Rawat to start ‘Ganga bhajan’ to awaken govt
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Food Processing and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat has announced that he will start a “Ganga bhajan” programme to awaken the government to some issues facing the people of Uttarakhand.

Harish Rawat, in a letter to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, has sought permission to start the programme from August 18 at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar.

In the letter, he has drawn the attention of the Chief Minister to six points for immediate action.

Rawat demanded that the exploitation of the poor farmers in the name of illegal mining should be stopped in Haridwar, as they are unable to make their fields plain and are being penalised by officials in the name of illegal mining.

He said farmers should be allowed to take small quantities of sand and bajri from seasonal rivulets for their personal use and should not be harassed.

The minister also demanded that the government should increase the number of seats for special basic teachers' course in haridwar district.

Rawat sought adequate compensation for those farmers whose lands have been acquired for the construction of a national highway and permission to farmers to kill wild boars that had damaged their produce in Haridwar.

What letter Says

* Stopping of exploitation of poor farmers in the name of mining

* Farmers be allowed to use small quantities of sand and bajri from seasonal rivulets for personal use

* Relief for peasants whose lands have been acquired for the construction of a national highway 

 Devotees offer milk, Ganga water to Shivlingam
Tribune News Service

Devotees offer Ganga jal at Neeleshwar Mahadev Temple in Haridwar on Monday. Tribune photo: Rameshwar Gaur

 600 cadets take part in NCC training
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
The annual training of the 31 UK Bn NCC was inaugurated today by Col M M Uniyal, camp commandant at Anarwala, in which 600 cadets participated. In his inaugural speech, Col Uniyal shed light on the aims and objectives of the NCC and how the NCC was playing a pivotal role in the development of the youth and the importance of the NCC in nation buidling.

On this occasion, Col M Mehta, Admn officer, NCC Group HQ, Roorkee, also visited the inaugural function and was impressed by discipline and the overall turnout of the cadets.

The camp commandant also briefed the Thal Sena Camp team about their training activities which would be undertaking during the annual training camp.

Lt Col Ravi Shah, Dy Camp Commandant, Lt Col Om Prakash, OIC TSC, Capt (Dr) KS Rawat, first officer Meena Sharma, Subedar Major MS Gurin, JCOs and NCOs were also present at the training camp.

 Kaliyar to have polytechnic college
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 30
Kaliyar, which is known for shrine of Sabir Saab at Piran Kaliyar, will have a government polytechnic college. An Industrial Training Institute (ITI) has also been planned at Laksar tehsil in the district.

The Social Welfare Department has decided to open a polytechnic at Kaliyar in Roorkee tehsil of Haridwar district after not finding adequate land on the Haridwar periphery.

The polytechnic will be set up at a cost of Rs 9.30 crore with the Revenue Department being asked to earmark 5 acre land for this project.

This project is being carried out under the Multi-Sectoral Development Plan (MSDP) for which Rs 9.30 crore has been allocated.

An ITI at Laksar will be coming up at Basedi Khadar village for which land has been identified.

Earlier, polytechnic college was to be constructed at the Integrated Industrial Estate run by SIDCUL , 15 km from Haridwar city, but due to shortage of land, this project got delayed.

Finally, the Social Welfare Department decided to make the college at Kaliyar which would benefit a large number of youths in the region.

 Balkrishna’s judicial remand extended till August 13
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate SS Rawat today extended the judicial remand of Balkrishna, a close aide of yoga guru Ramdev, till August 13. His bail application will now come up for hearing tomorrow. Balkrishna has been sent back to the Suddhowala jail.

Earlier, his bail was denied by a special CBI court and he was sent to a 10-day judicial custody.

He was arrested on July 20 from Haridwar after the CBI court in Dehradun issued a non-bailable warrant against him for having failed to appear in the court.

Meanwhile, while talking to mediapersons, Balkrishna said he was feeling like a freedom fighter in the jail and was comfortable. “I am teaching yoga and pranayam to the inmates. Many of them who are drug addicts are trying to quit the habit,” he claimed.

He accused the Central Government of conspiring against him. “The Congress will not be able to prove anything against me. The anti-corruption campaign by Ramdev will continue and will be strengthened further,” he said.

Balkrishna further said he had full faith in the judiciary and would respect the verdict given by it in his case.

 Arya to stay as Cong chief, says Dhasmana
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
Vice-president of the Uttarakhand Congress Suryakant Dhasmana has said state party president Yahspal Arya will not be removed from the post as demand by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food processing Harish Rawat. Arya is also a minister in the Bahuguna government.

Dhasmana told mediapersons here today Arya was an elected president of the party whose tenure was till 2015. There was no question of removing him immediately. Rawat, who is heading the opposite faction within the Congress, has demanded that Arya should be replaced with Pardeep Tamta, Lok Sabha MP from Almora, as president of the Congress. Tamta is a protégé of Harish Rawat.

Dhasmana said, “The party has done exceedingly well under Arya’s leadership and won all five seats in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. Later it also did well in the Assembly elections and formed the government in the state. His popularity was again tested in the Assembly byelection in Sitarganj where Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna won by a record margin,” he said.

Asked why Arya was holding two posts, Dhasmana said in case he found it difficult to handle the posts he should report it to the party high command.

 Foresters to be promoted soon, says Bahuguna
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today announced that the government would soon approve the promotions of state foresters to the Indian Forest Services. “No promotions have taken place of state foresters to the Indian Forest Services and those awaiting promotions for the last 20 years will no longer be denied their due,” said Vijay Bahuguna at a meeting today.

Besides, the Chief Minister also announced the enhancement of aid under different categories to victims of man-animal conflict.

He also announced the creation of 50 new posts at the Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the setting up of eco-tourism board in the state. “To give a fillip to adventure sports in the state, adventure sports academy will be set up in Tehri,” said Bahuguna.

He has already announced the creation of the Tehri Development Authority envisaging a planned development for Tehri, his erstwhile parliamentary constituency.

The government also decided to make the Forest Development Corporation the governing body for harnessing power through pine needles (chir leaves). In association with UREDA, power projects of 50 mega watt would be started. Van panchayats would be encouraged to collect chir leaves to solve the problem of forest fire in Uttarakhand.

The government has also sent a proposal of Rs 16,000 crore under the Ganga Pollution Control Plan to the Central Government for approval.

Roads awaiting clearance in the forest area would be cleared through meetings held twice a month by District Magistrates and District Forest Officers.

Besides, the Forest Department will now give land for setting up facilities for the Bio-Medical Waste and Solid Waste Management.

 Delegation meets Qureshi over Rajjat yatra
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30
A delegation, led by former Uttarakhand minister Mohan Singh Gaonwasi, met Governor, Dr Aziz Qureshi, at Raj Bhavan today regarding the Nanda Devi Rajjat Yatra to be held in 2013.

The Governor obtained detailed information from the delegation regarding the yatra that is held after every 12 years in the state and ensured the members of the delegation that all efforts would be made for the smooth conduct of this historic event.

He also expressed desire to participate in the yatra at some point on its route.

A memorandum was submitted by the group to the Governor. The team requested him to ask the government to improve the 280 kilometre yatra route, make arrangements for boarding and lodging and medical care of participants and save the route from environmental damage.

Dalbir Singh Danu and Narendra Singh Rawat of the Rajjat committee were also part of the delegation.