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16 feared dead as bus falls into Tons near Doon
Traffic resumes on Niglat bridge
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Dehradun, Haldwani to have old-age homes
Dehradun, September 4 Two old-age homes will be built in Dehradun and Haldwani, respectively. The announcement was made by Social Welfare and Irrigation Minister Matbar Singh Kandari today on the occasion of the first annual anniversary of the Federation of Senior Citizens’ Associations of Uttrakhand in the city.
Assembly Speaker honoured
Khanduri avoids direct attack on state govt
Guv, CM extend greetings on Teacher’s Day
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16 feared dead as bus falls into Tons near Doon
Dehradun, September 4 The injured have been admitted at a local hospital while the critically injured referred to Government Doon Hospital here. Till the filing of the report, the rescue work was on. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who went to the accident site, has ordered a magisterial probe into the whole matter. According to information provided by the disaster management department, the accident occurred at 9:30 am when the bus carrying about 50 to 60 passengers was coming to Dehradun from the Tyuni area. Several passengers were travelling on the roof at the time of the incident. The driver of the bus, while reportedly negotiating a turn, lost control and fell into the river which was swollen due to heavy rain in the area. Following the accidents, local villagers started the rescue work as the disaster management and administration teams reportedly reached one hour late to the spot after being informed. The rescue teams had to face a lot of difficulties due to the flooded river. Though sources confirmed that 16 bodies had been fished out, SDM (Chakrauta) Hansa Dutt Pande confirmed the toll at 12 till the report was filed. About 32 persons were also injured in the mishap. Ten of seriously injured passengers were shifted to Government Doon Hospital. Some of the injured were said to be unconscious. The SDM told The Tribune three persons were still missing and the efforts were on to trace them. “We have now arranged rafts here to retrieve the body as the situation is getting worse here,” Pande added. Meanwhile, Governor Margaret Alva and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank expressed grief over the mishap. The CM, who reached the spot along with Disaster Management Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, called the incident unfortunate and announced to give Rs 1 lakh each to next of kin of all deceased and Rs 25,000 each to the injured. He asked Dehradun District Magistrate Sachin Kurve to provide all possible help to the injured at the hospital. He wished for the well-being of the injured and consoled the family members of the victims. Nishank ordered the District Magistrate to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the incident. He also directed the Transport Department to launch a drive against unfit and old buses and act against these. According to information provided by the office of the SDM (Tyuni), the deceased have been identified as Pratap Singh, Kuldeep, Tuli Devi, Shiv Charan (driver), Suresh, Piya, Gopal, Dhoom Singh, Birbal, Amana Devi
and Suleman. |
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Traffic resumes on Niglat bridge
Nainital, September 4 The reopening of the Niglat bridge after more than a week has provided respite to the passengers travelling to Ranikhet, Almora, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh from Haldwani via Bhawali. Over the past few days these passengers were being forced to travel via Ramgarh. They were being compelled to travel an additional 40 km and shell out more money for the same. The Niglat bridge was earlier closed to heavy vehicles and then to even smaller vehicles as it was sinking. It still remains a temporary arrangement in the form of a bailey bridge since a concrete bridge that needs to be constructed after the original one had collapsed in the rain-related disaster last year remains elusive even after one year on account of the failure of the administration to construct a new bridge. Meanwhile, the travel on the Bhimtal-Ranibagh stretch continues to be an ordeal. With the Kumaon Motor Operators Union (KMOU) and the Uttarakhand Roadways Transport Corporation services remaining suspended on the stretch, the people who travel by various modes of public transport are facing a lot of problems. The worst affected are the schoolchildren who are being forced to travel long distances on foot. The road had been closed to heavy vehicles a fortnight ago on account of heavy rain. Although it was subsequently opened for light vehicles, the buses are still not plying on it. The people of the region have aired their resentment in a memorandum addressed to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), Deepak Rawat. They have pointed out that while the road has been opened for light vehicles only, overloaded trucks and pickups are plying on it without any check. They have demanded that the administration take steps to provide public transport to the people residing in the villages of this area. Taking a serious note of complaints with regards to the fleecing of passengers by the owners of taxis and private vehicles, the administration has initiated an inspection drive. Those found to be overloading and overcharging are being challaned. It is not only in the hills but travel in the plains also continue to be an ordeal with massive traffic jams on the road connecting Kumaon with the national capital. There are massive jams at Rampur, Moradabad and Gajraula that are making travel lengthier by as many as about seven hours. |
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Dehradun, Haldwani to have old-age homes
Dehradun, September 4 Kandari said two old-age homes were already existing in the state, in Gopeshwar and Bagheshwar. He, however, denied the possibility of building old-age home in each district of the state. He further said, “The state government is also considering to give identity cards to senior citizens and has also decided to provide separate window to them at the Municipal Corporation or at venues for electricity, water, telephone bills. Besides, an official will also be appointed who will protect the interests of those senior citizens who are ill-treated by their children.” He said the directions would be given to the Director General of Police to ensure special protection for people of this category. Besides, the senior citizens would be attended well at public forums such as Tehsil Diwas or Atal Chaupal for all kinds of their problems. Kandari also patted his back for taking the initiative to give old-age pension from 60 years onward, rather than 65 as was the criterion of the Centre. This way the state government was giving pension to 2,68,000 senior citizens in the state, he added. Nishank said the pension amount which used to be mere Rs 40 crore in 2006-07 had risen to Rs 133 crore under his government. He announced of giving a help of Rs 5 lakh to the federation and ensured that he would consider their demands which they could first discuss with Kandari. Speaker Harbans Kapoor emphasised on formulating proper framework and proper implementation of “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act of 2007” which is lying toothless in the state. He also suggested to expedite the task of facilitating the distribution of I-Cards to senior citizens to ensure their comfort. Environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna suggested the state government to opt for ropeways instead of roads, walnut farming than pine trees and small dams than big projects to protect the jungles and its resources such as water. National director of the Helpage India HS Bakshi stressed on the need of old- age home in each district and proper implementation of the Senior Citizens Act of 2007 Act. Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank gave away Life-Time Achievement Awards and Special Awards to senior citizens. Those who received Life-Time Achievement Awards were the first CM of the Uttrakhand Nityanand Swami, 100-year-old Shakuntala Bhalla and renowned environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna. Those who touched 90 years or above were given away special honour awards. The recipients were PL Sharma, RP Thapliyal and Harikrishan Vadhwa. Later on, 70-year-olds sitting in the gathering were also felicitated with garlands. Others who shared the dias included president of the federation RS Mishra and patrons S Farooq and SP
Kothari. care for elderly
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Nanda Devi festival kicks off in Almora
Pithoragarh, September 4 In Almora town, the real ritual began today when the idols of Nanda and Sunanda, made from banana leaves, were installed and sanctified. The common people will worship these idols at the historic Nanda Devi temple of the town tomorrow. This year the idols of Nanda and Sunanda will be taken out in the town for public viewing and thereafter these will be immersed in Doba Naula on September 9. “During previous years, tens of goats and buffaloes were sacrificed on the 8th day (Asthami) of this festival but this tradition has now become the thing of past,” said Manoj Verma, chairman of the Nanda Devi OrganiSing Committee, Almora. The speciality of the Nanda Devi worship in Almora is that the members of the erstwhile royal family of Kumaon also take part in the ritual. “In Nainital, though the faces of these idols are depicted differently, the tradition of Nanda worship originally came to Nainital from Almora some 106 years ago. The festival of Nanda worship started in Nainital in 1903. Initially, there had been individual efforts in organising the festival till 1925, thereafter from 1926 till today, Ram Sevak Sabha has been organising the festival in Nanital,” said Rajiv Lochan Sah, one of the organisers of the Nanda Devi festival in Nainital. “In Champawat, Nanda is awakened by various local deities who take the bodies of certain persons. This tradition is not found anywhere in the Kumoan region. Our celebrations are held at the Baleswar temple, the oldest historical temple of the Kumoan region,” said Dinesh Pandey, an organiser of the festival in Champawat town. “The Nanda Devi festival unites both regions of Garhwal and Kumaon into one cultural unit,” said Dr Ram Singh, an eminent social historian from the region. |
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Assembly Speaker honoured
Addressing a function, Raj Kanwar, president of the association, said Harbans Kapoor was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished students who passed out during the last 60 years or so from their college. He further said it was a matter of pride for the association to present the award to the Speaker. Dr S Farooq, the noted industrialist and philanthropist and president of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Uttarakhand, was the chief guest accompanied by the former Chief Minister, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, as the guest of honour. Praising the qualities of Harbans Kapoor, Dr Farooq said it was his clean image as a politician that encouraged the alumni association to give him the Lifetime Achievement Award. He wished that other politicians too followed the example of Kapoor and shunned corruption and other
such practices. Harbans Kapoor in his brief speech expressed his gratitude to the alumni association for selecting him for the “Lifetime Achievement Award” and said his dilemma had always been to come up to the expectations and aspirations of the people. He confessed that he had not done anything great or unusual to deserve this prestigious award, though his endeavour had always been to meet the expectations of his constituents and their legitimate needs. He further said from the very first day he entered politics he had tried his level best to assist his people. Meanwhile, in the election for the post of president, Returning Officer Dr. Himmat Singh declared that RK Bakhshi unanimously elected the President of the Alumni Association since only his nomination papers had been received. Also, Tiwari released a special souvenir brought out on this occasion.
— TNS |
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Khanduri avoids direct attack on state govt
Dehradun, September 4 He, however, did not rule out rising up to the expectation of the people at an appropriate moment. Raking up the issue of corruption, BC Khanduri said Uttarakhand had lost direction and called upon the people of the state to go for self-introspection. He asked them to elect public representatives with high integrity. Khanduri said the people sentiments must be respected and politicians should work keeping above self-interests. Khanduri did not fail to mention Anna Hazare’s agitation on corruption asserting that corruption was a threat to both country and state and asserted that the Anna agitation had at least made people realise that they could stand against corruption. Earlier, Rajan Todariya, convener of the Uttarakhand Jan Manch and Vikas Manch, welcomed the dignitaries at the workshop. Prakash Suman Dhayani, Teerath Singh Rawat, Anshuya Prasad Bhatt and Ravindra Jugran were among prominent speakers at the workshop. |
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Guv, CM extend greetings on Teacher’s Day
Dehradun, September 4 Praising the role of Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, whose birthday is celebrated all over India as Teacher’s day, Nishank said, “Dr Radhakrishnan contribution in the field of education is immense and on this day one should try to imbibe some of his good qualities in our day-to-day life. However, as teachers play an integral role in educating our society, we should respect them for their care and concern.” Conveying her best wishes to all teachers Alva said, “The role of a teacher must be that of a person who ignites young minds and hearts with the knowledge. The students in return should pay love and gratitude to their teachers.” |
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Dehradun, September 4