Villagers have more cellphones than water connections: Census
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
In the last decade, Uttarakhand has shown marked progress in facilities and amenities. A total of 88.69 per cent households in the urban areas of Uttarakhand have drinking water facility and 45.42 per cent households in the rural areas have availability of drinking water.

Equally, 64.80 per cent of the households have mobile phone facility (rural 62.43 per cent and urban 70.40 per cent).

According to the household listing census 2011 on houses, households, amenities and assets for Uttarakhand released on Thursday, the percentage of tap water as source of drinking water has increased from 65.89 per cent in 2001 to 68.22 per cent in 2011.

“The source of drinking water is available on the premises of 58.25 per cent of houses, near the premises of 26.59 per cent of houses and away from 15.15 per cent houses,” said Sneh Lata Agarwal, Director of Census Operations, Uttarakhand.

The use of spring, river, canal, tank, pond, lake and other sources for drinking water has also declined.

Interestingly, while the mobile phone penetration in Uttarakhand has increased manifold, only 3.17 per cent of the houses have landline facility.

“The proportion of households having telephone facility has drastically increased from 9.91 per cent in 2001 to 74.59 per cent in 2011 registering a growth of 847.70 per cent. In absolute terms, it has increased from 1,57,180 households to 14,89,596 households during the same period,” said Mohammed Ahmed, Deputy Director, Directorate of Census Operation of Uttarakhand.

The number of census houses (a census house is a building or part of a building used or recognized as a separate unit) grew by 31.8 per cent from 25,66,282 to 33,83,410 during 2001-2011. The house listing and house census in Uttarakhand was carried out from May 1, 2010, to June, 15, 2010.

Significantly, the percentage of houses reporting concrete as material of roof has significantly increased from 30.71 per cent in 2001 to 43.67 per cent in 2011.

Firewood continues to be used in houses and 63.28 per cent houses in rural and 14.02 per cent in urban areas of Uttarakhand continue to be dependent on firewood as fuel. The percentage of households using electricity as source of lighting has substantially increased from 60.33 in 2001 to 87.04 in 2011.

Only 6,382 households have no lighting in Uttarakhand.

Human scavenging continues

Human scavenging activity continues to be practised in Uttarakhand.

By law removal of night soil activity may have been abolished, but in Haridwar district, night soul is still being removed by humans in 4,701 households.

According to the household census released today, human scavenging is still prevalent in 4,701 households (.36 per cent of the total households having toilet facility inside the houses). Udham Singh Nagar is another district where human scavenging continues to be practised.

Out of a total of 19,98,697 households in Uttarakhand, a total of 3,206 households, mostly in Haridwar district, have reported the removal of night soil by human.

Significantly Surveys undertaken by the state government in 1992, 1997 and 2000 have confirmed the presence of 1,435 manual scavengers in the state, but the Uttarakhand Government has rehabilitated only 404 scavengers. Their presence was reported in districts of Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Pauri, Champawat and Haridwar.

Toilets are available on the premises to 65.77 per cent of households in 2011 as against 45.2 per cent in 2001. So also 34.23 per cent households do not have toilets and 30.67 per cent have no bathing facilities. 

Water

88.69 pc houses in urban areas

45.42 pc houses in rural areas

Mobile Phones

70.40 pc in urban areas

62.43 pc in rural areas

Ban on mining in Bageshwar
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, April 4
Finding several violations of mining and environmental laws in four soft stone mines of Bageshwar district, mining officers have banned mining and supply of soft stones from these mines of the district.

According to the deputy mines controller of the state GC Meena, owners of the mines at Jathakot and Jakhera have been accused of mining from the area from which they have not obtained permission. While lease owners of Baitoli and Shishakhani soft stone mines were find violating environmental laws in operation of mines.

"The people of these villages have also been complaining to the District Magistrate about these violations and inconvenience being caused to them for long. We have taken action after we find illegal soft stone bags last week and banned these mines temporarily," said the mining officer.

Alva for job-oriented courses in state varsities
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva today stressed the need for introducing new job-oriented courses in subjects like environment and agriculture, especially hill agriculture, in state universities to enable the youth to get an education that would hone their traditional skills according to the demands of the market.

She said this would boost the economy of the state while providing emplyment to the people. The Governor was speaking at a meeting of Vice-Chancellors of various state universities that she chaired at Raj Bhavan.

