Kaushik, BJP activists halt work on sewer line
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 30
Former state Urban Development Minister and local BJP MLA Madan Kaushik today stopped the sewer laying work being carried out by the Ganga Pollution Control Board at Khanna Nagar here.

Even police personnel in the presence of the Circle Officer watched the law-breaking drama as mute spectators.

Kaushik, along with his party activists and a few residents, stopped the sewer laying work being carried out at the Khanna Nagar colony with one of his supporters stopping his car over the dug-up patch.

Kaushik wanted a new sewer line for the colony by joining it with the main line and not with the line on which the work was under way.

The Ranipur police reached the spot after being informed by someone that a ruckus was being created by BJP workers. However, on seeing the BJP workers forcefully driving away the contractor and sewer laying workers out of the place, administrative officials were also informed.

Later, City Magistrate JS Nambiyal and Circle Officer Shah Jahan Khan Javed reached the spot. Both tried to convince the enraged crowd that hampering the government work was not in their interests but the police failed pacify the irate mob.

With the support of Kaushik, the mob even blocked the traffic. Kaushik warned the officials that he would not allow the laying of the sewer line. He said he wanted a separate line to be connected to the colony as the population of the colony had increased.

On the insistence of Nambiyal, a meeting has been called on October 5 where the nodal agency Ganga Pollution Control Board, legislator and colony representatives, in presence of administrative officials, will discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, residents supporting the laying of sewer line have alleged that the police administration sided with the BJP legislator and did not take any action against the BJP activists.

CO Khan said, “It is an administrative matter and we were called to control the situation. Citing the anger of the mob and the MLA, we did not take any action as it could have ignited the situation.”

Saket challenges Mala Raj Laxmi
Serving people not the job of kings and queens, says Cong candidate from Tehri
Our Correspondent

Congress candidate for the Tehri byelection Saket Bahuguna addresses a gathering at a rally in Mussoorie on Sunday.

Mussoorie, September 30
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna addressing a public rally in Mussoorie yesterday said the BJP was highlighting the price rise issue unnecessarily and it would have no bearing on the results in the coming Tehri bypoll thus resulting in the victory of the Congress.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his son Saket Bahuguna and wife Sudha Bahuguna to seek votes for his son contesting from the Tehri parliamentary constituency in Mussoorie.

Vijay Bahuguna addressing a gathering said price rise was a global phenomenon but the BJP was try to make it a political issue in the bypoll which was really unfortunate.

Demanding votes for his son Saket, he assured the people holistic development of the constituency and complete support of the state government.

Addressing the large gathering at Green Chowk, he said the BJP did not have any concrete issue. Therefore, it was raking unnecessary issues which had no relation with the state.

Vijay Bahguna said as he had been their MP, therefore, he had affection towards the constituency.

He also said as there was Congress government in the state and at the Centre, the victory of Saket Bahuguna would mean a barrage of development activities in the constituency.

Speaking on FDI and capping of gas cylinders, he said he had already increased the quota from six to nine LPG cylinders. He said the BJP without knowing the facts was misleading the people on the issue. He was in favour of FDI but as it would be implemented in only those cities with population of 10 lakh people, the state did not fall in this purview hence would not be implemented here.

Reacting to the allegations levelled by former Chief Minister Nishank that the Congress was trying to lure BJP MLAs with money and other incentives, Vijay Bahguna said the allegations were baseless and further said with pun intended that if the BJP's MLAs were vulnerable, it was not his fault.

Saket Bahuguna, speaking on the occasion, challenged the BJP candidate Mala Raj Laxmi on the knowledge about the problems and prospects in Tehri. He said the love and affection of the youth towards him had made him believe that the Congress would win with a handsome margin.

Saket further said if he was elected from Tehri, his priority would be education as it was due to the education he had reached this level.

He also said his other priority would be to work for the youth and generate employment in order to stop migration. He being critical of Mala Raj Laxmi said serving the people was not the job of kings and queens, but for a servant like him.

Speaking on the comments made by Harak Singh Rawat that it would not matter on who wins from Tehri, Saket Bahuguna said Rawat meant that the election would have no bearing on the government at the Centre as it would complete its full term.

Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal, who was also accompanying Vijay Bahuguna, later when questioned by the media that whether the election was a prestige issue for his father, said in elections the prestige of the party was more than any person.

On the other hand, the rally area turned chaotic for a few minutes when members of the Rahul Gandhi Youth Brigade jostled for the space on the stage and raised slogans in support of the Saket Bahuguna. They left the dais only after the Chief Minster had to intervene himself and pacify the members. A motorcycle rally in support of Saket Bahuguna was also organised on the occasion.

Former Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall, senior Congress leader Virendar Rawat, Satich Dhaundiyal, Vinod Thapliyal and others were present on the occasion.

Boycott Tehri byelection, Janmanch to people
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 30
The Uttarakhand Janmanch has appealed to the voters of the Tehri parliamentary constituency to boycott the bypoll.

Issuing an appeal at a convention held in Dehradun today, Janmanch general secretary Rajan Todariya questioned the relevance of the Tehri parliamentary bypoll asserting that while Uttarakashi district that forms part of the constituency was facing the disaster, there was no justification in conducting election in the region.

The Janmanch also decided to constitute a committee to be headed by former MP and freedom fighter Paripoornanand Painuily that would urge the voters to boycott the bypoll.

Todariya accused both BJP and Congress of exploiting the people of the Tehri parliamentary constituency to serve their political interests.

He said while the Tehri dam oustees were still to be rehabilitated, the victims of the recent Uttarkashi disaster were awaiting relief. He said both Congress and BJP had put up candidates that had little interest in development of the hill districts of Tehri and Uttarkashi. He said the best way to teach lesson to both Congress and BJP was to boycott the poll.

Paripoornanand Painuily said both Congress and BJP candidates for Tehri were misfit and had no attachment with the Tehri region. He said the Janmanch would soon launch a campaign against these two parties.

He also took regional party Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) to task, asserting that while on the one hand it was supporting the Congress government in the state, on the other hand its president was contesting the Tehri parliamentary bypoll.

Janmanch secretary Manmohan Lakhera said political parties had become completely insensitive towards the plight of Uttarkashi disaster victims and their family members.

Govt has utilised only 12 pc of budget: Koshiyari
Tribune News Service

Former Chief Minister BS Koshiyari addresses the media in Dehradun on Sunday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, September 30
BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former state Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari today accused the state government of utilising just 12 per cent of its annual budget despite half of the current financial year already coming to a close.

Addressing mediapersons here, Koshiyari said it was strange that the Congress government had spent just 12 per cent of the state’s annual budget when half of the current financial year was coming to a close. He said it revealed the state government’s little concern for development. He said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna was busy with his son Saket Bahuguna in the Tehri parliamentary elections and development had taken a back seat in the state.

He said the Congress was violating model code of conduct repeatedly in the Tehri bypoll campaigning. He said two helicopters were being put to use by the Congress for the election campaigning.

Koshiyari also took the Congress government to task over the issue of law and order in the state. He said crime graph in the state, particularly Dehradun, was on the rise and the state government was a mute spectator to this issue. He said roads in Dehradun were in poor condition and the state government was showing little interest in repairing these.

He also targeted the UPA government at the Centre, asserting that one-rank one-pension demand of the ex-defence personnel must be implemented completely and not in partial manner as was being done by the Centre.

Relief material sent to Ukhimath

Dehradun, September 30
Governor Aziz Qureshi here today flagged of relief material sent by CII Foundation for the Ukhimath cloudburst victims.

Appreciating the CII's initiative, Qureshi said he was pleased to see the industry coming forward to help out in the time of need. Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj were also present on the occasion. Leading a CII delegation, Dr S Farooq, Past Chairman, CII, Uttarakhand State Council, said the industry in the state was conscious of its corporate social responsibility and the relief initiative was an example of the same.

Dinesh Jain and Lovelena Mody, former Chairpersons of CII, Uttarakhand, JB Batra, MD, Uttaranchal Industries Limited, and Camillo Mascarenhas from SKF India were also present on the occasion.

