Ansari says nuclear energy vital for India
Speaks at Doon School founder's day celebrations 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Vice President of India Mohammed Hamid Ansari on Saturday categorically stated that energy-deficient India had no option but to look towards nuclear energy as a means to bridge the widening energy gap.

"In a democracy, political debates about the efficacy of nuclear energy and nuclear plants will continue to take place but it is a known fact that we have little energy resources left and have no option but to take the nuclear energy route," emphasised Ansari.

While replying to a query posed by a student of Doon School, Ansari said close to 80 per cent of the energy needs of France were coming through the nuclear power plants and stressed that India, in order to achieve the target of 10 per cent of energy being met through nuclear power plants, had to quickly operationalise several nuclear power plants.

He also said that despite the economic crisis faced by the world, India had managed to keep it's afloat and had steadily continued to register growth. "We have benefited from globalisation when the going was good and should not shy away from facing the adverse side of globalisation," he said.

On being asked how the nomination of cricketer to the Rajya Sabha would have benefited the country, the Vice President said: "It is absolute absurdity that a nation of one billion people could not win a single gold medal in the Olympics, and I am hopeful suggestions of Sachin Tendulkar, who is a distinguished cricketer, would help in strengthening and assisting our system," he said.

While delivering his address on the 77th founder's day celebrations of The Doon School, Ansari said the school had a unique place in the country.

Division among Cantt Board members over property issue
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, October 20
The controversy over the reconstruction of a property belonging to a businessman from Mumbai in Landour Cantonment Board, Mussoorie, has resurfaced once again and left the board members divided on the issue.

The board meeting was called yesterday to respond to the show-cause notice issued by the GOC-in-Chief, Central Command, Lucknow, on the additional resolution No.1 dated 30.06.2012, passed by a majority of the Cantt Board regarding granting permission for reconstruction of a building known as Dahlia Bank owned by a businessman from Mumbai in the Landour cantonment area.

The CEO, Landour Cantt Board, Ashok Chaudhry, supporting the proposal stated that Sanjay Narang had lost his case in civil suit no. 249/2011 in relation to the referred property of Survey No. 157 (Dahlia Bank) vide judgment dated May 26, 2012. The judgment also held that no permission could be granted to the plaintiff for the construction, and with that the suit was dismissed. Thus, any request by Sanjay Narang for construction on the said property was not maintainable.

He said according to the record of the Defense Estate Officer (DEO), Meerut, the property of Survey No. 157 had not been mutated in the name of Sanjay Narang. Hence, he had no locus standi to submit any application for construction, or, for that matter, for any purpose, before the Landour Cantonment Board.

The CEO, Landour Cantoment Board, Ashok Chaudhry, said the property fell within the restricted zone of the Institute of Technology Management (ITM), Landour Cantt Board and accordingly, without their No Objection Certificate (NOC), any construction work would be in violation the Defence Act, 1903. Hence, any resolution ignoring the above facts would be in contravention of the works of the Defense Act, 1903, and illegal.

The members also deliberated on the issue that Survey No 157 was located on B-3 defence land. Hence, under section 238 of the Act, the NOC from the DEO, Meerut, from the land point of view, was an inescapable statuary requirement. Since no NOC was given by the DEO, any resolution ignoring such statuary requirement would be patently illegal. Therefore, the resolution passed in favour of Sanjay Narang should be cancelled.

CEO Ashok Chaudhry said that the owner of the property was continuing the construction work despite the stay order given by the court.

The CEO and a few other nominated members supported the proposal and said if the resolution was not cancelled, a wrong message would go to the public about the working of the board.

However, the elected members along with vice president of the Landour Cantonment Board CP Baloni were seen siding with Sanjay Narang. They opined that Narang was being harassed unnecessarily. Kamal Sharma, one of the ward members, said that already the higher authorities in the armed forces from the GOC Central Command, Lucknow, were investigating the matter. Therefore, the question of bringing such a resolution frequently had no meaning. She also said that Sanjay Narang had won the case in the High Court and, therefore, had full right to continue the construction work at Dahlia Bank.

Supporting Kamal Sharma on the issue, CP Baloni, speaking to the media, said that all the elected ward members opposed the proposal of cancellation of the resolution brought here, and the majority was also of the same opinion.

Meanwhile, residents of the area are shocked at the attitude of the Cantonment Board and have alleged that the whole issue showed an unholy alliance between rich property owners and the cantonment authorities. They charged that on the one hand the authorities were demolishing their houses, on the other they were just paying a lip service to the rich house-owners, flouting all norms in the Cantonment Board.

Authorities hand-in-glove with the rich: Residents

The board meeting was called to respond to a show-cause notice issued by the GOC-in-Chief, Central Command, Lucknow, on an additional resolution passed June 30 by a majority of the Cantt Board members for granting permission for the reconstruction of a building known as Dahlia Bank owned by a businessman from Mumbai in the Landour Cantonment area.

