Govt withdraws ban on gutka
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
In another example of the government's flip-flop policy, just hours after the Uttarakhand Commissioner for Food Safety and Standards announced a ban on the manufacturing, stocking and sale of gutka and food products containing nicotine and tobacco, the Uttarakhand government revoked the decision at the behest of the Chief Minister, who wants the cabinet nod on the ban.

Yesterday, Ranvir Singh, in his capacity as Uttarakhand Commissioner for Food Safety and Standards, had announced the ban, evoking the provisions under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2011. The ban for a year was to come into effect from October 16. Now the issue pertaining to the ban would be brought before the cabinet that is expected to meet on October 20.

“We were forced to revoke the ban as the government wanted approval from the cabinet on the issue,” said Ranvir Singh.

Sources claim while approval had already been received from the Health Minister, the announcement by the Commissioner for Food Safety and Standards ruffled several feathers as the government wanted to take credit for the issue. The Uttarakhand Commissioner for Food Safety and Standards was within his rights to issue the ban.

The flip-flop policy on the issue has not only undermined the authority of the Commissioner but questions are also being raised about the pressure lobbies at work in and outside the state, which feared revenue losses. The ban would have affected their business.

“The government has been pressurised to give time to the stockists and manufacturers to give a certain time-frame so that they may be able to exhaust their existing stocks,” said an official.

In comparison with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the gutka manufacturing industry is almost non-existent in the state but the consumption is as high as 30 per cent.

1,200 state Home Guard jawans for HP election
Tribune News service

Dehradun, October 17
Uttarakhand will send 1,200 Home Guard jawans to Himachal Pradesh during the coming Assembly elections. This was announced by Uttarakhand DGP Satyavrat Bansal during a video conferencing with VS Sampat, Chief Election Commissioner, here today.

In a bid to conduct free and fair assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh on November 4, Chief Election Commissioner Sampat held a video conference with government officials of neighbouring states, including Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday. Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain assured him of all cooperation during the elections and said special vigilance would be kept in the border areas shared by Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Satyavrat Bansal said Uttarakhand’s two districts shared border with Himachal Pradesh and nine places had been identified in those areas where security needed to be enhanced during election.

He said temporary police pickets would be set up in the areas to check smuggling of drugs, liquor and cash. He assured the Chief Election Commissioner to provide 1,200 Home Guard jawans as per the demand made by Himachal Pradesh.

These jawans would take over their duties by October 28. The DGP said both states would also share intelligence information with each other. He said IG (Law & Order) Ram Singh Meena had been appointed the Nodal Officer for the elections.

Chief Election Officer Uttarakhand Radha Raturi said the voter lists of the border areas had been dispatched. The Himachal Pradesh could match their voter list with this list to avoid duplicate voters. She said all other preventive measures were being undertaken.

Animal sacrifice prevented at Kumaon temples
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 17
The local administration, on the court order, has succeeded in preventing animal sacrifice in some temples of the Kumaon region, which has been a traditional practice on the beginning of the Navratras.

At the Chitai Golu temple in Almora, where animal sacrifice was being done on the first day of Navratras since centuries, the administration did not allow devotees to bring animals into the temple. “Two persons, who had brought goats for sacrifice at the temple, were returned by the administration officials citing the court order,” said Ajay Arora, SDM, Almora subdivision.

The Bageshwar administration also prevented animal sacrifice at the centuries-old Nauling temple at Sangar village by persuading the temple committee against the practice two days before the Navratras began. “To avoid the wrath of the local devotees, who were adamant on sacrificing animal, the administration officials asked a child to pick up one of the two slips (one favouring the practice and the other opposing it). The child picked up the slip that favoured prevention of animal sacrifice. It was considered as the will of the deity and a decision was taken not to sacrifice animals in the temple from today,” said temple priest Prem Singh Dhami.

