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Assembly
Session
Question
hour
Bahuguna writes to PM for more funds under drinking water programme
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'Govt has spent Rs 1.6 crore on forest fire management'
Fencing camp for students
A crane lifts the car that collided with a Vikram on NH-72 in Haridwar on Monday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur
A major traffic jam took place at the doorway of Dehradun at Dat Kali tunnel on the Dehradun-New Delhi highway following the overturning of a truck laden with goods, blocking the entire traffic on the highway. Traffic came to a halt on the Dehradun-Delhi highway after a truck (right) overturned near the Dat Kali tunnel on Monday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir
MC places signboards at all parking areas
inadequate
power supply
CM makes a pitch for eco-conservation
Today is World Environment Day
Kisan sabha to hold protest on June 11
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Assembly Session Also approves reservation for handicapped, ex-servicemen Tribune News Service
Dehradun, June 4 Besides the Transfer (Repeal) Bill, the House also passed the Uttarakhand Public Servants (Reservation for Handicapped, Ex-servicemen and Dependents of Ex-servicemen) Bill, 2012. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hriyadesh moved the transfer (repeal) Bill and said a draft policy would be brought before the Cabinet that would replace the Act introduced and passed by the Khanduri government. Earlier, the minister had said as the government was in the process of repealing the Act, it had carried out only urgent transfers of IAS, PCS and other officers. During the session, Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal also rejected the demand of BJP MLA Madan Kaushik for increasing the time period for a discussion and the passage of 58 supplementary grants to take place from June 6 to 8. Kaushik said the three days set aside for a discussion and the passage of supplementary grants was very less. The Speaker responded saying for raising the time period of the Assembly session all parties should come together and find a solution. The House also observed a two-minute silence in the memory of former MLAs Govind Singh Gairola and Ghanshyam Giri, who died last year.
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Question
hour Tribune News Service
Dehradun, June 4 While informing the Uttarakhand Assembly during Question Hour in this regard, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hiryadesh said, “For the expansion of Pantnagar airport, a total of 173.81 acres was required. Out of this, 134.4 acres have been provided by Pant Nagar Agriculture University. The remaining 39.41 acres have been selected in Nainital. The expansion is being carried out by the Airport Authority of India." The question was posed by BJP MLA Rajesh Shukla who wanted to know the steps being taken by the government for the expansion of the airport at Pantnagar. He was told that after acquiring 50 acres from the university, the remaining land was looked up at Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital. After carrying out alignment studies, the land in Nainital was found to suitable. The minister added that during the first phase of expansion, the length and breadth of the runway have been increased to 45,000 feet and 100 feet, respectively. Answering a supplementary question, the minister said that efforts were on to improve the air-connectivity of Pithoragarh as it is an important border town. “By April 2013, we plan to start services between Dehradun to Pithoragarh and Pithoragarh to Delhi. Initially, below-20 seats Dornier aircraft will be pressed into service. This will be followed by ATR 42-seater once the expansion is compete," she said. When the minister was asked by Congress MLA Rajinder Bhandari about the commencement of helicopter services from Gauchar, the minister said that connectivity by means of small helicopters is ideal for hills. “The previous ND Tiwari government had proposed to start helicopter facilities from important tourist destinations, especially at Gauchar and Chinyalisor. "In these places, only helipads can be built. Technical and economical aspects will have to be studied in order to land aeroplanes,” she said.
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Bahuguna writes to PM for more funds under drinking water programme
Dehradun, June 4 He also requested the PM to simplify the process of forest clearance for roads approved under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). Chief Minister Bahuguna wrote two letters to the PM regarding these issues on Monday. Bahuguna, stating that Uttarakhand had a geography similar to the North-Eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir, urged the PM to provide funds in a 90:10 ratio like it was being providing to those states. He wrote that Uttarakhand, despite being a 'special state', was being provided funds in a 50:50 ratio which was not justified. Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, during his recent visit to the state, had assured the provision of funds in a 90:10 ratio. The Chief Minister also urged the PM to make amendments in the forest clearance process for proposed roads under the PMGSY. He advocated forest clearance approval by the regional office of the Union Environment Ministry. At present, the state advisory group can give clearance only for a maximum of 5 hectares of forest land. He urged the PM to increase this limit to 20 hectares. The Uttarakhand CM has stressed that the simplified process that has been adopted for roads in border areas be employed for roads under the PMGSY too. Bahuguna has also suggested the opening of special cells of the Union Environment Ministry in its regional offices. He said that Uttarakhand, on the lines of naxal-affected areas, be exempted from compensatory afforestation for roads under the PMGSY and that the state be paid reimbursement through the Rural Development Ministry.
