Chidambaram interacts with IAS trainees
Flutist Majumdar, MC chief angry at cold treatment
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, April 11
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram interacted with about 158 Indian Administrative Services (IAS) trainees and shared his experiences with them at a programme held under the aegis of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Happy Valley in Mussoorie today.

Chidambaram’s cavalcade arrived at the academy around 10.30 am where he was welcomed by the Director of the academy, Padam Vir Singh, and local MLA Ganesh Joshi.

Thereafter, Chidambaram went to the Gyan Shila hall on the academy premises and addressed the IAS trainees and shared his experiences with them. Chidambaram touched on various issues such as internal security, economics and current issues. He remained there for about two hours and later left for Dehradun around 2 pm.

Earlier, Ganesh Joshi presented a memorandum to Chidambaram and demanded that the Central government should direct the state government to pay dearness allowance and other benefits to state employees as given in cities having the B-2 status. Joshi told Chidambaram that the town enjoyed the B-2 status when it was part of Uttar Pradesh but was excluded from the category for unknown reasons.

After the formation of the state while Nainital was given the B status, Mussoorie was excluded from the category, added Joshi.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Minister’s cavalcade was diverted to the other side of the road due to debris strewn all over the Gandhi Chowk area. The debris has accumulated due to the undergoing construction work for erecting a high mast electricity pole by the Municipal Council.

Joshi pointed out the matter to MC Executive Officer Rohitash Sharma, who hurriedly summoned MC employees and tried to remove the debris, but it was too late as Chidambaram’s cavalcade had passed the area by then. Sharma said the debris could not be removed due to an inclement weather overnight.

Meanwhile, eminent flutist Ronu Majumdar, who was invited for a musical performance at the academy under Spic Macay, was irked at the maltreatment meted out to him by the security staff at the gate. Majumdar was not allowed to enter the academy premises for about half an hour by the security staff. The artiste was pacified only after the academy officials drove him in the academy in their vehicle.

Majumdar later performed for the IAS trainees late in the evening. Earlier, he had performed at Wynberg Allen School in the morning.

Chidambaram’s visit witnessed another unpleasant incident. Mussoorie Municipal Council president OP Uniyal was angry at the administration for not inviting him to the programme despite he being the first citizen of the town.

Uniyal, later speaking to mediapersons, said it had been a practice in the past that whenever any VVIP dignitary visited Mussoorie, the MC president was invited. However, unfortunately his name was excluded from the list of invitees this time.

Uniyal said during the visit of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Mussoorie in 1964 the then MC president, Jagannath Sharma, had welcomed him.

Unpleasant moments

• Eminent flutist Ronu Majumdar, who was invited for a musical performance under Spic Macay, was not allowed to enter the academy premises for about half an hour by the security staff.
• Mussoorie Municipal Council president OP Uniyal was angry at the administration for not inviting him to the programme despite he being the first citizen of the town.
• The Union Home Minister’s cavalcade was diverted to the other side of the road due to debris strewn all over the Gandhi Chowk area.
• Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi presented a memorandum to Chidambaram and demanded that the Central government should direct the state government to pay dearness allowance and other benefits to state employees as given in cities having the B-2 status.
• Joshi told Chidambaram that the town enjoyed the B-2 status when it was part of Uttar Pradesh but was excluded from the category for unknown reasons.

Infrastructure development top priority: Hriyadesh
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
Despite the poor financial condition of the state, the new Congress government said today that it expected to meet the targets of infrastructure development by the optimal utilisation of funds allocated under the 13 Finance Commission, Centre’s flagship programmes and funds received through World Bank and other international funding agencies.

“As we see the problem is not about the non-availability of funds but of the non-utilisation of the available funds under various schemes. A special assistance package of Rs 600 was allocated to the state under the 13 Finance Commission two years ago, but the former BJP government failed to submit projects. The funds towards infrastructure development remained unutilised. Now we have two years time to use these funds for infrastructure development,” said Indira Hriyadesh, Finance Minister, while talking to mediapersons today.