The other main temples of the region like the Mahakali temple at Gangolihat and the Lotgari temple at Berinag have already decided not to allow animal sacrifice. A large number of people thronged temples in the Kumaon region on the second day of the Navratras today. The Ramleela was also being staged at Tanakpur and Pithoragarh.

More than 40,000 devotees visited the Purnagiri temple at Tanakpur in Champawat district from across north India. “The devotees are arriving by train, bus, on bicycle and other modes of transportation,” said Tanakpur police circle officer PS Pangti.

“The devotees had to face a severe shortage of drinking water as despite the local administration order the Jal Sansthan did not repair the pipeline that supplies drinking water to the Purnagiri temple,” said Bhuwan Chandra Pandey, president of the Purnagiri Vyapar Mandal.

Save animals

• The administration did not allow devotees to bring animals for sacrifice to the Chitai Golu temple in Almora, where the practice had been continuing on the first day of Navratras since centuries.
• Two persons, who had brought goats for sacrifice at the temple, were returned by the administration officials, citing the court order.
• The Bageshwar administration also prevented animal sacrifice at the centuries-old Nauling temple at Sangar village by persuading the temple committee against the practice.

Minister pulls up IOC officials, gas agencies
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
State Planning and Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal took officials of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and gas agencies to task for distorting the order of the Centre with regard to distribution of LPG cylinders in the city. He convened a meeting of the IOC officials, gas agencies, the District Magistrate (DM), the City Magistrate and the District Supply Officer (DSO) at his office today. He gave strict instructions regarding preventing black marketeering of gas cylinders so that customers did not face any supply problem.

Aggarwal told the DM to verify supply of cylinders in the last six months in the city and directed the DSO to undertake verification on yearly basis in the district.

The minister directed the DM to provide the DSO with the required staff to complete the task. He directed Deputy Manager, IOC, Dheeraj Kumar to set up an office in the city to take up the work related to LPG connection verification. Dheeraj explained to the minister in detail the directions issued by the Centre on the issue.

Aggawal was upset at the way the customers were being harassed in the name of ‘Know Your Customer’ campaign started by gas agencies in the city. He said, “The customers are having a tough time due to black marketeering of LPG cylinders. The gas agencies are also charging high rates for cylinders from customers by misquoting the directions of the Centre. They are called time and again and made to stand in queues before the offices of the gas agencies to furnish various documents for verification.”

He instructed the gas agencies to remove the compulsion of furnishing a ration card for the verification of address. He said other documents such as a driving licence, PAN card, passport, voter ID card or a ration card could be used for the purpose. To remove confusion created by the gas agencies among the people over the issue, Aggarwal directed the IOC to issue public notices in local newspapers explaining rules.

The customers are fuming and confused as the gas agencies are giving new instructions with regard to rules and regulations and cost of unsubsidized cylinders regularly ever since the Centre announced the decision in this regard.

Aggarwal directed the gas agencies to ensure supply of three subsidised cylinders to each customer in the current financial year. He said all Sub-Divisional Magistrates should be directed to check the misuse of domestic gas cylinders for commercial purpose.

Students learn effective career planning methods
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, October 17
More than 200 students from Mussoorie and Dehradun participated in a one-day regional symposium on higher education and effective career planning held under the aegis of the Counsellor Training Research and Consultancy (ICTRC) at St George’s College here today.

Director, ICRTC, Dr VS Ravindran, addressing the gathering.

Director, ICRTC, VS Ravindran said students should first know their capabilities and chose the subject of their interest to succeed in life. They should assess their aptitude and then decide on the subjects they would pursue for higher education.

Dr Ravindran said in the recent years, higher education had undergone rapid changes and recognising them was a must for the successful career development.

He further said in today’s tough and highly competitive world, parents tried to equip their children with a plethora of activities. However, it was surprising that they were paying little attention to provide their children right guidance. He said many students were still choosing their course of study and career based on fantasies encouraged by the media, parental pressures and peer influence.

