The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Uttarakhand to have 4 disaster-control centres BD Kasniyal Pithoragarh, May 10 A state disaster response force is being formed soon to combat natural disasters like landslides, earthquakes and flashfloods in Uttarakhand. It will be formed on the lines of the national disaster response force based at the National Capital Region, DIG, Pithoragarh police range, GS Martolia said here today. “The state has approved one disaster management centre each at Almora and Pithoragarh in Kumaon and Uttarkashi and Joshimath in Garhwal,” said the DIG. At present, Pithoragarh district has been attached to the 8th battalion of the national disaster response force based at Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. “The personnel of the national disaster response force were deputed in the district during the Kailash Mansarowar yatra last year to rescue pilgrims who were trapped on the yatra route near Gunji,” said RS Rana, district disaster management officer. According to information, four teams comprising seven police personnel each would be deputed round the year at the disaster response centres at all four places in the state. “The centre in Pithoragarh district will be located at Askot while the Almora centre will function from Kasar Devi,” said the DIG. Sources said the personnel of the state disaster response force would be equipped with rescue and firefighting gadgets, hydraulic, mechanical and electrical cutters, inflatable tower lights, equipment for ascending and descending in low and medium altitudes, stairs and stretchers for use during disasters. According to the district disaster management centre in Pithoragarh, the selection of Askot as centre was ideal as it could cater to disaster-prone areas of Dharchula and Munsiyari subdivisions. “Most of the disaster-prone areas of the district fall either in Munsiyari or Dharchula subdivisions of the district as landslides, flashfloods and earthquakes hit these areas almost every year. This centre at Askot will enable its personnel to reach quickly to the spot in the valleys,” said Rana. “We hope our disaster response units will be ready at the four centres before the monsoon this year and as the deadline is approaching we will soon start training the personnel,” said the DIG. “After the formation of the state disaster response force, the state will have a three-layer system in place to fight natural disasters. As the district rescue centre will be able to handle small disasters, in case of major disasters the state response force could be deputed. But in case of big disasters the services of the national disaster force could be taken,” said Rana.
	Fate of hydropower projects hangs in balance Tribune News Service Haridwar, May 10 As supporters of hydroelectric projects and those opposing these continue to stick to their stands, the fate of several projects in the state hangs in balance. Today, Padmashree awardees Leela Dhar Jagudi and Awdhas Kaushal stressed for smaller projects that are given green signal after environmental and scientific analysis. Leela Dhar Jagudi and Awdhash Kaushal, supporting hydroelectric projects in the Himalayan belt in Uttarakhand, accused the saint community in sharp words of affecting development in the state by having a rigid approach just in the name of religious aspect. They lamented that instead of giving positive directions to society, a number of saints are presenting a wrong picture of hydroelectric projects. They asked them to confine their activities sainthood rather than hampering the development of the state and the country for no valid reason. Emphasising that conservation of Gangotri-Ganga is imperative, he said saints were only focusing on the Ganga but forgetting its tributaries, too, faced pollution and threat of existence like the Saraswati river. “Religion needs to be seen with a scientific approach; saints should first know the impact of hydroelectric projects in the broader perspective. Sanctity and purity doesn’t get hindered due to dams. Several cremation ghats along side Ganga should also be banned as they add to the pollution of the holy river. Saints should realise this,” pointed out Jagudi. Noted scientist Dheerendra Sharma said, “Involve local people in hydro power projects like it is done in Himachal Pradesh, where 25 per cent of the power output share goes to the local gram sabha.”
