Police Dept ignores DMC’s authority
Giving ad rights of traffic booths to companies
Seema Sharma/TNS

Dehradun, October 22
The city where an amount worth crores of rupees remains at stake in securing advertisement rights, be it on hoardings or bus-stops, through tenders in which the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) also earns a significant revenue, the DMC is being ignored in the matter of police traffic booths which are set up in the centre of crossings.

The advertisers are earning huge profits by putting up advertisements on these by spending little on their maintenance. There is neither public notice, nor tender process, but mere discretion of the SSP is sufficient to give advertisement rights to any company.

A visibly angry Mayor Vinod Chamoli said the Police Department had no right to give contract of advertisements on police traffic booths as the issue came within the purview of the DMC.

He said, “I brought this issue before then SSP Abhinav Kumar but he told me not to meddle in this affairs otherwise the Police Department would not support us in providing security to our campaigns etc. Similarly, the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority has also permitted a company to put its advertisements on the premises of bus-stand. Even on the

premises of railway stations, the rules are openly being flouted in this regard. The hoardings of ministers and Chief Ministers are installed without seeking permission or paying anything to the DMC.”

He said unless the state government did not take any corrective action on this issue, the DMC could not afford to squabble with other government department to protect its interest. The corporation was losing enormous revenue in this manner.

BJP leader Vinay Goyal, who actively vies for hoarding advertisement rights, showed keenness to compete for traffic booths as well. He said, “It is through an RTI application I came to know that an outside company had been holding advertisement rights on police traffic booths in the city for over 25 years. Now after his contract came to an end this year, a couple of other companies from other states have been given contract without setting any time limit. By just spending Rs 20,000-25000 over construction of a booth and later meager amount on its maintenance, companies are making money through advertisements on the police traffic booths.”

He said the companies were not paying electricity bills of the booths and thus causing losses to the power department in the process.

SSP Neeru Garg expressed ignorance about the whole matter saying she would consult the state government over the issue. She said the traffic police only required a proper booth with bare minimum facilities of shade and a room to rest with light and fan for the traffic personnel.

SP Traffic Ajay Joshi said the matter of police traffic booths used by advertisement companies had become very important over the years. He admitted that the issue could no longer be taken lightly.

Hoardings inspected in Doon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Jaywardhan Kandpal and Rajesh Pandey, two court commissioners deputed by the Nainital High Court, inspected the status of hoardings in the city today.

They along with a team of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation officials covered the area of Kishan Nagar Chowk, Ballupur, JMS Road, Saharnpur Road and the ISBT up to Clock Tower. On Sunday too, they had visited the entire stretch of Rajpur Road, Dila Ram Chowk, Jakhan up to Diversion Road. They also took a detour to Chakrata Road and some parts of Kishan Nagar Chowk.

The court commissioners were taking into account the hoardings installed over walls and roofs of the buildings or on roadsides.

The new company to which the hoarding advertising contract has been given this year is miffed at the DMC for not removing hoardings from rooftops of the buildings in the city. The interference and self interest of influential people and political heavy weights have prevented the DMC teams from removing hoardings from rooftops.

Following inspection by the court commissioners, the DMC did remove some hoardings but not the iron structure supporting them. They took note of the glitches and noted down the details of such hoardings. They also took account of the hoardings fixed on trees as well. The High Court would give a verdict on the issue on October 30. 

Restart stalled hydropower projects, says RLEK
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
The Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) demanded today that the hydropower projects that had been stalled midway even after getting all environment clearance, DPR and other mandatory provisions be immediately started.

Advocating the restart of the hydropower projects in the state, the RLEK has written a letter to BK Chaturvedi, Chairman, Inter-Ministerial Group and Member, Planning Commission, Government of India.

It has also demanded that work on lifting of the Dhari Devi temple be allowed immediately.

Avdhash Kaushal, Chairperson of the RLEK, wrote that the state government should be allowed to start start the power projects and monitor as per the provisions mentioned under Pt 10, Constitution of the State River Conservation Authorities.

The RLEK also demanded that keeping in mind the High Court order on Loharinagpala as well as Palamaneri and as per the decision of the group of ministries, the work on Loharinagpala should be started as soon as possible.

The RLEK requested the Prime Minister to either scrap the Ganga Basin Authority or reconstitute it so that the authority could take balanced decisions.

