10 children disappear from Haridwar, Doon border areas
Sandeep Rawat/TNS

Haridwar August 21
Ten cases of child disappearance and kidnapping have come to light in the border areas of Haridwar and Dehradun like Hari Pur Kalan, Bhoopatwala, Sapt Rishi and Himalayan Colony. Though the Haridwar police says that four minor children have disappeared from the district, it refuses to confirm that more such cases have occurred in border areas of Dehradun like Hari Pur Kalan.

Notably, three days ago, the police recovered a minor child, who was kidnapped from Haridwar, from Saharanpur and arrested two members of the gang involved in the racket. The gang used to change

its hideout after kidnapping a child. People in Haridwar are living in fear and they are either accompanying their children to school and back home or are not sending them to school. SP, Haridwar, Kiran Lal Shah held a meeting of police officials of different cells on the issue at the CCR Tower today. Shah told The Tribune that in view of the gravity of the situation a police team had been formed and it would report to him every two days about the children kidnap cases. The team would be led by circle officer Ajay Singh and would comprise in-charges of all police stations and check posts falling in sensitive areas, the anti-child trafficking cell and the local intelligence unit.

Meanwhile, schools in the areas have asked parents to accompany their children or authorise one person, particularly a relative, who will receive the child after school time. “Earlier, my two children, who are studying in Gayatri Vidyapeeth, Shantikunj, used to go to school on their own but now I accompany them in the morning. Their mother goes to pick them up after school time in the afternoon. It is a serious matter as usually a child goes with others on their insistence,” said Uday Ram Semwal, a Hari Pur Kalan resident.

Students suffer as govt schools face staff crunch
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, August 21
With no cohesive transfer policy for government school teachers in place in the state, the students being imparted education in various government schools are at the receiving end.

The archaic policies of the state government have created several anomalies, leaving some schools with surplus of staff and others crying out for it.

The living example of the education policies of the state government is visible in Mussoorie where on the one hand, 13 students enrolled in class VI to X have a rare pleasure of being imparted education by 15 teachers while the government middle schools at Kulri Bazaar, Doodhli and Barlowganj are facing a severe staff shortage where only one teacher is handling three classes at one time.

Parents of the school students have alleged that faulty transfer policy and favouritism had led to more teachers opting for the school at Jharipani. The government school at Jharipani has emerged as the most favoured destination for the teachers who through dubious means have got themselves transferred here.

Youth Congress leader of the area Anuj Gupta said most of the teachers come to school from Dehradun daily and arrive school late butleave early. It was leading to a dip in the standard of education, he said.

While at government schools of Kulri, Doodhli and Barlowganj, the lack of adequate staff has lead to chaotic conditions which is affecting the education of the students enrolled here.

Headmaster of the Jharipani government school CP Baloni said more children were enrolled in the past but gradually the parents had opted for private schools due to lack of basic facilities such as toilet etc in their schools. Refuting the allegations, he said they were government servants and would leave for any school as directed by the department.

District education officials said the whole problem of the mismanagement of teaching staff had arisen due to no clear policy on the transfers. However, the officials added further that the department was aware of the problem and was planning to revamp the system.

Meanwhile, most of the parents have started shifting their wards to private schools.

Illegal logging of trees goes on unabated in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 21
Instances of illegal logging of trees in Haridwar has come to light. Although tall claims have been made by the Forest Department with regard to intensified vigil over the green cover in the city, the illegal practice is going unabated.

Over 400 trees have been illegally cut in the recent past. Of them, 90 trees were government property and 300 private. No permission was sought to cut these trees.

Wood smugglers are having a free run as most of the trees have been axed in the city zone area. Even the protected Rajaji National Park is being eyed by wood smugglers for which they get high returns in the market.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sanatan Sonkar said subordinate officials and employees had been given strict directions in this regard.

He said Forest Department and park authorities carried out joint operations and many wood smugglers had been nabbed by them.