Ravindran said the objective of the symposium was to provide a platform to students to interact with eminent career counsellors and experts from diverse fields, so that they were able to make a well-informed choice.

Principal of the host school Brother Christopher said students from government and semi-government schools had also been invited to attend the symposium, so that they could also benefit from the services being provided by experts.

Shreha from Kasiga School said till now she was confused on what career to chose. However, after attending the symposium, she had developed a clarity of thought.

Later, an interactive session on the balancing act while selecting subjects in higher education was also held, where students asked questions regarding their career from experts.

Regional science exhibition at KV ONGC
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
The 40th Jawaharlal Nehru Regional Science Exhibition 2012-13 was held at Kendriya Vidyalaya, ONGC, here today. The theme of the exhibition was “Science and Society”. ONGC Executive Director, Human Resource, Sundar Lal, Dehradun and Deputy Commissioner, Kendriya Vidhyalaya Sanghatan, Dehradun, NS Rana, jointly inaugurated the exhibition.

In an interaction with the students, ONGC executive director Sundar Lal exhorted the teachers to lay more stress on insight formation rather than just limiting the students as information gatherers.

Earlier, KV ONGC Principal DS Negi said the theme of the exhibition had been further divided into 6 sub-themes, industry, natural resources and their conservation, transport and communication, information and communication, community health and environment and mathematical modeling. He said students from various KVs in Dehradun had put their models at the exhibition.

As of results, in the industry theme, Shubham Singh of KV Opto Electronics Factory (OLF) stood first. In natural resources and their conservation, Tanya Chauhan, KV, ONGC, got first position. In transport and communication, Saloni Bawania, KV ONGC, was first. In information and communication, Aditya Bratwal, KV, Indian Military Academy, got the first position. In mathematical modeling, Priyamvada Pant KV OLF was first.

Panel of judges included Dr Bhaskar Pant (Graphic Era University), Mukesh Kumar (University of Petrolum), NS Dangwal,(ONGC Dehradun), KP Singh (ONGC, Dehradun) and Dr Ambrish Chauhan and HCPandey (Botanical Survey of India) were present on the occasion. In quiz, Mayank from KV IMA excelled.

CM to open SIDCUL Phase II at Sitarganj on Oct 23
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna will lay the foundation stone of SIDCUL Phase II at Sitarganj on October 23. According to a press release of the state government, he has said that 10 kg rice provided at a subsidised rate of Rs 6 per kg will be distributed to Above Poverty Line cardholders from this month only.

Bahuguna announced that the state government was committed to implement all decisions taken earlier. He said Rs 100 crore had been arranged for the repair and renovation of 16 bridges that were damaged in the Uttarkashi cloudburst.

Of this amount, Rs 50 crore would be paid by the Centre and Rs 50 would be provided from the Disaster Relief Fund.

Bahuguna said all possible efforts had been made to provide relief to the disaster- hit people and repair the damaged roads. He said 233 villages would be rehabilitated.

The Chief Minister further said to enhance economy and generate employment opportunities, industrialisation would be promoted. Infrastructure worth Rs 300 crore would be developed at SIDCUL Phase II and an investment proposal had been sent to several industrial houses.

The state government would ensure that local people were appointed on both unskilled and skilled posts. He reiterated that unemployment allowance would begin from November 9.

Describing food security as very important, Bahuguna said the government, as per its earlier decision, would start issuing 10 kg rice at a subsidised rate of Rs 6 per kg by the end of October.

He said besides six subsidised LPG cylinders to be provided by the Centre, the state government would try to provide another three subsidised cylinders to consumers.

Leopard killed, another trapped in Pithoragarh
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 17
A leopard was killed by professionals hired by the Forest Department and a leopardess was trapped today while two carcasses of the wild animal were recovered from different parts of the region.

A leopard was killed and a leopardess was caged by forest officials at Huna village of the Lamagara block in Almora district today. The leopard is said to have killed two women of Huna village a week ago. “With the killing of the leopard and caging of the leopardess, the terror-stricken residents of Huna village have heaved a sigh of relief,” said Prem Kumar, District Forest Officer (DFO), Almora.

