7 killed as jeep falls into gorge
13 injured in mishap
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
Seven persons, including two women, were killed while 13 others sustained injuries when the jeep they were travelling in fell into a gorge near Purola in Uttarakashi district today.

While six persons were killed on the spot, one succumbed to injuries on the way to Government Doon Hospital.

According to Uttarkashi SP Sadanand Shankar Rav Date, the accident took place in the morning. At the time of the incident, there were 20 passengers in the jeep. Five of the injured have been admitted to Doon Hospital.

Though the exact cause of the incident could not be ascertained, the Uttarkashi SP said the jeep was overcrowded. He said poor condition of roads in the area could also be the reason behind the incident. However, he maintained that a clear picture would come only after investigations into the matter were over.

The names of the deceased could be not confirmed from officials.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister BC Khanduri has ordered a magisterial probe into the accident. He has also asked the Uttarkashi District Magistrate to provide the required financial aid to the families of those who killed in the mishap. The DM has also been directed to provide all help to the injured.

CM orders inquiry into clashes
Next of kin of victims to get Rs 1 lakh relief 
Rajeev Khanna/TNS

Nainital, October 3
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri has ordered a high-level probe into the communal clashes that had taken place in Rudrapur town of Udham Singh Nagar on Sunday. The town continues to be under curfew.

He visited the riot-hit town on Monday, a day after it had witnessed large-scale arson and violence between two communities in which four persons had died and scores had been injured besides several shops and vehicles being burnt. He has declared payment of a relief of Rs 1 lakh each to next of kin of those who were killed in the clashes. He said based on the findings of the probe, more financial assistance might be given to the families of the deceased and to those whose properties have been damaged.

The CM held a meeting with the top brass of the administration and the police at the conference hall of the Mandi Directorate after his arrival here in the afternoon. He has made it clear that no one can be allowed to disturb peace and harmony in the state. He said the incidents that had taken place on Sunday were “sad”.

The CM has told the officials not to desist from taking stern action against miscreants if they see the need to do so. He has asked them to identify the anti-social elements responsible for the riot and take action against them. He has promised all the help from the government in this regard.

He laid emphasis on minute monitoring of the areas bordering Uttar Pradesh. In particular, 
he has sought action against those who have encroached upon the National 
Highways.

At the same time the officials have been asked to take the help of the senior and respectable residents of the town. The CM has called for strengthening of the intelligence network in the region, pointing out that proper intelligence inputs can help in preventing such incidents.

Kumaon Commissioner Kunal Sharma and DIG (Kumaon Range) Amit Sinha apprised the Chief Minister about the steps being taken to ensure that the incident is not repeated. District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam and SSP GS Martoliya related the developments that had taken place on Sunday in detail. the ADGP ,RS Meena, was also present at the meeting. 

Nabiyal is probe officer

Dehradun, October 3
The state government has appointed Garhwal Commissioner Ajay Singh Nabiyal as investigating officer who will probe the communal clashes that occurred at Rudrapur town in Udham Singh Nagar district yesterday. The government has asked Nabiyal to submit his report by October 11, 2011. — TNS 

Parties flay dist admn for delayed action
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
The Rudrapur communal violence has evoked a sharp reaction from various political parties in the state. All of them have condemned the district administration for its delayed response to the development.

Vijay Rawat, state secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), has flayed Chief Minister BC Khanduri for not visiting the affected area on the day of violence. “It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister did not reach the site of violence on the very first day. He did the same when the Muzaffarnagar incident had taken place. If he wanted, he could have also called an all-party meeting to discuss the matter and prepare a strategy to deal with such situations in the future,” he said, expressing concern over a sudden escalation in the incidents of communal strife in the state in recent times.

Trivender Singh Panwar, president of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) (P), also wondered at the sudden escalation in the incidents of communal violence in the state. He said the state never had a history of communal violence and such occurrences of late did not bode well for the peaceful disposition of the state. He pulled up the district administration for its failure to control the situation in time despite indications by the local intelligence that such 
an incident could happen anytime in the state after Pilibhit.

State president of the Samajwadi Party Vinod Barthwal has appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace. He has also urged all the political parties not to indulge in dirty politics on this issue. “I have cautioned our district units not to flare up this issue. They must maintain an atmosphere of harmony and peace at this crucial juncture,” he said, adding that the district administration slept over the issue till noon when it worsened. 