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'Govt has spent Rs 1.6 crore on forest fire management'
Dehradun, June 4 Answering a question put by BJP MLA Madan Kaushik, regarding the loss incurred due to forest fires and measures being taken by the Forest Department to tackle these, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hriyadesh informed the House that as part of fire-fighting measures by the Forest Department, 1,151 crew stations and 38 master control stations have been established. The government has spent Rs 1.6 crore on forest fire
management. Elaborating on the reasons behind forest fires, the minister said that incidents of forest fire are mostly man-made. “To prevent forest fires, women self-help groups are being encouraged to take up the collection of Perul (leaves and forest litter) - the main cause of the fires,” said Indira. She said a software has also been developed to predict the outbreak of fire on the lines of weather reporting. To a supplementary question posed by BJP MLA BS Chuphal regarding compensation paid to persons who had lost their lives in the fires, Indira Hriyadesh said compensation between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh was being paid. Three human lives have been lost in forest fires this year.
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Fencing camp for students
Dehradun, June 4 The camp was inaugurated by Surya Kant Dhasmana, vice-president of the Uttarakhand Congress Committee and president of the Uttarakhand Fencing Association. Dhasmana said that all students will get full support to learn this fantastic game. Sushil Purohit, general secretary of the association, thanked all participants and wished that the participants would learn fencing and represent Uttarakhand at the national and international events of fencing.
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12 persons injured in road accident
Haridwar, June 4 The accident occurred at Indira Gandhi Setu (Chandi ghat bridge) when the driver of the Vikram, in an inebriated condition, hit his speeding vehicle into a car coming from the opposite direction. Such was the gravity of the collision that the front body of both the Vikram and the car got damaged badly. All the 10 passengers of the Vikram and driver of the Indica car sustained grievous injuries. All the injured were admitted in district hospital for medical treatment by the police while the driver of the Vikram has been arrested. Injured passengers informed that they had urged the driver to slow down the speed of the vehicle but he did not pay any heed to it. "He lost control of the vehicle as the Indica car coming from opposite direction was also in high speed though it was in it's lane. The collision had a major impact as both vehicles ran through each other," said an injured passenger. Traffic got halted as both the colliding vehicles fell on both sides of the bridge and people came to rescue the injured. Later, a crane was called to lift the car and vehicle away from the main highway road. Superintendent(Traffic) Kiran Lal Shaw said in view of the Char Dham and tourist season, impromptu checking drives will be carried out in the city to ensure auto and Vikrams don't cross the speed limit.
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Truck overturns on Doon-Delhi road
Dehradun, June 4 Thousands of vehicles were stranded on the narrow hill road as it took the police five hours to clear thejam. The police had a tough time in removing the overturned truck. Thousands of passengers travelling in private and public transport had a harrowing time in the sweltering heat wave conditions in the traffic jam. The government has failed to find any answer to frequent jams due to the narrow road tunnel at Dat Kali, 15 km from Dehradun. — TNS
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MC places signboards at all parking areas
Mussoorie, June 4 The incident where the tourists had been beaten up by the parking staff at Company Garden on Saturday had shaken up the town, leading to widespread condemnation to the extent that the Chief Minister after hearing about the incident had to intervene and instruct concerned officials to ensure safety of the tourists at any cost. Following the public outcry after the incident, the Municipal Council finally began the face-saving exercise of placing signboards with the tariff inscribed on them at all the parking areas owned by the council today. The Executive Officer in his order today said that the incidents of brawls with tourists and complaints of overcharging from them due to absence of the rate list at various parking areas have been reported. In order to stop such malpractices by the contractors the tax inspectors have been directed to paint the signboards with tariff on all parking areas owned by them. Tax Inspector Raviraj Bangari along with the subordinate staff inspected all the parking spots and began the exercise of placing the tariff boards here. Meanwhile, the public representatives of the town were of the view that that Municipal Council by raising the annual contract rate for the parking areas under their jurisdiction every year and not increasing the tariff was itself inducing such malpractices, thus resulting in skirmishes and defaming the town in the process. They also said that the Municipal Council was not a profit making body; hence it should not increase the annual contract rate that ranges from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 17 lakh, depending on the number of vehicles parked in it.
