MDDA to auction 49 flats near ISBT
Dehradun, May 25
The Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) will now sell off the three floors built at the new shopping complex on Rajpur Road near Clock Tower and 49 new flats built near the ISBT on auction.

CM meets VCs
Govt ready to improve higher education in state: Bahuguna
Dehradun, May 25
Chief Minister Bahuguna during the meeting with the Vice Chancellors of universities in the state at the secretariat on Friday said that state government was ready to provide all necessary resources and facilities to improve higher education in the state.

ITC Gurgaon ground Air-India
Dehradun, May 25
ITC Gurgaon won by 116 runs against Air-India in the 30th All-India Uttarakhand Gold Cup Cricket Tournament match here today.

The Taj Mahal created at Parade Ground as a part of trade fair that kicked off in Dehradun on Friday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur

Time management important, says SEBI Chairman
Dehradun, May 25
Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), M Damodaran, has laid stress on the importance of time management for ensuring success in life.

Families of martyrs to be honoured
Dehradun, May 25
Dehradun-based Yograj Cinevesta Film Production House is going to honour the families of the martyrs, who lost their lives in various wars and state struggles at a gala night to be held at Parade Ground on June 24.

Dehradun, May 25
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the Congress government was committed to the welfare of people and would fulfil its promises made in the election manifesto.

He said good governance and development was the main aim of the state government. "The government will prepare proposals for the development works and send these to the Centre for the funds," he said and added that the Centre would definitely extend its support, he said.

He expressed these views while addressing a rally at Ramnagar. Bahuguna said the state government had decided to pay border allowance to workers posted in the border areas. He announced to give land ownership rights to people and constituted a committee to simplify the process of obtaining caste certificates.

He said the state government was also working towards the welfare of Van Gujjars.

Bahuguna said a Cabinet briefing would be conducted in Gairsain and an assembly session be held the next year. He said the state government would buy additional 150 MW power in the coming two weeks for the relief of the public.

He said though the state's treasury was empty and non-plan staggering at Rs 14,000 crore, the state government would not leave any stone unturned for the development of the state.

Bahuguna, responding to a request of Ramnagar MLA and Cabinet Minister Amrita Rawat, assured them the construction of Ramnagar-Kotdwar-Kandi Road, a bridge over River Sanvalde, the beautification of various roads, the renovation of Ramnagar-Karnprayag Road, ANM Centre at Patrani, a law section in Government College, the constructions of roadways depot, stadium and setting up of sub-office of Kumaon University at Haldwani.

Earlier, Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat apprised the Chief Minister about various problems existing in the Ramnagar areas and urged him to keep the Ramnagar Tourism Zone out of power cuts.

Bahuguna also visited ITI-Kania and inaugurated a newly constructed workshop constructed under the PPP mode with Bajaj Auto Limited, Pantnagar.

He said the state government would encourage technical education so that the local youth would not have to leave state for jobs.

"We want that the maximum local youth should get employment in SIDCUL," he said.

Dehradun, May 25
Another arrest of Mausir Hussain Rizvi, husband of the main suspect in the Rs 6 crore chit fund scam, Nahid Anjum Rizvi, was made in the day today by Nehru colony police. The health of Mausir, who is suffering from epilepsy for a long time, has worsened over the past two years ever since their business of chit fund had begun suffering a setback and as a result of which his limbs shake all the time. His involvement in the business has been negligible but since the chit fund company was run in his name and he signed on many important related documents and, not to forget, he was witnessing the entire development as a mute spectator, he could not escape the arrest.

Visibly traumatised by the sudden spate of downturn in his life with the arrest of his wife and only daughter, Mausir reiterated the stand adopted by his wife about the scam. He said he had no idea how things went wrong. He, however, admitted that the money in chit fund was flowing in and out but was not invested rightly to give long-term benefits.

He said they were aware about the sliding in their business, but kept mum to save their reputation before relatives and society as a whole.

He said what he dreaded most was being exposed before society, and this had come true. Despite his ailing health, Mausir keeps a sound mind.

Superintendent of Police, Rural, GS Dhyani, also showed concern about his fragile health. He said the doctors available in the jail would be consulted for his condition and could also be taken to hospital, whenever the need arose.

Haridwar, May 25
Various protests were held here today against the hike in petrol price hike.

Held separately by the Bharatiya Janta Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and local parties, protestors urged the UPA government to roll back its decision.

Women wing activists of the BJP today burned effigy of the Centre at Devpura city. Leading the women activists, Poonam Jha, state secretary of the Mahila Morcha, demanded an instant roll back of the hike, terming it as a step that had shown the anti-common man attitude of the Congress led UPA government.

Jha also termed the 1.87 paise slashing of the hike by state Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna as a face-saving act as he knew that outburst of the petrol hike would be detrimental to his winning the Assembly byelection, which he had to contest within the next three months.

