Power pangs continue
Dehradun, August 14
The state continues to face power crisis, though the gap between demand and supply has reduced with an improvement in hydropower generation.

Teachers course trained applicants hold protest
Dehradun, August 14
Seeking prompt issuance of appointment letters, the special Basic Teachers Course trained applicants today staged a protest outside the Secretariat in Dehradun.

Doon lacks cancer treatment centre
Dehradun, August 14
An effective cancer control programme has failed to take off in Uttarakhand. Despite the highest number of cancer cases, no cancer treatment facility has been established in Dehradun.

Dehradun, August 14
Chakrata Road is no longer deserted as many shopping outlets have come up there, flouting the directives of the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Corporation (MDDA) to not to undertake any new construction on the road.

The shop owners have also failed to get the maps of the new buildings cleared from the MDDA. Interestingly, MDDA officials have also chosen to keep mum about the issue.

Earlier, the MDDA had served notices on several shopkeepers who had flouted MDDA's guidelines by undertaking small constructions. However, this time traders have the support of MLA Rajkumar, who even fought for their issues with MDDA officials. Mayor Vinod Chamoli had also extended support to them when their buildings were to be dismantled.

However, under pressure, the MDDA authorities allowed them to reconstruct vulnerable part of the old buildings, but the traders went much ahead and constructed the entire portion again.

Secretary, MDDA, Banshidhar Tiwari said: "All old and new constructions will be dismantled when the shopping complex will be built on Chakrata Road under the PPP mode. There is no purpose of building new shops there now."

However, Varinder Rawat, a trader said: "There is uncertainty over this new concept of shopping complex under the PPP mode. No one can force us to agree with the proposal. If we found the deal profitable, only then we will leave our shops."

He further said the project would take over one year to start. Till then, shopkeepers could run their business well and earn livelihood as they had suffered huge losses in the past eight months. Some shopkeepers who were left with less space have rented it out.

Meanwhile, many shopkeepers who had started their business in the new shopping complex have returned to Chakrata Road and rebuilt the remaining portion of their shops.

Shashikant Goyal, president of the Chakrata Traders' Association, said: "Although I had shifted my camera shop to the new shopping complex, I suffered losses as a few customers came there. I have constructed a new shop on Chakrata Road now."

On the map clearing issue, he said " The MDDA is not clearing the maps of new buildings built on the road as officials want traders to give their land for the construction of the shopping complex under the PPP mode. We had no other option but to continue with the construction without getting the maps cleared."

Dehradun, August 14
The ONGC today celebrated its 57th foundation day in Dehradun amid boycott of the CMD at Home, a programme, by a section of its former employees. These retired employees have been accusing the ONGC administration of completely ignoring them and failing to take up their pension-linked demands.

However, on other hand, addressing the programme, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, ONGC, Sudhir Vasudeva expressed inability for any prompt redressal to the financial concerns of the retired ONGC employees.

“We are definitely concerned about the welfare of our retired employees but as of now, I can only say sorry”, Vasudeva said, referring to the demands of a majority of the former ONGC employees. He, however, announced that Rs 25000 would be provided to the retired employees who have attained the age of 75 years and above.

Referring to the achievements of the ONGC, Vasudeva said the ONGC had made giant strides and was today operating in 15 countries whereas it was just limited to one country when it started its operations in 1956. He reminded that the ONGC had earned a staggering revenue of Rs 76,800 crore in last financial year.

He also held that it was a matter of honour that the ONGC had been a principal sponsor of the Indian contingent to the Olympics and added that 15 out of the Indian contingent of 81 sportspersons belonged to the ONGC.

As part of the corporation's social responsibility, Vasudeva said the ONGC had assured the government to provide Rs 100 crore for setting up of sports academy in Dehradun.

Meanwhile, a section of the ONGC boycotted the CMD at Home and staged protest outside the main gate on the ONGC Kaulagarh campus alleging irregularities in support of their pension-linked demands and also the Agrani Samman Yojana of the ONGC. The protest was led by DR Kothari from the ONGC Retired Employees Association.

The CMD at Home is organised every year on the foundation day of the ONGC which is exclusively meant for its former employees.

Dehradun, August 14
DIG, Dehradun Range, Sanjay Gunjiyal suspended Sub-Inspector, Cleiment Town police station, Sangeeta Nautiyal and constable Shravan last evening for allegedly taking a bribe in a case. A case has been registered against Nautiyal under the Anti-Corruption Act.

Nautiyal and Shravan reportedly had agreed to remove harsh sections from an FIR registered against Satish Aggarwal in lieu of Rs 4.5 lakh to facilitate him to get bail. Nautiyal had taken Rs 2.7 lakh and a computer from Aggarwal’s wife.

SSP Neeru Garg was not in the town when the two police personnel were suspended. She reached the city today. She said she would get the suspended police personnel jailed for the crime. Nautiyal, who was the investigating officer in the case, had joined the police force a couple of years ago. Garg said Nautiyal had brought a bad name to the police department.

