CM opens two buildings for cops in Pantnagar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 24
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna inaugurated administrative and residential buildings of Haldi Thana at Pantnagar today.

He laid emphasis on equipping the buildings with modern facilities and said the upgrade of police stations would help police personnel carry out their duties and investigate cases more effectively which would in return curb criminal activities in the area.

Bahuguna mentioning the natural calamity that hit the state said he was grateful towards all political parties for their support during the crisis. He said MLAs of allied parties had donated Rs 25 lakh each from their MLA Fund to the Chief Minister Relief Fund. He called on the public to extend their support to disaster hit people.

Bahuguna said the decision to pay sugarcane farmers and workers of sugar mills their dues in time would yield good result. The state government would ensure that the interests of workers were not compromised while running sugar mills on the PPP mode.

He said owing to non-existence of the sugarcane production, the decision had been taken to close Gadarpur Sugar Mill. However, it would be ensured that the people working in this mill were adjusted in other mills. The Chief Minister said it would be ensured that their employment, salary and service conditions were not affected.

Earlier, Irrigation and Revenue Minister Yashpal Arya said with new administrative and residential buildings coming into existence, the long-pending demand of the area was fulfilled. He said the state government was committed to developing basic infrastructure.

Cabinet Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani appreciated the functioning of the government.

Both buildings were constructed at Rs 76.82 lakh by the Rural Engineering Service in 2.36 acres.

Also present on the occasion were MLAs Rajesh Shukla, former Cabinet minister Tilak Raj Behad, KMVN Chairman Kiran Mandal, Chairman Mandi Parishad Dr Shailendra Mohan Singhal, Congress district president Narayan Singh Bisht, DGP Vijay Raghav Pant, DIG Deepak Jyoti Ghildiyal, DM Brijesh Kumar Sant and SSP Neelesh Anand Bharne among other. 

Rains pose problems for Mansarowar pilgrims
Local rivulets on way to Gunji in spate
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, August 24
The Kailash Mansarowar yatra has become challenging as local rivulets on way to Gunji and above are in spate following heavy rains in the region.

Kailash Mansarowar pilgrims cross a rivulet during their pilgrimage. A Tribune photograph

“The 11th batch of the pilgrims will have to face problems on its way to Tibet as this time rains are heavier than the corresponding period last year," said AT Borkar, an ITBP officials at Mirthi, Didihat.

Borkar said the ITBP was also in contact with the Chinese authorities. “The track route beyond Sirkha has become challenging after it received continuous rains for the past one week. We have deputed more ITBP jawans near swollen rivulets to help the pilgrims cross the way,” said the ITBP officer.

According to base camp sources, the 11 batch returned to the Sirkha camp today while the 12th batch on way to India has reached the Darchin camp in Tibet after completing the yatra.

The 13th batch has reached Thugu in Tibet while the 14th batch has reached the Bundi camp on its way to Tibet. “We are taking care of the pilgrims on their way and also deputed rescue teams at flash flood-sensitive places,” said Borkar.

People from Tehri not happy with Cong govt, alleges Khanduri
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, August 24
Former Chief Minister BC Khanduri lashed out at the Congress government led by Vijay Bahguna during a workers' meeting held at a local bhavan in Thatyur block of district Tehri Garhwal today.

The former CM, addressing the gathering, said the present government had failed to deliver on all fronts and the people from the Tehri parliamentary seat were unhappy and dejected due to the lacklustre performance of the Congress.

According to sources, he appealed to the workers to provide complete support to the any candidate announced by the party for the Tehri parliamentary byelection and ensure victory of the BJP as that would be the best way for taking revenge for the defeat in the recent elections for Sitarganj seat, which the Congress wrested from the BJP "through dubious means." He also lambasted the government for not doing enough for the Uttarkashi cloudburst victims. Khanduri said the government was making tall claims despite the disaster relief material not reaching the people on time, thus proving its incompetence in handling the situation.

He also took the government to task on the issue of changing the names of various programmes undertaken by his party in the state in the cabinet and termed it as a futile exercise only to mislead the innocent people of the state. Speaking on the issue of ambiguity in the transfer policy in the state, he said that the teaching community was confused due to no clear policy, resulting in jeopardising the future of the students in government schools. Following the meeting, Kahnduri accompanied by Dhanolti MLA Mahavir Singh Rangad, former ministers Tirath Singh Rawat and Khajan Das left for the disaster affected region 
in Uttarkashi.

Garhwal MP seeks more foodgrains for state
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 24
Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj in Delhi on Wednesday met Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies KV Thomas and informed him about foodgrains shortage in the disaster-hit state.

Maharaj disclosed 867 roads were damaged in Uttarakhand due to natural calamities and the Public Distribution System had collapsed in the state. He asked the Union Minister to increase the quota of foodgrains for the state and ensure transport of foodgrains through mules.

Satpal Maharaj said Thomas had assured to do the needful.

Dept focuses on Ayush Gram at Charek Danda
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 24
As the first Ayush Gram of the state at Bhawali that has been awarded to Emami Pvt Ltd continues to be embroiled in a public interest litigation (PIL), the Uttarakhand Ayush Department is now focusing its attention on the Ayush Gram at Charek Danda (Pauri).

In the erstwhile BJP regime, the Ayush Gram at Bhawali, to be built on the public-private partnership, was awarded to Emami Pvt Ltd. With the former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal pushing the project, it was expected to take off in 2011 but a PIL and problem in constructing the road had put speed breaks on the setting up of the first Ayush Gram.

