Dehradun, August 24
The regulations as laid down under the Uttarakhand District Planning Committee (DPC) Act are not being followed by the committee members themselves, which is creating a lot of confusion, wrangles and obstructions in the approval of developmental works in the meetings.

A recent DPC meeting, where developmental projects worth Rs 74 cr were to be approved, had to be shelved because of scuffles between MLAs, who are the honorary members of the committee, and other 37 elected members. Elected members alleged that the MLAs were no longer the deciding authority as they were before the Act was formed. They could only forward their projects 
through them.

The members had a direct confrontation with the District Magistrate when the latter said the projects, as proposed at the last meeting in July, would be cancelled because the right procedure as laid down in the Act was not followed. The members contended that if the representation of the projects, as prepared by the Statistics Department, was faulty, then why were they placed before the DPC. In this case, action against the higher authority and the Joint Secretary, Statistics, must be taken but that was not done.

The members of the DPC also do not take cognisance of letters sent by the district administration. In the past one month, the letters were sent to all members, urging them to send their new proposals by August 10, and then the deadline was extended by 10 more days. But the new proposals came only for the Raipur and Herbertpur blocks and not from the rest of the four blocks. The district administration then announced that the DPC would consider the projects of these two blocks and not the rest of the blocks.

This created further friction between the DPC members and the District Magistrate, who is an officiating member of the DPC. The DM had to give in to the pressure of the members as there was no time left for preparing new proposals for the next meeting, which is slated to be held anytime in the last week of this month. The old proposals that were placed in the last meeting for approval would now be placed again.

According to the Act, the proposals for the DPC must be approved at three levels - from Gram Panchayat to Kshetre Panchayat, and finally at Zila Panchayat. Thereafter, they are referred to the planning committee of the Zila Panchayat, and if approved, passed on to Zila Panchayat members for sanction.

The sanctioned proposals are forwarded to the Statistics Department, which prepares a booklet of the proposed projects to be brought forward in the DPC meeting. Without following the prescribed procedure, the members of Gram Panchayat or Kshetre Panchayat or Zila Panchayat are straightway sending their proposals to the Statistics Department. 

Dehradun, August 24
The Uttarakhand government, which approved a beach camping policy recently, seems to find few takers among those engaged with the rafting business in the state.

While rafting in Uttarakhand, particularly in the Ganga, has been a matter of tussle between local rafting entrepreneurs and the state authorities, the long-awaited beach camping policy is being looked upon with much apprehension.

According to the beach camping policy, two categories (Class A and B) had been created for the grant of licences for beach camping activities. Under the class A category, less than one hectare will be set aside for local players while under the Class B category, more than one hectare will be open for competitive bidding by private players.

Deepak Bhatt, former president of now dissolved Shashik Prayatan Sangharsh Samiti that has been holding an agitation for long seeking justice for the locals engaged in the rafting business in the Ganga, said the beach policy, despite its assurance to safeguard the interests of the locals engaged in rafting, was not a policy to bank upon. He said the introduction of auction of beaches in the policy would hurt the rafting business of locals and outsiders.

“A beach which was earlier taken over by a rafting company at a cost of Rs 2 lakh for a season will now cost Rs 20 lakh after the auction and thus it will not be easy even for a rafting company coming to Uttarakhand from other parts of the country to sustain its business after making such a hefty expenditure on the beaches”, Bhatt pointed out, adding that the local rafting operators would already take the rafting business beyond their reach.

He also pointed out that the state authorities had failed to take rafting operators in confidence while framing the policy.

Another rafting operator from Uttarakhand Dinesh Kathait said they were strongly opposed to the idea of auctioning of beaches. “We have given several suggestions to the state government for increasing the revenue. These include identifying parking lots and setting up change rooms. But auction of beaches was certainly not a welcome step”, he argued.

He also asserted that those engaged in adventure tourism in the state for the past several years should have been given more preference in the policy.

