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Death toll in Uttarkashi cloudburst reaches 33
Victims to get Rs 3 lakh as relief
CM flags off relief material
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PM assures help to state
Rains to continue
Ramdev, Balkrishan behind guru's disappearance: Sant Samaj
‘Remarks aimed at weakening August 9 agitation’
APL cardholders to get better quality rice
Radhe Maa stripped of title
Janmanch wants
Virbhadra to quit Cong
Programme for Forest Department master trainers
Guv tells Kaushal, Jagudi not to return awards
52 cadets donate blood
Maharaj grieves loss of life
SJA declared champions in inter-school event
BJP women workers meet Doon SSP
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Death toll in Uttarkashi cloudburst reaches 33
Dehradun, August 5 The state authorities are yet to come to terms with the cloudburst that took place in Uttarkashi on Friday night. The bodies of missing labourers and fire service personnel working with the under construction Asi Ganga project were recovered today, taking the death toll to 33. However, six others are still missing. Personnel of the National Disaster Relief Force have reached the state for effective conduct of relief and rescue operations. Gangotri is completely cut off from the rest of the state due to the destruction of Gangori Bridge, leading to 700 pilgrims getting stranded. Similarly, 200 pilgrims are stranded on the Uttarkashi-Yamunotri road due to blockage at Hanuman chatti. The authorities have suspended the yatra and announced a relief of Rs 2,700 per family for the stranded pilgrims. Director, Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre, Piyush Rautela said inclement weather was hampering relief and rescue works in Uttarkashi. He said it might take a few days to restore power supply to the region. Meanwhile, Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya could not reach Uttarkashi due to a blockage at Chinyalison. He had to face a tough time. President of the state BJP Bishan Singh Chufal and former minister Khazan Das also could not reach Uttarkashi. Aerial survey by CM Vijay Bahuguna along with Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat today held an aerial survey of the disaster-affected Uttarkashi district. He directed the district administration to provide all possible help to the victims. He also instructed immediate reconstruction of damaged bridges and roads. |
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Victims to get Rs 3 lakh as relief
Dehradun, August 5 Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Vijay Bahuguna was hopeful of adequate assistance from the Centre as relief to Uttarakhand. "I have written to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and will meet the Prime Minister for providing assistance to the state as calamity relief", Bahuguna said. He said as per intial assessment, Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore was needed for rehabilitation purposes in Uttarkashi whereas the state had a total of Rs 133 crore in its calamity fund that too was meant for the entire state and hence urgent assistance was needed from the Centre. Bahuguna said apart from ex gratia to the victims, Rs 2,700 per family was being provided to the 230 families that had been shifted from the danger zone in Uttarkashi and added He disclosed that 50 officials of the National Disaster Relief Force had reached Uttarakhand and relief and rescue operations were in full swing with the help of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force and the district authorities. The only respite came in the form of availability of foodgrains in Uttarkashi. The Chief Minister said the Uttarakhand district authorities had ample of foodgrains. The district had 99 metric tonnes of sugar, 307 metric tones of wheat, 387 metric tonnes of rice and 13 kilolitrs of kerosene. "These foodgrains had been earlier stocked in Uttarkashi taking into account the vulnerability of the district to natural disaster. This is now proving to be great help", the Chief Minister pointed out. He said water supply was being ensured through the help of tankers. He said while a number of high tension line poles have been swept away, all efforts were being undertaken to restore the power supply. Earlier, the Chief Minister held an important meeting with the heads of all departments to moniter the situation in wake of Uttarakashi cloudburst. He directed for speedy conduct of relief and rescue operations. |
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CM flags off relief material
Dehradun, August 5 He also appreciated Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay’s efforts in this regard. Bahuguna also urged non-voluntary organisations and other social welfare organisations to come forward in aid of Uttarkashi victims. Tarun Vijay said natural disasters had always been a challenge for Uttarakhand. He said welfare of the state was above party politics. He said the relief material van flagged off today would be provided to victims in the village areas.