She said for young people living in the remote areas of the state, distance education should be strengthened by the universities. She also said new universities in the state should be given full support by the state government to enable them to grow.

Giving the example of the state Ayurvedic University and horticulture university, she said these universities must be strengthened and supported. "The government order regarding the division of the staff and properties between GB Pant University and Horticulture and Forestry University must be issued soon," she said. The Governor said if Uttarakhand was to become a hub of higher education, large-scale efforts would have to be made by the universities.

"Affiliation norms should be adhered to strictly according to the UGC guidelines by all state universities," she said.

The Governor said a placement cell should be established in every university and its performance should be evaluated from time to time with a view to increasing employment opportunities for students.The matter of service conditions and other admissible facilities to the Vice-Chancellors also came up for discussion.

Among other important issues discussed were related to making available admission forms online as well as hard copy, turning such colleges, which have poor infrastructure, into study centres of the state open university, setting up of an advisory council for higher education and expansion and strengthening of distance education in the state.

The Governor said private students of all universities should be tranferred to Uttarakhand Open University. She gave directions to the Government of Uttarakhand for necessary action in this matter.

She expressed concern at the vacancies in the universities and said these should be filled according to the UGC guidelines. She said examinations should be held and results should be declared in time, keeping in mind the welfare of the students and their parents.

Principal Secretary (Higher Education) Utpal Kumar said efforts would be made by the government to solve as many problems as possible in the shortest time possible.

The VCs, who were present at the meeting, were Professor BS Bisht of Pantnagar University, Dr DS Chauhan of Uttarakhand Technical University, Professor VPS Arora of Kumaon University, Dr Sudha Rani Pandey of Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Dr V K Jain of Doon University, Dr VK Pathak of Uttarakhand Open University, Professor Mathew Prasad of Horticulture and Forestry University and Professor Satyendra Kumar Mishra of Ayurveda University.

The officials present were Principal Secretary to the Governor, Ashok, Additional Secretary to the Governor Sachin Kurve, Principal Secretart (Higher Education) Utpal Kumar, Additional Secretary (higher education) Nidhi Pandey, Additional Secretary (finance) RC Aggarwal, Additional Secretary (technical education) Shailesh Bagoli, Director (Higher Education) and ADC Barinderjit Singh. 

Pithoragarh Cong leaders resign 
Demand Cabinet berth for Mayukh Singh Mahar
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 4
Several office-bearers of the District Congress Committee, pramukh of the Pithoragarh block, district spokesman for the party and Youth Congress leaders have resigned from the party posts because Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has not given due representation to the district in his Cabinet.

“We resigned en mass today in protest againt no representation given to the district in the state Cabinet though the party won three seats in the Assembly elections from the area,” said Prakash Joshi, a confidant of Lok Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta. All these leaders are supporters of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat.

Later, the agitated leaders staged a protest and raised slogans against the party high command and the Chief Minister.

The Congress leaders in their resignation letters sent to local MP Pradeep Tamta and state Congress president Yashpal Arya said the party won three of the four seats in the district in the Assembly elections due to the hard work of the workers. They said the local Congress MLA, Mayukh Singh Mahar, defeated BJP stalwart Prakash Pant by more than 13,000 votes as also UKD top leader Kashi Singh Airy by a big margin. “The high command should have given a Cabinet berth to Mayukh Singh Mahar, but he was ignored,” said Prakash Joshi.

Interestingly, the Chief Minister had appointed Mahar as Deputy Chairman of the Uttarakhand Planning Commission. District Congress president Mahendra Singh Lunthi denied having received resignation letters or having knowledge of resignation by any party leader. “Being the district Congress chief, I should have been informed about the resignations, but till now I have not received any letter,” said Lunthi.

The agitated leaders said if the party high command did not take their demand seriously, they would intensify their protest. “Leaders and workers of many other party cells, including gram pradhans, are also likely to join our protest,” said Prakash Joshi.

BJP flays Centre’s decision to reduce kerosene quota
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
The city unit of the BJP has criticised the Central government decision to reduce the quota of kerosene released to the state.

President of the BJP Punit Mittal termed the decision to reduce the kerosene quota to 66 per cent as anti-people and said the decision had once again proved that the Central government was prejudiced towards the state.

“The decision would hit the poor the hardest as they relied on kerosene for domestic needs. Besides reduction in kerosene quota, the erratic supply of cooking gas has compounded the problems of the residents of the state,” Mittal said.