Since the concept of Ayush Grams was conceptualised, the Ayurvedic Department has nothing to show on ground as most of the projects conceptualised in Pauri, Champawat and Pithoragarh districts fell through due to the non-availability of land.

Now with Health Minister Surinder Singh Negi evincing interest in the Ayush Gram at Charek Danda in Kotdwar and happens to be the minister’s constituency, the Ayush Grams have now got a new lease of life.

“As almost all our projects fell through due to non-availability and objections by the Forest Department, the District Magistrate has been instructed to look for suitable land in Kotdwar where the Ayush Gram and Charak Research Institute, dedicated to Mahirishi Charak, could be set up,” said Dr Pooja Bhardwaj, Director General, Ayush.

Last year, the Ayush Department had allocated Rs 60 lakh for the establishment of the institute in the budget but the amount was not utilised.

The BJP government had proposed the first Ayush Gram at Bhawali, second at Chaurasi Kutiya in Pauri, the third at Charek Danda in Kotdwar. Besides, Ayush Grams will also be set up at Koli Dek (Lohaghat), Chandak (Pithoragarh), Mankot (Garud), Bansorha (Almora), Rawara (Uttarkashi), Auli (Chamoli) and Koti (Tehri) in the district. The Ayush Grams with panchkarma centres, ayurvedic and homoeopathy hospitals were conceptualised to promote ayurvedic tourism in the state but problems pertaining to land have pushed these projects on the back burner.

BJP flays govt move to rename institutions
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 24
The district unit of the BJP has criticised the Congress-led state government for playing politics over several educational and other institutions named after legendary people by the previous BJP government rule.

BJP leaders protested the state government decision to change the name of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna recently.

Former Cabinet minister and three-time legislator from Haridwar Madan Kaushik termed the government move as petty politics that was bound to hurt the sentiments of people of Uttarakhand as well as those who follow the ideals of social reformers like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Kaushik said instead of focusing on undeveloped districts of the state the government was busy changing names of the institutions. “Deen Dayal Upadhyaya was a philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist and political activist while Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was a freedom fighter who was Minister of Industry in the Jawaharlal Nehru Cabinet. He later founded the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. The contribution of Upadhyaya and Mukherjee to the Indian freedom movement was immense which Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna fails to acknowledge,” he said.

Veteran BJP leader Chandra Shekhar Bhattewala said maybe current ministers did not know about Mukherjee or Upadhyaya. BJP activists burnt effigies of the government and held protests in various parts of Haridwar, Roorkee, Lakshar, Mangalore and Narsain. 

Improve infrastructure at DAV college: NSUI
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 24
The National Students of India (NSUI) has expressed concern over the sorry state of affairs in DAV (PG) College, Dehradun, the biggest college of the state.

A party delegation, led by national NSUI representative Swati Negi, today met the college Principal, Dr Devendra Bhasin, and highlighted the problems of the students.

She pointed out that getting examination results on time had become a big challenge for the students and accused the college authorities of making little efforts towards the timely availability of results.

She said there was little upkeep of classes and even the cleanliness arrangements were not up to the mark.

She asked the college Principal to improve the infrastructure on the campus and solve other problems of the students.

302 kg of banned herb seized
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh August 24
A team of forest officers and the Dharchula police today seized a big haul of Satwa (perif polyphylla) from the banks of the Kali river at Ailagar, near Dharchula town, on the Nepal border. The herb consignment was to be smuggled to Nepal, forest office sources in Pithoragarh said. Satwa is a banned Himalayan herb which was used traditionally in the treatment of orthopaedic diseases and bronchitis by local medical practitioners.

“The cost of the seized 302 kg of Satwa, which is also called Meethi Bach by locals, is more than Rs 7.50 Lakh in the international market. It is selling at the rate of Rs 25,000 a kg in the international market,” said Muralidhar Bhatt, a forest officer who was part of the team

Bhatt said on a tip-off the team reached the spot at 3.30 am today. The police found that four bags full of Satwa were kept by the riverside while six bags were dumped there to be smuggled to Nepal. “Satwa, which is an endangered species, is banned in India while it is openly used for medical purposes in Nepal. That is why it is smuggled to Nepal from India,” said Ramesh Rajbar, police inspector, who led the team.

“The roots of Satwa plant are used to extract juice, which is used to treat orthopaedic diseases traditionally by tribal communities in this part of the Himalayas. These are found at nearly 6,000 feet in the foothills of the Himalayas,” said Aan Singh Rokaya, a Pithoragarh Zila Panchayat member from the Chaudans area of Dharchula.

“We have lodged a case under Article 26 of forest conservation law against unknown people as no one was caught when the herb was seized,”’ said Rokaya. 

 CM gives Rs 10 lakh for Bar Council’s library
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 24
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the library of the Nainital High Court Bar Council.

He asked the office-bearers of the council to give proposals for providing residences and chambers for advocates as per the available land. Meanwhile, council presented a draft of Rs 1.25 lakh to him for the Chief Minister Relief Fund.

Speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised by the council at Nainital today, the Chief Minister said the Bar and the Bench were complimentary to each other, hence it was necessary to maintain coordination between both.

Bahuguna said the interests of litigants were most important and early justice would always prove beneficial to them.

Describing the importance of a library in the work of advocates, he called on young advocates to visit library as much as they could. He also shared some incidents of his days as an advocate.

He told advocates that they could approach him directly or through e-mail and phone to discus issues pertaining to their welfare and grievances.

Cabinet minister Yashpal Arya, MLA Sarita Arya, President of the Bar Council Prithviraj Chauhan, advocates UK Uniyal, Mahendra Pal, DK Sharma and Qurban Ali were present on the occasion.