Reward informers of forest fire: Speaker
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
State BJP president BS Chufal, who had expressed dismay at the losses incurred in forest fires, once again raised the issue today in the House. He asked the government to reward the villagers or employees of the Forest Department who brought information about the fires so that these could be extinguished before these got out of control.

The MLA’s insistence on constituting rewards for fire warnings was noted by Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal who asked the government to implement the suggestion and even instructed it to include it in the forest fire-fighting mechanism.

Pant Nagar varsity Vice-Chancellor

Indira Hriyadesh informed the House about the government’s commitment to appoint a permanent Vice-Chancellor in Pant Nagar University and to initiate action against the alleged financial irregularities committed by the incumbent VC.

Assuring BJP MLA Rajesh Shukla, who raised the issue under Rule 58, she said that as the VC had been appointed on a temporary basis, he had allegedly misused his powers and appointed persons with doubtful credentials on nine posts.

Desilting of Haridwar canals

The Uttarakhand Government will use its own resources to clean the canals on the Ganga so that farmers get adequate supply of water to irrigate their crops.

Raising the issue of reduced release of water and silt formation in the canals on the Ganga in Haridwar in the House under Rule 58, BJP MLA Madan Kaushik said that farmers in Haridwar were finding it difficult to irrigate their crop.

In her reply, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hriyadesh said that as the state of Uttar Pradesh controls the rivers, the exercise was supposed to be done jointly. But there was no response from Uttar Pradesh in this regard.

In the interest of its farmers, the Uttarakhand Government would take up the cleaning process at its own end, the minister said.

The minister said the issue of joint management of assets continues to be a contentious issue. Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna too had taken up the matter with the Uttar Pradesh Government and would take up the matter again.

“Meanwhile, we will initiate the desilting process at our own end so that farmers do not face any difficulty,” said Indira Hriyadesh.

Suspended constables

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hriyadesh today said that the government cannot intervene in the matter of reappointment of constables who were suspended by the government for filling forms from multiple centres as the case was still pending in court.

Raising the issue in the House today, BJP MLA BL Arya along with Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt made a strong plea for their reinstatement in the House today.

 Assembly Session
Congress MLA stages walkout
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
Congress MLA Mayukh Mehar caused embarrassment to the Treasury benches today by walking out of the House while the Assembly was in session to protest against the Speaker's inability to take up his notice under Rule 58.

Congress MLA Mayukh Mehar (R) walks out of the Uttarakhand Assembly in Dehradun on Thursday. — PTI

Mayukh stormed out of the House on being denied permission for the past three days and said that he would boycott proceedings.

After BJP MLA Madan Kaushik raised the issue about the decorum of the House being broken due to the remarks made by the Congress MLA, Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal directed that the remarks be expunged from the records.

Later, senior Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister who came for a short while after Question Hour, tried to pacify the MLA, but in vain.

The MLA has also not taken up office of the Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission and has been at odds with the Bahuguna government for being denied a ministerial berth.

The boycott of the House has given rise to speculation of his possible exit from the Congress. The BJP, which was left licking its wounds after the desertion of former BJP MLA Kiran Mandal, is waiting to strike back at the Congress.

"We are in talks with some disgruntled MLAs who may crossover to our party," said a BJP spokesperson.

 Community policing in Pithoragarh villages soon
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, June 7
To check the increasing rate of crime, the Pithoragarh police would soon start community policing in selected villages falling under every police station in the range, said Pithoragarh DIG Ganesh Singh Martolia here today.

He was chairing a meeting of senior police officials from Champawat, Pithoragarh, Almora and Bageshwar to evaluate the crime graph in the Pithoragarh range.

He said under the community policing, those villages would be selected where the crime rate was not high. "Women and the youth of that particular area will be made aware of habits that may take the shape of a crime later on. The problem of frequent traffic jams and bad habits among youths like liquor consumption and drug addiction will also be taken as awareness subjects under the community policing," said the DIG.

 Govt told to check misuse of official car by minister's kin
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
BJP MLAs drew attention of the House towards the misuse of official cars with red beacons by the family members of Social Welfare Minister Surinder Rakesh in his absence.