Curfew continues in Rudrapur
Rajeev Khanna/TNS

Nainital, October 3
An uneasy calm prevailed in the town of Rudrapur on Monday. A day after the town had witnessed the worst communal clashes in the state since its creation, the situation at best could be described as tense but under control.

Four persons had died while several others, including a large number of police personnel and administrative officials, had been injured in the large-scale violence and arson. Several shops and vehicles had been torched and there had been massive stone-pelting, shooting and hurling of petrol bombs by miscreants as the town had witnessed more than six hours of unruliness.

The imposition of curfew continues in the town. With the arrival of two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) from Delhi and Moradabad along with five companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), there has been a lull in the violence. Sources say minor skirmishes had continued in congested localities in and around the Bhadaipura area that had been the centre of gravity with regard to Sunday’s violent clashes between the members of two communities. Even on Monday morning there were minor incidents of stone-pelting in the Paharganj area of the town.

District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam told mediapersons on Monday morning that the situation was under control.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that another person injured in the Sunday’s incidents has succumbed to his injuries. With his death, the toll has gone up to four. The deceased has been identified as Afzal from a bordering village in Pilibhit district.

The administration and the police have come in for major criticism for having failed to avert the clashes on Sunday given the fact that the situation had been on the boil for three days since the first incident. It is learnt that there were indicators, inputs and warnings coming their way for a long time that attempts were on to foment trouble on communal lines in the Terai belt of the state. As a matter of caution, the buses to various long-distance destinations are being diverted and run via Pantnagar and Ramnagar while avoiding their entry into Rudrapur town.

The police authorities in the adjoining towns have started holding meetings with the peace committees to seek their help in maintaining peace in the region. The owners of hotels and cyber cafés have been asked not to entertain their customers who don’t carry their required identification proofs.

Minister conducts raid on gas agency
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 3
view of mass complaints against gas agency and petrol pump owners in the district, state Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt is carrying out raids creating a panic among violators.

Diwakar Bhatt, taking cognizance of several complaints, raided an LPG gas agency at Mangalore near here and sealed it after finding several irregularities in the agency. The agency is owned by a close relative of former minister Ram Singh Saini of Uttar Pradesh.

Departmental officials today checked the documents of the gas agency and found several discrepancies. They sent the report to the Revenue Minister.

In the past two days, six petrol pumps had also been raided out of which three had been found to be violating the norms and even providing customers less petrol and diesel.

He added that strict action would be taken against all such offenders not only in Haridwar district but also in whole state.

Naubat exponent Molu Das dead
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
Naubat exponent Molu Das, who was admitted to the ICU of Doon Hospital on September 28 after he suffered a paralytic stroke, died late last evening. He is survived by his wife and son. Chief Minister BC Khanduri has expressed sorrow at the demise of naubat exponent Molu Das.

Terming it a great loss to the state, Khanduri, in his message, has said though his absence would always be felt the people would always remember him for his unique contributions to the world of art and culture. 

Morcha holds protest over caste certificate issue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
Members of the Uttarakhand Balmiki Krantikari Yuva Morcha held a protest outside the office of the Dehradun administration and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to the authorities.

They are demanding that the procedure to make caste certificates be made easier and the report of the Kaushik Committee released soon.

Dharampal Ghagat, district president of the morcha, said most of the people from minority communities were unable to get the benefits of scholarship 
and job reservation as they needed the details of domicile and property from 1950.

They also appreciated the state government for forming the Kaushik Committee in which all MLAs had been included to solve the issues related to the issuing of certificates and residential proof.

Ghagat said the Vidhan Sabha Speaker had forwarded the report of the committee in the Vidhan Sabha for a discussion on September 29, but some of the MLAs opposed the same.

All members have asked the government to welcome the recommendations of the committee and provide caste certificates to only those who were part of the state during its formation.

Writers’ festival begins tomorrow
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, October 3
The 4th Writers’ Festival will begin from October 5 at Hanifl Centre Woodstock School here. It is being organised under the aegis of the Winterline Centre for Arts at Woodstock School.

Global writers will participate in the festival, where they will hold discussions and share their writings, poems and stories. This year’s gathering is more of a round-table than a festival, bringing together a small but prestigious group of poets, novelists and authors like Bill Aitken, David Davidar, Eunice De Souza, Raj Kamal Jha, Alan Lightman, Arvind Mehrotra and Palash Mehrotra, who will discuss their approach to writing under the selected themes.

