Discontent over distribution of portfolios
CM, Arya deny differences
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 2
There is no end to the troubles of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna as some of his ministerial colleagues are unhappy at the distribution of portfolios. Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today personally went to the residence of Yashpal Arya, state Congress chief and Cabinet Minister, who was reported unhappy at not been given departments of his choice.

Arya had gone underground and returned his official vehicle in protest against being ignored for the past two days. Bahuguna, after a meeting with Arya at his residence, persuaded him to come to secretariat with him. Arya has been given the charge of Revenue and Land Management, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Irrigation, Rural Engineering Services, Flood Control ,Watershed Management and Cooperatives Departments.

However, later talking to media persons, Chief Minister Bahuguna and Arya denied any differences. Arya explained that he had gone out of the city on a personal programme and had decided to go in a private vehicle as he was going with his family. Bahuguna also denied reports of differences in his ministry on portfolio distribution and termed it as “media creation.”

Meanwhile, another senior Cabinet Minister Indira Hariydesh has objected to the distribution of departments amongst the ministers. She complained that Harish Chander Durgapal, an Independent legislator who has been made a minister, has not been given portfolios as per his seniority. “While other Independents have been given more responsibilities, Harish Chander Durgapal has been ignored and given less important departments,” she said.

Indira Hariydesh said that she has complained to Chief Minister Bahuguna on the matter. It was learnt that Dinesh Aggarwal, another confidant of Union Minister Harish Rawat, is also unhappy on not getting the departments of his choice.

UKD chief extends support to govt
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 2
With Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna facing opposition in almost every step he is taking both from Congress legislators and alliance partners, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) has announced full support to the newly elected state government, so that it completes its five-year term sucessfully.

UKD central chief Trivendra Singh Panwar said his party had extended full support to the Congress government for the overall development of the state. He expressed happiness over to allocation of Cabinet portfolio to the party's lone minister in the Cabinet Pritam Singh Panwar.

On the party's defeat in the recently held Assembly elections, Panwar said if the then UKD state minister Diwakar Bhatt had agreed to withdraw support from the BJP, the party would have gained immensely in the elections.

He further said showing good performance in the coming Zila Panchayat elections was the main aim of the party. He called upon party workers to strengthen the party cadre in all 13 districts of the state.

Uday Ram Semwal, party secretary, Haridwar, said a mass-scale party induction drive would be carried out.

Later, a meeting of party leaders was held at the Damkoti state guest house which was presided over by Panwar, wherein the party's performance in the Assembly elections was reviewed. A panel was also formed to appoint the executive working committee in all districts of the state.

Pact for second tranche of tourism plan inked
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 2
The Government of India, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the states of Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu have signed a $43.84 million loan agreement for the second tranche of the Infrastructure Development Investment Programme for Tourism.

The agreement aims at enhancing the tourism environment in the two states with a view to draw an increased volume of national and international tourists.

According to a Union Finance Ministry spokesperson in Delhi, “The programme was approved in 2010 for $250 million as multi-tranche financing facility to assist in developing the tourism-related infrastructure in the four participating states- Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu. The first tranche for $43.42 million involving the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh is under implementation.”

The objective of tranche-II under the investment programme is the construction of tourist facilities through the improvement of urban infrastructure and connectivity to the tourist attractions in the participating states of Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu.

The programme will promote the sustainable development of tourism with a provision of levying appropriate fees or user charges to pursue the cost recovery.

The loan portion of Tamil Nadu would flow back-to-back to the state government while the loan portion of Uttarakhand would flow in the ratio of 90 per cent grant and 10 per cent loan.

According to the spokesperson, the signatories to the agreement, which was signed on Monday, included Venu Rajamony, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Institutions), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on the behalf of the Government of India, ADB Deputy Country Director for India Narhari Rao, Principal Secretary of the Tourism and Culture Department VK Jeyakodi on the behalf of Government of Tamil Nadu and Secretary of the Tourism Department, Government of Uttarakhand, Dr SS Sandhu.

In his address, Rajamony said the project included the development of eco-tourism, tourist support infrastructure and beach resort complex in various cities of Tamil Nadu and development of gardens, fountains and water support facilities along banks of the Ganga canal and adventure tourism centres and tourism support infrastructure in various cities of Uttarakhand.