Sanjana Sharma, office bearer of the Mahila Morcha, cited the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA rein when the inflation was under check and prices of essential commodities like LPG cylinder, petrol products and food grains that effect masses was best managed.

“Despite Manmohan Singh being an economist and former Finance Minister, he has totally failed in controlling inflation. Singh should take a leaf out of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and lessen the woes of the common man, who is feeling cheated due to financial burden as well as the numerous scams emanating from the UPA government,” said Sanjana Sharma, while blocking traffic as a mark of the protest. Local traders near the Har-ki-Pauri zone market, the Ranipur Vyapayar Mandal members carried out protests.

Mridul Kaushik, chief of the Ranipur traders’ association said with surging petrol prices, the cost of commercial goods would also rise, affecting their trade.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the city Congress unit members was held at party office wherein Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s initiative of giving a relief to state consumers by slashing duty on per litre petrol by Rs 1.97 paise was lauded.

Veteran leader BS Tejiyan said the hike spoke volumes about the concern of Chief Minster Vijay Bahuguna. He said it were oil companies that decided the petrol hike rates and not the Union government.

Dehradun, May 25
The Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) will now sell off the three floors built at the new shopping complex on Rajpur Road near Clock Tower and 49 new flats built near the ISBT on auction.

The decision was taken today at the board meeting of the MDDA, which was chaired by the Commissioner and attended by Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Chief Town Planner, District Magistrate and other officials.

The entire property in new shopping complex has been distributed to the shopkeepers of Chakrata Road after the demolition of their shops in the wake of the widening of the road. Three more new floors had been built which are open halls. Various options were mooted in the meeting which was to either sell off the floors on auction, give them on lease or rent. While analysing pros and cons of the options, it was decided to dispose of the property by holding an auction after deciding a base or minimum price for bidding.

The other important policy issue was also deliberated upon regarding the 49 flats which remained after the distribution of 31 other such flats to the residents of Chakrata Road who too lost their houses in the widening process. The members decided to sell off these 49 flats as well by publishing a notification in the local dailies and then by selling the flats through lottery system.

The budget for the MDDA’s income to the tune of Rs 83.16 crore and expenditure amounting to Rs 63.09 crore too was sanctioned at the meeting.

Dehradun, May 25
Chief Minister Bahuguna during the meeting with the Vice Chancellors of universities in the state at the secretariat on Friday said that state government was ready to provide all necessary resources and facilities to improve higher education in the state.

He said that there was drastic need to bring the higher education to the standard as per the present requirements so that students get world class education and become competent for national and international level competitions.

He said that all the issues of universities pending on government level would be resolved on priority basis. Bahuguna said that the VCs of universities in the state would be paid as per UGC scales. Responding to the fact that the posts of Registrar, Examination Controller and other posts were lying vacant in the universities, Bahuguna gave his approval for filling of these posts on deputation. He said that a temporary building would be provided for the office of Pandit Deen Dayal University at Chamba. When he was told that medical colleges could be established under Central University, he asked the concerned officers to look for the ideal land for a new medical college.

Also present in the meeting were Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Vinita Kumar, Secretary to CM, SS Sandhu, Additional Secretary, Higher Education, Nidhi Pandey, VC, HNB Garhwal University, SK Singh, VC, Uttarakhand Technical University, DS Chauhan, VC, Uttarakhand Open University, Vinay Kumar Pathak, VC, Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Sudha Rani Pandey amongst others.

Dehradun, May 25
Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), M Damodaran, has laid stress on the importance of time management for ensuring success in life.

Delivering a talk entitled ‘Bridging the gap between performance and potential’ at Forest Research Institute here today, Damodaran ,who also heads the Unit Trust of India and the Industrial Development Bank of India, said time management was one of the most important factors in life.

Sharing his UTI success experiences, he said a leader always had faith in people and their capabilities. “Listening to everybody and learning from everybody is a key to success,” he pointed out.

He gave various tips to the audience on day-to-day successes and focused on working without stress. He said he also spoke on the role of some important factors in career, including better communication and faith in subordinates.

Scientists and other officials from the ICFRE, FRI and Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy and the students and research scholars from the FRI were among the audience.

AS Rawat, Dean (Research), FRI, accorded the vote of thanks.

Dehradun, May 25
Dehradun-based Yograj Cinevesta Film Production House is going to honour the families of the martyrs, who lost their lives in various wars and state struggles at a gala night to be held at Parade Ground on June 24.

Many film personalities will come to give performance on the occasion.

Children from various schools will also pay homage at Shahidi Smark at Gandhi Park with TV actor Ashnoor Kaur on June 28.

Founder president of the organisation Yograj said the film stars like Akshay Kumar, Bhagyashree and Manisha Koirala had already given commitment. Besides them, few more film stars would also perform.

Yograj said, “I have been holding events to honour martyrs every year. Last year, I held a beauty pageant here. This year, I decided to rope in film stars to make the event more memorable.”