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PM assures help to state
Dehradun, August 5 The Prime Minister today called upon state Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna over the phone and enquired about the situation in Uttarkashi and the other rain-hit areas of the state. He assured all help to the state in overcoming the Uttarkashi cloudburst. The Prime Minister asked the Chief Minister to immediately send the report on assessment of damages caused to the state so that necessary steps could be taken in this direction. Dr Manmohan Singh said the Centre was with the people of Uttarakhand in this hour of grief. The Chief Minister will meet the Prime Minister in Delhi on Monday. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Harish Rawat has also apprised the PM of the damage caused by the natural disaster in Uttarkashi. Earlier, in a meeting with senior state officials, the Chief Minister released Rs 20 crores for the state from the calamity-relief fund. Chief Minister Bahuguna instructed the officials concerned to clear the roads obstructed by landslides on war footing and ensure resumption of power supply interrupted due to damaged electricity poles. He said as per his instructions, additional ration had been stored in the sensitive areas. The Chief Minister said financial assistance would be sought from the Centre after estimating the total damage. He also issued instruction to send special medical team to take precautionary measures to prevent possible epidemic in Uttarkashi after the disaster. He also directed to authorities to keep the educational institutions closed for one week in Uttarkashi district. The Chief Minister asked the BRO to construct temporary bridges so that stranded people could be taken out. He said a team of senior officials would camp at Uttarkashi to monitor the relief operations. The Chief Minister has appealed the general public to come forward to help the disaster-affected people. State Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, DGP Vijay Raghav Pant and Principal Secretary, Disaster, Omprakash, attended the meeting. |
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Rains to continue
Dehradun, August 5 However, after heavy rainfall yesterday, the weather was clear in Dehradun today. After two days of continuous rainfall, there was some sunshine in the state capital. However by the evening, it was yet again cloudy. The Dehradun administration has asked officials to closely monitor the situation taking into account waterlogging in many localities of Dehradun. Yesterday, residents of Clement Town had staged demonstrations in protest against the administration’s alleged failure to solve the problem of waterlogging in the region.
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Harish cancels his proposed protest
Dehradun, August 5 Rawat today met Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in Dehradun and expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for issuing necessary instructions linked to the issues raised by him. He said he was cancelling his protest programme at Har ki Pauri due to the cloudburst incident. Rawat said the Chief Minister had assured a release of all pending payments of sugarcane growers in the state latest by August 15. He also expressed happiness over the Chief Minister issuing clear orders on his demand of allowing farmers to pick boulders and sand from rivers in a controlled manner. He said the CM’s assurance had also come on the issues such as compensation for farmers, who lose their land due to widening of national highways, simplification of preparation of caste certificates and no power surcharge on farmers using tubewells. |
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Ramdev, Balkrishan behind guru's disappearance: Sant Samaj
Haridwar, August 5 The Bharatiya Sant Samiti also demanded a CBI probe into this case and also urged the Uttarakhand Governor to suspend Balkrishan from the Vice-Chancellor's post owing to his submitting of fake documents to procure Indian passport. Founder of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Swami Shankar Dev has been missing from the Diyva Yog Mandir Trust in Haridwar since July 1997 who made Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishan his disciples. Baba Hatyogi, national spokesperson of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, along with Pramod Krishnan, chief of the samiti, and saint Rakesh Nath alleged that Swami Ramdev and Balkrishan were behind the disappearance of Shankar Dev from Divya Yog Mandir. Pramod Krishnan, who is a litigant in the fake passport case filed against Balkrishan, even feared that Shankar Dev may have been killed by them as their guru knew of the fake documents that were submitted by him at Bareilly passport office to procure the passport. A delegation of the Bharatiya Sant Samiti also met the Uttarakhand Governor to dismiss Balkrishan from the post of Vice-Chancellor of Patanjali Ayurvedic University as the CBI has filed a charge sheet against him for submitting fake certificates to attain the passport. "How can a person, who has not even have legal school and graduate degrees, become a Vice-Chancellor of a university. The Governor has assured us of legal action in this regard" said Krishnan.