The festival will begin with a panel discussion on the “craft of writing” in which Raj Kamal Jha will share his experiences with the audience. Palash Mehrotra will enlighten the gathering with talks on fiction and non-fiction while David Davidar will speak on writers and publishers.

The poetry will be read out by Eunice De Souza, AK Mehrotra and Alan Lightman. On the final day, the authors will exchange views on “science and spirituality”.

According to the director of Winterline Centre of Art at Woodstock, Stephen Alter, the main objective of the festival was to create a world-class literary event that brought together diverse Indian and international voices.

Anti-hail guns may be installed in apple belt
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
Perturbed at damage to fruit crops due to hailstorm, the Horticulture Department is planning to install anti-hail guns in the apple belt of the state. Once the proposal in this regard is finalised, anti-hail guns will be installed at Uttarkashi, Ramgarh and other fruit-growing areas of the states. As the cost of one anti-hail gun begins from Rs 1 crore, the state government wants to initiate this project with the help of the Central Government’s subsidy extended through the Horticulture Technology Mission and other programmes.

“We have requested the Government of India to provide the anti-hail facility under the Horticulture Technology Mission and also cover some areas of the state on a trial basis. After getting the approval, the guns will be installed in areas that suffer extensive damage due to frequent hailstorms. The apple-growing belt and other fruit-growing areas will be benefited from this,” said Agriculture Minister Trivender Singh Rawat.

The gun can provide effective protection over a radius of 1 km-10 km and help cover an area of 80 to 100 hectares. The hail cannons generate hail-disruptive shock waves at a greater frequency which are more powerful through the use of acetylene or butane gas.

The state-of-the-art acetylene-fired anti-hail cannon shoots ionising shock waves up in the air every four to five seconds which reach high atmosphere that ultimately disrupts the formation the growth of hailstones by melting them.

The department is also in touch with the Horticulture Department of Himachal Pradesh where three anti-hail guns were test fired in the region of Jubbal-Kothkhai in Shimla.

While hail cannons could provided an effective cover against hailstorm, experts say a weather radar that manages to foretell the formation of hailstorm in advance also needed to be installed in the area as the cannon operation has to be initiated 20 minutes before hailstorm.

Despite extensive damage to fruit crops, Uttarakhand has made impressive gains in the production of fruits. In 2010-2011, the state produced a total of 1,35,894 metric tonne of apples, 1,08,582 metric tonne of pears and 18,732 metric tonne of litchis, 32,064 metric tonne of apricot and 41,155 metric tonne of plum.

‘Free trade pacts can threaten food processing units’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
The number of free trade agreements signed by the Central government, pertaining to the food processing industry could prove to be a double-edged weapon for the nascent processing industry in the country.

“Under the agreement, the Indian markets would be flooded with products from abroad. Due to high standards in other countries, the Indian producers may encounter difficulty. As a result they may not be able to export their products to these markets, creating an unfavourable situation for India,” said Ganesh Pande, Convener, Shramik Bharati (Kanpur), who was speaking at a workshop on India’s Free Trade Agreement Policy and its impact on the food processing industry.

He said the inability to stand up to the competition would indirectly impact the job prospect of hundreds of men and women engaged in the industry.

“The small entrepreneurs do not possess powerful organisations to back their case and it is up to the government to extend them support. The food processing industry is also important form the point of rural economy. A large number of farmers can benefit from a strong network of processing units, thereby strengthening the rural economy,” added Pandey.

Chairman of the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), Avdhash Kaushal said the government should adopt policies that benefit the small cottage industries.

SP Nautiyal, Secretary, Shikhar Food Products, emphasised on the need to build strong linkages between farmer and the market.

Kumar Gupta of the Third World Network (New Delhi) said the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could even pose a threat to the domestic food supply in the country. “Ideally every developing country should weigh the pros and cons of the agreement and should aim for self reliance,” he said.

India has signed about eight FTAs and some more are negotiated.

Villagers start indefinite fast
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 3
After a week-long relay fast at Munsiyari, villagers from across the Gori river in Munsiyari today started an indefinite fast at Pithoragarh. Zila panchayat members from the Baram area started the fast.

