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New general ward awaits nurses
Ill-maintained devices give traffic cops the blues
50 students challaned
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Protest against hike in water charges
Congress workers break earthen pots in protest against the decision to enhance water charges in Dehradun on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Anil P Rawat
‘Human follies, not just rain, behind 2010 devastation’
Team surveys Mussoorie areas
New MD aims at saving sinking UTC
UKD holds protest at DM’s office
Two held with leopard skins
‘Gloom to Glory’, an inspiration for out-of-form players: Negi
Gorkha Rangers, Vijay Cantt victorious
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New general ward awaits nurses
Dehradun, July 19 But all efforts to make the ward operational have been hampered in absence of the nursing staff that is yet to be deployed at the hospital. “We require at least 20 nurses for the new general ward and we are awaiting the government order for their posting. The nurses will be coming to Doon Hospital from the hills while new recruits will replace them,” said Dr BC Pathak, Chief Medical Superintendent, Doon Hospital. He added that he was keen to make the new ward operational and would even do so with five nurses at hand as it would be a tremendous source of relief for the daily demand for beds. “The hospital receives patients from the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh as well, the patients keep coming in from Bijnor, Saharanpur and Meerut, as they find the facilities much better here,” said Dr Pathak The ward on the third floor is likely to have 70 beds, taking the total number of beds at the hospital to 405. As of now, the hospital authorities are forced to arrange 280 beds, while the total bed capacity of the hospital is for 200 beds. The non-utilisation of the ward has given a free hand to the hospital’s fourth class staff and the families of patients who sneak in the ward at will and have begun dirtying it. “I have already spoken on this issue with the agency that has been hired to immediately furnish the ward so that it can be readied and locked,” said Dr Pathak.
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Ill-maintained devices give traffic cops the blues
Dehradun, July 19 Not only do this old equipment create problems in the functioning of the police but also troubles commuters who had to wait for a long time when its stops working during a police checking. According to the traffic police officials, the traffic police here has six electronic challaning devices and seven alcometers. However, none of these has ever been serviced after these were purchased. A traffic police official, preferring anonymity, said while using the e-challaning devices they faced several problems, including “network break” and “server down”. Their warranty period has expired. Owing to technical problems in the e-challaning devices, the police had to stop their use in challaning traffic violators. It was only from March this year that the police restarted the e-challaning method. “The equipment is working for now but the God knows when will it stop working. The authorities only buy the equipment at cost-effective rates and keep it at a place,” quipped another traffic official. When The Tribune contacted Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Ajay Joshi, he said: “We are facing a shortage of funds. However, the equipment is very costly and once it gets out of order a new one is to be bought.”
Dehradun, July 19 The students were mainly challaned for not possessing driving licence and for not wearing helmets. The drive was conducted from 7 am to 8 am at St Thomas' College, Marshall School, St Joseph's Academy and Heritage School. Circle Officer (Traffic) Shweta Choubey said most of the students didn’t have licence and drive without helmets. She said the students have been suggested not to violate traffic rules. A majority of the children were minor and thus did not posses licence. The CO said such drives would continue as well and a group of schools would be covered every time. However, blatant violations of traffic rules can be seen outside any school of the city at the school opening and closing hours. The police seldom conducts drive and it has failed to act as a deterrent. The traffic CO said the parents were mainly responsible for this. They should not give bikes to their kids before they turn 18.
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Protest against hike in water charges
Dehradun, July 19 The Mahanagar Congress Committee submitted a memorandum to the Executive Engineer of the department in this regard and raised slogans against the department. They also raised the issue of dirty water being supplied and other such problems being faced by the residents. General Secretary of the city Congress Anil Negi alleged that the hike in water tax rates would severely affect the residents and asked the department to take back the hike.