TA officers complete 13 weeks of post-commission training at IMA
Tribunen News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Eleven Territorial Army (TA) officers, after one to two years of tenure at their respective battalions, have completed 13 weeks of post-commission training at the Indian Military Academy. The closing ceremony of their course was held at Chetwode Hall of the Indian Military Academy here today.

On this occasion, the chief guest, Lt Gen Manvender Singh, AVSM, VSM, Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, in his address said that the TA was playing a major role in handling almost all the security challenges prevalent in the country. Over the years, the Territorial Army had rendered valuable service to the country both in war and peace and its achievements were praiseworthy. With time the TA had grown in status and had established itself as a very potent force. The TA officers in particular were playing an important role as citizen soldiers.

Later, he gave away Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medal for standing 1st in the course to Lt Yadav Sandeep Uttamrao, Brig KP Deo Medal of Officer Cadet best in PT to Lt Gaurav Dutta, Brig Kapil Mohan Medal of Officer Cadet best in Tactics & Weapon Training to Lt Yadav Sandeep Uttamrao and Brig PS Rathore Medal for Officer Cadet best in Drill & Officer Like Quality (OLQ) to Lt Nitendra Singh Devada.

In the end, Lt Gen Manvendra Singh said that the training imparted to Territorial Army officers was just a launch pad and the officers had to sharpen and refine their professional skills themselves and emerge as fit soldiers and able leaders.

Cyber crime adviser expresses concern over e-frauds
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Eminent cyber crime criminologist and adviser, cyber crime, Uttar Pradesh Police, Rakshit Tandon, today expressed concern over the increasing e-frauds in the country.

Addressing a workshop on cyber crime and law at Selaqui Institute of Engineering and Management here, Rakshit Tandon stressed the need to sensitise the society towards increasing cyber crimes, which he said was largely ignorant on these issues.

Tandon shared tips on how to be safe with social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube. He talked about increasing e-frauds and security issues and also shared the Internet guidelines. He also laid emphasis on the hacking activities on the Internet.

Earlier, Dr SP Gaur, Director, Selaqui Institute of Engineering and Management, welcomed Tandon to the school.

UJVNL MD meets Bahuguna
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Managing Director of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) GP Patel called on Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and presented him a donation cheque of Rs 9, 59, 009 for the Chief Minister Relief Fund yesterday. The amount was collected by the officers and workers of the UJVNL.

Bahuguna expressed his gratitude towards all those who had come forward in support of the disaster hit people. He said the state government had also initiated relief works on a war footing.

Patel said several officials of the UJVNL posted at Uttarkashi were affected by the natural calamity and the staff of the UJVNL had donated as per their capacity. He said the UJVNL administration had financially supported the affected people and paid their one-month salary in advance which would be gradually recovered through monthly instalments.

Forest Dept told to explain decision on monkey sterilisation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
The Union Environment and Forest Ministry has sought an explanation from the Uttarakhand Forest Department regarding the state government's decision to start sterilisation of wild monkeys for their population control.

Inspector General of Forests SK Khanduri, in a letter to Uttarakhand Principal Secretary, Forests, S Ramaswamy, has asked the state to give details of its rhesus monkey sterilisation programme for ensuring a clearer view particularly when CAMPA funds are being used for the purpose.

Khanduri said as rhesus monkeys were wild animals listed under schedule II part I of the Wildlife Protection Act, a careful thought needed to be given to all conservation aspects, including the management of population and the subsequent appropriateness of actions.

He categorically pointed out that Member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi had strongly objected to the Uttarakhand Forest Department's rhesus monkey sterilisation programme.

Significantly, the People For Animals, Uttarakhand Chapter, has expressed strong reservation over the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s rhesus monkey sterilisation programme.

Protest against ex-cadre posts for SC/ST communities
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
The Uttarakhand Adhikari Karamchari Shikshak Sangharsh Morcha yesterday took out a protest march against setting up of ex-cadre posts for state government employees belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The rally that started from Parade Ground, criss-crossed the city before culminating at the Secretariat. Suman Singh Wadia, convener of the morcha, said setting up of ex-cadre posts for SC ST employees was another way to provide quota in promotions to them. The rallyists threatened to further intensify their agitation if the ex-cadre policy was not scrapped immediately.

The morcha has been resenting quota in promotions in the state government jobs for SC/ST employees.

Chuphal not to seek second term

Pithoragarh, October 20
Bishan Singh Chuphal, Uttarakhand BJP president, is not willing to seek a second term though the party has changed rules to this effect from this year. “I’m not the contesting for a second term of the BJP leadership in the state and will work as an ordinary worker of the party,” Chuphal told this correspondent here today.

He said the election process for the post of party president would be completed by December after the elections of the district units were over by last week of November. — OC

2 trains from Bareilly to Lalkuan by Ocober end
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 20
Two passenger trains will run between Bareilly and Lalkuan from the last week of October on the newly-commissioned broad gauge rail line.

“After we submit report to the Railways ministry about the completion of the railway track, regular transport will be possible on this line,” said Mohan Ram, Transport Officer, Railways.