	Another round of reshuffle of administrative officials Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 10 The Uttarakhand government has again reshuffled several administrative officials here today. Haridwar District Magistrate D Senthil Pandian has been relieved of his present post and entrusted the responsibility of Additional Secretary, Peyjal, while Additional Secretary, Governor, Kurve Sachin Shardchandra, has been appointed the Haridwar District Magistrate. Additional Secretary, Personnel, Vigilance, Peyjal, Mini Irrigation and Suraj, Corruption Eradication and Public Service Department, Arvind Singh Hyanki, has been relieved of the post of Additional Secretary, Peyjal. Additional Commissioner and Regional Food Controller, Garhwal Region, Harbans Chug, has been relieved of the responsibility of Regional Food Controller. Chief Development Officer, Pithoragarh, Ashok Kumar, has been kept in reserve, while Pauri Joint Magistrate C Ravishankar has been appointed the Almora Chief Development Officer. Nainital CDO Dheeraj Singh Gabaryal has been transferred as Udham Singh Nagar CDO. Deputy Secretary, Employment, Atul Kumar Gupta, has been entrusted the responsibility of the Regional Food Controller, Garhwal Region. City Magistrate, Haridwar, Hansadutt Pandey, has been handed over the responsibility of General Manager, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. Deputy Collector, Chamoli, Mohammed Nasir, has been transferred as Deputy Collector, Tehri, and Deputy Collector, Almora, Ilagiri, has been given the responsibility of Deputy Collector, Udham Singh Nagar. Deputy Collector, Uttarkashi, Kailash Tolia, has been transferred as Deputy Collector, Bageshwar, and Deputy Collector, Bageshwar, Shrish Kumar, has been given the responsibility of Deputy Collector, Uttarkashi. Meanwhile, Deputy Collector, Pithoragarh, Jaswant Singh Rathore, has been transferred as Deputy Collector, Champawat, and Deputy Collector, Pauri, Surendra Singh Jungpangi, has been entrusted the responsibility of Deputy Collector, Nainital.
	Asa Ram's satsang venue littered with garbage Religious outfit blames Bapu, organisers Tribune News Service Haridwar, May 10 Renowned spiritual guru Bapu Asa Ram, during his three-day religious discourse, saw tens of thousands of his followers seeking his blessings from around the country today. A local group sought clarification from him over the garbage and filth left indisposed at the sermon-delivering venue. A religious outfit has now decided to raise this matter, bringing it to the notice to the district administration, even urging it to grant future permission of holding such programmes only after getting assurance of cleaning up the whole venue by the very organisers. Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti staged a protest, laying blame on Asa Ram and the sermon organisers for not taking adequate steps to dispose of the filth and garbage that got accumulated due to more than 40,000 followers who had gathered for three days at Pantdeep ground adjacent to National Highway 58 on the Kumbh Mela land. Samiti members alleged that while lakhs were spent on the tent, lighting, stalls and battery-run lift for Bapu ji's sermons, aspects of sanitation and cleanliness were not given any preference. Chief of the Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti Sanjay Chopra remarked that Haridwar being world- renowned religious-spiritual city, the organisers should have given attention to this aspect as now the very Kumbh Mela venue is filled with heaps of garbage, plastic and food leftovers, posing a problem for the local people. Lakhs of rupees were spent on the programme while lakhs were offered as donation to Asa Ram Bapu Foundation. But no one paid heed to cleanliness. Local traders' union representative Bhoopendra Rajput said that it was often seen in Haridwar that religious discourses and programmes are held by famous saints and gurus who don't pay any attention to cleanliness, leaving it for the local municipal body to dispose of the filth. The samiti has decided to bring this aspect to the notice of the Municipal Corporation office-bearers and the Kumbh Mela administration on whose land the religious discourse was organised. As Haridwar District Magistrate D. Senthyl Pendiyan has been replaced and promoted to a Secretary- level post, he was not available for comment.
