Nainital, June 18
Even as the monsoon is yet to make an arrival in the region, the recent spells of squalls and showers have exposed the preparations of the administration in dealing with disaster-like situations.

The reports coming from various parts of the region are a grim pointer to the fact that preventive measures are still not adequate and in place to deal with the problems of flooding and landslides.

The latest pointer came from Udham Singh Nagar on Friday when a sudden rise in the levels of the Sukhi river led to the breaching of its embankment and water entering Surendra Nagar village. Reports say that as many as 20 hutments were submerged in water. While water continues to erode the land, the people of the area have expressed fears about flooding in the days to come.

This river had been a major cause of destruction during the rain-related disaster that had hit the region during the monsoon 
last year.

Following a breach in the embankment in the area between Surendra Nagar and Bees Quarter, officials of the Irrigation Department are learnt to have surveyed the area and promised to put wire crates in place to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Meanwhile, reports from Pithoragarh say that as many as 100 houses witnessed cracks in the walls and accumulation of debris on account of the incessant rain that lashed the area on the night intervening Thursday and Friday. The roads between Than and Munshiyari along with Ganai and Bankot were blocked on account of landslides.

Over the past few days, frequent power problems arising on account of high-velocity winds have been reported from across Kumaon. In addition to this, there have been damages to the infrastructure caused by the showers.

On the other hand, the administration in Champawat has taken a lead of sorts by setting up Disaster Control Rooms in the district headquarters, all tehsils and sub- tehsil Barakot. The Officer In Charge (Disaster Management), JC Kandpal, has stated that these control rooms would be functional throughout the day. These control rooms will function round the clock till September 15.

Dehradun, June 18
Harak Singh Rawat, Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly and a senior state Congress leader, has demanded the resignation of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, on moral grounds on the issue of the death of Swami Nigmanand who died after fasting for 115 days against illegal quarrying in the Ganga river bed.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Rawat alleged that the life of Swami Nigmanand could not be saved due to the negligence of the Uttarakhand Government.

"The Chief Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, should resign on moral grounds or else his government should be sacked," Rawat demanded.

Rawat further said that while Chief Minister Nishank tried his best to persuade Ramdev to call off his fast, he never tried to contact or talk to Swami Nigmananda of Matri Sadan ashram in Haridwar, who was on fast since February 19.

The Leader of Opposition said the BJP state government would have to answer the people of the state about the death of Swami Nigmanand in the coming Assembly election.

He announced that the Uttarakhand Congress would meet Governor Margaret Alva and hand over a memorandum demanding sacking of the state BJP government led by Chief Minister Nishank soon.

The state Congress workers will also hold a day-long fast at Gandhi Park in Dehradun on June 19 besides holding a protest at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh on June 22. 

Dehradun, June 18
A 10-member delegation of the Bharatiya Loktantrik Manch today met Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva and submitted a memorandum to the President of India demanding action against Ramdev.

Navneet Kalra, president of the manch alleged that Ramdev had misled the masses of the country and a probe by the CBI should be ordered into his entire activities. The passports of Ramdev and his aide Bal Krishna should be confiscated. — TNS

Haridwar, June 18
Today on the eve of Father’s Day, TNS spoke to a few fathers and their daughters who did their family proud by excelling in academics, sports and other activities, sharing what Father’s Day means to them. Pooja Hali, who secured the top rank in the Union Public Service Commission from Haridwar district, owes her success to her father, S Hali, AGM in BHEL, pointing out that this is her Father’s Day gift to her dad, the main motivator who instilled in her the belief that she can crack the exam.

Having two daughters only, Pooja’s father says till date he never felt that he had no son as both his daughters have made him hold his head high all the time by their achievements and caring.

Sanjana Verma, a Class XI student, a multi-discipline achiever takes all her decisions in consultation with her father, Sanjay Verma, an entrepreneur, be it taking to squash, opting for commerce or even her future planning to be a journalist. Sanjana, who has won Uttarakhand’s number one junior squash player title, trains with her coach-cum-manager father who chalks out minute details and programmes of her daughter.

Similarly, Sakshi Gupta, who secured a merit certificate in CBSE Class XII English examination, is currently in New Delhi preparing for her Chartered Accountant entrance examination having promised her father, Deepak Gupta, that she will be cracking the examination on Father’s Day. “The more I try to do for Sakshi, she gives me back her love, affection and achievements. I have full faith in her and never scold her.