Rafting companies and the state authorities have been at loggerheads for long. Rafting operators accuse the state authorities of highhandedness and harassment even as the authorities have taken a stand that the rafting companies earn much and pay a little revenue to the state government.

Significantly, a report by the Wildlife Institute of India had even suggested for limiting rafting companies in the Ganga describing these detrimental to the flora and fauna.

Dehradun, August 24
Protesting against the Cabinet decision of running five sugar mills on the public private partnership, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank staged a protest on the premises of Doiwala Sugar Mills that falls in his constituency.

Nishank along with other party leaders staged a sit-in along with the employees of the sugar mill who had been affected by the decision and have been protesting for the last two days. Addressing the mill workers, the former Chief Minister said the Congress government lacked vision and since coming to power, several anti-people decisions had been taken.

"We are not against the public private partnership but this should be used to set up new facilities. The government should not attempt to privatise government mills where the jobs of the workers may be threatened," he said.

BJP leader Harbans Kapoor said the BJP would fight for the rights of the sugar mill workers and would continue to support them. President of the Uttarakhand BJP BS Chufal also lambasted the Congress government for taking decisions that are anti-people.

Meanwhile in Roorkee, former Cabinet minister and BJP leader Madan Kaushik also courted arrest. 

Haridwar, August 24
Former Revenue Minister Diwakar Bhatt has landed in trouble over the issue of exchange of a piece of land at Shyampur Kangri in Haridwar. According to information, Lalit Bhatt, son of Diwakar Bhatt, had purchased 1 bigha adjacent to a river at Shyampur village. However, finding that the plot didn’t have an approach road, he urged the Revenue Department to exchange it with another piece of land somewhere and was also ready to pay additional price as per the circle rate.

On 23rd March, 2010, the authorities "allowed" to exchange it with land belonging to the Panchayat. However, villagers claimed that they were not even informed about the entire procedure and the land was given to the minister's son without their consent. They have threatened to launch an agitation in protest against this.

“This is gross violation of land laws and rules. The minister also misused his power. How can land be exchanged without bringing the matter to the notice of panchayat members and villagers?” asked Ajay Chaudhari, a member of the Zila Panchayat.

Villagers have forwarded a letter to the Haridwar District Magistrate and the Revenue Council of Uttarakhand in this regard. They have also formed Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti to carry forward this matter.

However, refuting the allegation, Diwakar Bhatt said all legal procedures were followed in the exchange of the land. “My son had purchased the land in 2004. However, a major portion of it washed away in the flood. It's a legal procedure in Uttarakhand that if one’s land gets washed away during a disaster, he gets land elsewhere. All legal procedures were followed and additional money, as per the circle rate, was also paid to the authorities concerned,” said Bhatt, at his Tarun Himalaya residence at Shiv Lok.

District Magistrate Sachin Kurwe said since the matter had been brought to his notice, action would be taken if any violation was found. 

Dehradun, August 24
The radiology department has been badly hit by the recent transfers of doctors ordered by the Health Department. With just one permanently posted radiologist at the hospital, the number of investigative (CT scan, X-ray, etc) procedures has drastically come down putting the patients to great deal of inconvenience.

As of now, Doon Hospital has only radiologist, Dr MS Bhandari. On the other hand, Dr GC Joshi (radiologist), who had been shifted as Joint Director to the Health and Family Welfare office, has been attached with Doon Hospital as a short-term measure.

But that has not solved the problem of the Doon Hospital as Dr Joshi is finding it difficult to come down to the hospital from the DG office located at some distance from the hospital.

To tide over the problem, Doon Hospital has been forced to depend on Dr Yatinder Singh, radiologist at the Doon Female Hospital who is already overburdened. “We were forced to solicit the services of Dr Yatinder Singh due to the huge rush in the hospital for diagnostic procedures,” said Dr BC Pathak, Principal Superintendent.

