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Gram pradhans deplore govt order
Ban on quarrying in Lal Kuan area hits Forest
Corporation
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Experts dwell on new trends in Himalayan region
Step up efforts to form 3rd front, CPI tells parties
Congress takes poll war to booth level
Tehri Cong MLA to begin fast on Day 1
Cong continues diatribe against Ramdev
Dharchula tribesmen welcome spring on Shivratri
Will work in tandem, say Sangharsh Samiti members
2 bridges to be built on Indo-Nepal border
Nephro dialysis unit in Haldwani to become operational
Defence staff to stage protest week
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Gram pradhans deplore govt order
Dehradun, March 3 Addressing mediapersons, gram pradhan, Dehradun, Surat Singh Negi said no committee constituted under the gram panchayat set-up could have stature above a panchayat, therefore the members of a gram panchayat could not be relegated to the position of mere members of the school management committees. Negi called this step unconstitutional and a conspiracy to weaken the panchayats under the Right to Education Act. He demanded for the rollback of the order and warned that in case it was not done, the sarpanches of all the gram panchayats would launch a stir throughout the state and burn copies of the order on March 8. General secretary of the association Sanjay Pokhriyal, spokesperson Mulchand Shirshwal, state secretary Luxman Singh Rawat, patron Radha Devi and Prem Singh Panwar were also present.
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Ban on quarrying in Lal Kuan area hits Forest
Corporation
Dehradun, March 3 Peeved at the confusion prevailing over the ban, Managing Director, Forest Development Corporation, Anil Kumar Dutt said he had never witnessed wild animals venturing in the area in all these years. So he found it queer to call the passage an elephant corridor. He questioned the logic in banning the quarrying, asking, “Though it is easy to ban the quarrying, what about the permanent fixtures such as the national highway, the premises of Indian Oil Company, a sleeper factory and the railway station from where trains ply from Bareilly to Kathgodam, which can cause the maximum disturbance in the animal movement? How is the state government going to tackle these? If these obstacles are not removed, there is no point banning the quarrying”. Dutt is also not happy at the way quarrying has been treated in the region till now. “When quarrying was started in 1989, we were given permission for 10 years, which was again renewed for the next 10 years till 2009. But, then it was decided to give us permission on a one-year basis. Thereafter, the permission for quarrying, which is normally given in November, was delayed till February, 2010. We could hardly do quarrying for three months, when it was banned. The WII is to carry out a research on only the 2.5-km stretch, but the mining has been banned on the entire stretch. It is high time that the state government be clear whether it wanted to continue with the quarrying or not in Haldwani. The confusion is getting quite depressing”. He also wondered what impact the ban would leave on the river hydrology. “If digging is continued in upstream and not done in low stream, it will create an island-like situation, which will result in heavy floods during the monsoon season,” Dutt said, adding that the Centre for Soil and Research Institute was also carrying out an exclusive study on this point as well. The revenue generated from the quarrying in Haldwani too is dipping. If in 2007-08 it generated Rs 58 crore, the revenue plummeted to Rs 29.3 crore in 2010-11. “The revenue was used for the welfare of people and salaries for the government staff engaged in the quarrying activities as per the proclamation made in the beginning by the Forest Department. But, now with uncertainties springing up now and then, the livelihood of some 6,000 men who are directly or indirectly involved in the quarrying activities will be seriously affected,” he said. |
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Experts dwell on new trends in Himalayan region
Nainital, March 3 Singh spoke on “defining spaces, constructing identities: regional history and the Himalaya”. He said, “I think it is time for us to admit that the cross fertilisations of theories and methods amongst disciplines has become increasingly relevant. This is specially so for historians who see their discipline as a critical engagement with long-term changes in human condition rather than a testimony of elites so unfairly over represented in the traditional historical sources. For the historians of the Himalayan region, this is a matter of great urgency.” He further stated, “Economically, the mountains were quite inconsequential to empire building when compared to the fertile north Indian plains.” Singh also pointed out that while a mystique has evolved around the Himalayas linking them to mainstream beliefs of formal Hinduism in South Asia, this extensive mountain range is simultaneously considered home to heterodox cults and non-conformist social practices. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Dr RS Tolia delivered the Acharya Shiv Prasad Dabral Memorial Lecture on the topic ‘Christianity in Uttarakhand: arrival, propagation and contribution’. He dwelt on the various Christian missions to have arrived in the state, what they did to ensure the spread of Christianity in the region and why the population of Christians till 1947 did not grow to a level that it should have owing to a century of the religion being propagated with open support and encouragement of the British government.
