Panel to probe scams during BJP tenure
KL Bhatti told to submit report within six months
SMA Kazmi/TNS

Dehradun, April 13
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has appointed a one-man commission to probe the alleged scandals that came to light during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of the state.

KL Bhatti, a retired IAS officer, has been appointed the chairman of the probe panel. According to official sources, he has been asked to submit his report to the state government within six months.

The Congress has promised to start a probe into the alleged irregularities committed during the previous BJP government in its poll manifesto.

The probe panel will look into various alleged scandals namely the Citurgia land scandal of Rishikesh, allotment of hydroelectric projects and alleged misappropriation of funds meant for Mahakumbh 2010 that rocked the previous BJP government of the state.

Interestingly, the BJP government, on coming to power after assembly elections in 2007, has appointed a commission to look into the alleged 56 scandals that took place during the previous Congress government, headed by Chief Minister ND Tewari.

Justice BS Verma (retd) was appointed to probe the scandals. But the probe panel failed to complete the probe on time after getting many extensions. After Justice Verma left his job, Justice RS Sharma (retd) was appointed to head the probe panel but he also left the job.

Justice BC Kandpal (retd), who was the last to head the panel, could only complete his probe in 60 out of 68 cases referred to him.

The state government recommended action in 17 cases which were sent to the legal department for framing of charges against the guilty. He quit his job in November 2011. Nothing has been heard about the recommendations of the Kandpal probe panel since then.

A delegation of senior Congress leaders had met President Pratibha Patil in June 2011 and presented a memorandum listing more than 100 scandals of the BJP government.

"We welcome the probe as promised by our party in the elections and it will bring the guilty to book," commented Suryakant Dhasmana, vice-president of the Uttarakhand Congress.

The state that came into being on November 9, 2000, has been plagued with repeated allegations of corruption in the past more than 12 years of its existence.

Even before the state formally came into being, allegations of corruption were levelled in the making of interim capital of the state at Dehradun by the bureaucrats.

It was the first scandal to rock the new state even before its birth. After the formation of the first state Assembly, a house committee of the state Assembly was formed to probe the allegations of misappropriation of funds and substandard works carried out to make infrastructure for the new interim capital. Despite indictment by experts associated with the house committee, nothing happened against the alleged guilty officials and even the term of the house committee expired.

CM visits Pauri Garhwal MP’s ashram
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 13
Congress heavyweights --- Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj and state party chief Yashpal Arya --- have extended full support to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. Since the appointment of Bahuguna as Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Haridwar MP Harish Rawat, who was also in the race for the post, has been creating all sorts of hurdles for the new CM.

On his visit to Haridwar, the constituency of Harish Rawat, yesterday, Bahuguna met Satpal Maharaj at his Prem Nagar ashram and even shared the dais with him at the Rishikul ground, where a three-day annual Sadhbavna Sammelan is under way.

This convention is presided over by Satpal Maharaj and his wife Amrita Rawat, Cabinet minister, where the former delivers religious discourse. But this time Bahuguna was also invited and asked to address the gathering.

This is being seen as an indication of growing closeness between both leaders. Harish Rawat and his supporters were, however, conspicuous by there absence at all four programmes attended by Bahuguna.

Haridwar district Congress chief Chaudhary Rajendra Singh and city party chief OP Chauhan, staunch supporters of Harish Rawat, have been issued notices by the party disciplinary committee for not being present during the CM's visit.

When Yashpal Arya was questioned on this matter, he said he was awaiting the reply of both party office-bearers and would take action on the basis of it only.

He expressed hope that Bahuguna would cater to the aspirations of the people, the party high command and workers. Yashpal Arya has also been invited by Satpal Maharaj at the ongoing convention.

"Everyone should abide by the party high command's decision. All of us are loyal party workers. There are hundreds of leaders who despite being members of the party for over 50 years have not held any berth," said Satpal Maharaj, while referring to Harish Rawat's statement that he had been denied the CM post despite being loyal to the party for more than 40 years.

Satpal: Make Garsain summer capital
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 13
Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj has demanded that Garsain should be made summer capital, if not the permanent capital, of 
the state.

Speaking to The Tribune exclusively at his Prem Nagar ashram here today, he also sought the diversion of Rs 88 crore Central fund that had been allocated for the state Secretariat building.

The fund was now on the verge of being lapsed. It should be diverted for infrastructure building in Gairsain so that it could be made summer capital of the state.