She said out of the Rs 600 crore, a sum of Rs 105 crore was to be utilised to upgrade police training centres, stations, outposts, the construction of community centres and nyay panchayats.

Another Rs 100 crore were sanctioned for the setting up of five nursing colleges in the state, Rs 150 crore for strengthening the sewerage system and Rs 88 crore for the construction of the Vidhan Sabha.

The minister said under no circumstances the Congress government would impose taxes on the common man.

“There is no proposal on hiking water tariff and in case there is a hike in petrol prices, to provide relief to the common man the government would immediately reduce VAT,” she said.

The minister said to provide non-employment allowance to the youth, as promised in the party’s manifesto, rules and regulation would be drafted. “In order to deliver on our manifesto promises, our topmost priority is the youth and providing relief to the jobless. For this purpose, the Haryana model is being studied and within two months we will be ready with the rules and regulation. A separate allocation will be made in the Budget to be presented in July,” she said.

Along with providing relief to the unemployed youth, the government is also committed to providing jobs to the youth in the semi government and private sector.

“We have to encourage entrepreneurship among the youth and banks have to come forward to extend loans to them. We are also contemplating raising the assistance money under the Veer Chander Singh Garhwali Scheme and have asked the authorities concerned to ensure the Sawarn Jayanti Self-employment Scheme is made accessible to the youth,” the minister said.

The minister further said her government favoured creating linkages between National Bank for Agriculture for Rural Development and farmers for the easy accessibility of schemes and loans.

Health Department directed to check water-borne diseases
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 11
The Almora administration has issued a fresh set of orders in the wake of the summer and asked the officials of the Water and Health departments to be well prepared to meet the challenges ahead.

District Magistrate, Almora, DS Garbyal has expressed the apprehension of the possibility of the outbreak of water-borne or other contagious diseases on account of poor quality water. He has said the situation aggravates whenever such a situation arises in remote areas where the health and transport facilities are scarce.

Garbyal has called for a timely preventive action and directed officials of the Jal Nigam and the Jal Sansthan to undertake cleaning of all water sources along with chlorination of water. At the same time, he says an awareness drive be launched to prevent water-borne diseases. The Health Department authorities have been told to keep various health centres well stocked with life saving drugs. Officials posted at various health centres have been directed to be present at their places of deputation.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr RS Shahi, has been told to constitute a team of experts who could travel to various places to check the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Garbyal has also directed the officials of various civic bodies to undertake sanitation drives with regard to drains, public toilets, parks, roads and other public places and follow them up with spraying of insecticides. He has ordered them to carry out routine inspections to ensure that proper sanitation is maintained.

The Health Department officials and Food Inspectors have been directed to ensure that there is no sale of stale and contaminated food stuff across the district during the summer.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Tehsildars have been directed to keep a vigil on the outbreak of any disease in their respective areas and report the same to the Health Department immediately in case of incidence of any disease. Garbyal has ordered that a report in this regard be sent to him every week.

State ready to face threat of forest fires: chief conservator
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
As the summer rages in Uttarakhand, forest fire incidents in this forest predominant mountainous state has already crossed the 80 mark, encompassing a total of 117 hectares of forest area.

According to Chief Conservator of Forests Environment KS Samant, Uttarakhand Forest Department is well prepared to meet any eventuality to meet forest fire challenge in the coming summer months. “Last summer forest fires were not much frequent due to frequent rains but summers have picked up early this year and we are all prepared to meet the challenge,” Samant said.

He disclosed that the master control room is already in operation in every district to deal with forest fires. “These control rooms are further backed by 4 to 5 crew stations at every forest range for prompt action in case of detection of forest fire," Samant pointed out.

Further, forest staff is well connected with wireless sets and mobile phones. Moreover, the Forest Survey of India’s satellite imagery data is being put to use for early detection of forest fires and subsequent timely action.

There has been sharp rise in incidents of forest fires in the last one month. From Feb 15, the start of forest fire season till March 1, there were a total of 40 incidents of forest fires. But today the total number of forest fire incidents is already more than 80.

Interestingly, 117 hectares of forests so far affected with forest fires this year include 82.52 hectares of reserve forests. With temperatures rising steadily, the months of May and June could be challenging for the state Forest Department.

