Cheerful Diwali for Dhaunasera area
8 villages electrified before festival
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 27
The festival of Diwali this year became more joyful for the 1,500 population of eight villages of the Dhaunasera area of Bageshwar district as these villages were electrified just before the festival.

“Villages of Deval bkcharal Dhaulasera, Tipola Matkhani Jhala, Kansyari, Ganna, Dwali and Ban Gaun have been electrified before Diwali this year,” said SS Usman.

Celebrating Diwali with electric lights was a unique experience for the villages, who till last year used to celebrate the festival with earthen lamps.

“During my 85 years of age, it is for the first time that I have seen power and it is amazing to see houses decorated with electric lights,” said Durga Devi, an old woman from Dev Buchral village of the area.

“Villagers are excited as they can watch television now. After our village has been electrified, I have purchased a television set, a refrigerator and a DVD player for my parents, who are staying in the village,” said Mohan Singh, who works in Delhi and has come to the village to celebrate the festival with his parents.

Villagers said they had been demanding electricity from the past many years, but it was fulfilled this year only by the efforts of the department.

“We have given 20 connections in the area this year in the first phase and will provide more connections in the coming days after checking the voltage stability on the power line,” said SS Khan, executive engineer of the electricity distribution division, Bageshwar.

For the aged residents of these villages, this is a dream come true as they have never thought that one day they will see electric bulbs in their villages lighting their houses.

Diwali celebrated with gaiety, fervour
Tribune News Service

Girls enjoy themselves on Diwali in Dehradun on Wednesday. Tribune photos

Dehradun, October 27
The festival of Diwali was celebrated in the state with religious fervour and gaiety yesterday. In Dehradun city, all commercial establishments and houses were lit up to celebrate the festival.

Prominent city roads, Paltan Bazaar, Rajpur road, Chakrata road were jam-packed with visitors till late evening.

Uttarakhand BJP state office at the Balbir road in Dehradun was decorated with flowers.

Chief Minister BC Khanduri, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister BS Koshiyari, BJP leader Ravindra Jugran were among those who were present at the BJP office to celebrate the festival.

Senior Congress Leader Suryakant Dhasmana celebrated Diwali at Karanpur, which was attended by a large number of people. People from other communities also joined in the celebrations.

Meanwhile, to monitor pollution levels, the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board had set up three ambient air stations at the Clock Tower, Nehru Colony and Raipur Road in Dehradun city.

Mobile vans fitted with sound-level meters recorded the noise levels at different locations across the city.

CEC gives techno-economic clearance to Vyasi project
Tribune News Service

Dehradun , October 27
As a Diwali gift to Uttarakhand, the Central Electricity Authority (CEC) has given its techno-economic clearance for the 120 MW Vyasi hydroelectric project on the Yamuna river. The clearance came to the state government on the eve of Diwali.

Work on the construction of the Vyasi hydroelectric project by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) is expected to start soon with the clearance.

The Vyasi-Lakwar hydroelectic projects have been hanging fire for the past two decades. Both projects were initially given to the Irrigation Department in 1979 but later, after the formation of the state, the projects were given to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation to prepare a detailed project report.

However, after the BJP came to power in the state in 2007 and following an agitation by environmentalist G D Agarwal to stop all hydroelectric projects on the Bhagirathi due to the sentiments of Hindus, the state government stopped work on the Palamenri and Bhaironghati projects on the Bhagirathi. The Union Government also stopped work on the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala hydroelectric project being built by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

These developments gave a blow to the ambition of the state to produce 10,000 MW from hydroelectric projects in the state within a decade. Looking for projects on rivers other than the Ganga, the state government decided to take over the 120 MW Vyasi hydroelectric project from the NHPC. It was the then Chief Minister, BC Khanduri, who laid the foundation stone of the project on February 2009.

It was decided that 120 MW capacity would be built by the state-owned UJVNL and the 300 MW Lakhwar project would be given to the NHPC.

It was in June 2008 that environmentalist Agarwal started his indefinite fast at Uttarkashi to demand a complete ban on hydroelectric projects between Gangotri and Uttarkashi to save the Bhagirathi from decay.

By that time the Maneri-Bhali (Phase I and II) projects on the Bhagirathi had been completed and the National Thermal Power Corporation was building the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala project.

The state government had also started work on the Pala Maneri project and was in the process of starting work on the Bhairon Ghati project on the Bhagirathi.

With pressure from Hindu organisations, particularly the VHP, mounting, the state BJP government decided to shelve the Pala Maneri and Bhairon Ghati projects on June 30, 2008.

