Govt suffers from policy paralysis: Khanduri
Says Cong opposed creation of Uttarakhand
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
The BJP today said the Vijay Bahuguna government was suffering from policy paralysis as was evident from several flip-flops during its seven-month regime that had retarded development in the state.

“Whether it is the policy decision of running sugar mills on the public private partnership or the Transfer Act introduced by the BJP to curb corruption, the Bahuguna government has spent the last seven months either reversing decisions taken by the previous government or going back on its own decisions. This has hampered development,” said former Chief Minister BC Khanduri.

He said the Transfer Act was introduced to curb corruption and streamline transfers of government employees. “The Transfer Act was brought to streamline transfers, get rid of favouritism and corruption. But the Congress government withdrew it. The government should tell us if there was any flaw in the Act. We are ready to discuss the matter,” said Khanduri.

The BJP leader accused the Congress of never favouring the creation of a separate state of Uttarakhand. He said the Congress was equally responsible for the Muzaffarnagar firing incident of 1994 when statehood activists participating in a protest march were killed.

“Though the Samajwadi Party was the real culprit behind the incident, the Congress at the Centre could not escape culpability for its failure to withdraw support to the SP government in Uttar Pradesh. In 1994, the Congress in Uttar Pradesh had extended support to the Samajwadi Party from outside. It did not take any action for years and its stand on the creation of Uttarakhand was always negative,” he added.

Khanduri said the Congress’ indifference towards the welfare of the people of the state was quite evident. “The Congress was always opposed to the creation of a separate state of Uttarakhand and did not play any role in the statehood agitation. On the other hand, I along with several BJP leaders went to jail and fought for the creation of Uttarakhand,” said Khanduri.

He added the people of the state would give a befitting reply to the Congress in the Tehri byelection by voting against it.

FDI in retail not applicable to state, says Hridayesh
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
Uttarakhand’s Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh has categorically said the Foreign Direct Investment in the retail sector was not applicable to the state as it does not fall in its ambit.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh accused the BJP of misleading the traders over the issue of FDI in the retail sector. Traders need not have any apprehension as FDI was not applicable to Uttarakhand as none of the state’s cities fell under the population norm needed for its implementation. She, however, clarified that the Uttarakhand Congress government certainly was in favour of implementation of the FDI in the retail sector in the country.

Hridayesh also informed that the Union Food and Civil Supplies Ministry had given consent towards providing 10 kg of rice to every above poverty line family in the state, which she said will commence from the coming Dasehra. She also reminded that the state government had already announced providing unemployment allowance to the unemployed in the state from November 9.

Responding to queries, Hridayesh said there would be adequate funds for carrying out development activities. She reminded that the earlier BJP government had just spent Rs 5000 crore from state's annual plan of Rs 78,000 crore in the last financial year (2011-12). She said similarly Rs 680 crore of Centrally sponsored schemes were left unutilised by the BJP government in the last financial year. She said the state government had kept a provision of Rs 50 crore in the budget for development of backward areas.

While asserting that the Congress was committed to speedy development, Indira Hridayesh, however, admitted that Sitarganj byelection and Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag cloudburst incidents did slow down the pace of development in the state to an extent.

Hridayesh also hoped for a big victory for Congress candidate Saket Bahuguna in the Tehri parliamentary bypoll.

Potato price to be highest in March 2013: Scientists
Tribune News service

Dehradun, October 4
Pantnagar University’s scientists have forecast that the wholesale price of the plains potatoes would be maximum in the month of March 2013, keeping in view the current sowing season of the crop. This projection is based on a study undertaken in a World Bank- sponsored NAIP project, “Establishing and Networking of Market Intelligence Centres in India,” under operation in the Agriculture Economics Department of the university.

The main objective of this project is to release price forecasts of selected agricultural commodities before sowing and during harvesting. A project team of the Pantnagar centre conducted a market survey of Haldwani market, a major market for the plains potato in Uttarakhand, and analysed the wholesale price data of the last 22 years. The econometric analysis of the data indicated that the wholesale price of potato in Haldwani market would be in the range of Rs 450-600 per quintal in January 2013, while in February the wholesale price of the plains potato in Haldwani market is expected to be around Rs 400-500 per quintal. In March 2013, the price is expected to be in the range of Rs 450-650 per quintal. However, the team said that the traders of the market revealed that the prices would be in the range of Rs 350-600 per quintal during these months.