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‘Human follies, not just rain, behind 2010 devastation’
Dehradun, July 19 Based on an analysis done by a team of professors from HNB Garhwal University, the commentary points out that widening of road is the primary reason behind the devastation. SP Sati, YP Sundriyal and Naresh Rana from the Department of Geology, Garhwal University, revealed that the lack of consideration for aspects related to geology and geomorphology during the road alignment and poor, faulty engineering techniques were the major factors responsible for landslides along the Rishikesh-Mana National Highway (NH-58) that runs along the Ganga-Alaknanda valley. “Our surveillance indicates that most of the landslides along the NH-58 occurred in areas where the road-widening work was either in progress or had just been completed without adequate remedial measures”, revealed SP Sati. He said under normal climatic conditions, a majority of the valley slopes were in the state of geomorphic equilibrium. Rain triggers the landslide by raising the water table and water pressure, which ultimately leads to slope failure. This phenomenon is a part of the natural process of hill slope erosion. Nevertheless, the present scenario of devastation in Uttarakhand could not be the spontaneous response of rainfall, unless the slope stability is disturbed in the recent times. The Garhwal University professers have suggested better coordination between the scientific institutions and field implementing agencies to check such devastations. “Having witnessed the unprecedented landslides during the monsoon, we hope that the Uttarakhand Science Application Centre in association with other departments will work towards generating a scientific database on spatial and temporal changes in the terrain characteristics. This information may not prevent, but will help in devising methodologies by the departments concerned in order to minimise the severity of landslides in future”, says the commentary. Heavy rain that trigged landslides last year killed about 220 people in the state. While 65 lives were lost, 84 livestock died, 534 houses were fully damaged and 2,138 houses were partially damaged due to heavy precipitation within four days from 18 to 21 September, 2010, which virtually brought the state to a grinding halt for several days.
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Construction norms
Mussoorie, July 19 According to Town Planner, Uttarakhand, SK Pant, the exercise was being conducted to allow relaxation by the MDDA regarding the construction of 600 buildings that had been identified hazardous by the DMMC. He said a committee was mulling providing relaxation in terms of the height of the building so that the reconstruction was possible. Dr Piyoosh Rautela, the head of the DMMC, said the town was vulnerable to earthquakes. Following this, it was needed to relax the construction norms. He further said recommendations would be submitted to the government, so that new norms could be implemented at the earliest to save the town from any disaster.
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New MD aims at saving sinking UTC
Dehradun, July 19 The corporation is handing over its inter-state bus terminuses (ISBTs) situated at Ramnagar, Kashipur, Rudrapur, Srinagar, Almora, Lohaghat, Tanakpur, Kathgodam, Khatima, Roorkee and Dehradun to different companies under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode. Sinha said: “These bus terminuses will be renovated by private companies on a revenue-sharing basis. These will set up facilities like cafeterias, restaurants and shops at the bus terminuses.” A proposal for online booking of tickets has been cleared by the authorities concerned and the Government of India will be helping the corporation in this venture. Inventory management is the next logical step. “As of now, we have no idea of the extent of the shortage of spare parts, the ones to be replaced or their quality, etc. But, with the introduction of inventory management to the corporation, all the data will be available on computers.” The corporation is also launching the Volvo bus service on more routes in the state. Two more Volvos will ply from Delhi to Haridwar besides the existing nine Volvos plying on different routes. As many as 220 ordinary buses have been added to the fleet of buses. He says 500 buses will be sufficient for the hills. “We incur losses in the hills as we have to ply on the entire route sometimes with five or seven passengers only. But, we can not halt our service in the hills, as this will benefit the private operators who will then charge exorbitant rates from commuters,” he said. “The long routes on the hills can be provided more links or halts to board more passengers on the way. Then with the method of cross-subsidy, we can balance our losses in the hills with the profit earned through the Volvo bus service.” Sinha raised a very valid point, questioning the logic of the state government in levying an astronomical 21 per cent tax on the income earned from ticketing by the government operators as against 6 per cent tax from the private operators. By doing this, the government itself is denting its own business. The 300 injured bus drivers who can’t drive anymore, the buses requiring major repairs and the lack of skilled workers are some other reasons for the losses, Sinha added. To augment the revenue, he said, “I am also planning to open 14 petrol stations of the corporation for public. It will help us in maintaining these petrol stations and generate additional revenue. I am also shifting the workshops from the spots in cities to the ISBTs to save on petrol which can save Rs 50 lakh a year.” A complete overhaul or a few changes is what required to turn the fortune of the sinking UTC, provided the officers are provided a stable tenure in the corporation.