Nautiyal, however, had returned money to the family of the accused after she was exposed. Aggarwal and his friend Pankaj, both bankers from Ludhiana, were arrested by the police while withdrawing money from an ATM using a fake card on Turner Road in Cleiment Town on May 10. The police also recovered 90 ATM cards and several passbooks from their possession.

Aggarwal’s wife had allegedly approached Nautiyal to get hard sections removed from the FIR registered against the accused so that he could get bail. Nautiyal took money and tampered with the FIR. Meanwhile, Station House Officer Madan Saini came to know about the matter and restored earlier sections to the FIR.

The accused was sentenced to jail. His wife complained to the DIG that the two police personnel had taken money from her to help her husband. The DIG suspended the erring police personnel.

Dehradun, August 14
An effective cancer control programme has failed to take off in Uttarakhand. Despite the highest number of cancer cases, no cancer treatment facility has been established in Dehradun.

With limited screening and treatment options in the government sector, the patients are forced to opt for private treatments or travel to Lucknow and Delhi.

Though two years ago, with a view to establishing a cancer treatment centre at Coronation Hospital, an oncology therapist was appointed, in the absence of a radiation and chemotherapy centre, the skill of the therapist has so far not been put to use.

Along with the post of oncology therapist, the posts of oncology medical physician and technician have also been sanctioned.

“Two years ago, there were plans to set up a Cobalt unit at Coronation Hospital that has enough space, but the project could not take off though the entire funding was to come through the Central Government,” said Dr CP Arya, officiating DG Health and Family Welfare.

While the posts at the cancer treatment centre in Coronation Hospital have already been sanctioned, the Health Department need not worry about the financial aspect as the cost of setting up a Cobalt unit (radiation) will also be borne by the Centre under the National Cancer Control Programme.

The target of the National Cancer Control Programme is to develop oncology wings in all medical colleges as it forms an important link between regional centres and peripheral health infrastructure. While the Health Department has managed to develop an oncology wing at Haldwani Medical College, Dehradun is still waiting.

According to a survey conducted by the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT), there are around 4,566 cancer patients in Dehradun and so it should have been included in the District Cancer Control Programme (DCCP) but strangely Dehradun was left out under the programme.

Even the DCCP has not been properly implemented in the state. Under the DCCP, each state has to prepare its projects on health education, early detection and pain relief measures. For this, it gets Rs 15 lakh one-time assistance and Rs 10 lakh for four years, on recurring assistance. But unfortunately in Uttarakhand, the opportunity has been lost. Instead of bringing more districts under the DCCP, the programme has not progressed beyond Almora. 

Dehradun, August 14
The Veer Savarkar Yuva Sangathan here today staged a dharna against alleged atrocities committed on minority Hindus in Pakistan.

In a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee submitted to the District Magistrate, Dehradun, the sangathan said the atrocities on Hindus in Pakistan had been rising as was evident from a report of newspapers, the media and human rights groups from Pakistan.

It was alleged in the memorandum that rape, kidnapping and forcible conversion of Hindu girls had become routine in that country and even Hindu traders and shopkeepers were being killed and kidnapped and their shops and business establishments forcibly occupied. The sangathan said the Hindus unable to bear the atrocities were forced to migrate to India but the Pakistan authorities were not even allowing them to travel to India.

Kuldeep Swadia, president of the sangathan, appealed to the President to intervene in the matter to save the minority community. — TNS

Mussoorie, August 14
More than 200 students from 20 schools participated in a cross-country race organised under the aegis of the Mussoorie Sports Association here today. Residents of the town also participated in the open category of the event.

In the mini category of girls, Monika, Reena, Kaajal won the first, second and third position, respectively. In the boys’ section, Krishna bagged the first position, Shivankur second and Manoj Rawat third.

In sub-junior category of girls, Babita was declared the first, Pooja Rawat second, Pooja third and Melwan fourth. In the boys' section, Aaashish, Shubam, Dipul and Anil Melwaan were declared the first, second, third and fourth, respectively.

In the junior category of girls, Ravina, Pramila, Bharti and Manisha were the winners while Pramod Ramola, Gaurav, Surendar and Kamal were adjudged the first, second, third and fourth, respectively, in the boys’category.

In the senior division girls', Shobha was declared first, Chandni second, Seema third and Vandini fourth. In the boys' category, Praveen, Neeraj, Jagat and Ankit were declared the first, second, third and fourth, respectively.

In the open category of men, Girish Bhatt, Ranjan, Pramod and Mahesh were the winners while in the women's section, Sushmita, Rashim, Nisha and Sheela were the winners.

Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, gave away medals and citations to the winners.

Meanwhile, cultural programmes scheduled to held on August 15 have been cancelled in the wake of the Uttarkashi cloudburst.

Anil Godiyal, chairperson of the cultural committee for the Independence Day celebrations, said besides the flag hoisting, all other programmes had been cancelled as per the guidelines of the government.