On the ambitious 120-km Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway line, Satpal Maharaj, who was Union Minister of State for Railways in Deve Gowda government, said the work on the rail project would soon commence as currently tender process was in the final phase.

He termed the rail project as one of the best things that had happened to the state since its creation as it would immensely help local people and pilgrims, who come here for Char Dham yatra as well as Hemkunt Sahib, and several other places of religious importance.

Adding further, he said this railway line would be later given extension till Shri Badrinath shrine, with Karanprayag being made a hub of railway in hilly districts.

Refuting the media reports that the Army had tried to stage a coup just few months back, Satpal Maharaj, who is chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Affairs, termed the act as "irresponsible journalism" that was done to gain the media advantage.

Maharaj also pointed that in view of the regular crashes of the MiGs, the committee had written to the Defence Ministry of a time-bound phasing out of these fighter aircraft, replacing these with the state-of-the-art fighter jets.

Exuding confidence that Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna will provide a stable government, Maharaj, who was also in race for the CM's post, said party leaders should focus on Mission 2014 .

BJP against setting up of ministry for minorities, but Cong hails step
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 13
Terming it a political self-goal, the Uttarakhand BJP today dismissed the Bahuguna government’s decision to create a separate ministry for the minorities. “The Chief Minister was forced to take the decision because of internal party politics and for reducing the influence of the BSP, its coalition partner among the minorities. The party is not sincere about the welfare of the minorities,” said BS Chufal, state BJP chief.

At a press conference today, Chufal criticised the Congress government for indulging in petty politics. “Whether it is a department or a ministry, the welfare schemes should reach out to people. The Congress has resorted to cheap politics due to internal bickering,” he said.

He also criticised the Bahuguna government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and failing to take steps to control inflation. “The incidents of theft, kidnapping and loot have increased since the Congress government has come to power. The squabbling leaders have no time to solve the problem of the people,” said Chufal.

Terming the recent hike in power tariff as anti-people, he said the state unit along with the youth wing of the party would intensify the stir against the the issue in the coming days.

Rejecting the charge made by Uttarakhand Finance Minister Indira Hriyadesh that the erstwhile BJP government had failed to utilise the allocations made under the 13 Finance Commission, Chufal said, “Due to the objections by the Environment Ministry, several projects could not see the light of the day. The Congress government should ensure that the kerosene and food grain quota for the state is enhanced,” he said.

On the appointment of the leader of the Opposition, Chufal said the party would appoint him before the budget session of the state Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand BJP would organise a meeting after April 20 to look at reasons of defeat in the just concluded Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Congress has welcomed Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna's initiative to set up a separate ministry for the welfare of minorities in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun, Uttarakhand State Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana today said the Congress welcomed Bahuguna's initiative to set up a separate ministry for the welfare of minorities. He said it was for the first time since the formation of the Uttarakhand that a separate ministry had come up for the betterment of the minorities that accounted 17 per cent population of the state.

"With the coming up of a separate ministry, no government can now ignore the minorities. Their issues can no longer be left unaddressed", Suryakant Dhasmana said. He said the Congress in its election manifesto had promised a separate ministry for the minorities, which now stood fulfilled.

Dhasmana also reminded that the minorities were completely sidelined in the last 5 years of the BJP rule. "Schemes for their welfare started by earlier the Congress government during 2002-2007 were left in the lurch by the BJP government and even the functioning of minorities' commission in the state was totally nil", he added.

He also urged the state government to now come up with a concrete policy for the unemployed youth in the state. He said while the Congress was in favour of unemployment allowance as promised in the poll manifesto, it also stressed for creating new employment opportunities for the youth.

On the issue of setting up of hydro power projects in Uttarakhand, Dhasmana said the Congress was of the firm view that there should be no compromise on setting up hydro projects as these projects were key to development of the state. He said there was no justification in stopping a hydro project on religious belief or sentiments.

"Only concerns linked to environment or other technicalities, if needed, be given importance", he argued. Dhasmana also urged the Union Power Minister to consult the Chief Minister before taking any final decision on hydro power projects of Uttarakhand.

Senior Congress leader Hussain Ahmed was also present at the news conference.

Start Uday Shankar Cultural Centre: Youth body
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 13
Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Almora, have demanded that the Uday Shankar Cultural Centre be started at the earliest. Talking to The Tribune, district secretary of the DYFI Yusuf Tewari said, "The foundation of the centre had been laid by former President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2003. However, it has not begun so far. We want that the institution starts functioning at the earliest so that besides the promotion of art and culture, some employment at the local level is also generated.”

