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Rajaji park gears up to tackle poaching during Kanwar mela
Bahuguna emerges new patron of Bengali migrants
State to seek 100 pc financial assistance from Centre
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Prayers mark Hazrat Qayam’s birth anniversary
Complete probe within fortnight: Rawat
MLA inspects Chakrata Road
Aggarwal’s directives
to Power Dept officials
GMVN former vice-president seeks arrest of journalist
19 lakh tea saplings to be planted in state
Need to develop energy saving techniques stressed
Power projects must for development: MLA
Janmanch expands state executive
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Rajaji park gears up to tackle poaching during Kanwar mela
Haridwar, July 13 State Chief Forest Conservator has written a letter to the park authorities fearing of noted Bawaraiya gang, whose presence has been sighted in Kotdwara in the Pauri region. The letter has directed the forest and park officials to increase night patrolling and be vigilant of any suspicious movement as the gang could use the kanwar mela to carry out their nefarious designs. Kanwariyas in large number are visiting the Gaumukh, Gangotri and Neel Kanth shrines. So on reaching Haridwar, Kanwariyas move towards Chilla to enter Rishikesh as a result their movement in this prohibited stretch is increasing sharply. It has been reported many Kanwariyas are even resting and preparing food inside the park area. On this, Wildlife Warden VS Tomar said as the mela administration had sought their permission to allow vehicles from the Chilla-Rishikesh stretch owing to lessening of traffic congestion from main highway kanwariyas are being allowed to pass through. Though he pointed out that an alert had been issued in the park with round-the-clock patrolling being administrated to ensure that no smugglers intrude into the park in the garb of Kanwariyas and smuggle wood or animal skin. Tomar also expressed haplessness of the park administration as the road that passes through the park is of the Public Works Department. He said as the threat of the Bawariya gang was also feared during the mela, additional security and patrolling measures were being taken, particularly in the inner corridors of park where large number of animal species are found. |
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Bahuguna emerges new patron of Bengali migrants
Pithoragarh, July 13 “The BJP won the Sitarganj seat in the Assembly election in January because it had fielded a Bengali candidate, Kiran Mandal, but in the byelection this time the Bengali migrants voted for a candidate who had become their patron,” said Gopal
Krishan Mandal, an eminent Bengali leader and former pramukh of the Sitarganj block. Leaders of the Bengali community said after they were settled at the Rudrapur transit camp between 1947 and 1971 by the Central government, they were left at the mercy of the land mafia of the Terai region. The land sharks used to threaten the Bengali migrants to grab 2.5 acres given to each family of the community by the Uttar Pradesh government. “Even political leaders belonging to the Bengali community like PR Dasmunsi, Devbrata Mukherjee, Pranab Mukherjee Viman Bose and Jyoti Basu did nothing to solve the problems of the migrants settled in the Terai region. As we did not have a patron among leaders belonging to our community at the national level, we started an agitation in New Delhi for the grant of land rights in the area where we
had been settled. We even courted arrest,” said Mandal. “We have a visionary leader in late Pulin Biswas, who vowed not to put on clothes till the problems of the Bengali community living in the Terai region were solved. His movement enlightened the community politically,” he said. Leaders of the Bengali community said despite a good chunk votes with the community, it was always used by the leaders of other communities in the region. These leaders always cared for their own communities and neglected the problems of the Bengali community. “Earlier we were part of the Khatima Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh and had been represented by Bihari lal, Yashpal Arya, Lakhan Singh and other leaders of the SC community. But they did not
do anything for the community. Premanand Mahajan was the first Bengali leader to be elected to the Assembly but he failed to pressure the government
to address the problems faced by his community,” said Mandal. “With Bahuguna winning the byelection, the more than 1 lakh strong Bengali community has for the first time in the last 65 years of its settlement in the Terai region found a powerful patron who has promised to address their problems,” said the Bengali leader.
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Development Programmes for Border Areas
Dehradun, July 13 Chief Minister Bahuguna, while reviewing the preparations of the state Annual Planning at Secretariat for the proposed Planning Commission meeting scheduled to be held on July 16, directed the officials concerned to strongly advocate the state’s side on logical basis. He asked them to apprise the commission of the difficulties in the protection of forest and wildlife in the state due to dearth of funds. He also instructed them to prepare action plan for strengthening of the Forest Department. Bahuguna said, “As Uttarakhand comes under special category, I will press the commission for the recommendation of 90:10 ratio for the funds allocated by the Centre.” He pointed out that in past years, the expenditure had been very less as against the allocated amount. He directed the officials to ensure total expenditure of the amount during this financial year. He also instructed them to strongly advocate the necessity of hydropower projects in the state. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, Principal Secretary, Planning, S Ramaswami, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DK Kotia, Principal Secretary, Industrial Development, Rakesh Sharma, Secretary, Finance, Radha Raturi and other senior officials.