Agarwal suspended his fast with the Centre constituting an experts’ group to give suggestions keeping in mind the religious sanctity of the river.The group reportedly suggested that 16 cumecs of water should flow on the river-bed at all times.

However, Agarwal, who had raised doubts about the experts’ group, resumed his fast in Delhi on January 13, 2009, demanding a ban on the Lohari Nagpala project.

With the 2009 Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the UPA government decided to suspend work on the Lohari Nagpala project on February 21 as it did not want to antagonise the right-wing Hindu organisations at such a juncture. Finally in 2010, the Union Government decided to dismantle the project.

But this came has a major setback to the state government that had planned projects producing more than 10,000 mw of hydropower on the Bhagirathi.

The state government then decided to take back the Lakhwar Vyasi project from the NHPC that had prepared a detailed project report, following the suspension of work on the two projects on the Bhagirathi.

The Vyasi dam is to be built by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited, a state government enterprise, at a cost of nearly Rs 1,000 crore. The project is expected to produce 438.38 million units of power annually. 

First DM to visit remote Namik village in 51 yrs
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 27
Rajesh Kumar has became the first District Magistrate of Pithoragarh to visit Namik village, the remotest village situated at a height of 2,600 m in Munsiyari subdivision, since the creation of the district in 1960.

“It was a tough time reaching the village,” said Rajesh Kumar after returning from the village.

The District Magistrate held a meeting with villagers and asked them about the problems being faced by them so that it could be solved by the district administration. “Namik is known as a migration village as its residents come to lower valleys for six months of the winter season,” said the DM. It is for the first time that any District Magistrate has visited the far-flung village in 51 years.

The District Magistrate said: “The village can be self-sufficient in agriculture production as its residents grow potatoes and rajma. However, they cannot sell their produce in the market due to the absence of a road to the village.” He said as the village was only 17 km away from the world famous Namik Glacier, it could become one of the best tourist spots.

The District Magistrate said it would take another five years to construct a road linking the village to the rest of the areas.

He further said medical facilities in the village were also in poor condition as villagers had to cover a distance of 28 km to get treatment for even a small problem. The condition of other facilities like electricity and education is also not good. There is only one primary school in the village. To get higher education, they had to go to other areas, he added.

Khanduri accuses Central Govt of discrimination
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 27
Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri today criticised the Central Government's move to bypass Uttarakhand while making an announcement for the allocation of funds for 21 textile parks among states all over the country.

Khanduri took serious note of the Centre's move to exclude Uttarakhand from the list of states which benefited by the allocation of the textile parks.

Calling it a discriminatory move by the Central Government, the Chief Minister said that while a majority of the UPA-ruled states had been given the lion’s share of the allocation of textile parks, Uttarakhand, which had meagre sources of employment, had been left in the lurch by the Centre.

Khanduri sought an explanation from the Prime Minister for this discriminatory attitude towards his government.

Khanduri expressed anguish over the fact that the Central Government had withdrawn the industrial package given to Uttarakhand in 2010. The package was to be continued till 2013.

By abruptly withdrawing the package, the Centre had shown its lopsided attitude and gross discrimination, alleged Khanduri.

He warned that if the step-motherly attitude of the UPA government continued, the day was not far off when the state of Uttarakhand, already afflicted with abject poverty and unemployment, would turn into a "state of barren land with a meagre source of employment."

Gangotri shrine closed for winter
Tribune News Service

An inside view of the temple. File photos

Dehradun, October 27
The portals of Gangotri, one of the four Char Dham shrines, were today closed for pilgrims for the winter season.

A large number of pilgrims today queued up for the last darshan of “akhand jyoti”. The shrine was closed at 12.45 pm amid the recitation of vedic mantras. The idol of Goddess Ganga has been taken to a nearby village, Mukhba, where it will be worshipped during the winter.

The Gangotri shrine is closed every year in October-November and reopens in April-May as the area remains snowbound.

Another Char Dham shrine, Yamunotri, will be closed for the winter season tomorrow.

Sabha observes Vishwakarma Day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 27
The Ramgaria Sabha observed the 51st Vishwakarma Day in Dehradun today. A function to mark the occasion was held at Ramgaria Bhawan at Patelnagar, Dehradun. The function started with the bhog of akhand path, followed by recitation of shabads by Bhai Pritam Singh.

Head granthi, Guru Singh Sabha, Bhai Buta Singh dwelt at length on the life and teachings of Baba Vishwakarma.

