Bahuguna stresses need to impart technical skill to jobless youth 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
Utarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that employment opportunities for unemployed youth of the state could be enhanced by imparting technical skill training to them. He said that it was the intention of the state government to bring prosperity in the hills and rural region of the state by promoting floriculture, herbal farming, organic farming, aromatic plant farming and horticulture. He said that Uttarakhandis residing outside the state interested in making investment in Uttarakhand were always welcome.

Chief Minister Bahuguna was speaking after inaugurating a cultural programme on the occasion of Uttarakhand Day at the International Trade Fair at New Delhi on Saturday. He said that to impart technical training to the youth, the state government had handed over it's ITIs in PPP mode. He said that the government by promoting tourism intended to benefit both local people and the entrepreneurs.

Bahuguna said that by establishing the Adventure Sports Academy at Tehri Lake, the government had taken concrete step towards promotion of adventure sports. He said that SIDCUL Phase-II at Sitarganj had been established to strengthen industrialisation. He observed that appropriate environment for industries, availability of disciplined, skilled and peace-loving workers, proximity to national capital region would help in the further development of industrialisation in Uttarakhand.

He said that eco-friendly industries would be promoted in the hill regions. With an aim to focus on the development of the hill region, it was decided at a Cabinet meeting convened at Gairsain on November 3 to establish an Assembly building there and conduct one Assembly session every year. Other important infrastructure would also be developed there. He maintained that the state government had been successful in establishing a strong base for industries.

Chief Minister Bahuguna, stating that Uttarakhand was participating in International Fair as a partner state, said that this would project Uttarakhand's image as a progressive state and help in introducing it's products in the international market. The Chief Minister later visited various stalls in the fair. Also present on the occasion were Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, Resident Commissioner SK Mattu, Secretaries Umakant Panwar and Ranvir Singh amongst others.

District Women’s Hospital doctors overstretched
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
With two women doctors attached from the Coronation Hospital reluctant to perform emergency duties, the District Women’s Hospital authorities are being forced to overstretch the staff already performing double and triple duties. The District Women’s Hospital is already grappling with staff shortage.

The district hospital has just nine women doctors, who have to be assigned duties for surgeries and emergency. Out of these, Dr Sujata Singh, Medical Officer, and Dr Vandana Sundriyal, General Duty Medical Officer, are on leave, while Dr Neelam Jangpangi, who is from the Coronation Hospital, has declined to perform emergency and night duties. While Dr Anshu Arya, also from the Coronation Hospital, too is on leave, said a senior doctor.

The staff shortage became acute after two contractual doctors, Dr Nutan and Dr Deep Shikha, left the hospital. These two doctors not only assisted in surgeries but also performed emergency duties. “We have to work 24x7 at the hospital. Hence, despite three doctors being assigned emergency duties, there is always need for more hands,” said Dr Archana Srivastav, Chief Medical Superintendent, District Women’s Hospital.

After the transfer of four doctors recently the hospital got just two replacements from the Coronation Hospital. But the arrangement did not seem to be working as the women’s hospital required doctors who could perform emergency duties in case the other was on leave.

As of now, two general duty medical officers are performing emergency duties and of these officers Dr Sujata Singh is on medical leave.

“The recent transfers have depleted our strength and with no full replacement, we are already short of doctors. Moreover, we are facing a lot of problems after the two contractual doctors left the hospital. We will be asking the Director General office to depute two contractual doctors,” said Dr Archana.

She said operations and post-operative care were suffering as they were forced to implore doctors to do extra shifts.

“At the best of times the hospital has just three doctors performing operations and at times on a day around 200 operations are performed,” she added.

“Besides, the women hospital has one radiologist who has to perform ultrasound under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Kariykaram and other routine ultrasounds. He has also to give duty at the Doon Hospital,” Dr Archana said.

The hospital authorities, however, have heaved a sigh of relief after the return of Dr Naresh Napchiyal and Dr RC Baluni, senior anaesthetist, who were transferred out of Dehradun for a short duration. 

Joint march to Har-ki-Pauri for re-building gurdwara
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
All-India Sikh Conference, Uttarakhand Punjabi Kranti Morcha and Panthak Lahar Dadu Sahib will jointly march to Har-ki-Pauri for the re-construction of Gyan Godri Gurdwara. The march that will start from Amritsar on November 27 will reach Haridwar on December 28, the day of Gurpurb of Guru Nanak Dev.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Kunwar Japinder Singh, convener of Uttarakhand Kranti Morcha, accused both Congress and BJP of befooling Sikhs over the issue of Gyan Godri.