“We have been fighting for road between Bans Bagar and Kota in Munsiyari since 2008 and the government did not pay any heed to our demand,” said Harish Dhami, member of the zila panchayat from the Madkot area of the district.

The district and police administration said from tomorrow a doctor would be deputed to check the health of Dhami who had already informed the police and the administration about the indefinite fast at the district headquarters, to be started from today.

The students from Munsiyari and the surrounding areas were also held a dharna with Dhami. “The fight to have road in the remote border area of the district will continue till the people get justice and the construction of these road gets started,” said Dhami.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate MC Joshi had gone to Munsiyari last week, to request the villagers to discontinue their agitation but the villagers did not agree with him and told him that they would stop the agitation only after the construction of the road starts.

Villagers celebrate Kandali festival
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 3
As the nation awaits Dasehra, a festival signifying the victory of good over evil, seven villages of the Chaudans valley, Dharchula subdivision, celebrate a seven-day festival of Kandali, which is held once every 12 years, to eradicate Kandali plant that is considered an evil.

The Kandali celebrations began in Himkhola village today and the final rituals will be held in Pangu village on October 9.

According to the rituals, villagers dressed in the traditional Sauka attire will move towards the forests in a single line. They sing and dance as elderly women lead the procession.”

“Unmarried girls of the village are not allowed to participate in the procession,” said Tej Singh Gunjiyal of Himkhola village.

They go to the forest to destroy a large number of Kandali plants .This is followed by a common feast.

According to the tradition of the festival, the plant is eliminated to show sympathy with an old woman who lost her only grandson in ancient times after she served him leaves of the plant as medicine.

“The reason to eliminate the plant in the 12th year is that it is fully grown by this stage and the last of its 12 flowers also blooms during the same year,” said Hyanki.

Wadia institute to study phenomenon of Shivlingam
Proposes to set up field observatory at Amarnath shrine
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3
The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, will study the phenomenon of waxing and waning of ice Shivlingam in the Amarnath cave amid reports of its speedy melting in recent years. The study will do away with confusion caused in the recent times about the reasons that were causing the speedy melting of Shivlingam. The issue has even been raised in Parliament revealing the level of concern.

The WIHG proposes to set up a field observatory at the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir to study the reasons that could be the factors behind the speedy melting of ice Shivlingam.

WIHG Director Anil K Gupta disclosed the WIGH proposed to write to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and the Department of Science and Technology at the Centre for setting up of a laboratory at the cave shrine for a comprehensive study of the Shivlingam, particularly the reasons behind its speedy melting in recent years.

The yatra to the Baba Amarnath holy cave in Jammu and Kashmir for which one has to trek a height of about 14,500 ft begins on Jyaishth Purnima and ends on Shravan Purnima, the day of Raksha Bandhan. Inside the main Amarnath cave lies an ice stalagmite that resembles the Shivlingam which waxes during May to August and gradually wanes thereafter. But in recent years, there has been growing concern over the speedy melting of Shivlingam.

Dr DP Dobhal, a glaciologist with the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, who was part of the WIGH team that had visited Amarnath Shrine in 2006 after a huge controversy broke out about an artificial Shivlingam in the Amarnath cave, said he felt the importance of a field laboratory at the Amarnath shrine. Dr Dobhal said the equipments to be put up at different elevation at the cave shrine would monitor the entire weather system. The study would focus around eight to 10 parameters ranging from snowfall, rainfall, wind speed in the valley and other factors.

“Climate change, anthropogenic causes and winter snowfall changes could be either of the reasons leading to speedy melting of ice Shivlingam”, Dobhal pointed out and hoped the study would lead to exact reasons. He said satellite imageries data of previous years apart from historical data would also be taken into consideration to get better inferences.

Admn defuses tension over procession
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 3
Patient and tactical approach by the the district administration today avoided an untoward situation after tempers ran high over the issue of taking out a religious procession, “joth”, in a village in Haridwar district. The procession was diverted to a separate route as decided by the district administration, with police personnel deployed in large numbers on the entire route.

The members of a community take out the annual religious “joth” in Bharapur Bhauri village that falls in Bahadrabad block. But this time the members of another community objected to the taking out of the procession in the village. They did this in retaliation, as last month objections had been raised against their religious procession too.

A minor scuffle had taken place between the members of both the communities a day before.