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UKD holds protest at DM’s office
Dehradun, July 19 The memorandum has the issues related to the grade III posts and the demand for punishment to an IAS officer’s wife for allegedly encroaching upon forest land at Sankri-Mori. Regarding the grade III posts, the UKD has demanded a relaxation in the physical norms, bringing down the form fee from Rs 500 to Rs 50 and making the knowledge of the Garhwali and Kumoni dialects mandatory to be eligible for the posts. The party has demanded legal action against Neeta Aggarwal, wife of an IAS officer, who had allegedly encroached upon forest land in Sankri Mori and felled 200 trees to build a structure. The UKD has also demanded for the cancellation of legal cases, which had been slapped on their office-bearers and members after they held a protest at Sankri Mori. The demonstrators included vice-president Narender Singh Rawat, general secretary Shish Pal Singh, Imran Ahmad, Prashant Jagmola, Mohan Singh Rawat, Promila Rawat, Asha Sharma, Yashpal Singh Rawat, Gobind Sharma, Pankaj Vyas and Shailender Singh Guleri.
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Two held with leopard skins
Pithoragarh, July 19 They were arrested near Wadda town, 10 km from the district headquarters, by a team of the special operation group of the police when the accused were trying to sell the skins to a local shopkeeper. The Pithoragarh SP, NA Bharane, said the nails and teeth of the animals were intact. The accused also admitted to have purchased the skins for Rs 2 lakh each. “The skins were to be sent to Delhi to sell the same in a market.”
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From hockey field to stage
Dehradun, July 19 “The very thought of that moment, when I donned the Indian jersey for the first time, is enough to give me goose bumps, the sport has given me so much. It is a kind of karmic connection, I go back to it again and again, notwithstanding the highs and lows that I experienced while being part of the game,” said a nostalgic Mir while interacting with mediapersons today. His dalliance with the films and theater too has given him another opportunity to popularise the game and now with his one-man show from “Gloom to Glory”, he is ready to tell the world what it takes to become a hockey player. “I am not a trained actor, acting to me is being true to yourself, so here I am narrating my tale that I am sure will appeal to the audience,” said Negi. Despite the beating that his career and reputation took after India lost to Pakistan 7-0 in the fateful match of the Asian Hockey Championship, when Negi was blamed for poor goalkeeping and hence the loss, he did not allow the clouds of gloom to take hold of him. “A player is trained to take everything in his trade. Those players passing through a low phase should find my play “Gloom to Glory” inspirational,” said a smiling Mir. He thinks that the film “Chak De India” that has some likeness to his life managed to create a buzz for the game but those at the helm failed to capitalise on it, frittering away with a chance of a lifetime to revive the national game. “There was so much goodwill for the game and even sponsors were willing to chip in but the tussle between the Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation brought the efforts to a naught and the Indian hockey has reached it’s nadir and is passing through it’s worst phase,” said Mir Ranjan Negi. Mir is also keen to open a hockey academy in Dehradun and is looking for sponsors to support his project.
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Gorkha Rangers, Vijay Cantt victorious
Dehradun, July 19 Kuldip (43rd) and Peter (54th) were the scorers in the win of Gorkha Rangers. Challengers failed to retaliate. In the second match, Vijay Cantt registered a facile win of 4-0 over Gorkha Boys. Arya (15th, 58th), Arjun (53rd) and Nitin (61st) shone for Vijay Cantt as Gorkha Boys failed to capitalise on the opportunities they got during the match. Tomorrow two league matches will be played. Doon Eagle will play against Hostel and Balaji Club will meet Cantt Blue.
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Struggling to accommodate patients that keep coming from neighbouring towns, the newly constructed general ward at the third floor of the Doon District Hospital is expected to solve the space problem.
Dehradun, July 19
In pursuance of their programme to lay a siege to the district headquarters throughout the state, the workers of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal
(Panwar faction), led by district president NK Gusain and city president Bahadur Singh
Rawat, held a demonstration in front of the District Magistrate’s office today and submitted a memorandum to him to be forwarded to Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal
Nishank.
Dehradun, July 19
Dehradun, July 19