He also added that many people on their private land got trees cut illegally so that they could utilise the wood for commercial purposes.

“Direction in this regard has been given to the concerned range officials to ensure that permission for cutting is only given those trees that pose danger to life and property,” said Sonkar.

The DFO added that investigation in this regard was going on after which stringent action would be taken against department employees involved in the matter.

Farmers hold protest
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Mahasabha staged a protest rally at Dharchula in Pithoragarh district today.

The protesters sat on a dharna outside the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate at Dharchula in support of their demand for employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

Led by Kishan Singh Kunwar, the protesters said the administration had failed to provide employment to the locals under the MNREGA and this was a matter of serious concern.

HIV patients deprived of concession in bus fares
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
Though the Uttarakhand State AIDS Control Society had proposed giving concession in bus fares to HIV patients travelling to get anti-retroviral therapy (ART) two years ago, the Transport Department was yet to take a decision on the issue.

The HIV patients find travelling to ART centres in the state costly. Most of their earnings are spent on treatment and they cannot pay for the fare every time they travel to the centres. Bus passes offering concession to such patients could be of immense help to them.

The Railways is already extending 75 per cent concession in fares to HIV patients for travelling to nominated ART centres. However, the scheme introduced in 2008 has not proved attractive for patients, mainly due to poor rail connectivity in the state.

According to Haldwani and Dehradun ART centres, only 1 per cent of HIV patients seeking the ART treatment had availed of railway fare concession since the scheme was introduced. Station masters are authorised to grant concessions to the patients at the stations.

"This proposal has been lying pending for two years. Despite officials of the National Aids Control Society also pushing into granting these concessions, the Transport Department has been slow to react," said Dr PC Kapri, Additional Project Director, Uttarakhand State AIDS Control Society.

Since August 2006, 671 patients are taking the ART treatment at Doon Hospital while 300 patients are undergoing treatment at the ART centre at Government Medial College, Haldwani.

Bhagat Singh, Majithia were inspired by Dayanand’s teachings, says Prof Bedi
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 21
Legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and founder of The Tribune Dyal Singh Majithia were inspired by Swami Dayanand’s teachings, claimed Prof Harmahendra Singh Bedi of Punjabi University, Patiala, who was at Gurukul Kangri University here today.

Prof Bedi said Bhagat Singh used to chant Gayatri Mantra and was well versed in Rig Veda. His grandfather Arjun Singh also followed Dayanand’s teachings and passed on to young Bhagat Singh.

He said: "Dyal Singh Majithia was so impressed with Swami Dayanand that he had even organised a 21-day religious convention for the latter in Lahore."

Bedi, who has done an extensive research on Bhagat Singh, said the freedom fighter used to play hockey and write a diary that had been kept at DAV College, Ambala. “He had won the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan Prayag award numerous times, which speak volumes about his perfection in the language. He had even acted in Bharatendu Harish Chandra’s skit ‘Bharat Durdasha’," said Bedi, while reading a copy of the details of Bhagat Singh’s trial at Gurukul Kangri University today.

He further said Bhagat Singh was also influenced by Madan Lal Dhingra and used to keep his photograph in pocket. He would regularly read Bhagwad Gita and the books of Lenin and Marx.

However, Bedi lamented that the younger generation was not aware of the lives of the legendary heroes.

Bedi also shared an incident related with Bhagat Singh with TNS. He said: "On March 23, 1931, when Bhagat Singh was hanged, his body was thrown into the Sutlej after cutting it into pieces and burning it. However, a local residents kept one of his charred bones in a Tribune newspaper, which is still at a museum at Khatkhar Kalan village in Nawanshahr, Punjab, where the legendary freedom fighter was born on September 27, 1907."

Janmanch demands removal of open university VC
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The Uttarakhand Janmanch has demanded immediate removal Vinay Pathak from the post of the Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Open University.