‘Remarks aimed at weakening August 9 agitation’
Haridwar, August 5 In a written statement issued by Bharat Swabhiman Trust chief in charge Bhai Jaydeep, Ramdev dismissed the charge of Hansvedacharya who said Ramdev might be conniving to kill Balkrishan in order to hide a secret related with his guru Swami Shankar Dev's disappearance. Jaydeep said the yog guru was hurt with the remarks of a renowned saint like Hansvedacharya which had no base. He added that the Congress government was misusing the CBI and other government agencies to curb his agitation against black money and corrupt system and said Hansvedacharya's remarks were aimed at weakening their agitation. Swami Prabodhanand of the Sanatan Sangh said such derogatory remarks didn't behove a saint having the Jagadguru title and a clarification should be made by Hansvedacharya or else a case of defamation would be filed against him. Hansvedacharya was quoted by a Hindi daily casting doubts over Swami Ramev's fears of poisoning of his aide in which Hansvedacharya suspected that it may be Ramdev himself who may want to kill his aide for some secret reason.
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APL cardholders to get better quality rice
Dehradun, August 5 “We will acquire rice at minimum support price of Rs 11.85 per kg from the Union government. However, there will be no burden on the APL cardholders, who would have to pay the same price which they are paying presently,” said Bahuguna. The additional expenditure would be borne by the state government. He said a bio-metric card would be introduced to resolve the problem of bogus cards. Bahuguna, while reviewing the Food and Civil Supplies Department at the CM’s residence on Saturday, said 2 kg of rice being issued to the APL cardholders was insufficient and asked the officials to increase the quota to 10 kg per month. He said to meet this requirement, the state government would purchase rice at the minimum support price of Rs 11.85 kg from the Centre and the additional expenditure borne by the state government. Stating that though it would entail a burden of Rs 80 crore on state exchequer, he said, “However, no additional burden will be levied on the beneficiaries.” Taking serious note of a large number of bogus ration cards, Chief Minister Bahuguna directed the officials to introduce bio-metric cards. He said in the first phase, it would be introduced at Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun districts. He instructed the officials to take action to resolve shortage of manpower in the Food and Civil Supplies Department. He directed to fill the vacant post of Food Inspectors through Public Service Commission and outsource the clerical posts till the enrollment of permanent employees was made. Bahuguna said the foodgrain godowns would be constructed with financial assistance from the NABARD. |
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Radhe Maa stripped of title
Radhe Maa has also been suspended from the Juna Akhada, which is the biggest akhada of saints. Shri Panch Das Nam Juna Akhada, which bestowed the title on Radhe Maa in a secret ritual on Tuesday night in Haridwar, has decided to seize the title from her till she comes out clean in the investigative committee report. This means Maa Radhe will have to wait for a minimum two weeks to three months. The investigation committe will also tour the areas of the home state of Radhe Maa, Punjab, to know her past and certify the spiritual and religious works. |
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Janmanch wants
Virbhadra to quit Cong
Dehradun, August 5 In a statement issued today, chief general secretary of the Uttarakhand Janmanch Rajan Todariya appealed former Union minister Virbhadra Singh to quit the Congress and lead the proposed regional force for the benefit and benevolence of Himachal and other hill states of the country. Todariya said the Janmanch was already trying to approach different organisations and regional outfits like the Gorkha Mukti Morcha, Bodo Students' Union, Asom Gan Sangram Parishad, National Conference and Kashmir People's Party to come together in aid of the people of hills. Todariya said he had also held talks with Virbhadra Singh in this connection and the former Union Minister assured him to consider the request of the Uttarakhand
Janmanch. |
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Programme for Forest Department master trainers