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Prayers mark Hazrat Qayam’s birth anniversary
Haridwar, July 13 Organised by Anjumna Farogh-e-aza at Qassaban, Jwalapur devotees participated in a large number where teaching of the Quran and Hazrat Qayam were referred, urging people to follow religious ethics and lead a pious life. A special prayer meeting was also held on the occasion with chief of the Anjuman Farogh-e-aza S A Naqvi urging devotees to work for society and mankind as all are brothers with God being one. Murtaza Hussain, secretary of the society, pointed out that religious occasions like this one helped people bind in one thread and highlight the life of revered spiritual preachers who taught people the right path. On the occasion Masroor Hamid, Rizwan Ali, Hafiz Inam, Ajad Ansari, Mohammed Jamshed, Fakira Khan, M Kaisar, Sajjad Hussain, BM Raza, Gulam Haidar, Parvej and Shabab, Amir were also present. |
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Killing of Leopard
Dehradun, July 13 According to information, this leopard had attacked two villagers in the Lakhamandal range of the Chakrata forest division on March 6. Irked, the villagers beat up it to death. The incident had created furore among wildlife conservationist. Rawat had then ordered a probe into the incident. However, despite the passage of over four months, the probe is yet to be completed. Taking serious note of the delay, Rawat has ordered the investigating officials to complete the probe within a fortnight. Meanwhile, the forest authorities are mulling organising talks with their UP counterparts with regard to holding joint patrolling in the Corbett National Park areas that share borders with UP. The Uttarakhand chapter of the People for Animals, in a complaint to Rawat, had alleged that UP villagers were involved in poaching activities in the Kalagarh division of Corbett Park. State anti-poaching cell director SK Dutt said the department had intensified patrolling in the forest areas of the state to check poaching incidents.
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MLA inspects Chakrata Road
Derhradun, July 13 He said the shopkeepers would not exceed the marking drawn by the MDDA while undertaking the construction on either side of the raod. He also said the dilapidated buildings and hanging slabs would be dismantled to make the way for a better road. He instructed the officials to start the task of removal of the dilapidated buildings. Rajkumar said the traders would no longer would be harassed. The traders complained that despite the assurance given by the MDDA officials, they were still served them with the notice. The traders placed their grievances before him. The tenants of some of the buildings were not allowing breaking down of old building while the owners wanted to do so. This is also posing problem before the Dehradun Municipal Corporation. MDDA secretary Banshidhar Tiwari and other officials also visited Chakrata Road with Rajkumar. |
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PM gives assurance on power projects
Dehradun, July 13 Maharaj and Naithani met the Prime Minister in Delhi yesterday. In a statement issued today, Maharaj said the Prime Minister patiently heard their concerns and gave an assurance to take all necessary action towards their demand of restarting of the scrapped hydropower projects in the state. “We informed the Prime Minister that while 90 per cent of works for the 330 MW Srinagar hydropower project had been completed, it was wrong to scrap the project at this stage,” he pointed out. Maharaj said livelihood of as many as 4,000 people was directly linked to the Srinagar hydropower project and thus scrapping of the project had brought these people on the verge of unemployment. He said the Prime Minister had gave an assurance that he would whatever was necessary for furthering the development. |
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Aggarwal’s directives
to Power Dept officials
Dehradun, July 13 He directed officials to resolve these problems, including of low voltage, in the areas of Niranjanpur, Turner Road, Sevlakala and Mandi. Aggarwal also instructed them to instal new poles and search for land to set up new 33 KV sub-stations in these pockets.
