Dehradun, August 25
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (DMC), once again, has to postpone the launch of the solid waste management project due to the shortage of the manpower.

The trial for the project began on August 1 and the launch was due on August 15 but the DMC had failed to inaugurate the venture. Delhi-based company SPML is still working on a trial basis and not many councillors are happy with the speed of the project.

DMC officials also affirmed that due to the shortage of employees it was getting difficult for the company to carry on the work smoothly.

“The company requires at least 90 safai karamcharis against the staff of just 40-45 as of now,” senior health officer Dr Kailash Joshi told The Tribune.

“The company has already started its services at Rajpur Road, Dalanwala, Dhamawala, Clock Tower, Arya Nagar, Indra Colony, Chukkhuwala, Dobalwala, Vijay Colony and Hathi Barkala while they will soon be reaching the locales of Rispana, DL Road and Karanpur,” he affirmed.

Most of the councillors opposed the working of the company while a few praised it despite the fact that the work needed to speed up. Councillor Babita Sahotra stated that the workers had started collecting the garbage from her area. “The team reaches at the given time and stands at one place of a particular area where people come and throw the garbage,” she said.

Councillor Dr Vijender Pal Singh mentioned that the company had just started picking the waste in his area and he is not in the position of commenting till the time he saw its working. Though he agreed that the work was not on full swing. “The company failed to inform the residents about its visit,” he avowed.

Councillor Ashok Verma, leader of the opposition at the DMC, has lots of doubts in his mind regarding the company. “Everyone is aware of the process in which the company was given the tender. I am sure the company will run away with the corporation’s money one day,” he claimed and criticized the company by saying, “Blowing horn is not the way to collect the garbage from houses. If people have to come out and dispose the waste they can also throw it in the dustbins lying near their area. Door-to-door service means visiting each and every house for collecting the filth.”

When asked that the company has not been able to install the machinery needed for processing garbage at Selakui, Dr Joshi said that they were waiting for the permission for landfill and procedure plant from the Involvement Impact Assessment Committee (IIAC) as it may take around six months.

Councillor Anup Kapoor held that the company seemed to be more interested in picking up the garbage from bigger shops and restaurants etc in order to gain more money as they charged in thousands from them while charges were very nominal in the residential area.

Dehradun, August 25
Today, on the first day of filing nominations for the Student Council elections, the students of DAV PG College showed scant regard for the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee. The college campus witnessed a ruckus on and outside it premises. The supporters of the contesting candidates did everything to shatter the notion that the college administration has to follow the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee.

The election excitement made the campaigners go to all extents possible. Carrying posters and banners of the contesting candidates, doing door-to-door canvassing, bribing voters with treats, taking them to movies and providing them with fuel, the supporters indulged in malpractices openly. The contesting parties are also paying for the mobile phone bills, lodge and food of their contestants and supporters.

To top it all, the candidates, along with their supporters, donning special T-shirts and caps with their names printed on them, took out processions on the premises of the college, violating the norms.

Instead of the repeated instructions given by the college election committee to stop the in-campus campaigning, the student unions continued to do the same.

According to the Principal of DAV PG College, Dr Devender Bhasin, “We are trying to check hooliganism during the college union elections unlike the previous years.

We have got deployed a large number of police personnel within and outside the premises while different committees to strictly monitor the elections have been formed.”

Meanwhile, 21 girls of MKP PG College filed their nominations for the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and executive, etc. The Student Council elections are scheduled to be held on August 30. 

Dehradun, August 25
Posters and banners dot the entire Dehradun city as campaigning for the students council elections in different colleges has picked up. The police has pulled up its socks to strictly monitor the elections. The elections to the Students Union of DAV (PG) College have always been in the news for open canvassing and violations of the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee while MKP (PG) College on the other hand presents a picture in contrast.

The picture at MKP (PG) College depicts the colourful and peaceful side of the canvassing where students are witnessed sipping tea or cold drinks along with samosas in the college canteen. They believe in healthy interactions and friendly convincing methods.

Mussoorie, August 25
Municipal Post Graduate College (MPG) wore a festive look today as the nominations for the college union elections to be held on September 1 were filed by various student organisations.

The ABVP fielded two candidates where Manjit Rawat was first to file his nomination for the post of president. Rita Rawat filed papers for the post of university representative (UR) from the ABVP.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI) fielded five candidates. Narendar Melwar (president), Virendar Thapli Gen Secretary), Kuldeep Sajwan (Vice-President), Dhanvir Rawat(Joint Secretary) and Anit Kumar (UR) filed their nominations.

For the All-India Students Federation (AISF), Sunvir Singh and Mahavir Rawat filed their nominations for the post of president and general secretary, respectively.

Another independent group called the Aryan, supported by the Yuva Chetna Sangarsh Samiti, is also in the fray with its candidate Rakesh Negi contesting for the post of general secretary.

Uttarakhand president of the Sangarsh Samiti Sanjay Goyal said the need for the third front was being felt in student politics as the existing organisation supported by national parties had failed to address the problems of the students. Himanshu Negi, president of the Aryan Group, said if their candidates win, they would ensure that the girl students of the college got basic facilities which had not been provided by other student unions so far.

However, NSUI members have alleged that the Aryan group was playing a spoilsport and engaging in elections to defeat its candidate.

Election officer Shyam Mohan Gupta said in total 11 nominations were filed and the elections would be held in September. The police force was present in large number on the occasion.

Dehradun, August 25
The bodies of remaining two migrant labourers, who were buried alive in panchayat bhavan at Karligad village near Sahastradhara on Monday night, were retrieved today.