Prem Kumar said the Forest Department arranged for the killers after the state wildlife chief ordered the elimination of the two wild animals, as they had become man eater.

The Forest Department officials recovered the carcass of a leopard from the Ghatbagar area of Bageshwar district last night. “The carcass of a five-year-old leopard is 1.8-metre long and 65 cm high,” said SN Tiwari, a forest official at Bageshwar.

In the Thal area of Pithoragarh district, villagers recovered the carcass of a leopard from the Ramganga river. “The leopard seems to have got badly injured after it fell into the river from a hill. It received head injuries,” said Dr Varun Kumar, veterinary surgeon, who did a post-mortem on the carcass.

Senior govt official held on bribe charge
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
A Vigilance team yesterday arrested manager of the District Industries Centre Karn Singh Haldar for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a Delhi-based entrepreneur in his office at New Tehri.

The victim, Mahesh Gupta, had lodged a complaint against Haldar with the Vigilance Department alleging that Haldar had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 4.25 lakh from him in return for clearing a subsidy of Rs 18, 69, 035, granted to him by the Centre under the Tourism Promotion Scheme for building a resort at Shivpuri, Tehri.

The amount is the first instalment of the 35 per cent subsidy granted to Gupta under the scheme.

Despite furnishing all required documents, Haldar was allegedly demanding a bribe to release the amount. He had asked Gupta to give him Rs 1 lakh at his camp office on Tuesday. However, a Vigilance team, led by the DSP (Vigilance), caught him red-handed while taking the bribe. DGP (Vigilance) Satyavrat Bansal has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the team.

Delimitation process for local bodies to gather pace
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
Following the orders issued by the Department of Urban Development, the delimitation and reorganisation work for local bodies is expected to pick up pace as the October 30 deadline approaches.

The number of wards in the three Municipal Corporations of Uttarakhand, Haldwani, Dehradun and Haridwar, are expected to increase. The population of Dehradun was around 4.47 lakh five years ago. It has been increased now. A ward will be demarcated roughly with a population of 10,000. Similarly in Haridwar and Haldwani Municipal Corporations too, the number of wards are expected to increase.

Similarly, the rural areas too will become part of local bodies. “Based on the norms, such rural areas where agriculture is no longer practises will automatically become part of the urban areas,” said YK Pant, Additional Director, Department of Urban Development.

Several local bodies are also awaiting clarity on the delimitation rules whether these should be based on old boundaries or newer areas should be taken for marking boundaries.

Five-day FRI training course begins
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
The Forest Research Institute is organising a five-day short-term training course on "Finger jointing for efficient wood utilisation".

Inaugurating the course yesterday, FRI Director Dr P P Bhojvaid said eight participants from the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, are taking part in this training course.

He said during this course, the participants would be apprised of the benefits of finger jointing, especially in the context of end-to-end joints that occur in various wood products. The various factors contributing to the strength of finger joints like adhesive, moisture and finger geometry would be explained to the trainees along with onsite demonstrations.

They would be made to familiar with different steps involved in the finger jointing technique through hands-on training on the finger jointing machine. Besides, other important things like wood preservation, composite woods, strength and measurements would be introduced to the candidates.

Maharaj, wife hail lifting of ban on tiger tourism
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17
Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj and State Tourism Minister Amrita Rawat have welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to lift the ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves of the country.

In a joint statement issued today, Satpal Maharaj and Amrita Rawat said the tourism ban had resulted in a large number of people of Ramnagar losing their jobs at Corbett National Park. They said with the yesterday's decision of the Supreme Court to lift the ban on tourism in tiger reserves, Ramnagar residents could now resume their tourism-linked jobs in Corbett.

Maharaj and Amrita also appealed the people to work collectively towards tiger conservation. “We must make Ramnagar the tiger capital of India,” they said.