The organisation gave scientific proofs that hydropower was eco-friendly and the cheapest of all forms of power. 

Devotees throng Kali Temple in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 22
During the Navratras, a temple of Kali on the outskirts of Haridwar is drawing a large number of devotees.

“Badh Kali Mata Temple” built under a 200-year-old banyan tree at Gaindikhata village on the Haridwar-Najeebabad road is thronged by the local people as well as pilgrims from other areas.

Head priest of the temple Digambar Naga Baba Sohem Bhartiji Maharaj said during the Navratras, the ritual performed here had a specific significance.

A story has it that a fearsome Sultana robber used to worship this ‘Vrat Vriksha’ temple regularly which revealed his religious side not known to many.

Priest Naga Baba added that during the Navratras, devotees from the far-off areas came to perform rituals at the temple. A 2-km stretch from the Haridwar-Najibabad highway leads to this temple.These days, a jagran and bhandara are also being organised by the temple management committee and devotees.

Balakrishan Shastri, a devotee, said the deity was worshipped in the region and it being under the banyan tree, which is several hundred-year-old, its religious significance was high.

Govt not keen on anti-hail guns
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
With the anti-hail cannon giving mixed results in states, the Horticulture Department is no longer banking on it to provide protection to the fruit crops from hailstorm that has been causing extensive damage in the state.

The Horticulture Department had submitted a proposal to the Centre for extending the anti-hail gun facility under the Horticulture Mission on trial basis last year, but after receiving mixed reports on its performance, the department is no longer keen on it.

The state-of-the-art acetylene-fired anti-hail cannon shoots ionising shockwaves up in the air every four to five seconds which reach the high atmosphere that ultimately disrupts the formation the growth of hailstones by melting them.

“We will revisit the proposal once again. It is not clear how much area the anti-hail gun would be able to cover and how effective the gun would be in tackling the problem. It can only function in conjunction with the weather radars,” said Amrita Rawat, state Minister for Horticulture.

While the hail cannons could provide effective cover against hailstorm, experts point out that weather radar that manages to foretell the formation of hailstorms in advance also needs to be installed in the area as the cannon operation has to be initiated 20 minutes before the hailstorm. 

Sunderlal Bahuguna exhorts youth to save environment
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Veteran environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna exhorted the youth at the prestigious Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) event held recently that they must “revolt against the faulty policies of their own generation and save the mother Earth”. Over 100 youths hailing from various northern states are participating in the three-day jamboree hosted by the Rotary Club, Dehradun, at the sprawling Sardar Bhagwan Singh Institute, Balawala.

Bahuguna said he had pinned his hopes on the youth and wanted them to lead a life of contentment, peace, happiness and harmony unlike the older generation which had followed faulty definition of development and ruined the precious resources like air, water and soil.

The ‘Chipko’ movement stalwart also impressed upon the young participants to believe in the power of ‘Matrishakti’ and ‘Janshakti’ which had led to a ban on cutting of tress in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.“Austerity, alternative resources for non-renewable vital resources and afforestation are the key to their prosperous future,” said Bahuguna. He urged them to “plant right kind of trees now” if they wanted to avoid the prospect of struggle for water and carrying oxygen cylinders.

He advocated planting trees and plants which would provide nuts, fruits, flowers, fibre and fodder and promoting self-sustaining neighbourhood life style without depending too much on transportation, which was an “unproductive” expense. Bahuguna opined that honey should be the “sweet” of future and flower-bearing plants and honey cultivation be encouraged in every household. He appreciated the Rotary Club, Dehradun, and the the RYLA programme for its efforts to make the youth aware of their role and responsibilities for a bright future tomorrow.

The young participants were also given tips by Ruchi Kale of the Dhyan Foundation, Delhi, on building leaders through Yoga. Speaking on the occasion, Rotary District 3080 governor Manmohan Singh expressed hope that various activities at the DOON RYLA 2012 would make the youth conscious of their responsibilities towards family, community and the nation and their experience would provide for value addition in their intellectual sensibility.

President of the Rotary Club, Dehradun, Jyoti Dhawan said the DOON RYLA 2012 would also recognise publicly the youth rendering service to their communities. The three-day residential “leadership fete” includes activities and sessions aimed at exposing the participanting youth to a variety of interactions, lifestyles and healthy competitions as well as sensitising them to new challenges facing their generation, she said. 