While the Central government had increased the kerosene quota of other states, but reduced the quota of Uttarakhand, he said.

Provide medical, legal aid to jail inmates: District Judge
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 4
District Judge, Nainital, Meena Tewari has ordered the district jail authorities to provide all legal help to inmates who want to plead innocence. Tewari along with District Magistrate Nidhi Mani Tripathi visited the district jail for an inspection yesterday.

The District Judge asked members of the inmates' families and the jail administration to follow up and contest cases of persons jailed for minor offences. At the same time, she told the jail authorities to submit in writing the cases for the transfer of inmates to their native districts so that the issue could be taken up with the administration of the respective districts.

Tewari took up the issue of two students of the local polytechnic, who were arrested and jailed in a case of alleged theft of a mobile phone and indecent behaviour with some girl students, and ordered the jail authorities that their parents be informed and steps be initiated for seeking bail for them so that they could appear in exams due in the next few days. The jail authorities were directed to ensure proper sanitation on the jail premises.

Tripathi ordered the jail authorities to provide food of good quality to the inmates and keep kitchen and stores clean. She also told the inmates to remain clean and maintain personal hygiene.

Tripathi said budgetary allocation be sought for the procurement of a geyser so that hot water could be provided to the inmates keeping in mind chilly weather in Nainital. She added proper medical assistance be provided to them and a doctor be appointed.

The jail authorities told the District Judge and the District Magistrate that a doctor visited the jail on Monday and Friday every week. Tripathi also took stock of the stores at the jail and told the authoirites concerned to check the date of expiry of eatables while making purchases. She said wheat flour used for the inmates be procured from a ‘chakki’.

Camp for registration of hotel kitchens
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, April 4
The District Food and Safety Standards Department and the Mussoorie Hotel Association today organised a camp here to enable the hotels to get their kitchens registered so that they could be provided food licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act to ensure hygiene and food safety to tourists and other consumers.

The department after a detailed scrutiny of the applications submitted today would provide annual licences to the hotels which were running kitchens. More than 62 applications for registration were received at the camp. The camp was presided over by District Food Safety Officer GC Kandpal, who scrutinised the application forms.

Kandpal told mediapersons that under the new law it was mandatory for the hotels to get their kitchens registered and after a thorough inspection licences would be granted in accordance with their annual income. He said the firms and the hotels, which had income less than Rs 12 lakh, would be provided registration numbers while those with income above Rs 12 lakh would be given licences. Earlier this exercise was conducted through the health departments of the municipal councils.

Kandpal said registration would be provided after one month of the application while licences would be given after two months.

Food Safety Officer, Mussoorie, Rachna Lal told mediapersons that after the registration process was over the department would conduct surprise checks on the hotel premises and collect samples of food items from time to time to ensure food safety. Health check ups of the staff working in kitchens of the hotels would also be conducted. She said punitive action would be taken if any establishment was found flouting the law.

Nabard gave Rs 906.35 cr loan to state last year: CGM
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development had disbursed Rs 906.35 crore in the form of loan to the Uttarakhand Government during the financial year 2011-12.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun yesterday, Nabard’s Chief General Manager S Selvaraj disclosed that during the last financial year 2011-12, it gave Rs 906.35 crore in the form of loan to the state government and refinance to banks as against Rs 695.23 crore disbursed during the 2010-2011 financial year.

Sharing the highlights of Nabard’s achievements in Uttarakhand in the just-ended financial year, Selvaraj said the loan was provided in various sectors in Uttarakhand, including the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, investment credit in agriculture development, non-farm sector and production credit for providing crop loan to farmers.

He said Nabard also came up with a number of new initiatives to financially include the poor in the unbanked areas of the state. He said the women self-help group scheme was launched in Chamoli district for promotion, nurturing and strengthening livelihood development of 2,500 women self-help groups over a period of 5 years. Three banks, the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Uttaranchal Grameen Bank, have been identified as nodal banks and 11 non-government organisations have been roped in as the project implementing agencies.

Selvaraj said as part of commitment to revive and restructure the handloom sector in Uttarakhand, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Nabard and the government for implementation of the Union Government’s package for revival and restructure of weavers in the state.

Further, a grant of Rs 9.50 lakh was provided to Uttaranchal Grameen Bank for launching mobile kisan credit cards in nine districts of Uttarakhand benefiting 26,000 kisan card holders.