A CII team had earlier visited Ukhimath to make an onsite assessment of the requirements. —TNS

Uttarakhand, UP to share construction cost of Jamrani dam
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, September 30
The Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to share the cost of construction of the Jamrani dam on the Gaula river near Kathgodam of Nainital district with the Uttarakhand government, Irrigation Department sources said.

“The final meeting with the UP government on sharing of the construction cost of the dam has been scheduled for November,” said DS Singh, chief engineer of the Irrigation Department, Haldwani.

According to DS Singh, the dam, which was proposed in 1965, if constructed, will irrigate not only a big chunk of land in the Kumaon Terai region but also a large acreage of land in parts of western UP. “As the distribution of water between UP and Uttarakhand has remained the main obstacle in the construction of the dam, the Irrigation Department has charted out a new system of water distribution among the two states,” said the chief engineer.

According to the new draft of the distribution of water from the dam, out of the total 144 million cubic metre capacity of water in the proposed dam, 52 cubic metre water will be given to Haldwani and out of the remaining 92 million cubic metre of water, 52 per cent will be given to UP and 48 per cent of water will remain with the Uttarakhand government.

“UP will be able to irrigate its 47,604 hectares of land in the western part while Uttarakhand will be able to irrigate 9,458 hectares in the Terai region,” said the chief engineer.

The proposed dam will be constructed on the Gaula river in the hill areas of Haldwani.

2-day convention on Gandhi's philosophy begins today
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 30
The Western world is fast acknowledging and following the principles of Mahatma Gandhi.

This was stated by Padma Shree awardee SP Verma who is the vice-chairman of the Gandhi Global Family - an institution that propagates the principles of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi worldwide.

He said United States of America President Barack Obama, British, French, Russian, African leaders and people of various Asian countries were drawing inspirations from Gandhi’s philosophy.

Verma said the time when Gandhi’s principles were being globally acknowledged, Indians seemed to be getting a bit deflected which was a matter of concern.

Adding further, he said in this regard a two-day convention would be organised in Haridwar at Jai Ram Ashram from tomorrow by the Gandhi Global Family whose chairperson is Union Minister of Health Gulam Nabi Azad.

The convention will dwell on six topics namely communal harmony, social evils, employment, national integration, friendship with neighbouring countries and global peace in the era of terrorism.

More than 1,000 members of the Gandhi Global Family are expected to participate in the national convention and dwell on the Gandhian philosophy on the bank of the Ganga.

Chief of the Jai Ram Ashram Braham Swaroop Brahamchari said in today’s era violence, communalism, terrorism, hatred, regionalism and self-interests had taken a front seat. It’s imperative to revert to Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy which was, "Think for all, care for all and upliftment of all people, irrespective of their caste, creed, sect or country".

Students get midday meal after a month
Reason: Trek route to Namik village had been closed since September 1 and was reopened yesterday only
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, September 30
Students of Primary School and Junior High School in Namik village, Munsiyari subdivision, received their midday meal after a gap of one month yesterday. The reason: the trek route to the village had been closed since September 1 due to heavy rain and landslides at eight places on the route and was reopened yesterday only.

In the absence of any other route to the village, ration could not be transported to the area. Namik village is one of the high-altitude villages in Munsiyari subdivision.

Tulsi Devi, Gram Pradhan of the village, said the midday meal was prepared in the schools yesterday after a gap of one month.

She said the route was reopened after District Magistrate CMS Bisht ordered Munsiyari block officials to expedite the work to clear the route by deploying labourers under the MGNREGA scheme.

"The labourers deployed under the scheme cleared the 28-km route to the village, thus paving the way for the supply of ration for the midday meal," she said.

Mahendra Singh Airi, district supply officer, Pithoragarh, said: "Five quintals of rice, wheat and sugar were sent to the village after the route reopened yesterday. The remaining ration will soon be sent."

Airi said as snowfall in the coming months could again block the route, the department concern would sent ration in advance to the village. A temporary godown had been set up in the village for the purpose, he said.