Dehradun June 18
A month-long training programme of the Education Department of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh for volunteers from western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand concluded at MKP PG College here today.

A large number of volunteers participated in the concluding function and presented various physical activities that held the audience spellbound. Indresh Kumar, a senior officials of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh, was the chief guest on the occasion.

He spoke about the significant role of the Rashtriya Swayam Sangh to uplift society and other social welfare programmes. He urged the masses to serve society selflessly with equality and brotherhood.

Pithoragarh, June 18
Kimono Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) has, from this year, started commercial river rafting on the Saryu situated between the borders of Champawat and Pithoragarh. According to the Nigam sources, this perennial Himalayan river gives tourists the opportunity for rafting almost nine months in the year. According to the KMVN adventure tourism department sources, this step has been taken after giving training to the youths from both the districts to become a guide in this tourist venture .

“Starting from April onwards, our guides have guided more than 100 tourists in river excursion in a 5-km range from Bautari to Ghat on the Saryu and earned more than Rs 70,000 for the Nigam,” said Dinesh Gururani, in charge of the river rafting business in the district. “We are guiding the tourists to raft from 5 km to 20 km keeping the will of the tourist in mind but most of the tourists preferred to raft 20 km so far as they feel the waters of the river are very calm,” said Gururani .

According to the tourists enjoying river rafting in the Saryu, the waters are so calm that tourists from five years to 70 years can enjoy the ride. “We have rafted in Himachal and on the Ganga in Rishikesh but the turmoil-less waters we have seen in this river, we have never seen before,” said Arnav Jani, a tourist from Mumbai whorafted with other six members of his family during their visit to this district. Another tourist from New Delhi, Sharad Gupta said, “I and my eight friends have found these waters comparatively safe than the Ganges at Rishikesh,” said Gupta. 

Nainital, June 18
Stating that the administration is committed towards improving health set-up, District Magistrate, Udham Singh Nagar, has ordered Chief Medical Officer (CMO) RS Aswal to get estimates for the treatment of those people for whom the administration has promised to bear the expenses.

He has asked the CMO to get the estimates from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The directions were given at a meeting held at Rudrapur yesterday.

The district has also initiated a programme for issuing health smart cards to people belonging to the BPL category and living in the rural areas of the district. The distribution of such cards had begun from the Sitarganj area a couple of months ago under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Meanwhile, the administration has started making preparations for the execution of the next round of pulse polio campaign in the district. According to the CMO, no case of polio had been reported from Uttarakhand over the past one year. At a meeting of the pulse polio task force held on Friday, he said 35 cases showing the symptoms of polio had been investigated in the district during the current year and all were found to be negative.

At the meeting, Additional District Magistrate Vijay Chandra Kaushal ordered that all children must be covered under the campaign which was to be carried out from June 26 to July 2. He said the polio eradication programme was currently at a crucial stage and any laxity at this point would prove to be disastrous. He has asked all schools, where booths are to be set up, to remain open on June 26. An awareness campaign has also been ordered to be carried out across the district till June 26.

According to the CMO: “A total of 1,220 booths, 86 transit booths and 48 mobile booths have been set up for the campaign. Besides, 846 teams have been constituted for the door-to-door campaign.” 

Dehradun, June 18
State Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar visited the border areas of Pithoragarh district, namely Gunji, Raunkag, Nabi, Napalchu, Nabidhang, Lipulekh, Kalapani, Garbyag,and Boondi.

He visited the Garbyag region today and took note of public grievances. He also monitored the progress of various development works being carried out in the region. It is for the first time that an officer of the rank of Chief Secretary toured these sensitive areas in terms.

The Chief Secretary also interacted with the local people and directed the officers concerned to dispose of their grievances at the earliest.

Later, he visited Boondi, where he held discussions with ITBP officers and also monitored development works. He directed officers of the department concerned 
to provide more infrastructural facilities in the region.

He also asked them to speed up construction works in view of the sensitivity of the 
border areas.

The Chief Secretary said the state government was committed towards the development of the border areas and had fixed the target of linking all villages of Pithoragarh district sharing the border with China to road by 2013. He said the construction work on border roads was in full swing.

The Chief Secretary started his tour on June 16. He will leave for Gala on June 19 and inspect the Dhauli Ganga Hydro Power Project. He will reach Pithoragarh in 
the evening and review the progress of developmental schemes by holding a meeting with district-level officers.