He, in particular, accused the incumbent Congress government of Uttarakhand of trying to disrupt the proposed march by asking the Uttarakhand Sikhs not allow Sikhs from other states to interfere in the Sikh affairs of Uttarakhand. “This is wrong as the Gyan Godri issue is linked to the Sikh community all across the globe”, he pointed out. He accused Uttarakhand administration of dividing Sikhs.

He reminded that Gyan Godri held a lot of importance for Sikhs as it was linked to first the Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev. Japinder Singh also threatened nationwide agitation over the issue.

Panthak Lahar Dadu Sahib convener Baljeet Singh Daduwal was also present at the press conference. 

Namdhari’s arrest: U’khand BJP on the defensive 
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
The arrest of former Chairman of State Minorities Commission Sukhdev Singh Namdhari in the New Delhi farmhouse shootout has pushed the Uttarakhand BJP on the defensive.

Senior party leaders are maintaining that after he became the chairman of the statutory body, he ceased to be the party member.

But privately, they are admitting that the incident could prove to be a major embarrassment for the party, if the charges against him prove to be true.

“The party would wait and watch as the case begins to unfold in the coming days but one thing is certain, the issue would damage the RSS and the BJP as he was appointed at the insistence of the RSS by the then former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. The party would have to take a stand one way or the other,” said a senior BJP leader.

Just a few days back, party spokespersons had stoutly defended Namdhari and had said there were no cases pending against him.

There are reports of 14 cases pending against him.

MLA wants hill culture preserved
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
Congress MLA from Narendra Nagar Subodh Uniyal has stressed on preserving the hill culture of Uttarakhand.

He was addressing 'Ekas ke Bagwal,' the traditional Garhwali Deepawali festival programme organised by Uttarakhand Janmanch at Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Colony in Dehradun today.

He said it was the responsibility of the people of Uttarakhand to apprise the coming generations about their rich culture and heritage.

Pratapnagar MLA Vikram Singh Negi recalled 'Ekas ke Bagwal' celebrations during his childhood days. 

Prof Pankaj Chande Sanskrit varsity VC

Dehradun, November 24
Prof Pankaj Chande has been appointed the Vice Chancellor of Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Haridwar.

Earlier, he was the Vice Chancellor of Kavikulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

A noted academician, Prof Chande has served the Kalidas university for three terms. He was also the Dean of the Nagpur university.

Prof Chande’s name was cleared today the Governor Aziz Qureshi. The post of the VC of Uttarakhand Sanskrit University fell vacant in October after Dr Sudha Pande’s retirement. Recently, Prof Mahavir Agarwal and Prof Pankaj Chande held an interaction with the Governor after which the name of Prof Chande was cleared. — TNS

1,500 Nepalese leaving India daily
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 24
The immigration check post at Banabasa in Champawat district on the border with Nepal is abuzz with activity these days, as due to intensifying cold weather more than 1,500 Nepalese are returning to their country every day from here, Immigration Officer GD Joshi said.

According to sources, more than 50,000 Nepalese have crossed over to Nepal from the Banabasa check post in the last one month. This is the highest number of Nepalese crossing over to Nepal compared to the immigration records of other months during the year.

“The Nepalese belonging to Kanchanpur, Kailali, Bazang, Rolpa, Dadeldhura, Baitari and Surkhet districts of Nepal are returning from various cities of India like Delhi, Shimla, Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Jammu and some south Indian states,” Joshi said

He added besides the Nepalese, 2,167 citizens of other countries had also crossed the border post from the Indian and Nepal sides. “This year, 839 citizens of some other country crossed over to India from the Nepal side and1,328 crossed over to Nepal from India. Most of these were from Britain, the USA, Germany, Israel and France,” said Joshi.

Project clearance via single window being delayed 
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
Inordinate delay and obstruction by the State Pollution Control Board and Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) are affecting the clearance of projects through the single window and facilitation system(SWFS) set up at the Dehradun Industrial Centre for entrepreneurs.

Though the single window and facilitation system operational in Dehradun since 2004 has provided convenient to the entrepreneurs by offering services in 12 departments at a single counter, the insistence by the MDDA and State Pollution Control Board to apply through them online is putting the SWFS in jeopardy.

“If businessmen apply through the single window system, the MDDA and State Pollution Control Board deliberately sit on projects, making things hard for them. They take more than three months to clear the files in the name of inspection and do not send information about receiving the file to DIC. Eventually, when the harried businessmen enquire about the fate of the files, they are encouraged to apply online through the MDDA and the State Pollution Control Board,” said Pankaj Gupta, president of Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU).

The officials at the DIC said the SWFS was established so that the business men could get speedy consent for their projects from different departments at a single counter, but the entrepreneurs faced delays and hurdles when it comes to the MDDA and the State Pollution Control Board.

