Dehradun, July 30
The fund-starved Uttarakhand Social Welfare Department has failed to disburse monthly pensions among senior citizens, widows and the physically challenged for the past several months, depriving them of their only means of livelihood.

Faced with 54,072 pending cases in the state and an immediate requirement of at least Rs 20 crore, the department is hoping for a miracle to tide over the tight financial situation. According to the department, the total number of pending cases of old-age pension for senior citizens is 46,264, widow pension 6,189 and for the physically challenged 1,619.

“We are in a dire need of funds to clear the pension backlog. So many beneficiaries in the state depend on the monthly benefit scheme but due to unavailability of funds the disbursement of pension has been delayed,” said BR Tamta, Additional Secretary (Social Welfare).

In all, the maximum number of pending cases of old-age pension (10,712), widow pension (2,384) and pension for the physically challenged (513) are in Udham Singh Nagar district while in Haridwar the total number of pending old-age pension cases is 11,751.

In Dehradun, the total number of pending old-age pension cases is 6,746, widow pension cases 975 and the cases of the physically challenged is 81. For disbursing pensions under the various social welfare pension schemes, the Central Government makes financial allocations through the plan and non-plan budget.

“The allocation has been delayed because there was a confusion regarding the exact number of beneficiaries. In order to tide over the problem we have created village-level committees headed by the respective gram pradhans which will furnish the lists of the beneficiaries,” said Matbar Singh Kandari, Minister of Social Welfare.

The Social Welfare Department would require about Rs 16.65 crore towards old-age pension, about Rs 2.22 crore towards widow pension and about Rs 87.42 lakh to be disbursed among the physically challenged pensioners.

In Uttarakhand, the eligible senior citizens receive Rs 400 as monthly pension while the widows get Rs 400 as pension and the physically challenged Rs 600.

Mussoorie, July 30
The students of Municipal Post Graduate (MPG) college, led by the members the National Students Union of India (NSUI) today raised slogans against Garhwal University for not sending the degrees of the students of the college despite taking a fee of Rs 100 from each student.

A leader of the NSUI, Nitin, said the students were facing a lot of problems as they were unable to fill forms for various posts in the absence of their degrees. Nitin said the students of the college came from poor backgrounds, as such they couldn’t go to the university situated at Srinagar to collect their degrees after giving a bribe to officials.

Besides, the university has not announced the results of BSc (III) making it difficult for the students to take admission in the M.Sc courses. The students have demanded from the university to send the degrees immediately or else they would be forced to carry out a mass protest soon.

The Principal said the students’ demand was genuine and he had conveyed it to the registrar of the university on the phone and pleaded to them to send the degrees to the college on an urgent basis.

Dehradun, July 30
Peeved at a “lackadaisical” approach of the police, kin of Amit Shah (27), a faculty member of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) who has been missing for the past three days, blocked the road in the front of the Dalanwala police station here today.

They also staged a protest and alleged he had been kidnapped by a couple known to him.

According to Munna Lal Shah, a Adhoiwala native, his son Amit Shah had been missing since July 27. He alleged that his son had been abducted by Saurabh and Nidhi who, he said, had a love affair. Shah told his son received a call from the duo to come to a store on

Kalidas Road, where Saurabh ran a modular kitchen business. He went there and never returned. “My son has been abducted by them,” he alleged.

SP (City) Ajay Joshi said investigations were on and the couple had also been questioned. “It seems to be a love triangle case, but we are yet to find more details,” he added.

Dehradun, July 30
In protest against chaotic traffic situation in Dehradun, members of the Mahanagar Congress Committee staged a protest at the SSP’s office here today.

The protest was led by former president of the committee Lal Chand Sharma. A large number of party workers gathered at the office to participate in the protest.

Raising slogans, they flayed the administration for its alleged failure to control traffic in Dehradun.

They alleged that the administration was turning a blind eye to the violation of traffic rules by people that led to major accidents. The protesters also highlighted the problem of illegal parking and overloading of vehicles.

Later, they submitted a memorandum to the SSP in this regard.

Dehradun, July 30
Convincing downtrodden children to study and teaching them at Smart Street, a school, is all about this young philanthropist in the Doon Valley.“I have devoted my life to social causes. It is not at all a part-time job for me but my profession that earns me satisfaction and solace,” said Shweta Kakkar.

Shweta Kakkar is one of the youngest social workers and had worked as a teacher with an NGO, Aasra Trust, for a year till now. She resigned from her post today so as to pursue Masters in Social Work. “I always thought of serving people and making good use of their skills for sound living as well as for the development of underprivileged kids. I want each and every child to study and become independent,” says Kakkar. Since, December 2010, Shweta has been into teaching and trying to transform the lives of many from rag-picking to school going. “We follow a psychological-centric curriculum mainly based on creative activities along with the use all possible educational aids.”

For Kakkar, it all started when she was working for a local English daily in Dehradun and interacted with poor balloon selling kids at Ashley Hall. Shweta pursued PG Diploma in Child Rights after seeing those kids facing hardships in their life. She then became determined to devote her life to the welfare of the needy.

After her schooling from Brightlands and Summer Valley, partially, she did her graduation in business management from the University of Delhi. “I did diploma in human rights not only to know my own rights, but also to fight for the rights of the marginalised and the exploited,” she added.

Despite her busy schedule, Kakkar loves to pen down her experiences and blog. She also donates at slums and to the poor “whatever I can amass and collect for children.”

Shweta aims at highlighting the mental ability of kids who are deprived of a sound education and childhood affection while helping them develop artistic skills and overcome inhibitions. 

Dehradun, July 30
One hundred and eleven days short of what would have been her 100th birthday, Tehmi Kapadia, one of the senior residents of Dehradun, passed away last night at her Rajpur Road apartment.