Addressing a press conference here today, Janmanch president Rajan Todariya said large scale irregularities were taking place in Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani, at the behest of Pathak.

“The VC is resorting to malpractices and appointing persons from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in place of people of the state. We will not tolerate this,” said Todariya. He held that the VC had thrown out 18 people of Uttarakhand origin without serving any notice on them.

The party chief also pointed out that the incumbent VC had his political connections because of which he managed to cling to the post. He said there had been cases of harassment of women employees by the VC. He also held that the Janmanch had submitted a memorandum to Governor Aziz Qureshi demanding the removal of the VC. Todariya said the Janmanch would be forced to launch an agitation if the VC was not removed at the earliest.

On the other hand, Vinay Pathak ruled out any irregularities in the Uttarakhand Open University. He categorically held that no employee had been terminated from the university. “We haven’t removed any of our regular employees from the university and 90 out of the 117 employees of the university belong to the state,” Pathak told The Tribune over phone. He even denied getting any memorandum from any organization, including the Uttarakhand Janmanch.

VHP, BJP resent influx of Bangladesh refugees into Assam
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The city unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) submitted a memorandum, addressed to the President and the Prime Minister, at the District Magistrate’s office expressing resentment against intrusion by Bangladesh refugees into Assam. Chandergupt Vikram, president of the local VHP unit, and Punit Mittal, city president of the BJP, said “Refugees from Bangladesh killed four Bodo youths on July 20 and three more the next day. This fomented communal violence in Assam that spread to different parts of the country, including Mumbai. The Centre has been slow in responding to the demand of the state government for Army help and this has led to killing of several youths in Assam, houses being set on fire and lakhs of people compelled to live in camps in harsh conditions.”

They said the Centre was trying to project the occurring as communal violence between Hindus and Assamese Muslims while the clashes took place between the local youth and Bangladesh refugees. It was important to view the situation in the right perspective.

The leaders said the number of Bangladesh refugees had swelled to five crore in the last few decades. Despite the orders of the Supreme Court and the High Court to identify the intruders, the state and Central governments had been patronising them for votes.

They had been provided with voter and ration cards. They drew attention towards the Bangladesh refugees allegedly gaining control over natural resources and land in the state and demanded that they be identified and segregated.

Assi Ganga in spate, makeshift bridge washed away

Dehradun, August 21
A newly constructed makeshift bridge washed away in Gangori today as the Assi Ganga river is in spate following heavy rains in the region for the past couple of days. The bridge was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation authorities recently. Sources in the Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre said the Rishkesh- Badrinath highway was blocked at Birahi in Chamoli whereas the Rishkesh- Yamunotri road was blocked at a number of places. Executive officer, Dehradun Meteorological Department, Anand Sharma said rain would continue in Uttarakhand in the next 36 hours.

Heavy rain was expected in Uttarkashi and Chamoli, particularly from August 23 to 25. Meanwhile, Dehradun has experienced 874 mm of rainfall in August so far. Rain continued in the city even today. The authorities are monitoring the water levels of the flooded Rispana and Bindal rivers. — TNS

Swami Shivanand adamant on launching fast to save Ganga
Seeks unbiased probe into Swami Nigamanand's death
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 21
Matra Sadan founder Swami Shivanand today reiterated his resolve to launch an indefinite fast to save the Ganga and demand an unbiased probe by a CBI team into the death of Swami Nigamanand.

Swami Shivanand alleged that CBI officials submitted the closure report in the Swami Nigamanand death case without investigating all aspects. His another major demand is regarding the protection of the Kumbh mela land.

Meanwhile, the CPM has extended support to Swami Shivanand’s agitation.

Two doctors from Rishikul Ayurvedic College today checked the pulse of Swami Shivanand, which was normal, and also measured his weight.

Member of the State Council of the CPM Mahendra Singh Verma also gave a letter of support to Swami Shivanand from the party’s side. Verma said Matra Sadan had always been working for social causes and people should come forward to support this.