	Procure wheat through FCI, say farmers Tribune News Service Nainital, May 10 Farmers in Udham Singh Nagar district have once again reiterated that the procurement of wheat should be carried out on the pattern of Punjab and Haryana. At a meeting of farmers held on Tuesday, state president of the Kisan Union Chaudhary Rai Singh claimed that procurement of wheat through the Co-operatives Department had proved to be a failure. The farmers say that the procurement be done through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and procurement centres be set up in ample numbers. Another demand raised by the farmers at the meet was that the administration should take proper measures to check the illegal quarrying that had assumed enormous proportion in the Bazpur area of the district. The farmers also expressed concern over the protection of the land belonging to the Terai Vikas Sangh. One of the farmers Yashwant Mishra called for immediate steps to regularise the land belonging to the farmers. He also sought that the procurement of wheat be further streamlined. Speaking on behalf of his companions, Mishra raised the issue of the poor condition of the Lalpur-Nagla road. Another farmer Thakur Jagdish raised the contentious issue of polluted water coming from industries being released into the irrigation canals. He also raised the demand for construction of warehouses for storage of fertilisers across the district. District Magistrate Brajesh Kumar Sant, who was chairing the meet, asked his subordinates to take the meeting of farmers seriously and ensure that the issues were resolved on a priority basis. He pointed out that the contribution of farmers in the development of the district was no less than the industry. He promised that efforts would be made to protect the land of the Terai Vikas Sangh in Rudrapur and ordered senior official of the Co-operatives Department Neeraj Belwal to present a blueprint of the proposed co-operative bank and kisan bhawan to him. He reiterated that the land in question would be utilised for the benefit of the farmers. On the issue of pending payments to be made to the farmers for the sugarcane procured by mills, Sant said it was a policy matter. He would take it up with the state administration. He asked the officials to maintain a two-way communication with the farmers. Sant also ordered Belwal to initiate action against those responsible for usurping Rs 51 lakh from the Co-operative Committee in Fauji Matkota village.
	Nishank criticises Congress Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 10 Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said today that the BJP would continue to raise the issues of the people on streets and inside the Uttarakhand House. He said the lacklustre performance of the Congress government had dashed the expectations of the people. Nishank critcised the government for deliberately altering the schemes launched by the BJP government, "Some of these schemes were launched to benefit the people but the Congress government is hell-bent upon altering them," he said.
	Ladoos to be served in mid-day meals: Rawat Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 10 To add variety in mid-day meal programme in schools, the Uttarakhand Government is contemplating serving sweetmeats along with lunch to schoolchildren. Speaking today, Uttarakhand Women and Child Development Minister Amrita Rawat said, “We have asked the authorities to serve sweetmeats that could comprise ladoos and panjiri.” “Sweetmeats made of traditional grain will enhance the carbohydrate content and add a new dimension to the meal served for children,” said Rawat. Besides, the government is also planning to include fortified salt with iron in the midday meals. “Issues such as less iron content among children can be addressed by providing proper nutrition and the government has the duty to arrest the problem. Under the school health programme, regular check-ups for anemia is also underway. Once the fortified iron is introduced in the meals, we will be able to monitor the iron content in schoolchildren,” she said. She said around 5,700 anganwari workers and sahikas would be provided upgraded training in the coming days.
	Station officer sent to police lines for reporting case late Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 10 Station Officer, Dinesh Baunthiyal, has been attached with the police lines by SSP, Neeru Garg, for late reporting of an incident related to cheating in Kotwali area. Sarla Jain, 62, resident of Tilak Road, was robbed of her two gold bracelets, ring and chain worth Rs 3 lakh by two unidentified men at Ramlila Bazaar in the day yesterday. One of the accused, aged around 35, approached Jain, saying that the way she was limping suggested she had pain in the legs and he knew of a doctor who would provide her instant relief. Another accused, around 55, reached on the scene as the doctor and took her to a nearby temple and asked her to remove her jewellery for two minutes. They asked her to recite a mantra after which they gave back a packet, saying that the packet contained her jewellery, which must be opened at home with the recital of mantras, as this will cure her of ailments. When Jain reached home and opened the packet after following the ritual, she saw bangles made of iron and few pebbles. They then reported matter to Kotwali station. The victim lost her husband six months ago and has a son Prashant Jain and a daughter.