Schools in district facing govt apathy 
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 22
The poor condition of government primary schools in the district justifies the statement of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in which he condemned these schools and recommended their closure.

On the ground level, these primary schools provide basic education to the poor, OBC, slum children and neglected section of the society free of cost.

After inspection of six primary schools in Haridwar, lack of infrastructure, cleanliness and apathy of government have come to light.

BHEL Primary School is one such example.

The school building is in a dilapidated condition, with windows broken, fans out of order, electricity connection in a few rooms with many students getting electric shock due to open wires, no toilet for teachers, grass growing inside the classrooms and no furniture for students.

School principal Shashi Bala told TNS that despite repeated complaints to education officials, no heed has been paid to the school’s condition, though a meager amount of Rs 5000 was provided to the school for maintenance, which is quite less considering the requirements.

“On many occasions, we (staff members) have on our own collected money for whitewash of the staff room, repaired a door of a class and got water connection repaired but it was defunct again,” said Shashi Bala, while showing the ill condition of the school.

She also said the school couldn’t celebrate Republic Day as sewer water of a nearby colony got accumulated during the rains, while a hand pump installed on the school premises has also been lying defunct for months.

School teachers Vivek Sharma, Shipra, Poonam Singh, Anulata, Seema and Manisha Arora pointed out that it's not easy to teach students as the fear that the building could cave in any time gripped them.

Similarly, at Laksar Primary School, the condition was same, with no toilets and water supply and filth accumulating on the school premises. Pushpa Rani Verma, district officer, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, said as the problems these schools were facing brought to her notice, she would take up this matter with the higher authorities.

Though she pointed out that the government was providing free education, free books, free dresses and even scholarships to OBC/SC/ST students, a large number of students were availing educational benefits from these primary schools and their number was increasing in almost every school due to quality education being provided.

Other primary schools such as Kanya Junior school, BHEL, and primary school at Dhanauri, Roorkee, also were in a poor condition with both students and teachers living in sub-standard conditions at these schools, owing to neglect by the Education Department and the government.

Power supply restored to Har-ki-Pauri 
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 22
For the first time in recent years, world famous Brahm Kund, Har-ki-Pauri, remained in dark, due to Power Coporation's extreme step of cutting the electricity connections to this place due to non-payment of bills by the Ganga Sabha on Tuesday.

This step was taken after repeated reminders by the Power Corporation, the Ganga Sabha, which manages the daily affairs at Har-ki-Pauri proceedings, failed to make the pending amount of Rs 72 lakh as power bills.

Executive officer of the Power Corporation Rakesh Kumar said the power connectivity was restored since yesterday at Har-Ki-Pauri and adjacent ghats on the directions of the District Magistrate.

Initially, Ganga Sabha executive members tried to enlighten the sanctum sanctorum with the help of generators but when they failed to do so for longer time, they approached district administrative officials and political leaders to intervene into this matter.

Though sabha members have now sought additional time for timely payment of the electricity bill, the corporation has decided to provide constant supply of power at Har-Ki-Pauri.

Power Ministry honours UPCL 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 22
The Union Electricity Authority and the Power Ministry felicitated Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL ) with Transmission Availability Award in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Managing Director, UPCL, AK Jain received the gold medal. Jain congratulated all officers and employees of the corporation for their excellent teamwork. 

150 years of ASI 
x-archaeologists honoured for their contribution 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 22
On the 150th anniversary of the Archaeological Survey of India, Governor Margaret Alva today honoured former archaeologists Dr Rakashpal Singh, DP Puri, RR Jaiswal, RK Gangahar, RS Panwar and LP Thapliyal for their valuable contribution made in the field of archaeology.

Dr Rakashpal Singh, who joined the ASI in 1965, was instrumental in preserving the temples in Angkor Wat and group of temples in Cambodia. It was due to his efforts that UNESCO finally listed Angkor Wat the world heritage site.

DD Puri was also honoured for his contributions in the field of archaeology, RR Jaiswal, chemical analyst who retired in 1989, also made invaluable contribution in the preservation of paintings at the Ajanta caves in Maharashtra.

RS Panwar, who retired from the ASI in 1990, was also honoured for his contribution in restoration work carried out in Afghanistan. 

7 Rawat loyalists to take oath soon
Congress has refused to bow to MLAs’ demand for Cabinet berth
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 22
Seven Congress MLAs from Almora Parliamentary constituency, who have not taken the oath as legislators, are likely to do so in a day or two as the Congress high command has refused to bow to their demand of Cabinet berths for senior party MLAs from the region, according to Congress party sources.

“We have been given signals to reach Dehradun to take the oath before March 26 as Harish Rawat does not want to create any harassment for the party government in the state,” said a senior MLA from New Delhi.

The newly elected Congress members belonging to the Harish Rawat camp are absent from their Assembly constituencies after being elected and have been lodged at different places in New Delhi.

Out of eight Congress MLAs won from the constituency, MLA Madan Singh Bisht from the Dwarahat seat has taken the oath in the Assembly. Seven belonging to the Harish Rawat camp are still camping in New Delhi to strike a deal before the start of the state Assembly session on March 26.

