Tamta best suited for post of state Cong chief : Rawat
Hariwar, July 29
Once again Haridwar parliamentarian Harish Rawat has pitched in for his protégé Pradeep Tamta, Almora-Pithoragarh parliamentarian, as the new state Congress chief.

Dehradun, July 29
Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) is setting up infrastructure in hill villages of the state, funded by the Centre, to boost tourism. The infrastructure includes sprucing up guest houses to provide accommodation to tourists, repairing or constructing new roads and wayside toilets. In 12 villages the work under the project has successfully been completed, and in two villages it is near completion. In Chakunibora village of Champawat, the work could not be started due to land-related complications and non-cooperation from the NGO, enrolled for the task. Most of the projects were started in 2005-06.

The villagers in these villages have been provided basic training in hospitality by the NGOs, which had been entrusted with the task of creating infrastructure in these villages. The villages have been picked up on the basis of their ideal scenic location, rich culture and exposure to tourism in the past. With the infrastructure in place, it is hoped that the villages would become self-reliant and be able to contribute in the state economy.

The villages where project has been successfully completed are Kasar Devi and Jagheswar in Almora district, where a sum of Rs 42.30 lakh and Rs 70 lakh were spent by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN). In villages Koti, Indroli and Patyur of Jonsar Bawar region, the District Forest Office (DFO) of Chakrata divison undertook the task and spent Rs 47 lakh. Hab and Dodital villages of district Uttarkashi, too, had been provided with the infrastructure costing Rs 48 lakh each by respective DFOs.

Work at Saari village of Rudraprayag and Nanakmatta village of district Udham Singh Nagar were completed by Sumar Foundation of New Delhi at a cost of Rs 16.50 lakh and Rs 69 lakh, respectively. Similarly, in Naintal, Padampuri village, the KMVN spent Rs 50 lakh, whereas another instalment of Rs 20 lakh was given by Sumar Foundation. In Kailash village, a sum of Rs 50 lakh was spent by KMVN and Rs 20 lakh partly by Sumar Foundation to complete the infrastructure-related works.

In village Triyuginarayan of Rudraprayag, amenities had also been partly developed by GMVN at a cost of Rs 45 lakh and Rs 20 lakh by Sumar Foundation. The projects which are near completion are at Mana village in district Chamoli, costing Rs 66 lakh, and Devriyatal in Rudraprayag at a cost of Rs 45 lakh. The work in these projects is more than 80 per cent complete.

It is in Champawat that the progress has been nil. Here in Chakunibora village, infrastructure was to be provided at the cost Rs 62 lakh by NGO Dhrishtikon Sanstha. But the NGO came under scanner for constructing tourism huts on its own land and also for not taking along the locals in the tourism-development activities of the state. On direction of the District Tourism Officer, legal action has been taken against the NGO.

Haridwar, July 29
The annual Multan Joth Mahotsava was celebrated in Haridwar today. It was the 102nd Joth Mahotsava being organised by people hailing from the Multan region in Pakistan, along with the Punjabi community in India. They offered milk to the Ganga and played with colours and burst crackers on the same day.

Early in the morning, special rituals were followed by offering milk to the Ganga amid chanting of Vedic mantras.

Later, the festival of Holi was celebrated with milk and colours at Har-ki-Pauri. Lighted joths were floated in the Ganga in a large number by the devotees. Later in the evening, fire crackers burst.

Dr Mahendra Nagpal, organising committee chief, said today was the 102nd Joth Mahotsava being organised by Multan residents and now people from other places in India too were participating in this annual function.

Decorative entry gates were made in the city to welcome the guests. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Raj Nath Singh along with BJP leaders Vijendra Gupta, Jagdeesh Mukhi, Vani Tripathi, Vijay Sharma, Vijay Jolly, stars including Praveen Kumar of Mahabharata serial participated in the event.

Hariwar, July 29
Once again Haridwar parliamentarian Harish Rawat has pitched in for his protégé Pradeep Tamta, Almora-Pithoragarh parliamentarian, as the new state Congress chief.

Keeping silence for a few weeks after the record win in Sitarganj Assembly by his bête-noire CM Vijay Bahuguna, Rawat once again mooted Tamta’s name, terming him as best suited for the post.

Rawat, while talking to TNS on the sidelines of a Sanskrit languge-based function in Haridwar, said Tamta had experience both as legislator and parliamentarian and was best suited to carry forward the legacy of the current state chief Yashpal Arya.