Dehradun, August 5 According to Ashish Rawat, Principal, Central Academy for State Forest Service, Dehradun, country’s forest and tree cover is much below the global average and in order to improve it, the role of the communities living in forest-fringe areas is vital. “The Forest Department frontline staff is in regular contact with the forest-fringe communities. The frontline staff needs effective and well-structured training on the latest skills and techniques in the forestry sector in the State Forestry Training Institutions (SFTIs),” said Rawat. He said the project intended to create a cadre of master trainers in forestry subjects. Altogether, 25 participants are attending the training programme from 11 JICA-assisted loan states. Dr RBS Rawat, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Uttarakhand, will grace the opening ceremony as the chief guest. Abhijit Ghose, retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Rajasthan Forest Department, Yasuhisa Tanaka, Chief Advisor of the JICA, and Atsuko Godo, Forest Management and Project Coordinator, JICA, will be giving lectures at the training
programme. |
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Guv tells Kaushal, Jagudi not to return awards
Dehradun, August 5 Qureshi gave them an assurance that he would make all possible efforts to convey their concerns at the appropriate platform and propagate it. He asked them not to think ever of returning the honour bestowed on them. The Governor agreed that hydropower projects were the cheapest, eco-friendly and labour oriented. He also agreed that nuclear projects consume more water than any
other form of power generation. Jagudi and Kaushal met the Governor last evening and submitted letters for the President regarding their resolve to return the honour bestowed on them. The Governor said he would request both of them to listen to his appeal for not returning the awards. He also told them to remain in touch with him. |
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52 cadets donate blood
Dehradun, August 5 The cadets also participated in tree plantation and cleanliness drive in Anarwala. With the help of ex-Army personnel, the cadets planted 100 saplings. On this occasion, the ex-Army soldiers briefed the cadets about the importance of the NCC in the nation building. The cadets also participated in the rally whose motive was to send a message to the people regarding environment protection, water and energy conservation with the help of banners and posters.
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Maharaj grieves loss of life
Dehradun, August 5 Maharaj said runways in the Gauchar, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh airstrips of the state must be widened to ensure landing of bigger aircrafts that was very necessary in case of calamity linked exigencies. He said enhancement of these airstrips was also necessary from the security point of view as the states shares international borders.
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SJA declared champions in inter-school event
Mussoorie, August 5 In Hindi duet
cateogory, St. Joseph's Academy was declared the winners, while CJM, Waverly School, and Welham Girls' School were adjudged second and third, respectively. The audience choice awards went to CJM, Waverley, All Saints School, Nainital, and Welham Girls' School, while the western group music contest was won by St.Joseph's Academy. Doon School International and Welham School had to be content with the second and third place. The photography competition was won by
Welham School. Delhi Public and Oak Grove Schools were tied for the second place in photography contest. In just-a-minute speaking contest, St.George's College stood first, while St. Joseph's Academy was declared second, and CJM, Dehradun, had to be content with the third place. The T-shirt painting completion was won by Unison World School, St. Joseph's School stood second
while CJM, Dehradun, was declared third in the category. In 20 questions' contest, All Saints College, Nainital, stood first, while Scholars Home bagged the second place. Unison School stood third. Unison World School won the
choreography contest, while Oak Grove School stood second and St.Jospeh's Academy was declared third. The Principal, St.George's College,
distributed the awards and said that such events provided a platform to the
students and helped in enhancing their talent. |
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BJP women workers meet Doon SSP
Dehradun, August 5 The SSP, on the other hand, informed the delegation about the steps taken to check crime in the city. SSP Garg said patrolling would be intensified to ensure the safety and security of women in the city. |
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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today in Dehradun flagged off relief material collected by Uttarakhand Rajya Sabha BJP MP Tarun Vijay.
Just a day after Jagadguru Hansvedacharya levelled charges against Swami
Ramdev, a section of saints under the Bharatiya Sant Samiti today criticised the yog guru for his hand in suspicious "disappearance" of his guru Shankar
Dev.
Dehradun, August 5
Haridwar, August 5