Sharad Gupta have been assigned with the task of the registration of patients.

Mohan said Roko Cancer would also bring its state-of-the-art Volvo ambulance that was equipped with the medical facility to conduct the tests. The camp would be supported by AK Jain from Saharanpur. 

Nainital, February 27
Patients coming to Soban Singh Jeena Base Hospital and Women’s Hospital in Haldwani are all set to get better facilities from the next financial year. This was stated at a meeting of the managing committees of these hospitals held here yesterday under the chairmanship of District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli.

According to information, budgetary proposals to the tune of Rs 2.25 crore were laid down for the upgradation of the facilities at these two hospitals. Bagauli has ordered that the construction work going on at the Women’s Hospital must be completed at the earliest and the sewer line of the hospital repaired latest by March 15.

The proposals for the purchase ofe photostat machines, computers and instalation of the Internet facility at the hospital were also cleared at the meeting. Keeping in mind the sanitation needs of both the hospitals, it has been decided to purchase rubber mattresses.

Bagauli has instructed the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to carry out routine check to ensure that the quality of food and medicines being given to the patients was good. He had instructed the officials concerned to lay maximum emphasis on cleanliness in the premises of both the hospitals. He said the officials must ensure that the patients got maximum facilities for the user charges being paid by them.

Nainital, February 27
A huge demand and supply gap, adulteration by suppliers and non-conducive approach of the Forest Department officials are proving major hurdles in the implementation of the ambitious programme of the state government for becoming pioneers in cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in the country.

With the continuing popularity of ayurvedic and herbal products across the globe, the state was quick to identify its huge potential with regards to tapping the huge market that is available. But somehow, the programme has failed to take off on the desired scale, even though the framework has been available for some years now.

In an interaction with The Tribune, executive vice-president of a major corporate group Navneet Kaur related that irregular supplies and adulteration were two major problems being faced by manufacturers of herbal products. She elaborated by giving an example that Brahmi that was supplied was adulterated at times. She called for a system to ensure that the adulteration was checked.

Director of the Herbal Research and Development Institute (HRDI) RC Sundriyal said the promotion of cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants on a large scale in clusters was the only solution to the problem of the adulteration. He pointed out that the plants collected from the wild and then supplied had more chances of being adulterated.

“The attitude of the Forest Department towards people who have taken up cultivation of these plants also needs to be changed,” said Sundriyal.

In fact, former CM BC Khanduri, while chairing a meeting on the promotion of the cultivation of these plants, had gone to the extent of saying, “I am conveying my displeasure and anger at the way things stand. It is convenient to resort to means of smuggling than to work honestly. A man transporting things honestly is stopped by 25 forest officials. With a huge forest cover of 65 per cent, why are things not moving when the government wants to go forward?”

He had pointed out that it was a pity that the country was not able to tap even 1 per cent share of the $ 120-billion trade in medicinal plants.

Sundriyal related that the Forest Department officials were still adamant on resorting to following certain obsolete and impractical age-old rules. He cited an example where officials were not ready to allow a cultivator pass with his produce, stating that he could only do so after sunrise. It was at his intervention that the matter was sorted out.

Sundriyal said the state had an immense potential to provide the market with medicinal herbs sought by it. He said presently 100 MT of herbs were being cultivated, while the forests were gathering 200 MT. “This amounts to 300 MT, while the national demand is close to 1,000 MT. There is a shortfall of 700 MT, which cannot be filled immediately,” he said.

Dehradun, February 27
The Uttarakhand State Cooperatives Federation has decided not to procure paddy for the state in future if the state government does not ensure timely payments.

A decision was taken by the federation at its 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Dehradun today. The meeting held that while they were regularly procuring paddy for the state on support price, the state government was not making timely payments to them and added that this had caused financial loses to the federation to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore in the last financial year.

The AGM also saw the passage of the budget of the federation for the year 2011-2012 with an estimated earnings of Rs 2,049 crore. The meeting approved the balance sheet for last year. The federation registered a business to the tune of approximately Rs 158 crore for the financial year 2009-10.

Pramod Kumar Singh, president of the federation, presided over the meeting.