Ganga ghats being misused for washing clothes
Sandeep Rawat/TNS

Haridwar, February 2
Though people throng Haridwar to take a holy dip in the Ganga, most of its ghats are being misused for purposes other than bathing due to the alleged apathy of the administration.

While some ghats are being used for washing and drying clothes or other illegal activities, the administration and Ganga activists, including some saints and politicians, are not concerned about the damage being done to the ghats and also hurt caused to the religious sentiments of the people.

More disheartening is the fact that the clothes being washed at the ghats mainly belong to ashrams, dharamshalas and akahdas, which make a lot of hue and cry and criticise the government on the issue of keeping the Ganga clean. But no one comes forward when the ghats are misused and dirty water gets mixed with the Ganga water at the ghats itself where devotees take a holy dip and perform rituals.

Be it Bhagirathi Point from where the Ganga canal water has been diverted or the Lal Ji Wala ghat, Birla ghat, Jai Ram Ashram ghat, Iyrish Pull gaht or the Jatawada Pull ghat, one can see people washing and drying clothes.

Though in view of Mahakumbh in 2010 the nodal government agency, Ganga Pollution Control Board, had made a permanent dhobhi ghat in the city, it lacked proper maintenance and facilities such as a tin shade and lighting. As the Irrigation Department had not paid electricity bills of a pump house at the dhobi ghat maintained by it, power supply to the pump was snapped, causing inconvenience to washermen. They said if they were provided better facilities at the dhobi ghat, they would wash clothes there only.

Accounts Officer, Municipal Corporation, Bhajan Lal Arya said they would look into the matter after the election results were announced and ensure that the dhobi ghat was used commercially for washing clothes. The people would also be urged not to pollute the Ganga by washing clothes or taking bath by using soap and shampoo at the ghats.

The Teerth Maryada Samiti has decided to hold a protest over the misuse of ghats but due the model code of conduct it deferred the decision till March 6 when the elections results would be announced.

Chief of the samiti Sanjay Chopra said in the past too they had carried out drives and urged the people not to pollute the Ganga by washing clothes or bathing with soaps and other products.

10 candidates surpass EC’s expenditure limit
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 2
The spending limits imposed by the Election Commission not only took the buzz out of electioneering but strict monitoring of election expenditure by the expenditure observers deputed by the Election Commission have found several candidates failing to furnish the exact account of their election expenditure.

A total of ten candidates, who fought from different Assembly seats falling in Dehradun district, have crossed the expenditure limit of 11 lakh set by the Election Commission.

A total of 166 candidates were in the fray from 10 Assembly seats.

Out of these, five candidates belong to the Congres. Top candidates include Dinesh Agarwal of the Congress, who fought the election from the Dharmapur Assembly seat, Congress candidate Hira Singh Bisht from Doiwala, Congress candidate from Sahaspur Aryender Sharma, Congress candidate Nav Prabhat from Vikas Nagar and Umesh Sharma of the Congress, who was in the fray from the Raipur Assembly seat.

BJP candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who fought the election from the Doiwala Assembly seat, also exceeded the ceiling limit of Rs 11 lakh, and so did BJP candidate from the Raipur assembly seat Trivender Singh Rawat.

Interestingly, while submitting his election expenditure, BJP candidate Ganesh Joshi from Mussoorie had reported election expenditure of Rs 4.50 lakh, while the expenditure observers of the Election Commission put the estimates at Rs 9.17 lakh.

Even the Congress candidate from Mussoorie Jot Singh Ghansola submitted expenditure at Rs 5.05 lakh, while the Election Commission observers put it at Rs 5.30 lakh.

“We have issued notices to all candidates who exceeded the ceiling limit. The candidates were shown video recordings of the meetings that they had failed to enlist in their expenditure,” said Radha Raturi, state chief electoral officer. 

Lack of Basic Facilities
100 families leave village in Pungrau valley
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, February 2
More than 100 families of Chausala village in the Pungrau valley of Berinag subdivision of the district have migrated to the Terai area or metro cities permanently in the last 20 years due to hardships they have to face in the absence of educational and health facilities and rugged terrain.