He further added that upgrading urban infrastructure and improving water supply, sanitation and solid waste management would improve the experience of travellers. He pointed out that the programme would enhance the economic growth and the provision of livelihood opportunities for the local communities, including women, through sustainable development of the tourism infrastructure.

The programme will promote private sector participation through the use of unutilised or underutilised heritage sites and buildings along with the promotion of adventure and eco-tourism.

Show-cause notices to Cong rebels
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 2
The Uttarakhand Congress Disciplinary Committee today issued show cause notices to 27 erring party leaders.

Announcing about the notices, party spokesman Dhirendra Pratap, Secretary, State Congress Disciplinary Committee, said, “These party leaders had violated discipline in the recent assembly elections and worked against the official party candidates.”

“It is in continuation of party action against the anti-party activities of certain leaders. It may be recalled that on March 31, 2012, 36 party leaders were served notices and asked to reply with in 15 days.

Meanwhile, Pratap disclosed that complaints had been received against Deep Sharma and Mahavir Rawat, who had fought against party candidates in Rishikesh and Haridwar rural constituency and as they were already expelled from the party, no new show-cause notices had been served against them.

He also said the next meeting of the State Disciplinary Committee would be held on April 17, 2012, which would review the party scenario in the light of the recently concluded Assembly session.

Protest against 'fraud' appointments by HNB varsity
Doon colleges wear deserted look
Annual exams postponed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 2
The degree colleges of Dehradun affiliated to Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University witnessed a deserted look as the university’s annual examinations that were about to begin from today got postponed due to the massive strike of teaching as well as non-teaching staff at the university, Srinagar.

Alleging the involvement of HNB Garhwal University’s administration in the fraudulent process of appointment against the vacant five posts of Assistant Registrar and Public Relation Officer, a large number of candidates who had appeared in the recruitment test along with staff and students of the university staged demonstrations, took out a protesting march and gheraod the Vice Chancellor’s office.

A large number of protestors participated in the demonstration and seized the university office at Srinagar, Garhwal, while the officials fled from their offices to save their skin.

According to Pradeep Mohan Saklani, president, Garhwal University Teachers Association: “The Vice Chancellor of the university is totally involved in the appointment of their favourites on the posts and for opting for the strangest kind of appointment process for the single post of PRO.”

“During the recent recruitment test, the candidates were asked to write their names on the answer books so that they could be identified for appointment by the evaluators. They were asked to type press notes on the computer and printouts were attached to the answersheets. On the admit card for recruitment test, there was neither the name nor photograph nor the Roll No of the candidates so that ‘Munna Bhais’ could easily be accommodated,” he accused.

The other series of controversies, including retrospective sessions of B.Ed. courses, forged marksheets of a professor along with the irregularities in the admit cards and marksheets of students that happened recently, have fuelled the anger of the protesters.

Controversy over move to set up HC bench in Garhwal
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 2
The issue pertaining to the reported announcement by Cabinet minister Indira Hridayesh on the setting up of a High Court bench in Garhwal is gradually snowballing into a controversy.

The legal fraternity appears to be vertically split on the issue with some of the advocates opposing the move while others supporting it by keeping mum.

The Bar Association has held two meetings on the issue and the third one is slated to be convened on April 9. The issue continues to be debated heatedly. Those opposing the move spoke out their point of view at the thinly attended general house convened by the association on Monday.

The speakers pointed out that the government move did not augur well with the spirit of the creation of a small state like Uttarakhand. They also pointed out that it would reduce the stature of the High Court. Some of the speakers even talked of filing a criminal complaint against the minister saying that the step would be illegal as the government has no right to set up benches of the High Court. However, it was also underlined that the consent of the majority of the lawyers be taken before any such step is taken so that the “opportunists” do not side with the government on the issue in the hope of being appointed government counsels.

One of the speakers, Syed Nadeem Moon, underlined that demands for the creation of benches at Agra and Meerut were raised in the erstwhile state of Uttar Pradesh. He said, “If small benches are created, the validity and importance of the High Court gets reduced.”

He pointed out that there is no issue of high pendency of cases in case of Uttarakhand. He claimed that the pendency has come down from 45,000 at the time of the creation of the state to 16,000 at present. “If it has to go, let the entire High Court go. Such a step will only encourage concepts like a state of Kumaon, a state of Garhwal, a state of plains and a state of the hills. The proposal is not good and is not in the interest of Uttarakhand.”