Selvaraj also held that it would not have been possible without the support of stakeholders like the Uttarakhand Government, banks and NGOs to achieve such excellent results in the last financial year. 

‘Power projects threaten rivers’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
The Matu Jansanghatan has said the situation of rivers in Uttarakhand is “frightening”due to the construction of hydro-power projects.

In a memorandum submitted to the Union Environment Secretary and the Secretary, Uttarakhand State Environment Conservation and Pollution Control Board, Matu Jansaghatan has held that while the rivers of Uttarakhand are already in danger due to the projects, there have been no serious efforts on part of the Environment Ministry and the State Pollution Control Board to address the issue.

Vimal Bhai of the Matu Jansanghatan said blatant violations of environment norms in hydro- electric projects were taking place in Uttarakhand. “Courses of most of the rivers are in the tunnels or in the reservoirs. After the hydro-electric projects, the rivers have become a dumping ground of muck and garbage. Before the hydro-electric projects, the health of the rivers was not as bad as it is today. Companies are putting muck in the rivers. This has been happening in complete disregard to their environment clearances”, Vimal Bhai pointed out.

Seeking stern action against the violations, Vimal Bhai has sought fixing liability on the erring companies. He has sought a permanent monitoring mechanism on part of the Union Environment Ministry and the State Pollution Control Board to check violations. 

Singhal chief of state mandi parishad
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has again tried to do a balancing act in the first two appointments of two party legislators.

Sahilender Mohan Singhal and Mayukh Singh Mahar have been given responsibilities by the new government. Singhal has been appointed chief of the Uttarakhand Mandi Parishad and Mahar has been made vice-chairman of the Uttarakhand Planning Board.

Singhal, Congress legislator from Jaspur, is considered close to the Chief Minister and was appointed pro tem Speaker to administer oath to new legislators after the Assembly poll.

Mahar is party legislator from Pithoragarh, who had defeated senior BJP leader Parkash Pant. He is a close associate of the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Food Processing and Parliamentary Affairs. The Chief Minister has tried to placate both camps by making the first two appointments.

Meanwhile, the state government has appointed Uma Kant Uniyal as Advocate-General of the state. He had been an Additional Advocate-General in the ND-Tewari-led state government from 2002 till 2007.

Balancing act

Mahar is vice-chairman of Uttarakhand Planning Board

Uma Kant Uniyal has been appointed Advocate-General

Ensure public participation in schemes: DM
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar has asked NGOs to ensure active participation of the public in schemes implemented for social development.

Monitoring such schemes, the District Magistrate said it was necessary to promote those projects that helped in the development of the region and provided employment to the youth. He asked representatives of NGOs to meet people in the far-flung areas to see whether their requirements were met through these schemes.

He stressed that in the rural areas, livestock rearing, computer training and small industries were important sectors which should be taken up on priority.

Give no party posts to losers: Saraswat
Jotirmay Thapliyal/TNS

Dehradun, April 4
Uttarakhand Congress general secretary Vijay Saraswat has asked the party leadership to ensure that those leaders, who lost the Assembly elections recently, are not given any new responsibility in the party.

He said here today that to strengthen the Congress in Uttarakhand it was necessary to empower grass-roots workers rather than appeasing only a chosen few. “Those Congress leaders, who lost the Assembly elections, should not be given any new responsibility under any circumstances," he said, hinting at the allocation of ministerial-level posts.

He expressed concern over the ongoing war of words between Congress MPs in Uttarakhand and said it was a matter of concern that party MPs were resorting to mudslinging against each other through media. “This is not proper. If they have any grievance they should raise the issue at a proper platform," Saraswat said. He added all Congressmen were united under the leadership of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

Saraswat said with the Congress government in the state well entrenched, the party workers were now eyeing the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Check plying of illegal vehicles, says minister
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
Transport Minister Surender Rakesh reviewed the performance of district transport officials and directed them to revamp their working mechanism.

At a meeting with them through videoconferencing in the Secretariat, he directed them to check the plying of unauthorised vehicles and overloading and start regular inspection of vehicles.

The minister said if it was found that the work in the department was being done by middlemen, the Additional Regional Transport Officer would be suspended.

Taking cognizance of an increase in the number of accidents, he said the transport official of the area would be considered responsible wherever any major accident would take place.

He also directed officials to take action against drunken driving. The minister said he would soon review the performance of the department.