Villagers of the fertile Pungrau valley did not migrate at once. They had been highlighting their problems and had even launched a movement for a road to their village and basic educational and health facilities. But when the administration paid no heed to their demands, they decided to migrate to big cities. “Some of us waited till a separate state of Uttarakhand was created hoping that then we would get facilities, but to no avail,” said Darpan Singh, a native of Chausala village who is now settled in Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar.

“Twenty years ago, more than 400 families lived in Chausala village. Of these 100 families have shifted to Khatima, Haldwani, Dehradun and Lucknow and 25 families are in the process of shifting from the village,” said Pushpa Devi, a villager.

According to Chausala villagers, in the absence of a road to the village their children could not take education beyond Class X as the nearest intermediate college was located 7 km away. “The successive governments are responsible for the migration of people from the village, because they did not provide road, educational and medical facilities to the villagers, forcing them to shift,” said Pravin singh , a young social worker in the village.

“We do not like to leave the land of our ancestors, as we are emotionally attached to it. But when basic facilities of education and health are not provided to our children and in the absence of any development works we have to leave our ancestral land,” said Pushpa devi.

The villagers complained that even 11 years after the creation of Uttarakhand state, basic facilities of road, health and school had not been provided in the village and its condition remained the same as was before the creation of the state. “Those who are in a position to leave the village are lucky ones as their future generations will be benefited by their decision to migrate,” said Jaswant Singh, an elder of the village.

Rs 52.16 lakh seized during poll campaign
Tribune News Service

Nainital, February 2
Cash to the tune of Rs 52.16 lakh was recovered from various persons during the election campaign across Kumaon. Reports say that a majority of the persons from whom this cash was recovered were able to prove that it was meant for their personal use and not for election purposes.

Sources say that the money has been deposited in the suspense account of the Income Tax Department. It is learnt that the persons from whom the cash had been recovered were given a chance to come clear on the purpose for which a huge amount of money was being carried by them.

Reports say that of the total money that was recovered, Rs 39 lakh were recovered from Ramnagar, Rs 6.54 lakh from Bageshwar, Rs 3.16 lakh from Gangolihat and Rs 3.46 lakh from Rudrapur.

The strict vigil ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the poll campaign did yield positive results. However, the blanket vigil could not be maintained.

As reported earlier, a large number of miscreants had used vehicles with ‘advocate’ or ‘press’ written on them for the transportation of liquor and cash meant to attract the voters.

Meanwhile, a trade that was worst hit while the campaign was on was the property trade. Ever since the model code of conduct came into implementation with the announcement of polls in the state, the transactions related to property matters had nose-dived.

The prime reason attributed to this phenomenon was the strict implementation of norms with regard to carrying large amount of cash while the poll campaign was on.

It is a well-known fact that in property matters, those selling land or constructed buildings prefer to have the payment partly in cash and partly by cheque to save on the stamp duty and other applicable fee for the transaction. With the officials nabbing several persons who were found carrying cash with them on the pretext of the poll code norms, the purchasers and sellers had decided to postpone the transaction for a convenient date when the new government takes over.

Reports from Haldwani pointed out that a dip of about 57 per cent in the land transactions had been recorded in the poll season.

Students relax in the sun instead of attending classes
Tribune News Service

Haridwar February 2
Though just a month is left when the annual examinations of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University commence, students affiliated with this university in Haridwar city seem to be quite relaxed as, instead of attending classes, they are more seen in college grounds sitting in the sun.

Basking in the sun in a relaxed manner, both girls and boys of Shravan Nath Math Jawaharlal Nehru College, either seem to be oblivious of the examination date nearing or seem to be have already done their academic course quite early.

Be it in the morning or at noon when most classes are in their final phase, one can find a majority of students more on the ground than inside the four walls of the classrooms.

Head of the College Union Prerna Kainthola told TNS that in her tenure so far initially she tried to make sure students sit in the grounds only between class gaps, but when some girl students themselves objected to her initiative, she gave it up.

Though college management also carries out various impromptu check-ups among these students, they point out that it is not feasible every day or every hour to check who is bunking the class or who is waiting for his class timing.