A senior advocate, AD Tripathi, while taking a more rational view of the matter suggested, “There are 1,000 members of the Bar Association. All of them should be called. It is a constitutional matter that needs to be addressed constitutionally.

Water crisis: Villagers stage dharna in Pithoragarh
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 2
The drinking water crisis has deepened in the rural areas of the district and villagers have started coming to the district headquarters to lodge their complaints about the shortage of drinking water.

The residents from Sirkuch village on the Nepal border today staged a dharna here demanding repair of the drinking water pipes due to which more than 3,000 residents of four villages have been facing severe water crisis in the area for one year.

“Some of the families from these villages have shifted to a nearby town as the regular supply of drinking water is available there,” said Parvati Chand, gram pradhan of the village.

According to the villagers, pipes for the drinking water supply had been damaged by contractors during constructing a road. The villagers now have to depend on a natural source to get water only for cooking purpose. “To wash their clothes, some of the villagers have to travel to a source 6 km from the village,” said the gram pradhan.

Villagers of Valthi in the Munsiyari area have also complained to the administration of the unavailability of drinking water as the department has installed old and leaking pipes in the name of repairing of the pipes which used to supply water to their villages.

“The department has installed old pipes in the 7-km Ringu-Chilkor drinking water scheme, and due to this 2,500 residents of Balthi, Ringu and Chilkot villages have not been getting drinking water for last one month,” said Govind Singh Dhami, a local social worker.

In Champawat district, some localities of the town and adjoining villages are facing severe water crisis after the water tank situated at Kharakarki could not supply water to them as it becomes empty in one hour instead of one-and-a-half hours. “Due to drying of the sources, the 60 kilo litres capacity tank at Kharkarki is now providing 20 litres of water per minute,” said a Jal Sansthan source.

Governor holds meeting with IG to discuss jail reforms
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 2
Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva held a meeting with Principal Secretary (Home) and IG (Prisons) at the Raj Bhavan today.

The Action Taken Report based on the directions given by the Governor during her recent tours of Almora, Haldwani, Haridwar and Sudhhowala (in Dehradun) jails was assessed by the Governor at the meeting.

The meeting also discussed the arrangements being made by the department to implement the Governor's directions to set up a visitors' board, provide free legal help to prisoners, hold regular camps for legal assistance, have psychiatrists and counsellors visit the prisoners frequently and provide yoga, moral education and vocational training to young prisoners.

The meeting also deliberated on the filling of vacant posts in prisons on a priority basis and building an ideal women's jail.

Principal Secretary (Home), DK Kotia, said that a project report would be soon presented regarding these issues. The Governor also gave necessary instructions and suggestions regarding the development of Almora jail as a heritage site, sending prisoners of other states back to their respective states, running vocational courses in jails through the Uttarakhand Open University and arranging for the marketing of products made by prisoners. She also said that aged and ill prisoners should be released or allowed to go out on parole.

Present at the meeting were Principal Secretary to the Governor, Ashok, Additional Secretary to the Governor, Sachin Kurve, Additional Secretary (Home) Meenakshi Sundaram, IG (Prisons), Bhaskaranand Joshi, and Joint Secretary (Home) JP Joshi.

Animal sacrifices on despite alert administration
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 2
Taking a cue from the directions of the Uttarakhand High Court on the restriction on the sacrifice of animals at religious places, the Didihat administration has saved a buffalo which has been brought for sacrifice at Kalika temple at Dunagiri on the occasion of Ram Navmi and forced the devotees to leave the animal in the forest.

“On getting information that villagers of Kuria, Panthpal and Hunera have planned to sacrifice five animals at the temple, we reached the spot and persuaded the villagers not to sacrifice the buffalo as the court has restricted it. After finding the administration tough on the stand, the villagers agreed and left the buffalo in a nearby forest,” said BL Rana, SDM, Didihat.

The SDM said as the villagers had already sacrificed four animals, his team had to fight tough to persuade them to abandon the fifth sacrifice. “The villagers complained that due to interference of the administration, their traditional worship of devi has remained incomplete,” said the SDM.

The sub-divisional administration of Dharchula failed to save the lives of 10 buffaloes which were sacrificed at the temple of Kokila Devi at Baram a day before on Ashtami.

“Despite the instruction of the administration, the locals sacrificed 18 buffaloes and more than 100 goats at the Hokra Devi temple in Munsiyari a day before, but our team was fully alert at Didihat,” said the SDM.