Tech fair at Ramnagar from October 4

Dehradun, September 30
Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj has disclosed that the Science and Technology Fair will take place in Ramnagar from October 4 to 6. In a statement issued today, Satpal Maharaj said the Science and Technology Fair would be held on the JP Inter-College College campus with an aim to generate interest among students towards science. He said organisations like the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research Development Organisation will be putting up their stalls at the science fair.

He said those students who want to make a career in the sphere of science and technology will also be given adequate guidance during the fair. — TNS

DGP felicitates police team that scaled Kalindi Peak
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 30
Uttarakhand Director General of Police Vijay Raghav Pant yesterday felicitated the seven-member police team that scaled Kalindi Peak in the state recently.

In his address, Vijay Raghav Pant said, “Policing involved a lot of courage and strength as it is the duty of the policemen to provide security and safety to citizens. Adventure sports are very important part of policemen's lives.

The police adventure team can also be of immense use while dealing with natural disasters.”

The DGP also handed over mementos to the expedition team. Uttarakhand Police expedition team leader DIG, Dehradun region, Sanjay Gunjyal, gave a presentation about the 20013 feet zalindi Peak.

Workshop stresses on safety in lab experiments
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 30
DAV (PG) College’s Chairman Board of Management Dr BB Raizada has laid emphasis on safety while undertaking experiments in college laboratories.

Addressing an inaugural session of a day-long training workshop on Instruments Maintenance and Safety in Laboratory jointly organised by the departments of chemistry and zoology at DAV (PG) College, Dehradun, today, Dr BB Raizada said safety needs to be given much importance in college laboratories to avoid any mishap.

He asked the DAV College authorities to purchase the best of laboratory equipment and also put them to use. He also stressed on giving adequate importance to practicals during examinations. “Practicals should not be just taken as formality and experiments done by students at laboratories must be given much importance”, Raizada pointed out.

Referring to DAV (PG) College, Raizada said the college had a glorious history and its ex-students had excelled in almost all spheres of life.

DAV (PG) College Principal Dr Devendra Bhasin said the college had been giving priority to instruments maintenance and safety in laboratories. Dr Bhasin referred to various researches being undertaken in the college

Uttarakhand State Council of Science and Technology’s Senior Scientific Officer Sarita Khandka said safety and upgradation of laboratories must be given priorities in the colleges. She said laboratories were real testing ground to judge a student’s knowledge of his subject.

Earlier, coordinator for the workshop Dr Prashant Singh while welcoming the participants said the workshop apart from experts was also providing hands-on training in instruments. 

HR conclave at Tula’s Institute ends
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 30
Tula’s Institute organised a human resource conclave that ended here yesterday.

The conclave which commenced on Friday was the witness to various corporate professionals sharing their insights on the recent trends in the corporate world. The conclave was attended by students of various institutions who enriched their knowledge by being party to various deliberations which took place throughout the two-day conclave.

The chief guest for the closing ceremony of the conclave – Rewards and Beyond -- was former district governor Lions Club Anita Gupta.

The programme was divided into two parts. Firstly the HR managers shared their experiences on how one should face different situations that one encountered in the corporate world and at the same time suggested ways to overcome the same.

The second part focused on the HR managers telling the students about how to prepare for interviews, about how was one’s body language ought to be with a simple objective of giving the students the much-needed head-start while preparing for any interview.

Speaking on the occasion, Anita Gupta congratulated Tula’s Institute for successfully organising Uttarakhand’s very first conclave. She further stated it was very important for institutions to organise such conclaves since it gave the students the exposure and in this regards Tula’s Institute had always been way ahead of its counterparts.

Chairman of the institute Sunil Kumar Jain said, “I would like to thank all corporate professionals and HR managers for taking out time from their busy schedule and being with us over the past two days. At the same time, I would also like to congratulate all staff and students of Tula’s Institute for putting up a stellar performance and making this whole event a grand success”.

Proud of being Uttarakhandi, says Urvashi

Kotdwara, September 30
Urvashi Rautela, who was crowned Miss Universe India 2012 recently, said she was proud of her journey from a middle class family in Uttarakhand to being a national beauty pageant winner.