Based on the above results, the scientists have expected the wholesale prices of the plains potato to prevail between Rs 400 and Rs 650 per quintal during January to March 2013.

Hence, scientists have advised the farmers, who wish to take potato cultivation in the coming season on their farms, to decide the area under potato crop to be sown after considering the forecast prices of potato as well as other conditions suitable for the crop.

Major potato-growing states of India are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Punjab and Karnataka, which together account for about 86 per cent of India’s production.

As far as Uttarakhand is concerned, very less area is under potato in the plains during normal season. However, potato is arriving in the markets from adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh. As per the scientists, the traders of Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti, Haldwani, have also reported that Uttarakhand is not self-sufficient in meeting the demand of potato for the state and thus they have to procure the plains potato from other markets like Farukhabad, Sambhal, Ujhani, Badaun and Agra markets of UP, as well as Hoshairpur and Jalandhar markets of Punjab. The sowing of plains potato starts from mid-September and ends in November. The harvesting of the crop starts from mid-December and lasts up to March. The arrival of newly harvested crop starts from mid-December and ends in April. Thereafter, the plains potato is brought from cold stores.

According to the traders’ survey, January, February and March are the peak arrival months, and June, July and August are the lean arrival months of the plains potato in Haldwani market.

Vote for Saket, Arya to Gorkhali community
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
State Congress President Yashpal Arya said the Gorkhali community had a history of bravery and their contribution towards safeguarding nation’s frontiers had been immense.

Arya was addressing a public meeting today in support of Congress candidate for the Tehri byelection Saket Bahuguna at Gorkhali-dominated Chandrabadni in Dehradun. Arya said there were no parallels to the Gorkhali community when it came to bravery.

Appealing to the Gorkhali community to vote for Saket Bahuguna, Arya assured the community members that Saket would be raising the issues of their community in the Lok Sabha.

State Congress general secretary Vijay Saraswat also urged the gathering to ensure a landslide victory for Saket.

Gorkhali community members led by Puja Subba presented Gorkhali caps to both Arya and Saket.

Shiv Sena protests rise in cow slaughter cases
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
The Shiv Sena has registered its protest against increasing incidents of cow slaughter in the city. Rahul Chauhan, district president of the Yuva Morcha, a wing of the Shiv Sena, submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate today and said cow slaughter was taking place at a big scale in the city.

He said the district administration must ensure that such incidents did not recur as cow slaughter was considered a sin in the Sanatan Dharm.

Chauhan referred to an incident in the Kargi area where a skull of a cow was found in front of a temple, leading to tension. He requested the DM to take steps to curb such incidents.

He enquired about the precautionary measures taken by the administration to discourage recurrence of such incidents. He accused the police of connivance in such incidents and urged the DM to take strict against the offenders.

Chauhan said several illegal butcher shops were operating in the city and these must be closed. 

Bahuguna promises 10 kg rice to APL families
Harish Rawat, too, seeks votes for Saket
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, October 4
The Chief Minister of the state, Vijay Bahuguna, seeking votes for his son Saket Bahuguna, the Congress candidate from Tehri, during his visit to Kempty yesterday said that the state had suffered badly due to the corruption unleashed during the BJP regime.

Bahuguna, addressing a rally, said that the Congress government would provide 10 kg of rice to all APL families until Dasehra as promised earlier after approval from the Central government.

Addressing the gathering Vijay Bahuguna said that due to the wrong policy and corruption during the BJP regime, the state had gone down at the 19th position, whereas it was in number won position at the time of the Congress-led government under ND Tiwari. He also said people of Tehri had made up their mind to support Congress as they were aware that it was only the Congress which could herald development projects in the state.

Bahuguna further said that the condition roads had gone from bad to worse during the reign of the BJP government and the state was ridden with inadequate electricity and lack of health services. Bahuguna said that if Saket was elected from Tehri, the region would see a barrage of development activities here. He further said that the Congress had won the Sitar Ganj seat, and now after its expected victory in the Tehri byelection, the BJP was going to lose its balance of mind.

Bahuguna further said he had already cleared the proposal of Lakhwad power project and the work will start soon.

Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat accompanying Vijay Bahuguna at Kempty said that the Congress was united and he would work for the Congress victory.

He said that the state would rise to new heights under the leadership of Vijay Bahuguna, thus resting all the talk of differences with him. He appealed to the people to come out in large numbers and vote for Saket Bahuguna in the Tehri byelection.

The BJP district panchayat member, Rekha Danwal, also joined the Congress on the occasion.