Similarly, Coronation Hospital is also facing the same problem. Dr Suarabh Jain, who has been transferred to the Coronation Hospital, is yet to be relieved because his exit from the District Hospital (Haridwar) would affect the services there also.

Dehradun, August 24
A delegation of 12 BJP councillors met State Urban Development and Housing Minister Pritam Singh Panwar today to apprise him about the widespread encroachment over drains in the city. Councillors also complained that the enquiry with regard to irregularities into the purchase of electrical items for various wards was still pending in the Department of Urban Development.

While referring to the encroachments by the builders over Salawala drain, which led to the collapsing of a makeshift bridge between Salawala and Hathibadkala, the councillors complained that the Mussorie Dehradun Development Authority cleared the map and gave no objection certificate to the builders for construction over the drain.

The councillors also gave a list of the drains, which had been covered illegally by the residents and land mafia in the city in the last one decade. The list includes the drains at Brahmawala Khala, Mazra, Race Course, Jaswant Model School, Bindal bridge, Lal Pul and Anurag Nursery. The one at Race Course was dismantled by the district administration a couple of years ago but the builder again constructed premises building over it.

Sachin Gupta, councillor, said the matter regarding encroachments over drains had been brought to the notice of the Urban Development Department several times but action was never taken. Gupta who was the first one to take up the matter pertaining to irregularities in the purchase of electrical items by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, also expressed displeasure, saying that the Secretary, Urban Development, had not given any report on it as yet. Panwar assured the councillors that they would be apprised about some concrete action on both the issues in a month's period.

Mussoorie, August 24
A delegation of the Mussoorie Car-Taxi Association, under the aegis of the Jaunpur Vikas Sangharsh Morcha, met Transport Minister Surendar Rakesh at his office in the Vidhan Sabha, Dehradun, today. They submitted a memorandum of demands to him.

President of the morcha Rajesh Nautiyal said the delegation apprised the minister of problems being faced by taxi associations in the state.

Members of the taxi association from Mussoorie and Dehradun demanded that the new policy of summoning owners during the renewal of the registration certificate of vehicles should be abolished. They said experienced drivers should be exempted from the refresher course and drivers with new driving licence (DL) should be kept in the purview.

They told the minister that high-security number plates were not being installed in a proper manner, so officials should be given necessary directions in this regard.

Dehradun, August 24
Uttarakhand Industries Minister Harish Durgapal today said the state Industries Department would undertake extensive marketing of handicrafts produced by the local craftsmen.

“Our handicrafts are very good but they have not been publicised properly. We need to provide more opportunities to artisans and craftsmen so that the tourists who visit Uttarakhand take our products as souvenirs,” said Durgapal while addressing mediapersons.

He said the department had set up a realistic target for increasing the sale of handicrafts. “In five years we hope to achieve 100 per cent of the sale targets set for products made of wood, wool, bamboo, copper and natural fibre available abundantly in Uttarakhand,” said Durgapal.

Later the minister chaired a meeting at the Industries Directorate where he emphasised on the need to provide exposure to artisans and craftsmen taking them to various states.

The minister emphasised on setting up counters at government outlets and entering into tie-ups with government and private hotels and guest houses for the allocation of space for displaying handicrafts from Uttarakhand.

“A large number of tourists visit our state. Sale counters for our handicrafts should be set up at bus stands, airports and other public utility places,” he said. Durgapal announced that an urban art centre would be set up at the Kashipur Design Centre.—TNS

Dehradun, August 24
Former Governor of Uttarakhand Sudarshan Aggarwal called upon Governor Aziz Qureshi today and enquired after his health. During the meeting Aggarwal gave Qureshi detailed information about 'Himjyoti', an organisation which works towards educating girls from financially backward sections of society. It was established under his patronage when he was the Governor of the state.

Subhash Kumar, a former Chief secretary and chairman of the Uttarakhand Revenue Council, also called on the Governor today.