Pithoragarh, March 19
As the annual auction for liquor shops comes closer, women of the Kumaon region have taken to the streets to oppose the opening of liquor shops in their vicinity.

“The women of Pati block in Champawat district have been agitating for the past 22 days against the existing liquor vend in their area. They have been assured by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on the removal of the vend. This year, it will be removed from the Pati area,” said Veena Maharana, MLA from the Champawat Assembly constituency.

“Now the District Magistrate (DM), Champawat, will visit the agitating women in Pati and inform them about the decision of the Chief Minister in this connection. The DM will also consult the women to find a place at a distance from the original place where the vend can be relocated,” said Veena.

Besides, women from three other places in Champawat, Barakot, Sukhidhank and Chaurasethi, had also agitated till last week to oppose liquor vends and illegal sale of locally brewed liquor in their respective areas. “The women in this backward district are badly affected by the increasing habit of liquor consumption among men and want to get rid of the evil,” said Bhagwati Punetha, district coordinator of the Mahila Samakhya, the organisation behind the movement.

In Munsiyari subdivision of Pithoragarh district, the women are out to get the liquor shop situated in close vicinity of the town removed and have demonstrated at the office of the SDM Munsiyari. “The women from more than 25 villages adjoining the liquor shop will start agitation from March 25 to oppose the liquor vend,” said Surandra Singh Brizwal, convener of the movement.

The Jalana and Lamgara areas of Almora district are on the boil as the auction for the liquor vends comes closer. After getting the information about the opening of a liquor vend at Jalana in Almora district, the villagers took out a procession against the move.

“In the Jalana area, there are a number of schools, including the High School for Girls. If this vend is allowed to open there, it will have a bad impact on students. Therefore, the public of the Jalana area will not tolerate the proposed liquor vend,” said Bishen Singh Bisht, gram pradhan of Tuleri and organiser of the movement.

Mussoorie, March 19
There seems to be an end to the impasse between warring Avalon resort employees and the management. Local MLA Jot Singh Gunsola met the workers in an attempt to resolve the matter amicably.

A meeting in this regard was also held a couple of days back where the management personnel and leaders of the employees were also called in order to find a solution agreeable to both the parties.

Mussoorie SDM Manoj Kumar, while listening patiently to all the suggestions, sought a demand note from the management as well as the employees. He said he would read the issues stated by both the parties and try to formulate a common agreeable programme, where both the parties were satisfied.

He also said he would prepare a compromise draft without any bias and if both the parties do not agree on the final draft, then they were free to go their ways. Congress youth leader Megh Singh Kandari said the management had ostracised the employees for long and justice should be done at any cost.

Gunsola said he felt that the peace of the town was being affected due to this impasse, so it was better that an amicable solution be thought of, so that the ill-feeling between the two was removed earnestly.

Trade union leaders Shoban Singh Panwar, Jeevan Chauhan, Nayab Tehsildar Matadin, police station in charge Parikshat Raj and others were present on the occasion.

The labour unrest began at the resort after more than 80 employees were dismissed without notice around December 25. General Manager of the resort Anil Agnihotri said they were also interested in resolving the matter and would agree to the compromise draft formulated by the Mussoorie SDM.

Dehradun, March 19
The protest against the non-fulfilment of pending demands of the Uttarakhand Shiksha Mittar Mahasangh entered its 20th day here today. They staged a demonstration against the state government and resolved to continue their agitation till they were regularised.

Staging the dharna in Dehradun, the members criticised the state government for the lavish Holi celebrations all across the state, but not paying heed to the suffering of the ad-hoc teachers.

Addressing the protest, Lalit Dwivedi, state president of the mahasangh, said, “Everywhere in the state, the ministers are holding ceremonies and Holi Milan samarohs to celebrate the festival, but none of them is concerned about us. We hold the Chief Minister responsible for our pathetic condition. He has compelled the 4,000 affected families of shiksha mittars from not celebrating the festival.”

Mussoorie, March 19
Much to the delight of residents, steps are being taken to build a multi-purpose stadium at Bhilaru in Mussoorie.

According to Municipal Council president OP Uniyal, Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, acceding to the longstanding demand of sports lovers, had announced its construction, but as a part of the land was under the Rajaji National Park, the project could not take shape.

The Chief Minister then directed all departments concerned to remove the bottlenecks so that work could begin on time. Uniyal added surveyors of the Forest Department visited the site recently and demarcated the land for the stadium.

They would submit their report to the government after which the land would be transferred to the Municipal Council for building the stadium.

Uniyal said when the MC would clear the bottlenecks, he would request the BCCI to provide funds for the ground.

Mussoorie, March 19
The special meeting of the Municipal Council (MC) held on the council premises to discuss a proposal of having a toy train project witnessed stiff resistance from several ward members today.

Just as the proposal was presented in the board room, ward members Virendar Rawat, Ramesh Bhandari and others rose to object to it.

Rawat and Bhandari vociferously registered their objection and cited their reasons. Bhandari said that he, along with other ward members, were not against the project, but opposed its being laid down on the Camel’s Back Road as it was the only road that was used by pedestrians and horses from the British era.

He added that the Camel’s Back Road was not wide enough for the toy train project. He suggested that it be shifted to some other place, either at the Mussoorie Lake or elsewhere, so that the new destination could be developed and the MC would receive its share of the revenue from it.

Rawat also objected to the way the proposal was placed before the House. He said that before presenting the proposal, the design and its technicalities should have been discussed.

The ward members submitted their objections in writing to MC President OP Uniyal. Responding to the objections, Executive Officer Rohtash Sharma said as the current fiscal year was coming to an end and the council had used up its entire budget for the year, it had very little money to complete any proposal.

The ward members were not satisfied with the answer and staged a protest against the proposal.

Uniyal apprised the House that the toy train project would not hamper the movement of pedestrians or commuters on the road as it would occupy a small amount of space similar to the Kolkata tramway.

When the ward members did not show signs of relenting to the proposal, he said that the proposal stood cancelled and would not be brought up in the near future.

Later, Rohtash Sharma had a different story to tell. He informed the media that the proposal had been cleared and the MC should go ahead with the project despite the objections. Virendar Rawat, speaking to the media, warned that if the proposal was passed despite their reservations, they would raise the matter in other legal forums.

Mussoorie, March 19
Spring has finally dawned on the Company Garden in Mussoorie. The extended spell of winter this season played spoilsport in the growth of flowers at the garden.

This resulted in a delay in the spring bloom. Much to the delight of tourists, the Company Garden now is basking in the glory of colourful flowers.

According to Bimol Sharma, director-cum-manager of the garden, the garden had to face the wrath of nature from the monsoon season.

The incessant rain this time affected the maintenance of the garden to a certain extent and after that, the elongated winter meant long frosty nights.

“We had to cover the lawns with dry leaves to save the grass from frost in winter. The longer winter session also affected the flowers and these had to be kept indoors wherever possible,” added Sharma.

Virendar Rana, president, Garden Welfare Association, said that kale flower, popularly known as ornamental cabbage, had been introduced this year at the garden.

Other varieties available at the garden are cinneria, primula, magnolia solangiana, daisies, cyclamen, renencleus, geraniums (dwarf), including the teailing variety. Pansies are also in full bloom.

Tourists also have the option of taking flowers like camellias and azaleas home from the Company Garden’s nursery.

The Company Garden belongs to the Municipal Council, but was given under the PPP mode to the Garden Welfare Association, an organisation of locals who have converted it into an important tourist destination.

Chief Ministers and Governors of various states have visited the place.