On the other hand, Uttarakhand Forest Department is also laying stress on awareness programme at forest division level to make people aware of forest fires and suggest measures needed to be done to counter these fires. These sensitisation programmes are being conducted through street plays, posters and press advertisements.

Storm, hailstones damage fruit, vegetable crops
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 11
A storm accompanied by hailstones in the district last night damaged 20 to 40 per cent of fruit and vegetable crops at various places, besides damaging 20 to 30 per cent of the standing rabi crop, district administration officials told this correspondent here today.

According to information received from the Baram valley of the Munsiyari region, 40 per cent of vegetable crops and the rabi crop was damaged by hailstorm last night.

“The storm arrived at lower valleys from the high Himalayan region at midnight, caused heavy damage to onion, peas, beans and other crops in the lower region and around the district headquarters,” said RS Rana, district disaster management officer.

According to information received from Dharchula subdivision of the district, the electricity supply to Dharchula town and landline telephone services there were disrupted for 8 hours as the power line and the telephone exchange were hit by lightning.

In the Munsiyari area, Hira Devi became unconscious after she was hit by lightning while she was standing near her home. She was admitted to the district hospital. “Munsiyari town has been without electricity for the last 12 hours as the power line was damaged at various places due to the storm last night,” said Gulab Singh Pangti, president of the Malla Johar Vikas Samiti.

In Pithoragarh town, fast winds blew off roofs of houses. The temperature in the town dropped 7°C below normal,” said Rana.

Scrapping of power projects flayed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
A Dehradun NGO, Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), has criticised the scrapping of hydro power projects in Uttarakhand. Chairperson, RLEK, Avadhash Kaushal today expressed concern over narrow politics over hydro power. He said there was no justification in scrapping hydro power projects after spending a huge amount in these. He said those opposing hydro power projects in Uttarakhand were working against the interest of common man.

“The fallout of the suspension of these hydro projects is also reflecting in the state. Despite promises by the state government to provide power to all by 2012, there are 1,220 villages still in the dark and many are facing heavy power cuts”, Kaushal pointed out.

He reminded that the BJP, the party in power when a number of projects were stalled, lost the Lok Sabha elections as people felt cheated and all 5 seats went to the Congress.

“It is now time for these 5 MPs to show their mettle as they are being watched by the people for the work they do to bring about growth and development in the state”, he said.

“Those opposing dam under the garb of nadi bachao are working at the behest of international agencies to stall hydro projects in the state”, Kaushal added.

Kasiga School, Pestle Weed win basketball Championship
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
The following are the results of the matches played in the District Junior Basketball Championship for boys and girls here today. Boys: Kasiga School beat St Joseph’s Academy- 30-21, Pestle Weed College beat Mussoorie International School 21-4, The Asian School beat Doon International School 36-25.

Girls: Jaswant Modern School beat Shigally Hills International 16-6, Convent of Jesus and Mary beat St Joseph’s Academy 33-6, St Thomas College beat Hilton School 21- 8, Aryan School beat Mussoorie International School 24-3.

Tomorrow’s fixtures

Quarterfinal girls: Welham Girls vs Convent of Jesus and Mary, Doon International School vs Aryan School, Carman School vs St Thomas College, Hopetown Girls School vs Jaswant Modern School

Boys: Welham Boys School vs Doon School, Hilton School vs Kasiga School.

MP: Work on Bangajhala project soon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj said today that construction work on the Bangajhala drinking water project, which falls in his constituency, would begin soon.

In a statement issued here, the MP said he had held talks with state Potable Water Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani and the latter had given him an assurance that the work would start soon.

He said the project would ensure clean drinking water to the entire Ramnagar region.

Conference of botanical staff
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 11
The 17th All-India Conference of Botanical Survey of the India Employees Association was held here yesterday.

The chief guest on the occasion, Arup Chatterjee, discussed the problems of the employees. Confederation of Central Government Workers Unions’ organisational secretary Piyush Rai criticised pro- privatisation policies of the Centre.