The institution has been set up at Simtola, 3 km from Almora town. It was in 1938 that Uday Shankar, who is referred to as the pioneer of modern Indian dance and choreography, had established Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre at Simtola.

He had invited Sankaran Namboodri for Kathakhali, Kandappa Pillai for Bharatnatyam, Ambi Singh for Manipuri and Ustad Allauddin Khan for music. Soon, he had a battery of artists and dancers, including Guru Dutt, Shanti Bardhan, Simkie, Amala, Satyavati, Narendra Sharma and Ruma Guha Thakurta. Even his own brothers --- Rajendra, Denbendra and Ravi --- also joined him as students.

The centre, however, closed after four years of existence in 1942 due to the paucity of funds. It was after Uttarakhand came into existence that a move was made to restart the institution.

Tewari said the DYFI has sent across a memorandum of demands to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna through the office of District Magistrate DS Garbyal listing a series of demands. The memorandum was handed over to the administration on April 12.

Another issue that was brought to light by the DYFI activists pertained to the delay in the completion of the construction of houses under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP). Tewari pointed out that despite a sum of Rs 2.77 crore having been paid to the contractor for the construction of 300 structures, only 28 houses have been built and the contractor has disappeared.

“The IHSDP scam is the next big scandal that is going to come up in the state. Similar reports are coming in from other parts of the state and the scam is going to be to the tune of Rs 100 crore. We want the whole issue to be probed and action be taken against those responsible for the delay,” he said.

The other demands listed by the DYFI included the payment of the unemployment allowance announced by the Congress in its poll manifesto and the withdrawal of the power hike announced by the government a couple of days ago.

DIG: Resolve issues faced during Char Dham yatra last year
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 13
DIG, Garhwal Zone, Sanjay Gunjyal held a meeting with SSPs of various districts with regard to the Char Dham Yatra and law and order here recently. Gunjyal directed the SSPs to take effective steps to resolve all contentious issues that were faced during the Char Dham Yatra in the past, before the commencement of the pilgrimage this year.

The DIG said, “Besides setting up temporary police posts equipped with wireless sets and required personnel at tourist centres, a proper plan must be laid out regarding the checking of vehicles and the briefing of drivers on speed. Besides old parking sites, new parking venues must be earmarked. Similarly, disaster management teams and equipment needed by them must be ensured within the time line.” Meanwhile, Gunjyal also reviewed crime cases which had been solved in these districts. Regarding pending burglary and theft cases, he directed the DIG and the SSP of Dehradun and Haridwar, respectively, to take effective action and prepare a plan to nab seasoned criminals.  

Thousands of Nepalese return to villages
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, April 13
Keeping in mind the ripe Rabi crops, and festival of Vishuwat Sankranti, thousands of Nepali citizens from India are returning to their villages to harvest the crop these days.

The Indian border posts at Banbasa, Jhoolaghat and Dharchula are crowded and markets doing brisk business as the Nepali citizens are rushing to purchase essential items.

According to personnel at border check-post at Banbasa in Champawat district, more than 25,000 Nepal citizens have crossed the border at Banbasa since last fortnight to reach their homes at various districts of Nepal.

“The Nepali citizens belong to the districts of Kanchanpur, Baitari, Dadeldhura, Rolpa, and Bazang districts of the far-western Nepal,” said GD Joshi, immigration officer at the immigration check-post at Banbasa.

According to information received from the Jhoolaghat check post in Pithoragarh district, more than 10,000 Nepali citizens have crossed the border bridge on the Kali river since last fortnight while only 800 Nepali citizens entered India. “The residents of Baitari, Bazura and Acham and Doti districts of Nepal are among the returnees while the locals from Baitari and Dadedel dhura districts are among those coming to India for their daily purchases,” said an officer at Jhoolaghat.

“The Nepali citizens come to India every year in big numbers to seek work into Indian cities and spread over the regions of Mumbai, Gujarat, Bangaluru, Punjab, Delhi, NOIDA, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and various districts of Uttarakhand to find work and most of them return to their country to harvest the crops in two sessions of year,” said Bal Bahadur, a contractor, based at Jhoolaghat.

The border post at Dharchula is also witnessing the return of huge numbers of Nepali immigrants from India to their villages from the border bridge built over the Kali adjoining Dharchula.