Coordinating the proceedings, Kartar Singh said the Vishwakarma was the creator of the universe and added that the working classes worship their tools and machines on the Vishwakarma Day.

Sewa Singh Matharu, secretary, Ramgaria Sabha, said the sabha would organise a free health camp on January next year, adding that the sabha had been organising such camps at regular intervals.

A mass feasting was also organised to mark the occasion.

Ramgaria Sabha’s vice-president PS Kundi, jathedar Dilip Singh, treasurer Surjeet Singh, Santokh Singh, Baldev Singh, Rajendra Singh Raja, Kartar Singh and Balvinder Singh were among those who present.

Khuntia appointed co-in charge of state Cong
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 27
RC Khuntia, MP from Orissa, has been appointed co-in charge of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC).

Birender Singh, AICC general secretary, in charge of Uttarakhand affairs, in a statement said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had appointed Khuntia his co-in charge for the coming Assembly elections in the state.

Earlier, Bhagat Charan Dass, a senior leader, was co-in charge of the party. After his removal, the AICC had appointed Anees Ahmed, Parveen Rashtripal and RC Khuntia as co-in charge for Uttarakhand.

Khuntia was earlier also co-in charge of the Uttarakhand Congress.

Birender Singh hoped that his induction would help strengthen the party in the state. 

LAYING OF RISHIKESH-KARNPRAYAG RLY TRACK
Nod to project a historic initiative of Centre: MP
Tribune News Service

Satpal Maharaj, Lok Sabha MP from Pauri Garhwal, addresses a press conference in Dehradun on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, October 27
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Affairs and Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj said today that the nod to the laying of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway track was a historic initiative of the Central Government.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi would lay the foundation stone of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway track on November 5.

Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters here, he recalled that Sonia Gandhi had always maintained a close relationship with Uttarakhand, particularly Garhwal. He said after the coming up of the railway track, the state would head towards unprecedented development.

He said various projects like the start of Ramnagar-Haridwar Link Express, the setting up of computerised reservation centres in Kedarnath, Gwaldam and Karanprayag were in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, he accused the state government of adopting a negative attitude towards development schemes. 

SSB guerrillas to relaunch agitation
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 27
Irked over “fake” assurances of political leaders to accept their three-point charter of demands, guerrillas of the Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) have decided to relaunch their statewide agitation. The decision was taken at a meeting held at Didihat today.

Gambhir Singh Chauhan, president of the local unit of the organisation, said for the past five years, the organisation had been demanding the adjustment of able-bodied volunteers in the SSB, the pension facility and compensation to those who died working as SSB volunteers.

He said last month the Uttarakhand Government had given an assurance to them that it would adjust guerrillas in governments departments. However, no such government order had been been issued so far, he added.

Chauhan further said: “We will restart our agitation just before the state Assembly election if our demands are not fulfilled.”

The SSB guerrillas have also threatened to boycott the Assembly poll.

They said they would launch a campaign against the state government.

“Our cadre was hoping to get appointment letters before Diwali as the government needs volunteers for the coming Assembly elections. However, by ignoring our demands, the government has made it clear that it is not interested in our case,” said Kedar Datt Bhatt, district president of the guerrillas’ organisation.

Ghildhiyal’s birth anniversary celebrations on Nov 30
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 27
The Ramaprasad Ghildhiyal Paharee Foundation will organise the birth anniversary celebrations of eminent litterateur Ramaprasad Ghildhiyal popularly known as “Paharee” on November 30.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Sanjay Kothiyal, who is the convener of the event, said the main function of the birth anniversary celebrations would be held at the Guru Nanak Niwas in Dehradun on November 30.

Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will be the chief guest on the occasion.

He said former news editor of Doordarshan Rajendra Dhasmana would be the special guest.

Kothiyal said five literary personalities and five journalists would be honoured during the celebrations.

The persons who will be honoured for their contribution to literature were Lalita Vaishnav, Himanshu Joshi, Ballabh Dobhal, Laksham Singh Batrohi and B Mohan Negi.

As of journalists, Dayanand Anant, Narendra Jamloki, Harbachan Singh, Vinod Kumar Goyal and Radhakrishan Vaishav will also be honoured by the foundation.

Born at Sringar Garhwal in Uttarakhand on August 1, 1911, eminent litterateur and journalist Ramaprasad Ghildhiyal has three novels, 19 short stories, five compilations and 18 children stories to his credit.

He also worked with some of the leading newspapers in the country before settling down in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Ghildhiyal passed away on October 30, 1997.