A four-member delegation from Gujarat also visited Matra Sadan and extended support to the pro-Ganga movement carried out by Matra Sadan.

Despite no communication from government side, support is pouring in for the agitation from various other organisations, Ganga devotees, social activists and common people.

UPP to observe fast at Gairsain on Aug 27
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) has announced to observe a fast at Gairsain in Chamoli district on August 27 in support of its long-standing demand of making Gairsain the capital of the state.

Addressing a meeting of party members here, party president PC Tiwari today said both the BJP and the Congress were non-committal towards making Gairsan the permanent capital of the state, which he said was the most popular demand of the people of Uttarakhand. He said the party had also decided to field a candidate in the Tehri parliamentary byelections and give a contest to the BJP and the Congress.

Members of the party also decided to send a team to the cloudburst-hit Uttarakashi for relief activities.

The speakers at the meeting accused the state government of doing little towards providing relief to the victims. The members also pledged their support to movements against corruption. Tiwari said corruption was the biggest menace in the country and called for collective efforts towards weeding it out.

AITUC members protest in front of Secretariat
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
Members of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) staged a demonstration in front of the Secretariat here today. They are demanding a hike in the salaries of workers employed with tea gardens, hotels, college and schools in the city.

They protesters said the salaries of these workers had not been hiked since 2002. District secretary, AITUC, Ashok Sharma, who led the demonstration, said while inflation was on the rise, workers employed with tea gardens, hotels, college and schools were poorly paid. Dharmanand Bhatt, president of the Hotel Workers’ Union, Dehradun, and Chitra Gupta, president of the District Tea Garden Workers’ Committee, also participated in the protest.

‘Congress, BJP playing dirty politics on reservation issue’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The Dalit Sub-Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has opposed any further tampering with the original constitutional format with regard to reservation in the state.

Convener of the committee Lekhraj also criticised the BJP and the Congress for their alleged duplicity on the matter. He also demanded inclusion of new scheduled castes in the ambit of reservation.

He said it was wrong to play dirty politics on the issue of reservation. He stressed that any more tampering with 'reservation policy' could have serious effects. The matter was well-deliberated before being included in the Constitution of India, he added.

While attacking the Congress and BJP, Lekhraj said both the parties were being hypocrites on the subject of reservation. Within Parliament, they favoured reservation for the Dalit community while outside they held out procession against it. The duplicity was creating division among the public, he said.

While referring to the people of the West Bengal origin living in Udham Singh Nagar, he said, “People of the West Bengal origin, living in Udham Singh Nagar are not accorded the status of

SC in the state. In West Bengal, they are considered of the SC community. Hence, they must now be included in the SC list and given the benefits of reservation.”

Incensed over the cumbersome procedure of issuing caste certificate in the state, he said those communities which were staying here at the time of state formation must be given caste certificate. He urged the state government to bring about a permanent solution to the issue.

Lekhraj also pointed out at the pending vacancies in various government departments. “There are 11,000 job vacancies in the state, which had not been filled up for years. The state government must speed up action in this direction,” he said.

NSUI opposes self-financed courses in DAV college
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 21
The National Students Union of India (NSUI) has opposed the introduction of self-financed courses in DAV (PG) College, Dehradun.

In a memorandum submitted to the Principal of DAV (PG) College, Dr Devendra Bhasin, national representative of the NSUI Swati Negi said the start of self-financed course would lead to rampant commerciallisation of education in the college and would make education out of the reach of poor students.

She said late Thakur Puran Singh Negi, who was instrumental in the establishment of DAV (PG) College in Dehradun, had dreamt of providing cheap education to the people of Uttarakhand. By introducing self-financed courses, the college authorities were trying to belittle Puran Negi’s dream,” she said.

Swati threatened that they would start an agitation if the college authorities did not withdraw their decision to introduce self-financed courses at the earliest.