He also asked officials to prepare a roadmap to double up revenue in the plains.

Principle Secretary, Transport, S Ramaswamy directed transport officials to provide him with a report regarding the implementation of the given directions in the next 15 days. He also asked officials to make sure that no vehicle should ply on city roads without registration. 

Woman labourer killed in mudslide; 10 hurt
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 4
A woman labourer was killed while 10 others were injured in a mudslide in Kuraiya village, Udham Singh Nagar, last afternoon.

The incident took place when Ladaitiya (60) was working on pitching operations being carried out to check the washing away of land when there is flooding in the monsoon. Flood-control measures are being executed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has mourned the woman’s death and ordered that all medical assistance be provided to the injured.

According to District Development Officer RC Tewari, a wall is being built along the canal in Kuraiya under the MGNREGA when all of a sudden it collapsed burying 11 labourers under a mud heap. One of the woman labourers died in the incident.

Tewari said an instant relief of Rs 25,000 had been given to next of kin of the deceased. Of the injured persons, seven have been admitted to Government Hospital in Kitcha while the other three who were seriously injured have been referred to Government Hospital, Rudrapur. Doctors have been asked to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.

Tewari further said the treatment cost would be paid from the MGNREGA fund made available to the district. It has also been decided that the injured labourers would be paid 50 per cent of their wages while they are under treatment.

Failed in Class VII, boy shoots self
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 4
In an incident that has sent shock waves in the region, a Class VII child shot himself dead after he had failed his exams. The incident took place in the Sakhawatganj area of Haldwani where the deceased 14-year Anupam Kishore lived with his parents, Nand Kishore Arya and Asha Devi. The family hails from the Chimwalpur area of Lamachaur and Nand Kishore is employed as a bank manager in Rudrapur.

It is learnt that Anupam was enrolled with The Doon Public School in Kalavati Colony. He had got the result of the annual examinations recently in which he was declared failed in mathematics and science.

After receiving the result on March 31, the child is learnt to have gone into depression and despite encouragement from his parents, who asked him to work hard the next time, he could not accept the failure.

On Tuesday evening, when he was alone at his house as this father had gone for duty and mother to gym, he took his father’s revolver and shot himself on the temple. The neighbours rushed to the spot and saw him lying in a pool of blood. They informed his mother who fell unconscious on seeing the child lying on the floor with a bullet injury in his head.

He was rushed to Sushila Tewari Memorial Hospital where he was declared dead.

Officials at the Education Department have stated that the incident will be probed as the school cannot fail a child up to senior classes after the new norms pertaining to school education have come into existence.

The Doon Public School remained closed on Wednesday as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

Malik Sports (Red) register win

Dehradun, April 4
The Malik Sports (Red) team defeated the Chandigarh team by 6 wickets in a match in the 4th Uttarakhand Cricket Cup here today.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, the Chandigarh team was all out for 148 runs. Dinesh Mongia was the highest scorer with 44 runs whereas Yuvraj Anand contributed valuable 26 runs. Amit Dhaiya and Ramesh Verma of Malik Sports (Red) took 3 wickets each.

Chasing the victory target, the Malik Sports (Red) easily scored 150 runs for 4 wickets in the allotted overs, ensuring 6 wickets win for the team. Sachin Hooda was the highest scorer with 29 runs. Joginder Sharma scored 25 runs while Manoj Meena scored unbeaten 24 runs. — TNS

RIMC basketball competition begins
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 4
On the first day of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Inter-Section Basketball Competition, a total of four matches were held.

In the junior's category, the first match that was held between Pratap House and Ranjit House in which Ranjit House won 44-20 with Cadet Vijayant Rana scoring 18 points from Ranjit House. In the second match, Shivaji House defeated Chandragupta House with 25-24 and Cadet Lawma scoring the highest (15 points).

In the middle's category, Chandragupta House defeated Shivaji House with a score 33-29 with Cadet Vivek Boora scoring 18 points from Chandragupta section.

In the seniors category, Pratap House defeated Shivaji House with a score of 30-16 with Cadet Karan and Cadet Nelson scoring 10 points each from Pratap section.

The refrees for the matches were Lance Naik Munda, Hav Jagwinder and Sub Kundan.

The scorers for the matches were Cadets Chitiz Panwar, Chandrashekhar, Gaurav, Siddhant and Orkhodeep. The coordinators of the event were Birjesh Chauhan and Sanjay Kumar.