Central varsity employees donate Rs 13.52 lakh to CM’s relief fund
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Prof SK Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Central University, presented a donation cheque for Rs 13.52 lakh to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna for the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund here today.

Prof SK Singh said the amount was collected from the staff and officers of Tehri, Pauri and Srinagar campuses of the university who donated one-day salary. Dr US Rawat, Registrar of the university, was also present on the occasion.

A delegation of the Petrol and Diesel Traders Association also handed over a cheque for Rs 91,000 to the Chief Minister for the relief fund. The delegation included Vishwas Garg, Amanjeet Singh and Naresh Bahuguna. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude towards them for their contributions. 

Gairsain to have mini Vidhan Sabha
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, October 22
“Gairsain will have mini Vidhan Sabha which will cost Rs 22 crore. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 88 crore for the construction of new building,” Uttarakhand Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal said.

“We have held discussions with all political parties and every one of them has approved the plan,” said Kunjwal, while talking to mediapersons here today.

Criticising the wrong priorities of the state governments, Kunjwal said education, health and development of infrastructure had not been improved in the state, causing migration of the youth from the hilly areas.

“Out of seven governments, which ruled the state after its formation, none worked for the upliftment of those who lived in the hills,” said the Speaker.

Kunjwal said the infrastructure the Congress government had developed during its rule earlier in the state was neglected by the subsequent BJP governments, which were causing great difficulties for the present government to run the development programmes.

Mobile health units at block level soon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Having managed to provide mini hospital-like facilities in 13 districts of Uttarakhand through mobile health units, the Congress-led government in the state is now set to extend the similar facilities to block level.

Under the National Rural Health Mission, the state Health Department will procure at least 50 more vehicles that will be pressed into service at the block level.

“There are a total of 95 blocks in Uttarakhand and at least one new medical van will be able to cover every two blocks. These vans will be equipped with diagnostic facilities and a team of doctors, including senior physicians and gynaecologists,” said Piyush Singh, Additional Director, Health.

These mobile units will be run on the public-private partnership.

Musical baithak at Gurukul Viram
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Performances by Chitrank Pant, a student GB Pant University, and Ajay Prasanna on flute and Akram on tabla were the highlights of the first ever musical baithak held at Gurukul Viram.

Chitrank, who hails from the Benaras gharna, captivated the audience with his virtuosity on tabla. Pandit Manoj Mishra of the Bhatkhande School of Music, Lucknow, is training him.

He was followed by Ajay Prasana on flute who played raag yaman, rupak taal and finally raag phari.

Another baithak will be held in November at Gurukul Viram.

Eleven Star beat Chanderbani XI
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 22
Eleven Star beat Chanderbani XI by 2-1 in the first quarterfinal match of the Martyr Jaideep Bhandari Memorial Football Tournament being played at Nehru Gram here today.

Siddarath of Chanderbani XI scored the first goal in the 26th minute but Arya of Eleven Star scored the equaliser in the 28th minute and later scored the winning goal to give a 2-1 lead to his team in the 40th minute.

Bajrang XI will take on Sunderwala Boys and Akranata Club will take on Gorkha Rangers in the quarter final matches to be played tomorrow.

Seven killed in Kumaon accidents
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 22
Seven persons were killed and three injured in two accidents at Lalkuana in Nainital and Ranikhet in Almora districts in the last 24 hours.

According to the police, five members of a family were killed when the Maruti Alto car they were travelling in suddenly hit a stationary truck near the LPG depot of Indian Oil Corporation at Halduchaur, near Haldwani city. While four of the family were killed on the spot, the fifth member, 12-year-old Pinki, died at Shusheela Tiwari Hospital at Haldwani, said Pankaj Bhatt, police circle officer, Haldwani.

According to information, the family was returning from a visit to a religious place.

In another accident, two motorcyclists, including a woman, were killed when their bike slipped near Bajina on the Ranikhet-Khairna road on Sunday evening.

The victims, Ram Kumar (24) and Ruchi kumari (22), both residents of Khatima town in Udham Singh Nagar district, were returning from Dwarahat after appearing in an examination of Village Development Officer.

They received head injuries and died on the spot, said Narendra Singh Negi, Tehsildar of Ranikhet, who reached the spot after receiving information about the accident.