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Step up efforts to form 3rd front, CPI tells parties
Dehradun, March 3 “The five state governments changed hands between the BJP and the Congress. The BJP, which has been crying hoarse for the protection of rivers is now vying for its destruction while asking for permission to build small hydro-power projects on them. Similarly, ND Tiwari with his famous character sketch has exposed the working of the Congress. Therefore, the Left must unite with other organisations and offer a viable option before the people of the state to bring about a change and give a new direction to the development of the state,” he said. He asked his people to come on the roads and make contact with the common man. “It is hard to fight against wealthy parties like the Congress and the BJP, as we can not sell ourselves in the hands of industrialists to prepare for the elections. But, we can surely go amid people and awaken them on the issues such as environment protection and the exodus of the unemployed youth from hills.” Anjaan pulled up the Central Government for making tall claims of reining in inflation within 100 days. However, it has been rising for the past 86 weeks. He also condemned the Budget for having nothing about bringing down inflation. “The Finance Minister gave some relief to the salaried class with tax exemptions, but gave pathetically low exemption on health. The Central Government is merely contributing 15 per cent wherein the public bears 85 per cent cost of health expenditure. The medicines have become 400 per cent costlier whereas mobile phones and LCD TVs have become cheaper, a clear motive to serve the upper class.” Anjaan also questioned the logic in giving a stimulus package to the industries when it boasts of 8.5 per cent growth. “The way the Central Government has backed the industries heavily and done little for agriculture in the Budget shows its intention. Not only this, it has also entered into an agreement with the European Union on allowing their unfinished food to come into our country without any hindrance. Now, it raises the question as to what will happen to our farmers who make 70 per cent of the population. These unfortunate decisions will have long-lasting effects,” he alleged. He also laughed away the efforts of the Opposition and the media to write off the Left parties in Kerala and West Bengal in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Rumour mongers had been sounding the death knell of the Left for the past one decade but it bounced back each time. “As long as there is inequality and injustice in the country, the red flag will continue to flutter,” He declared.
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Congress takes poll war to booth level
Nainital, March 3 The party will be putting up posters and its cadres will be distributing pamphlets that contain statistics about the utilisation of the Central funds under various projects and schemes. Talking to The Tribune, senior Congress leader Dr Bhupal Singh Bhakuni said, “We will tell the people the truth about the BJP government’s inefficiency and neutralise its false propaganda against the Centre that step-motherly treatment is being meted out to the state.” Bhakuni attacked Nishank for going around making promises to the people and announcing new projects in the election year which have no chance of becoming a reality. He accused the government of wasting public money to propagate the BJP’s agenda and said that the false promises being made by Nishank are a cruel joke on the people. The pamphlets, which are to be circulated at the booth level by party workers, will give details about the total money being made available by the Centre under various heads, the money which the state government was able to spend and the money which remains to be spent. According to the Congress, the Nishank government has not been able to utilise Rs 44.97 crore of the funds given till now for the implementation of the Central government’s flagship programme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Similarly, a sum of Rs 74 crore remains unspent under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. The Congress has also accused the Nishank government of having failed to utilise Rs 378.34 crore of the total Rs 500 crore allocated under the Instant Irrigation Benefit Scheme and Rs 101.58 crore of the Rs 368.21 crore allocated under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan. The Congress has alleged that the state government has also failed to utilise a total of Rs 3538.45 crore out of the Rs 6173.59 crore allocated to it for the implementation of 20 Central programmes. Meanwhile, the party has started galvanising its cadres for the Vidhan Sabha gherao programme on March 15. Bhakuni said that at least 10 buses of Congressmen from every Assembly constituency would be going to the state capital to make the programme a success.
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Tehri Cong MLA to begin fast on Day 1
Dehradun, March 3 Talking to mediapersons, Kishore Upadhaya said that he was protesting against the alleged neglect of the demands of the people of Tehri Garhwal by the state BJP government. He recalled that when he had started a fast in the well of the House in the last session, he was assured by the BJP ministers and the state government regarding the fulfilment of his demands. “I was cheated by the state government as they did nothing,” he charged. Kishore also announced that all the senior party leaders of the Congress would also participate in the “Dhol Mahasagar Rally” that will be taken out from the Gandhi Park to the residence of the Chief Minister. Drum beaters from all over the state would make the state government hear the demands of the common people in the state. He also condemned the brutal attack by the police on shiksha mittars on Tuesday in Dehradun. “Apart from highlighting the plight of the common man and the neglect of the victims of the monsoon disaster, we will be raising the issue of the shiksha mittars,” he announced.
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Cong continues diatribe against Ramdev
Dehradun, March 3 Addressing a press conference in Dehradun, national coordinator of the All-India Congress Sewa Dal Navneet Kalra said the yoga guru was an individual with dubious distinction. “A CBI probe must be initiated immediately as this would reveal the true face of yoga guru Ramdev”, Kalra alleged. He alleged that the Patanajali Yogpeeth was purely a business venture and had little sentiment of public service.