“All MLAs have been kept in different hotels in New Delhi till a deal to please the Rawat loyalists gets finalised as Harish Rawat has been facing pressure from these MLAs to get them top posts in the government if not Cabinet berth,” said the source.

According to the source, except four MLAs, Mayukh Singh Mahar from Pithoragarh, Narayan Ram from Gangolihat, Manoj Tiwari from Almora and Hemesh Kharkwal from Champawat, other MLAs are following the instructions of Rawat and Almora MP Pradeep Tamta in this connection.

“Out of these senior MLAs, Mayukh Singh Mahar has been offered the deputy chairmanship of the State Planning Commission and Narayan Ram was offered the post of parliamentary secretary attached with the Chief Minister which they have reportedly rejected,” said the source.

“We are not in mood to bring more harassment for the party high command and likely to take the oath before 26,“ said one of the legislators.

According to the sources close to Congress rebel Harish Rawat, the camp is a disappointed as only a few demands have been accepted by the high command.

“The deal is still being negotiated with the senior leaders of the Congress to make the Bahuguna government stable and last for five years," said the sources.

One of the Congress MLAs from Almora Parliamentary constituency has resented that only Almora has been kept out of the Cabinet despite having senior and able Congress members winning from the area.

“It is a sort of inflicting pain on the members, supporting Harish Rawat in his just cause as he has been deceived by the Congress high command second time after 2002, when ND Tiwari was made the Chief Minister despite the election was fought under the leadership of Harish Rawat," said the Congress MLA.

We have been given signals to reach Dehradun to take the oath before March 26 as Harish Rawat does not want to create any harassment for the party government in the state. — A senior MLA from New Delhi

All MLAs have been kept in different hotels in New Delhi till a deal to please the Rawat loyalists gets finalised. Harish Rawat has been facing pressure from these MLAs to get them top posts in the government, if not Cabinet berth. — Sources

Central Govt to promote tourism in Uttarakhand
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 22
The Union Tourism Ministry will prepare the road map for the development of the tourism in the state.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who met Union Tourism Minister Subhodh Kant Sahay at his residence in New Delhi, urged the Union Minister to formulate a big project around the Tehri lake and the surrounding sites to promote tourism and employment generation in the region. This project would also not spoil the environment, he stressed. While advocating for the promotion of tourism in Tehri, he said the lake could emerge as a mega tourism destination in the world.

In a congregation held with Tourism Ministers of various states of North India at Narender Nagar in Rishikesh in April last year, Sahay had proposed to give Rs 250 crore for the development of infrastructure in and around the Tehri lake.

Bahuguna said the state had a vast potential for the development of spiritual, adventure and eco-tourism in the state for which the state government would make big investment in this sector. 

Uncle held for raping minor
Gets seven-day judicial remand
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 22
Jagat Singh, uncle of a 15-year-old girl, has been arrested on the charge of raping her. The girl delivered a baby boy in Pithoragarh district hospital on March 18, Gangolihat administration sources said here today.

SDM, Gangolihat, Prakash Chandra Dumka said Jagat Singh repeatedly raped the girl in remote Surkhal village falling under Gangolihat subdivision of the district. After the girl became pregnant, he abandoned her and refused to own the child. “The girl told her mother about her relationship with her uncle. Her mother lodged an FIR with the Gangolihat police, which arrested Jagat Singh on March 19,” said the SDM.

“The girl delivered a baby boy in the Pithoragarh hospital on March 18, but no relative came forward to take her home. Therefore, we have informed the police to ensure her safety. We are also in contact with the administration to arrange for the adoption of the newborn, if the mother so desires, and also shelter for the girl if her relatives do not take her back home,” said Nirmala Punetha, Chief Medical Superintendent of the women hospital, Pithoragarh.

The police produced Jagat Singh before the Gangolihat SDM, who remanded him in seven-day judicial custody. 

54 scouts, guides visit Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 22
The scouts and guides of Holy Cross School, Lakshar, are in the city on a training-cum-educational tour.

A group of 54 scouts and guides from this school are imparted training in Haridwar as well as in the forests of Rajaji National Park.

Apart from this, they are also being apprised of the rich religious-spiritual aspect and cultural heritage of the pilgrim city.

Being coordinated by PK Bharagava, the students are also giving social messages like shunning plastic-polythene bags, environmental awareness.

Scouts teacher Tulika Poddar said Haridwar was a perfect place for organising such camps.

Bhawna and Vandana, students, said they, as guides, were taught to help people and be in the service of the nation.

23 states compete in national netball c'ship
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 22
The 24th Junior National Netball Championship today began at Vedic Mohan Ashram ground here.

Twenty three state teams in boys section and 20 in girls section are participating in the championship.

This is for the first time that a national-level netball sporting event has taken place in Haridwar.

Participating teams include Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Odissa, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Assam.

General-Secretary, Netball Federation of India, Hari Om Kaushik, said Haridwar was chosen as the venue to make sure the game gets popular in new regions.

Neelesh Nayak, technical coordinator of the championship, said the selected players from the championship would be representing the ocuntry in the International Junior championship scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka from August 25 to 31.