She was in fairly good health until recently when she got an attack of pneumonia and had been hospitalised for nearly a fortnight. The pneumonia had totally debilitated her and she was brought home by her friends, including Dr BS Pandhi and Rajan Brijnath.

There are now very few Parsi residents in Dehradun. Wife of the late Dr NN Kapadia, a renowned dentist of his time, Tehmi Kapadia was one of them. Only two other Parsi families of the late Gen Bilimoria and the late Brig Dalal live here.

Tehmi did not have any blood relation. Her elder sister, Sally Grant, passed away on May 17, 2008, just a few months before she would have reached the age of 100. Destiny did not perhaps want either of the two sisters to complete their birth centenary. Sally’s daughter-in-law, Catherin, was the only close relative who was present during Tehmi’s last moments.

She was cremated this afternoon at the Sahastradhara cremation ground. Her last rites were attended by a large number of friends. Nadir Bilimoria, the only male Parsi in Dehradun, lit the funeral pyre. Expressing grief over the death of her friend, Nergis Dalal, a reputed writer, said Tehmi was a nice woman and they would miss her.

Dehradun, July 30
Workers of the BJP, led by the vice-chairman of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, today took out a “funeral procession” of the Congress in protest against the alleged usurping of 107 bighas at Sahaspur through a false power of attorney by Leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat.

The procession started from Gandhi Park and culminated at Clock Tower, where BJP workers burnt an effigy of the Congress.

Ragunath Singh Negi alleged that during the previous Congress regime and being state Revenue Minister, Rawat had fraudulently usurped 107 bighas of a poor farmer. He alleged that a false power attorney of one Shushila Rani was used to transfer the land in the name of Deepti Rawat, wife of Rawat, and Luxmi Rana. The leaders demanded a probe into the matter and action against Rawat. 

Dehradun, July 30
Aggrieved over the working of the state government, members of the Uttarakhand Jan Sena burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister, who is also the Minister for PWD, at Lansdowne Chowk here today.

They also demanded the suspension of District Magistrate Sachin Kurve under whom various works of the JNNURM were being undertaken.

Vipin Saxena, state secretary of the Sena, said that it was due to the ignorance of the PWD Minister and the DM that five construction works had collapsed within a few days of their completion.

He also claimed that first no heed was paid to the complaints in this regard and when Sanjay Bhatt, spokesperson for the Jan Sena, raised his voice, he was sent behind bars by the DM. Moreover, Saxena criticized the state government for not providing space to persons whose shops had been demolished in order to widen roads.

State president Rishab Jain said that if the government failed to take action soon, they would come on streets to protest.

Dehradun, July 30
Garhwal Sporting won its league match while the match between Shivalik and Nagar Nigan Sporting ended in a draw at 2-2 during the 60th Lala Nemi Dass Memorial Dehradun Football League here today.

Garhwal Sporting beat Cantt Blue 4-1 with the help of strikes by Ashok (15th minute), Abhishek (26th), Neeraj (31st) and Gaurav (55th). Tushar from Cantt Blue score a goal for his team in the 30th minute.

In the second match, Sushil Rawat (25th) and Saurabh (40th) scored for Shivalik Club whereas Brijesh (10th minute) and Ajay (20th minute) were the scorers for Nagar Nigam Sporting.

Tomorrow, Doon United will play against Uttarakhand Police and Vijay Cant against Adhoiwala Boys.

Dehradun , July 30
On the last day of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Squash Championship today, Ranjit section lifted the overall trophy.

The chief guest of the event was Col PK Kumaria, Commandant, RIMC, who gave away the prizes.

The following were the prize winners:

Under 13 years:

Winner — Cadet Ujjwal Gupta; and runner-up — Cadet Tomthin

Under 15 years :

Winner — Cadet Vivek Boora; and runner-up — Cadet Mayank Kumar

Under 17 years:

Winner — Cadet Ankit Singh;and runner-up — Cadet Vinay Chaudhary

Cadet Mridul Rawat was adjudged the most upcoming player while Cadet Ankit Singh was declared the best player of the championship.

The overall standings of the sections were as follows:

Ranjit — 38 points; Shivaji — 30 points; Chandragupta — 28 points; and Pratap — 12 points.

Mussoorie, July 30
In the ongoing of 2nd MSA Inter-school Table Tennis Tournament held at MPG College, Paritosh Sati (St George’s), Arvind Rajgopal (Mussoorie Girls and Boys), Sachit Nanwani (St George’s), Jitesh Anand (Oak Grove),Vinayak Agarwal (St George’s) and Vachparang (Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary) reached the finals in the boys’ category today.

In the first semi-final (under 14) Paritosh Sati (St George’s) defeated Amit Jangra (Mussoorie Girls and Boys School) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9. In another semifinal Arvind Rajgopal (Mussoorie Girls and Boys) defeated

Mridul Mandal (Oak Grove) 5-11,11-3, 4-11, 11-5, 11-2.

In the boys’ semifinal (under 17), Sachit Nanwani (St George’s) defeated Manish Sharma (Oak Grove) 11-7,11-9, 11-6. In other semi-final of the same section Jitesh Anand (Oak Grove) defeated Vachparang (GNFC) 10-12,10-12,11-9,11-6.

In the under 20 boys’ semi-final Vinayak Agarwal (St George’s) defeated Neparin (GNFC) 11-6,11-6,11-8 and Vachparang (GNFC) defeated Sidharth (Oak Grove) 11-3,11-7,11-6 in another semi-final.

In the doubles Neparin and Vachparang (GNFC) and Sachin and Vinayak (Oak Grove) will be play in the finals.