She also pledged support to Saket Bahuguna, Congress candidate for the Tehri byelection. Danwal said support for Saket was growing with each passing day.

Any ID proof can be used for voting: Raturi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
Chief Election Officer Radha Raturi said beside voter’s ID and authenticated photo voter slip, the voters could furnish other additional documents for their identity before casting votes in the Tehri Lok Sabha byelections.

In a press communiqué issued here today, Raturi said voters could furnish their passport, driving license, pan card or ID cards issued by the state or the Centre, public limited companies or local unit private agencies where they work.

She said votes could also use bank or post office account books with photograph, Kisan Pass Book, SC/ST and OBC certificate issued by authentic officers, pension documents, dependent certificates, old age pension orders, widow pension order, ID of freedom fighter with photo on it, weapon license issued before or on August 31, 2012, disable certificate, health insurance smart card issued before or on August 21, 2012, property document or registration, photo ID issued under the National Urban Employment Guarantee Programme issued before or on August 31, 2012, and smart card.

Mata Chandan Deyi’s ashes immersed in Ganga
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 4
Ashes of Mata Chandan Deyi, mother of the founder of Das Dharm, Hujoor Maharaj Darshan Das, were immersed in the Ganga at Brahm Kund in Haridwar today.

Devotees of the Maharaj arrived from different parts of India as well as European countries where followers of the sect were present in a sizeable number.

Devotees particularly from the Sach Khand Nanak Dham at Loni in Gaziabad and from Punjab arrived to take part in the rituals for the immersion of the ashes in the Ganga. Before the immersion of the ashes a shradhanjali sabha was organised at the Jagadguru Ashram at Kankhal.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Raj Rajeshwaram Maharaj said, “The Ganga is mokshdayani (solace providing) and Mata Chandan Deyi is a religious personality who has given the world peace, harmony and message of social service.”

Spokesperson for the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad Baba Hatyogi said Guru Mata Chandan Deyi could be put in the category of great mothers whose children guided the world through their good deeds.

Hatyogi said like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Dhruv, Prahlad, Shivaji and Maharana Pratap, contributions of their mothers could not be ignored. Similarly, the importance of Mata Chandan Deyi in the life of Maharaj Darshan Das and his martyrdom could not be ignored.

Maharaj Tarlochan Das, who occupies the religious seat at the Das Dharm, thanked saints for coming to pay tributes to Mata Chandan Deyi. He said the blessings of saints were akin to the blessings of God.

Mahant Mohan Das Ramayani, Swami Chid Vilasanand, Mahant Jagdeeshanand, Acharya Paras Muni, Mahant Vinod Giri and Ganga Sabha members Anirudh Shikhola, Rajeev Sharma, Ekta Das, Shri Kant Vashisth, Ansul Shri Kunj, Shri Ram Ahuja were among those present. 

Cong, BJP anti-hills: Raksha Morcha
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, October 4
Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha candidate from the Tehri parliamentary constituency Kunwar Japendar Singh, seeking votes for his party from the people of Mussoorie during a public rally held at Gandhi Chowk, today said both BJP and Congress were anti-hill, anti development and had been misleading the people of the state over the years.

Kunwar further said as both party had fooled the people in the name of development, it had become imperative to strengthen the regional forces such as Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha. The president of Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha TPS Rawat said the candidates fielded by both Congress and BJP did not have any geographical knowledge of the region, therefore, people should vote for the Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha if they wanted the development of the state.

Jain for steps to check forest fires 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 4
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, while chairing a meeting of the Steering Committee of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), laid emphasis on taking effective measures to prevent forest fires and minimise man-animal conflict. He also stressed on strengthening the financial discipline and account system of CAMPA. He also approved Rs 100 crore from CAMPA for Annual Planning 2012-13.

It was revealed at the meeting that monkey enclosures would be constructed at Tanakpur (Chinhi) and Chamoli ( Didoli) with a budget of Rs. 3.61 crore. The monkeys would be sterilized and kept in the enclosures.

Uttarakhand would be the first state to have such rescue centre in the country. Besides, devdar trees would be planted in the 273.23 ha area and oak trees in 450.65 ha.

Rs 15 crore would be spent in compensatory plantation and Rs 8 crore in other special activities. Rs 1.5 crore would be utilized to take assistance from civil society organizations. Rs 2 crore would be spent for Askot and Gangotri protected forest areas. Rs 20.93 crore would be used in five catchment areas' treatment plan. It may be recalled that the Uttarakhand government had sent a proposal of Rs 873 crore to the Centre for 10 years out of which Rs 52 crore was spent in 2010-11 and Rs 76 crore in 2011-12.