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Usurping Land Worth Crores
Derhradun, July 13 Negi said the scribe made property worth Rs 5 to Rs 7 crore within a short period through fraudulent ways. He had been booked under 12 cases in the city in various police stations. He charged that he also got weapon licence from various places which he used to threaten people. Negi said the court had issued three non-bailable, one bailable warrants and a look-out circular against him. His house was attached on June 4 last year after he was declared absconder by the Dalanwala police station and also declared a prize money of Rs 2,500 on his arrest, he said. Negi said the Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender within 15 days in its order of August 1 last year but he had not been arrested till date. Negi questioned as to why the police and the administration was neither arresting him nor taking action on his weapon licences. He said the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) dismantled building built by him which was reconstructed. No inquiry was set up in this matter as the building was constructed without getting the map clearance and change in commercial use. He said the scribe kept meeting higher-ups in the administration and the police. Still the police was neither arresting him nor was following the orders of courts as well. “I will meet the DGP and the Chief Secretary in this regard, if he was not arrested in the next seven days then I will start a dharna,” Negi said. |
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19 lakh tea saplings to be planted in state
Pithoragarh, July 13 “More than 37 lakh tea saplings are ready to be transplanted in various nurseries, for which we have made all arrangements as the rainy and winter seasons are the best for tea plantation,” said GS Kholia, a tea board official. According to tea board officials, land at various places in Chamoli, Almora, Bageshwar, Nainital and Pithoragarh districts has been identified for the plantation. According to sources, the saplings will be planted at the Pokhari and Tharali areas of Chamoli, the Garur area of Bageshwar, Dhaula Devi and Takula blocks of Almora district, the Dhari, Ramgarh and Betalghat areas of Nainital and the Didihat area of Pithoragarh district. “We have identified 15 acres in each district and 25 hectares in the Batalghat area of Nainital district for the purpose,” said the tea board sources. “The board has also find the climate of Devprayag and Karnaprayag suitable for tea plantation, for which trials are being done in these areas of Chamoli district,” said the official. |
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Need to develop energy saving techniques stressed
Dehradun, July 13 It is essential that energy management became an integral part of an organisation’s strategy to address not just individual activities or cost centres but the entire value chain. From environment perspective one could not completely stop the increase in demand for energy, however, there could be change in the way the energy was being used and reduce. The programme also focused on developing knowledge on the techniques for effective energy management and increased profitability. It was stressed on the creation of in-house skills on energy monitoring, energy auditing, and energy conservation in the areas of mechanical and electrical utilities/equipment, power distribution and alternative sources of energy. As many as 40 participants from various organisations from the Garhwal and Kumaon regions, including Titan Industries, Parle, Gujarat Ambuja Exports Limited, Neel Metal, Perfetti, Asahi India Glass Limited, HCL Infosystems, Lumax, Sundaram Fasteners, Akums Drugs and Pharmaceutical Limited, India Glycols and Marico, NTL Electronics and Norell, participated in the seminar. |
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Power projects must for development: MLA
Mussoorie, July 13 The MLA from Laksar speaking to mediapersons after a brief halt at a hotel in Mussoorie today said the people who were opposing the hydropower projects were doing a disservice to the honest and hardworking people of the state. Kunwar Pranav Singh said the closure of the hydropower projects in the state in the name of keeping the free flow of the Ganga was unwarranted and all such projects ought to be restarted as they were on the verge of completion. He said with the completion of the projects on the Ganga the people of the state would benefit manifold as such projects would not only generate additional revenue in the form of electricity but also provide water for the irrigation purpose to the farmers thus increasing the foodgrain yield in the state. Kunwar Pranav said the sewage treatment plant was non-functional due to unavailability of the electricity thus leading to untreated water being discharged in the Ganga. Speaking on the issue of increasing the forest cover, he said forest corporations after study of the reasons of decrease in forest cover in some areas would be formulating a comprehensive plan to increase it along with an increase in the revenue of the department. He further said the issue of mining on the Gola and the Kosi rivers would also be raised prominently in the general body meeting to be held soon and efforts would be made to remove the bottlenecks due to which the state had already suffered financially. The opening of the mining sector on these two rivers would assist in filling the coffers of the state along with providing employment to the youth. Kunwar Pranav said the permission for mining would be sought from the government in October. Speaking on the electoral win of Chief Minster Vijay Bahuguna from Sitarganj, he said with this win, the government was now on a strongfoot and would help in speeding up the development of the state. Speaking on the issue raised by BJP MLA Harbhajan Singh Cheema of dividing the plains and the hills in the state, he said that every citizen of the state had the right to work anywhere and such divisive statements were not a part of the Congress culture which was secular and believed in inclusive growth for all. Harbhajan Cheema in a statement yesterday said the migrating population from hills was a big burden on the people of the Terai region. |
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Janmanch expands state executive
Dehradun, July 13 Further Sucheta Dobhal has been made general secretary of the women’s wing of the Janmanch whereas Rajendra Hatwal has been made convener of the Uttarakhand Yuwa Janmanch. Pandey said the Janmanch would shortly open its state-level office in Dehradun. He said the organisation was all set to launch its flag and symbol. He said the Janmanch was also preparing a team of activists that would take up the issues of people linked to water, forests and land. He said the team would be initially travelling to all six districts of Garhwal, sensitising people about these issues.
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In view of the ongoing Kanwar pilgrimage, the Rajaji National Park administration is making sure wood smugglers and poachers in the garb of Kanwariyas do not intrude into the park area.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has said the state would try to seek 100 per cent financial help from the Centre in all its sponsored infrastructure development programmes for border areas this year.
Haridwar, July 13
Dehradun, July 13