On the occasion of Ram Navmi, more than 20,000 devotees paid their obeisance at Purnagiri temple at Tanakpur in Champawat district. “On the occasion of Navratra, nearly 3 lakh devotees had visited the Purnagiri temple from all over the country and from the far western districts of Nepal,” said Prema Pandey, chairperson of Champawat Zila panchayat, the organiser of the three-month fair at Purnagiri which began on March 10.

Officials must attend panchayat meetings, says DM
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 2
District Magistrate, Almora, DS Garbyal has ordered that a department-wise roster be prepared for every block and attendance of department officials be ensured at panchayat meetings that are held to address the problems of the masses.

Garbyal issued this order at a meeting last week wherein he underlined that the absence of officials from the panchayat meetings reflected the lack of interest among the officials for the Panchayati Raj system. It also kept the administration in dark about the realities at the ground level that go unreported and hence there was delay in resolving matters pertaining to rural areas.

Garbyal said the officials at the block level must attend these meetings after proper homework. He added that the preparation of a roster well in advance would deter the officials from skipping meetings.

He said the officials, who were unable to attend the meetings due to some reasons, would have to seek permission from his office in writing and convey the same to the panchayat through the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) so that the official next in seniority could attend it.

Garbyal particularly emphasised on proper communication with regard to date, time and venue of panchayat meetings. He said the BDOs would be responsible for sending the list of officials and public representatives, who remained absent at the meetings, to his office within three days of the meeting. This would help in taking action against the erring officials, he added.

The District Magistrate said the officials not following the roster of the meeting would face stern action.

Australian citizen makes people aware of autism
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, April 2
Ian Lahiff, Australian citizen aged around 50, walked on The Mall Road on foot, carrying a placard tied on his chest in support of raising awareness towards a fast-growing disease called autism on the eve of World Autism Day here today. The campaign was carried out under the aegis of a social organiation Arunima situated near Kyarkuli.

According to head of the organisation Aparna Das, Ian Lahiff was working for her organisation to raise awareness on the disease that was spreading its tentacles in India and people had very less knowledge about how it affects the person.

Therefore, it was important to remove any stigmas attached to it and Ian Lahiff was assisting them in raising awareness about the disease today.

She further said that Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children, their families, communities and societies.

According to the UN health reports, one out of every 88 persons was being diagnosed as suffering from the disease. Therefore, it was imperative to raise awareness towards such fatal disease. She also said that her organisation was working in the town towards addressing the problems faced by such patients and at the moment five persons were being treated at the centre run by her In Kyarkuli, near Mussoorie.

UJVNL staff seek fair policy of transfers, postings
Seema Sharma/TNS

Dehradun, April 2
The employees of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) are highly incensed over the list of cities sent by the previous state government to the department, categorising them in one of the two categories, easy or difficult stations. The division of the cities was made to ensure that head of the department (HoD) takes the list into consideration while transferring the employees. Hence, those who have been posted on easy stations for a fixed tenure could be sent to remote stations or vice-versa. But the employees of UJVNL do not agree with the selection of the cities in the given slot.

Rakesh Sharma, acting president of the UJVNL Employees Association, said:" Chilla, which had been enlisted as ‘easy’ station, could be so for the employees of the other departments but not for the employees of UJVNL as Chilla power plant is set up far from the city. It gets surrounded with Bin river on one side and Ghasi Nullah on other side during monsoon and looks like an island. Since there is no facility inm the vicinity, not even of a doctor or chemist shop, one gets stuck in the power plant for four months.”

Kalagarh is another city which has also been categorised as ‘easy station.’ Sharma said one could not stay with his/her family in Kalagarh as the school was situated as far as 28 km away.

He said the letter of the government order (GO) has also authorised the heads of various departments to make changes in the list, if they deemed so. “Managing Director, UJVNL, must himself judge the location of the power plant/barrage/dam in terms of the amenities existing around it and then put it in the slot of ‘easy’ or ‘difficult’,” he said.

He further questioned the transfer or posting policy, saying the list was prepared so that those who had been posted at difficult stations or in far-flung areas or hills could be transferred to the plains or in the main cities after a considerable period of time. But it has been seen that many enjoy the privilege of staying in cities of their choice for many many years whilst some get transferred after every few years or are not shifted from hills, which disturbs their family life, education of their children and future prospectus. This anomaly must be rectified,” he said.