Chief Principal Forest Conservator Dr RBS Rawat said 3-year plan had been prepared to study carbon stock and on its basis an index would be prepared. He said the index would help in analysing the contribution of the state in environment conservation. The fire lines had been increased and pine needle were being collected and used commercially. Rawat disclosed that the MIS system of CAMPA had been developed and all activities of CAMPA had been uploaded on ukcampa.org.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Forest S Ramaswami, Secretary, Finance, Radha Raturi, Additional Secretary, Forest, Sushant Patnaik, area in-charge of CAMPA from the Government of India Jayvir, Chief Executive Officer Vijay Kumar, Principal Forest Conservator STS Lepcha and staff Officer to the Chief Secretary MC Joshi.

Encroachment of land
Tehsildar told to hold probe
Tribune News Service

Haridwar October 4
Haridwar District Magistrate Sachin Kurwe today issued directions to tehsildar to look into the alleged acquisition of land meant for cremation ground at Salempur Mehdood village in Jwalapur.

Sachin gave the necessary instructions after agitating villagers in a large number met him at his office after carrying out an agitation.

Informing the District Magistrate, village pradhan Pappu Singh Patel said the land mafia had been eyeing the land for quite some time and for the past few weeks, it had stated encroaching upon the cremation ground land.

The pradhan added that the nearby villagers had used the land for last rites but the land mafia was eyeing the cremation ground area to use it for commercial purpose.

Alleging that Lekhpal had been bribed by the land mafia, villagers showed the land documents, including khasra number 1307 B of the land, to him.

The DM made it clear that the community land would not be used for any other purpose and told tehsildaar Preetam Singh to inspect the land in dispute and submit a report in this regard.

After getting assurance from the District Magistrate, the agitating villagers deferred their agitation until tehsildaar submitted its report in a week. 

Rajnath campaigns for Mala Raj Lakshmi
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, October 4
Former president of the BJP Rajnath Singh, addressing a public rally at Nainbagh, said the Congress-led state government had failed to provide any relief to disaster-affected victims in the state.

Rajnath sought votes for BJP candidate Mala Raj Lakshmi and lambasted all four Congress MPs from the state for not raising the issue of disaster victims in Parliament.

He said the Congress had ruled the country for 52 years and under its rule the country of 125 crore people now was being counted among one of the poorest countries in the world. He said that it was only under the BJP rule led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee that the country saw immense growth and development, which was hailed by economists from around the world. But under Congress government at the Centre the people had been burdened by price rise and the capping of LPG gas cylinders, making life miserable for them. In addition to that the scams, namely Coal, 2g Spectrum and Adarsh housing, being unearthed under the UPA regime had led to immense loss of the exchequer.

Rajnath assured that Mala Raj Lakshmi if elected from Tehri would raise the development issues of the region in Parliament effectively.

Bhagat Singh Koshyari said the coterie of Vijay Bahuguna and his son Saket Bahuguna would not work this time as people were fed up with one famly ruling the roost. He said the people were not sure of Bahuguna’s origin. He was busy calling himself Jaunari while in Jaunsar region and Bengali while in Sitarganj, thus raising several doubts among the people of Tehri.

Munna Singh Chauhan, who joined the BJP recently, said the party would win the seat with a handsome margin.

Senior BJP leader Mohan Singh Gaonwasi, Khajan Das, Narayan Singh Rana, MLA, Dhanaulti, Mahaveer Singh Rangad, Virendar Rana and others were also present.

Viral fever claims one more life
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 4
A two-year-old boy of an interior village of the Lamgara block of Almora district died of viral fever here yesterday. The fever has claimed three lives in the Salt block of the district and has now spread to the Lamgara block.

After the incident, the Almora chief medical officer, Dr RS Shahi, sent a team of doctors, ANM and Asha workers to the village immediately.

“After the two-year-old son of Mohan Singh Negi, a resident of Saloli village, reportedly died of the viral fever, we have stationed a medical team in the village to check the menace,” said the chief medical officer.

According to Shahi, Saloli, Barakot Rajura, Suri, Kharia, Kalona, Nauli, Pukhari and Sanoli villages have been reported to be in the grip of the fever. “If needed, more medical workers will be sent to these villages to check the viral fever,” said Shahi.