Having a dig at Yashpal Arya, with who he had never good relations since ND Tiwari’s era, Rawat said that as Arya is holding post in the state Cabinet, it is high time that Tamta be given the responsibility.

He added that as Tehri Lok Sabha elections were round the corner and 2014 Lok Sabha elections were not too far away, it was imperative to elect a new state chief who did not hold any other office.

This move by Harish Rawat has further fuelled speculations of ‘all is not well’ in the state Congress despite instructions by party high command and also public giving its mandate in favour of CM Bahuguna.

When questioned that if he has any other name to put up as deserving candidate for Tehri Garhwal byelection, Harish Rawat remarked that it will be decided later, taking into varied quotients into consideration.

Meanwhile, proposing the name of Tamta in front of the media openly has not gone down well with the pro-Bahuguna faction and party disciplinary committee.

Former Women's State Commission chairperson Santosh Chauhan said that Harish Rawat should present himself as an ideal leader and disciplinary party activist.

She added that Rawat’s comments in an open platform and with media create factionism and a sense of dejection among hardworking party activists as it seems ‘favourtism’ is the way to get plum posts in the Congress.

Earlier, Harish Rawat presided as chief guest at an annual convention of Sanskrit students at Rishi Sanskrit Maha Vidyalaya, Nirdhan Niketan Ashram,Khadkhadi.

The convention that was organised by Dev Vani Paropkar Mission witnessed Sanskrit students from across the state dwelling on making Sanskrit language regain it's somewhat lost place. It advocated organising more such events to give Sanskrit language students a platform to interact with each other.

Mussoorie, July 29
The Landour Cantt Board, that was drawing flak at inaction over the illegal construction issue in the area, finally woke up to the fact by demolishing an illegally constructed private godown at Lakshmanpuri despite minor protests by residents yesterday.

The Landour Cantt Board authorities accompanied by a police force, SDM, Mussoorie, CO, City, and CEO, Landour Cantt Board, arrived around noon and began dismantling the private godown constructed illegally by Surendar Singh Rawat of Lakshmanpuri.

The determined team razed the illegally standing structure to the ground within a spate of two hours. The residents and the neighbours around the area registered their mild protest and also pleaded with the authorities to show some mercy but to no avail.

The residents also tried to enter into dialogue with the CEO, Landour Cantt Board, Ashok Kumar, but he refused to comply till the whole structure was razed to the ground with the help of JCB machines, specially brought for carrying out the demolition exercise.

The elected vice-president of the board, CP Baloni, enraged at such exercise termed it as dictatorial and alleged that he was kept in the dark over the whole issue. He also informed the media that a committee in this regard was formed on May 3, 2012, and it was decided that all the illegally constructed property in the board area will be identified first and, thereafter, the demolition exercise will be carried according to the legal process. But today's exercise was done in a clandestine manner, raising several doubts at the intention of the Army officials, he alleged.

The owner of the property demolished at Lakshmanpuri, Surendar Rawat, blamed the authorities for the present situation and rued the fact that no one from the board contacted him while he was constructing the building. He also said that it had become necessary for him to construct additional area as his family had grown over the years. Surendar Rawat said that the matter was sub-judice in the court but despite that the authorities had taken such a Draconian action. He also alleged that the cantt board authorities, on the one hand were razing the property of poor people residing at Lakshmanpuri to the ground, on the other they were allowing illegal constructions to go on unabated at the A class land near Sister Bazaar and Lal Tibba, thus proving that they were either afraid of the people with high approach and money power, or were hand-in-glove with them.

He alleged that the cantt authorities had turned a blind eye towards the rampant illegal constructions being carried out around the Dahlia Bank area, believed to be owned by Mumbai businessman Sanjay Narang, an old friend of the ace cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar. He also said that the authorities on the pretext of repair and construction of a tennis court had given a free hand to him for constructing without any hindrance.

The CEO, Landour Cantt Board, when contacted, refuted all the allegations and said that the laws of the board were equal for rich or poor, and similar action would be taken against any person found violating the laws. He also clarified that in some cases the owners had taken the shelter of the court and board was contesting strongly and after the green signal, strong action would be initiated against them. He also warned other encroachers and persons involved in illegal constructions to clear the area within 10 days or else face the consequences.

Meanwhile, residents of the area are contemplating to the knock at the doors of the court for some sort relief.