More than 5000 Nepali citizens, mainly residents of Darchula district of Nepal, are returning to their country from India every fortnight from last two months and this number has increased as the occasion of Vishuwat Sankranti was near as, according to Nepal belief, every Nepali villager, who is working outside his home, has to return to his village as this day is considered an auspicious day. 

Move to raise land purchase limit opposed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 13
The Uttarakhand Janmanch has taken strong exception to state Finance Minister Indira Hridyesh's suggestion of increasing the agriculture land purchase limit restriction for outsiders to 500 sq metres.

Janmanch general secretary Rajan Todaria said Hridyesh’s statement for increasing the land purchase cap for outsiders from 250 to 500 sq metres was against the interest of the hill people of the state. He said such a step would only encourage the activities of the land mafia in the state. He said the minister seemed worried to increase the revenue of the state through stamp duties.

Threatening an agitation if the minister goes ahead with its suggestion, Rajan Todaria also appealed Pritam Panwar, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) minister in the Bahuguna Cabinet, to clarify his stand over the issue.

He stressed on the need of protecting the agriculture land in the state and said the Janmanch was of the opinion that Article 371 must be promulgated in the hilly areas of the state for ensuring a blanket ban on any purchase of land by outsiders. 

Panchayats to get Rs 10,000 for sanitation purpose
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 13
The quarterly-review meeting of the Champawat Zila Panchayat saw the public representatives demanding that the development process in the district be streamlined and brought on track.

The meeting was held yesterday under the leadership of chairperson Prem Pandey and was conducted by the Additional Chief Officer of the Zila Panchayat JP Arya.

One of the main issues taken up at the meeting pertained to the sanitation and possibility of an outbreak of contagious diseases in the rural areas of the district.

The members were told that every panchayat would be given Rs 10,000 each for maintaining sanitation in the villages.

The public representatives demanded that health camps be organised in villages to help people understand how to check the outbreak of diseases. It was also suggested that the help of ASHA workers be taken in the distribution of preventive medicine in the villages.

The other health-related demands aired by the Zila Panchayat members included the appointment of a dental specialist at the Lohaghat hospital, repairs of the x-ray machine, proper saniation at the hospital, registration of patients coming from outside after 8 pm and the provision of medicines to them along with extending the Emergency Response 108 Ambulance Service to the Kanakot area.

A major flaw pointed out by Pandey was the absence of some of the officials from the meeting. She expressed her displeasure at the attitude of the officials and said they must attend meetings in future.

The members also took up the issue of the need for the replacement of the wooden electric poles with the metallic ones in the Chulape area. They further sought a three phase line for the Ladi area, laying down of power lines after preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the Sheelvarudi and Chaumel areas of the district.

The menace of wild animals with regard to the large scale destruction of agricultural crops was also taken up. Besides seeking a long-term solution to the menace of wild animals, the members also demanded that appropriate compensation be given in the case of death of domestic animals. The issues were placed before the officials of the Forest Department. It was also sought that permission be granted at the earliest for chopping down of dry trees which were posing a threat to life in the Gudmagal area.

Referring to the water scarcity, the public representatives demanded that the water schemes be made to function at the optimum level and new hand pumps be installed across the district. 

Fruit vendor’s body found
Tribune News Service

Nainital, April 13
The recovery of the body of a fruit vendor of Haldwani from the railway tracks has sent shock waves across the town.

It is being alleged that 21-year-old Tasdiq Ahmed was murdered. His body was found near railway tracks along the bypass road and there were injury marks on his body.

He was a resident of the Mohammadi Chowk area of the Indiranagar locality. He had taken Rs 5,000 from his house and had headed for his kiosk at Mangalpadav. Thereafter, an unknown caller had called up his brother Saddam that Tasdiq’s motorcycle was parked outside a shop. Tasdiq was, however, not reachable on phone.

His body was discovered yesterday by Ziyauddin, who informed the police and his family about it. A box of a solution used for mending punctured tubes was lying close to him. The mobile phone and a SIM card belonging to him were recovered from pockets of his trousers. However, the Rs 5,000 that he had carried were not found.

The police investigations have begun in the case taking the possibility of suicide and murder both into account. The fact that his body bears injury marks points out to the possibility of murder.

Sources say that the police is looking into various angles, including his relation with a woman residing in the Gaula Par area and the possibility of his having squandered away the money in betting.