Raising the issue, BJP MLA Madan Kaushik said the Congress government should inform the House if the facility of official cars has been extended to the family members of ministers. Kaushik said the car was being used to ferry the minister's sister who teaches in a school.

The Speaker took strong exception to the misuse of the vehicle and asked the government to examine the issue.

It is learnt that the minister has gone to Australia on an official tour.

  FRI inks pact with Nepal institute

Dehradun, June 7
The Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal.

Under this pact, the FRI and the Nepal institute will work together to recognise mutual interests in the forestry linked fields of research, development, education, training, the transfer of technology and dissemination of knowledge.

Dr PP Bhojvaid, Director, FRI, and Prof CP Upadhayaya, Dean, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal, signed the papers on behalf of their respective organisations. — TNS

 Golden Jubilee Celebrations
ITBP jawans finish second phase of long-ride patrol
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, June 7
A team of 'Himbirs' that took part in second phase of the long-ride patrolling programme - which forms part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) - was welcomed at 14th Battalion headquarters here.

ITBP jawans are known locally as 'Himbirs'. The team had completed the patrolling of forward areas of Darma and Johar valleys in this part of the Himalayas.

“To celebrate the 50th year of the formation of the force, a special patrolling programme named 'Patrol Himbir-50' was organised by the force. It began on October 24, 2011, from Kibathu in Arunachal Pradesh and was inaugurated by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram," said AK Negi, DIG of the force based at Bareilly.

The responsibility of running the second phase of the programme was given to the Northern Dehradun 7th Battalion of the force under the orders of the regional headquarters Bareilly.

The DIG added that the 7th Bn ran the relay patrol from May 14 to 20. “Then, the 7th Bn passed on the baton to the 14th Bn which conducted the long ride patrol in Johar valley from May 21 to 28 and in Johar valley from May 27 to June 7,” said the DIG.

The baton will now be handed over to first battalion of the force at Malari in the Garhwal Himalayas.

"During its patrols, ITBP battalions will also run eye camps for the villagers in border villages on the India-China border," he said.

The ITBP, which was raised on October 14, 1962, to guard the northern frontiers of the country, has 49 battalions. “We guard the 3,488 km-long northern border of the country right from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh at heights from 9,000 to 18,500 feet in the Himalayas,” said the ITBP officer.

"We aim to cover the entire northern border by this relay patrol to develop close ties with the people living in those areas," said the DIG.

 Forest Dept unaware of loss of fauna in fire incidents
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, June 7
The state Forest Department claims to have no information of the loss of fauna though more than 2,500 hectares of forest have been damaged in fire incidents every year since 2000. Three tiger cubs were burnt to death in a forest fire at the Army depot, near Ramnagar, in Nainital district yesterday.

“It is a subject related to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) which is studying the loss of fauna due to forest fires every year in the state,” said Dr RBS Rawat, Chief Conservator of Forests of the state.

Rawat said four tiger cubs died in a forest fire at Hempur, near Ramnagar, in the grassland belonging to the Army. “As this 100 hectare area falls belongs to the Army and it sells grass every year, the tigress that had given birth to four cubs in deep grass could not save them as the fire broke out suddenly,” he said.

Rawat added as more than 70 per cent of forest fires erupted in pine forests in the state, the loss of fauna remained minimum due to their sparse presence in these forests. “The state suffers a loss of more than Rs 10 lakh every year in forest fires,” said Rawat.

He agreed that more than six varieties of reptiles, birds and mammals might be perishing in the forest fires every year, but the department knew nothing about the loss of fauna as it kept no information about it. “The department keeps data of only forest losses,” said Rawat.

He added for the last 10 years on an average 3,000 hectares of forest were destroyed in nearly 2,000 cases of forest fire in the state every year. 

 Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has Mussoorie in raptures
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, June 7
Grammy Award-winning ‘Mohan veena’ player Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt mesmerised the jawans with his performance of Hindustani classical music at Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Academy today. This was his second performance in Mussoorie.

Yesterday, Bhatt stole the hearts of music lovers and students of Woodstock School with his recital on the Mohan veena and satwik veena.

The musical soiree started with a lecture on Indian classical music by the Grammy Award winner.