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Dharchula tribesmen welcome spring on Shivratri
Pithoragarh, March 3 “Devoting Lord Shiva as hya gangri or lord among the Gods has been in tradition with the seven villages in Vyans valley, as they have been living near the holy Kailash. The beginning of spring is considered from this day in their tradition,” said Mahendra Singh Budiyal, a resident of Vyans valley in Dharchula sub-division. “But the residents of Chaudans and Darma valleys have also started celebrating Shivaratri as beginning of the spring season from the last five years,” said Budiyal. Dressed in traditional attire, the residents of seven villages of Byans Patti, Darma and Chaudans throng the local temple of Lord Shiva in Dharchula and offer ‘dalang’, a recipe prepared by local grains. “Thereafter, the people returned to their respective places and distribute this prasad to their kin. When the local temple was not in existing, the people of Vyans valley used to go to temples of Nepal,” added Budiyal. “The Dhauliganga project of the NHPC has helped us a lot. Our community has decided to organise this festival of Basantotsava in other parts of the state where our people live from the next year,” said president of the festival committee MS Hyanki.
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Will work in tandem, say Sangharsh Samiti members
Dehradun, March 3 Congress leader Surya Kant Dhasmana, Pramod Kumar Singh, Sumerchand Ravi, BJP leader Harish Narang, Harjinder Singh, (JDF), Manoj Dhyani (NCP), Leader of the Opposition in the Municipal Corporation Ashok Verma, Sailesh Verma (NCP), Omi Uniyal and Latafat Hussain (UKD) attended the all-party meeting. All were of the view that after a protest they should lock the MDDA and move towards the Vidhan Sabha later on to demonstrate against the corrupt officials. It was also discussed that the office of the MDDA is closed and all the responsibility is handed over to the MC or zila panchayat as was done earlier. All the members demanded removal of vice-president Sadhanshu Ranjan and secretary Vinod Kumar Suman immediately. The members would now gather on Saturday to discuss about their future course of action, as they now want to move systematically. Patron of the samiti Sanjay Sharma told The Tribune that they were also planning to meet the Minister of Urban Development to tell him about the circumstances and the violation done by the officials.
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2 bridges to be built on Indo-Nepal border
Pithoragarh, March 3 “After the Uttarakhand Government sent a proposal for building two bridges on this part of the Indo-Nepal border to the Government of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, has asked us to verify the location and security arrangements for the proposed bridges,” said BL Rana, SDM of Didihat, under whose jurisdiction comes one of the proposed bridges. “We have asked the SSB personnel for the possible security arrangements at the proposed bridges. They have said during the construction of the two bridges they will provide security at the sites as they are providing at other five border bridges,” said the SDM. According to the Pithoragarh Administration, out of the two bridges, one has been proposed to be built at Dwalisera in Didihat tehsil and other at Tigra at Tawaghat in Dharchula tehsil. “The bridge at Tigra has to be constructed by the Nepal Government, but the information concerning its approval by the Government of Nepal has not been received yet,” said Pithoragarh District Magistrate NS
Negi. —OC |
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Nephro dialysis unit in Haldwani to become operational
Dehradun, March 3 According to the terms of agreement, “BPL and HIV patients will be given free treatment while the patients falling under the APL category will have to pay Rs 150 and additional charges on consumables. The company will be extended financial support by the Government for rendering services,” said Dr BL Verma, Director, Doon Group of Hospitals. Besides this, the Fortis Hospital has already bagged the Cardiology Unit to come up at the Deen Dayal Upadhayay Coronation Hospital. —TNS
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Defence staff to stage protest week
Dehradun, March 3 Led by Dhyan Singh, protesters alleged that there were a total of 12 demands of the Central defence employees with the Union Government and despite several rounds of talks, not even one of the demands had been fulfilled. Singh said the defence institutions across the country were observing a protest week from March 1. He added that all the defence employees in Dehradun would be observing a fast on March 14. Boycott of work was also proposed for March 18. —TNS |
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The Association of Gram Pradhans,
Uttarakhand, has deplored the government order (GO) dated February 9 according to which
Pradhans, up-pradhans and ward members would be made members of the school management committees.
At a two-day council meeting, national secretary, Communist Party of India (CPI), Atul Kumar Anjaan called upon the party activists to step up their efforts to forge the third front in the state with the help of like-minded
organisations.
The mythological weeding ceremony of Lord Shiva was celebrated as the festival of spring in the tribal belt of Dharchula sub-division of the district.
“Devoting Lord Shiva as hya gangri or lord among the Gods has been in tradition with the seven villages in Vyans valley, as they have been living near the holy Kailash. The beginning of spring is considered from this day in their tradition,” said Mahendra Singh Budiyal, a resident of Vyans valley in Dharchula sub-division.
The members of the Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti here today decided to move according to the suggestions given by various parties regarding problems being faced by the shopkeepers due to widening of the roads.