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inadequate power supply Tribune News Service
Dehradun, June 4 A large number of residents gathered at the power substation and gheraoed the officials to demand better power supply to their area. Mahesh Pandey, a resident of Morowala village, said the former managing director of the UPCL had sanctioned a transformer for their area, but with the coming of a new managing director, all work had now stopped. Pandey said even the equipment for the installation of the new transformer were issued, but the new MD stalled all works in the city. The residents alleged that apart from unscheduled power cuts that last from four to seven hours everyday, there had been a constant problem of voltage fluctuation. The villagers threatened that if the authorities failed to install the new sanctioned transformer in their area, they would intensify their stir.
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CM makes a pitch for eco-conservation
Dehradun, June 4 Bahuguna said the state government was serious about environment conservation and called upon the people to contribute towards the cause. He added unscientific exploitation of natural resources had led to degradation of environment around the world. The Chief Minister said one could make a significant contribution towards conservation of environment by keeping in mind small things. He added that the natural resources ought to be utilised maintaining a balance between development and environment. Bahuguna said Uttarakhand had an important role in the safety of environment. He expressed concern over forest fires occurring in the state every year. He asserted that the government, public representatives and NGOs should come together to save forests. He laid emphasis on keeping rivers pollution free.
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Today is World Environment Day
Dehradun, June 4 In his message, the Governor said: "We must aim to reduce carbon emissions, enhance energy efficiency and prevent the loss of our precious biodiversity and ecosystem. This day must restrengthen our resolve to protect the environment against all negative effects. Looking after the nature has always been an integral part of the Indian ethos. And in Uttarakhand, home of the famous Chipko movement, this ethos has a special significance," said the Governor. He urged the people of the state to be proud of its rich biodiversity and make concerted efforts to preserve it.
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Kisan sabha to hold protest on June 11
Dehradun, June 4 A decision in this regard was taken at a convention of forest dwellers at Lal Kuan today. Addressing the convention, Purshottam Sharma, state president of the sabha, condemned the alleged torture and exploitation of forest dwellers and Van Gujjar nomads by forest and revenue officials. — TNS
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Haridwar, June 4 In the past few days the crime graph has spiralled in the city with chain snatching, looting, thefts and murders becoming normal happenings despite tall police claims by new district police chief Arun Mohan Joshi of specific measures to control the crime graph. A major theft of Rs 4 lakh took place at Ranipur in mid-day when bike-borne thieves looted the sum from Devi Prasad, resident of Purkaji, who was going for registry of a residential plot. Devi Prasad had arrived at BHEL at his relatives' house yesterday. He was going for registry of the plot with Rs 4 lakh cash when two motor cycle-borne youths stopped him and snatched the briefcase from Devi Prasad. Before anyone could realise, the bikers disappeared from the crime scene at Sector-1, BHEL-Roshanabad road. In the wee hours of the morning, three shops were looted by the miscreants. Goods and cash were stolen from the shops in Subash Nagar. These three shops, Pahwa Cloth House, Chauhan General Store and Kiran Medical Store, are adjacent to each other which were targeted by the thieves in a daring act. Shutters and locks of these three shops were found broken with lock cutters. Around 2:30 am, Salim a neigbouring resident, overheard sounds of some people coming from these shops. Armed with his licensed pistol, he went to the crime scene. Seeing the thieves Salim opened fire in the air and called nearby people as they tried to attack him. Seeing people coming in large numbers thieves ran away in a vehicle, leaving a major portion of the stolen goods behind. A case has been registered against the culprits at Ranipur police station with the local people and traders staging a protest against laxity by night patrolling of police personnel. — TNS
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