“This issue keeps cropping at the meetings with the entrepreneurs. The single window system was set up so that it could act as a common application centre for investors. If some of the departments and offices do not cooperate, it is bound to affect the SWFS,” said Kaushalya Bandhu, General Manager (DIC).

Business men say the problem became chronic after the MDDA and State Pollution Control Board started inviting applications online. “They are using technology to monopolise and circumvent the existing system. Now the manual applications routed through SWFS are never entertained. One has to approach them separately to get the projects cleared. Clearly, in the guise of online facility, the MDDA and the State Pollution Control Board have set up their own systems, leaving enough room for corruption,” alleged an entrepreneur.

Relief given to mishap victims’ families
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 24
National Insurance Company Limited and Uttarakhand Grameen Bank here today handed over cheques to 33 beneficiaries in a customers' meet.

The beneficiaries, who were given a cheque for Rs 1 lakh each, are members of the families of those who were killed in various road accidents in the state.

Cabinet minister Surendra Singh Negi, while handing over the cheques, asked the beneficiaries to utilise the amount being received by them intelligently.

Uttarakhand Grameen Bank Chairman Yashpal Arora said the bank was rendering services to far-flung hill areas of Uttarakhand. He said a large number of people die in Uttarakhand every year in natural disasters and road accidents.

He said the Uttarakhand Grameen Bank, in association with National Insurance Company Limited, had been providing Rs 1 lakh life insurance to its saving account holders.

Chief Regional Manager National Insurance Company Limited, Shahid Rasul was also present on the occasion. 

Officials told to submit report on Tanakpur-Jauljibi road every month
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 24
The state government has asked the officials concerned to submit a progress report on the ongoing construction work on the Tanakpur-Jauljibi road every month.

The funds for the construction were released by the Centre. It is being built along the Mahakali river on the Indo-Nepal border. “We have directed the officials to submit a progress report every month,” said GS Pangti, Superintendent Engineer, Public Works Department.

Pangti said although an 18-km stretch of the road had been completed, problems were coming in the way of further construction as most of the land in the assigned area belonged to the Forest Department. “If we get a clearance from the forest Department, the construction work on the 130-km road is expected to be completed by 2017,” said Pangti.

The road will reduce the distance from Jauljibi to Tanakpur from 210 km to 130 km, besides benefiting nearly 20,000 residents living along the Mahakali river.

Agriculture Directorate staff threaten to intensify agitation
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23
The employees of the Directorate of Agriculture are planning to intensify their stir in case the issue of shifting of the directorate from Dehradun to Pauri figures in the upcoming Cabinet meeting on November 27.

"As of now we have been boycotting work for a few hours. We even protested outside the Assembly yesterday, but in case they bring the issue in the Cabinet and finalise it, we will be forced to intensify our stir," said DS Rawat, president of the Krishi Karamchari Sangh. The employees are also unhappy with Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat for raking up an old and settled issue.

LPG connections

Nainital, November 24
Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the wholesale agent of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) LPG cylinders in the region, has asked the 2.30 lakh consumers from all over the region to get their LPG connection cards testified as more than one LPG connection has been found in their cards during the special campaign run by the nigam. “If these consumers fail to testify their LPG cards by November 30, their LPG connections will be cancelled as they hold more than one connection with them, which is illegal,” said Deepak Rawat, MD, Kumaon Mandal Vikash Nigam. —OC

All-India Art Exhibition
Our Correspondent

Almora, November 24
An art and film gallery was inaugurated on the fourth day of the All-India Art Exhibition being organised by the Uttarakhand Fine Art Club at Visual Art Faculty on the SSJ campus of Kumaon University at Almora on Satueday.“We are planning to take this art exhibition to Nainital and Dehradun as we got big response at Almora in the last four days of the exhibition,” said Shekhar Joshi, head of the faculty.

Visitors have a look at photos at an art exhibition in Almora on Saturday.

Situation normal after arrests

Kashipur: After the police arrested two culprits in connection with last week’s violence in the town, Kumaon Commissioner Hemlata Dhondiyal has claimed that the situation in Kashipur town is normal as the administration has started identifying the elements who broke law during the last week ruckus in the town. “We have sealed the border of the district with other districts of UP,” said the commissioner. — OC

8 teachers suspended
Our Correspondent

Champawat, November 24
District Magistrate Sridhar Babu Addakhi has ordered suspension of eight primary teachers and dismissal of one Siksha Mitra, who were found in a drunken state and absent from their duty during his visit to the schools of a remote part of Pati subdivision of the district. “During a surprise visit to these schools, from where the complaints were pouring for long, the District Magistrate found some teachers absent from the training programme being run for the primary teachers, and some in drunken state,” said Pratush Singh, SDM of Pati subdivision of the district.