During his hour-long performance, he cast a spell on the crowd with his Mohan veena recital of an 'alaap' in raga Kalyan, an evening raga, followed by raga Maru Behag in Vilambit and Drut Gat set to 'teen taal'.

Bhatt got the Grammy Award in 1994, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 and the Padma Shri in 2002.

Bhatt is not only a disciple of Pt Ravi Shankar, but also belongs to an elite body of musicians that traces its origin to Tansen and his guru Swami Haridas.

The concert was organised by the Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Among Youth which has been organising festivals and cultural events since 1972.

Tomorrow, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt will be giving the last performance of this trip to Mussoorie at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration here.

 Gen Manvender reviews Commandants’ parade 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
A day ahead of the passing-out parade, Lt-Gen Manvender Singh, Commandant, Indian Military Academy (IMA), reviewed the Commandants’ parade at the IMA here today.

Reviewing the parade, General Manvender Singh said: "Never forget what you have learnt. Whenever in doubt, remember four words --- naam, namak, nishan and izzat --- that make the common ethical foundation of the Army. And if you have understood them, you are unlikely to go wrong."

He said: “The Army is all about cohesion built around ethical leadership, tradition of honour, valour, unflinching loyalty and camaraderie. Therefore it demands great physical and moral courage, exceptional professional competence, physical fitness and ethical leadership qualities of the highest order."

He complimented the Deputy Commandant, the chief instructor and the faculty for moulding the Gentlemen Cadets into a very fine future young officers.

A total of 657 Gentlemen Cadets and 21 foreign Gentlemen Cadet showed tremendous enthusiasm, vigour and zeal to put up an excellent parade in front of an august gathering. He complimented all young Gentlemen Cadets for their precise and crisp movement with excellent timing which clearly indicated their high motivation and spirit, self-pride and cohesion achieved during their training at the IMA.

He said, “As you stand in this sacred drill square, where you have shed enough sweat, let this thought reverberate in your mind that you are the best and stand for what is the best?.”

 Finalise proposal of Annual Plan: Chief Secy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain has directed officials of the Planning and Finance Departments to finalise the proposal of the Annual Plan (2012-13) estimated at Rs 8212.60 crore, so that it could be forwarded to the Central Planning Commission.

At a review meeting held at the Secretariat here today, the Chief Secretary instructed the officials to consider closely all aspects while finalising the proposal and ensure no confusion and paradox prevailed among different departments. He asked them to put more impetus on the areas where more funds were needed so that maximum amount could be received.

He asked them to give priority to the projects related to public interest and also give more importance to project areas like horticulture, fruit-vegetable processing, health, medical, education, infrastructure development, quality education in the hill areas, tourism and science and technology.

The Chief Secretary has directed the officials to host a meeting and give a final shape to the proposal so that it could be presented to the Chief Minister for his perusal. The proposal pertaining to the 11th Five Year Plan (2012-17) was also discussed.

Principal Secretary, Planning, S Ramaswami, Secretary, Finance, Radha Raturi, Additional Secretary, Finance, MC Joshi and Director, State Planning Commission, Harshvardhan Uniyal were present at the meeting.

 Team to assess works of Almora Nagar Palika
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 7
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain has issued directives to constitute a special investigation team comprising departmental and accounts and audit officials for the assessment of the financial position of the Almora Nagar Palika.

He has directed the Urban Development Department to form a task force to conduct surprise inspection of works undertaken by the Nagar Palika. The department has also been asked to chalk out an action plan to further strengthen the financial position of nagar palikas.

Presiding over a meeting held at the Secretariat here today, the Chief Secretary said nagar palikas ought to increase their sources of revenue and strengthen financial positions. It was a matter of concern that nagar palikas had greater expenditure than income which led to financial constrains, he added.

The Chief Secretary said nagar palikas should increase their revenue resources and maintain financial discipline.

The Chief Secretary said the investigation team would assess the works of the Almora Nagar Palika carried out in the past four years and submit a report on how it could increase its revenue resources. He said executive officials and full-time workers should be deputed in nagar palikas to ensure their proper functioning.

He also issued directives to send request to the Public Service Commission if any post had to be filled through it.