College Principal Navneet Ghildiyal added that in the past two years the attendance register of students in classes has gone up by 75 pc, due to strict adhering of university guidelines keeping in sync with Lyngdoh committee norms.

He further added that a few times one can scold or direct students but students should themselves realise that for their wellbeing and good academic future only, attending classes is imperative and when one is in PG, class punishment is not the viable option as it is in school.

Complaints of outsiders and non-college students also being seen in the college campus ground is now being dealt strictly by the college management, with Navneet Ghildiyal and SK Batra, who is head of college disciplinary committee, impromptu checking the identity cards of all students at the very college gate and within the premises itself.

“Surely, now there is no outsider or anti-social element allowed in the college campus, otherwise in the past years almost every day violence, eve teasing, confrontation between political student outfits and indulgence of outsiders in our college were common problems. But now the college atmosphere has become quite safe and studious,” said Prerna Kainthola, who is an MA final student. 

Arrangements for counting of votes begin
Tribune News Service

Nainital, February 2
The election authorities in Uttarakhand have started making arrangements for the counting of the votes polling for which had taken place on January 30.

Chief Election Officer Radha Raturi has asked all district election officers (DEOs) to make elaborate preparations for the day when the counting is scheduled to take place on March 6.

In a videoconferencing session with the DEOs held this morning, Raturi, with the help of a power point presentation, discussed about the preventive measures that are required to be taken with regard to the counting of the votes for the 70 Assembly seats.

She laid particular stress on the data entry operations that are to be carried out by officials of the Network Information Services (NIS) and those entrusted with the polling duties at the district level.

She underlined that all arrangements be made well on time. She said the personnel who were supposed to be enrolled for the counting of votes needed to be trained for the purpose well on time. Besides this, the computers and printers that were to be used for the counting of votes and the declaration of results must be in proper working order, she said.

All the DEOs have been asked to start making arrangements for the preparation of various data bases and other documents that are required for the counting procedures as per the directions of the Election Commission of India.

The data base pertaining to the electronic voting machines are to be prepared. The DEOs have also been asked to get booklets prepared with regard to the details of the polling that took place in various constituencies in their respective districts. The booklets are to be prepared on a priority basis as they are to serve as referral points on several occasions.

Doon Combined victorious
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 2
In a match in the 60th District Cricket League here today, Doon Combined defeated New Indian Star by 176 runs.

Batting first, Doon Combined scored 273 runs losing 5 wickets. Vaibhav scored the highest runs (106) followed by Kamal who scored 89 runs.

However, New Indian Star could only score 97 runs losing all wickets in the process. Ravi of New Indian Star scored 39 runs. Nishant and Manish took 3 wickets each for Doon Combined.

In another match, Diamond Cricket won by 126 runs against DCA. Batting first, Diamond Cricket scored 196 runs. DCA scored 70 runs losing all wickets.  

Woman activist starts stir against sale of govt ration
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 2
A women activist from Haridwar district has started an indefinite agitation against the black-marketing of the ration meant for the poor people through public system, alleging that the food grains meant is not available due to black marketing of the supplies.

The activist, Hema Rawat, perturbed at the black marketing of ration meant for the below poverty line (BPL) people, has started an indefinite agitation alongside Ganga canal in Roorkee. Seeing her agitating for their cause, many people are joining her, particularly the women folk.

Hema laments that the ration mafia has made deep inroads in the public distribution system of food grains and are raking in money while the poor people are left with two options- to buy the food grains from the open commercial market or not buy it at all.

“Black marketing of the ration is not only depriving poor people of their right but also exposed the loopholes in this public distribution system. The government and the concerned authorities should look into the matter and take stern action against the culprit. Till then, my agitation will continue and they are with me in the mission,” said Hema.

She also added that despite repeated complaints against the black-marketing to the food and supplies department as well as the district administration, no concrete step has been taken, which has only upped this illegal trade and also alleged of nexus between the Fair price shop managers and the black- marketing mafia.

“The poor are getting poorer and are being denied the rights like subsidised availability of food ration. We are with her as we feel that she is raising the voice of the poor and suppressed community,” said Zeenat, a civil line minority resident.