A total of five labourers buried under the panchayat bhavan after it collapsed due to debris brought along by flashfloods triggered by a cloudburst. The bodies of three of them who were the native of Bihar were retrieved from the debris on Tuesday.

However, the two MP native could not be found there. It took the rescue teams two days to find the bodies of the duo and pull them out with much difficulty.

“The bodies of the two have been pulled out and these have been sent for a post-mortem at a local health centre. After doing the post-mortem examination, the bodies will be handed over to their families,” Circle Officer (Rajpur) Shweta Choubey informed The Tribune.

She said they could be brought out with the help of a JCB machine and the rescue teams. The rain and rough weather conditions had hampered the rescue operation but they got success today.

The affected people have been shifted to a school temporally and might be rehabilitated to a safer place by the government. Meanwhile, the supply of electricity, phone, potable water and essential items remain snapped and there is no stop to the woes of the locals.

Dehradun, August 25
Donning Gandhi caps, which are symbolic of Ann Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, two officials of the Forest Department, who are under suspension, entered the Secretariat and protested there. They were arrested and produced before the City Magistrate.

The two have been identified as forest guard Shakti Singh and deputy ranger Shailender Singh Negi. They were posted at Narendernagar and have been put under suspension.

Mussoorie, August 25
Peyjal Nigam Advisory Board Chairman Brij Bhushan Gairola has to face the ire of his own party workers over the issue of faulty and sub-standard sewer lines being laid in Mussoorie.

At a meeting held at the PWD Guest House here today, the workers of the BJP informed the Chairman that the department concerned due to its nonchalant attitude had laid faulty sewer lines and that too much above the road level resulting in damage to the vehicles passing over them frequently. The sewer pipeline scheme, which is being implemented under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), was started in March but so far only 7 km of line has been laid. They also said the debris left on the road has not been removed and at some places the dug-up area has been left unfilled.

Senior BJP leader Roop Singh Kathait, Anita Saxena and others demanded the suspension of the officials responsible for such a callous act. The Chairman, after inspecting the work at Manav Bharti School, South Road, etc, found it wanting in quality and issued a stern warning to the officials. He directed them to rectify the faults within 15 days so that the residents do not have to face problems in future. He also directed the Jal Sansthan officials to submit the estimates for setting up a potable water scheme for George Everest and Hathipaon to their Managing Director within one week.

Later speaking to the media, Gairola said the government was committed to providing safe water to the residents and for that several schemes were being planned. Speaking on the sub-standard work of laying sewer lines, he said a close monitoring would be done in future. Gairola said the Peyjal Nigam had earlier provided Rs 23 lakh to the Municipal Council and Rs 88 lakh to the PWD for the construction of roads but now the Peyjal Nigam itself would construct the roads after completing the work to lay sewer lines to avoid inter-departmental bottlenecks.

He also said the survey about the scheme of drawing water from the Aglad or the Yamuna river was also in progress. Gairola also laid emphasis on rooftop rainwater harvesting 
and directed the Jal Sansthan officials to implement the scheme diligently in the town.

Dehradun, August 25
A couple who adopted a four-month-old baby girl now land in a controversy and are even being accused of child trafficking. Saraswati Devi and Suman Rawat of the Bhilangana block had adopted a four-month-old baby girl who was abandoned by a rape victim. The couple took the baby girl under their care on compassionate grounds and the child has been living with them for the past five months.

But now rape victim’s father has accused the couple of being involved in child trafficking and approached the Dehradun police for help.

Addressing a press conference today, Suman Rawat, the foster father, claimed that though they had not legally adopted the child. It was a mutual understanding after the rape victim’s father narrated his plight. Now he has written a letter to the DGP, alleging that they have bought the baby, which is not true,” claimed Rawat.

The rape victim’s father has also accused the Mahila Samakhya, a government body, for being involved in child trafficking. It was this organisation that the rape victim’s father first approached for help in Tehri.

“We have also approached the DGP in Dehradun, who has assured us that the matter will be sorted out after holding discussions with the District Magistrate. No case has been registered against any body. As our organisation deals with women-related issues, the rape victim’s father had approached us for help. Our role was limited to enrolling the daughter in a government residential school in Pratap Nagar,” said Geeta Gairoal, director, (Uttarakahnd) Mahila Samakhya.

Dehradun, August 25
City Young and Doon Star registered victories in their respective super league matches during the district football league held on the Pavilion ground here today.

City Young defeated Wills Youth Club 2-0. Mohit (20th minute) and Arpan (47th) shone in the win of City Young while the youth club had to cut a sorry figure for failing to score any goal.

Also, Doon Star got past its tough rival, Doon Valley, 2-1. All goals came in the second half.

Raju Chauhan (50th) and Gajju (60th) netted for the winning side.

Rahul (70th) came from behind to strike the lone goal of Doon Valley.

Tomorrow, Adhoiwala Boys will meet Gypsy Club and Vijay Cantt will face Garhwal Sporting.

Dehradun, August 25
Welham Girls School (Senior) rained goals over St Agnes School beating the latter 8-0 during the Major Dhyan Chand Girls Inter-School Hockey Tournament today.

Radhika struck as many as four goals in the victory of her team. She scored in the second, sixth, 30th and 45th minutes of the play to play a major role in the victory. Sanskriti, Shreya, Ishrat and Medhavi chipped in with a goal each.

Whereas the Welham (Junior) team was beaten by Government Girls Inter-College, Rajpur 2-0. Aarti Khera (18th) and Priyanka Rani (37th) were the scorers in the win.

Meanwhile, Kasiga School director sports Sardar Manjit Singh was the chief guest on the occasion.