200 Sikhs detained at Doon border, freed at Paonta
Bahuguna promises amicable solution to Gyan Godhri Gurdwara issue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
The district administration and the city police detained around 200 people of the Sikh community and some prominent leaders at the Dehradun border. They had come to assemble in Haridwar on the controversial site at Har-ki-Pauri regarding Gyan Godhri issue. Meanwhile, Uttarkhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has said that an amicable solution to the controversial Gyan Godhri Gurdwara will be found. Bahuguna, speaking at the Gurpurb function held at Race Course Gurdwara here, said that people should act with restraint as a solution would be found that would be acceptable to all.

The detained Sikh leaders were released at Paonta Sahib in the evening. Among the Sikh leaders, president of the All India Sikh Conference, GS Babbar, Sant Baljit Singh Khalsa Daduwal an Japinder Singh were also detained. Besides minor clashes, no untoward incident took place when the leaders and their followers were detained.

While expressing his anguish, GS Babbar said: “It is murder of democracy that Sikhs are not allowed to congregate to celebrate their festival. People of the Punjabi community can celebrate Prakash Diwas in Pakistan, something which is not allowed here.It is an insult for all of us.” He said they had informed about it to the matter to the President, Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and would soon decide about holding a protest in Delhi and Haridwar on this issue.

Denying the possibility of any communal tension with their presence in Haridwar, he said they shared a healthy camaraderie with people of the Hindu community. These people were heading toward the office of Guide & Scouts, near Har-ki-Pauri where they alleged historical Gurdwara Sri Gyan Godri Sahib was demolished long ago.

On the other hand, the Haridwar district police had made tight security arrangements at the site of Gyan Godhri and barricaded the place. A handful of Sikh leaders reached Har-ki-Pauri and raised slogans against the attempt by the administration to prevent Sikhs from reaching the Gyan Godhri site. However, they were persuaded to disperse peacefully.

Additional District Magistrate Archana Gehrawar said the leaders and their followers were detained in a banquet hall near Dehradun border, 2 km away from Paonta Sahib and released at Paonta Sahib after obtaining a written assurance from them regarding not disturbing law and order in the future.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Kewal Khurana, said he had deputed two PAC teams, including 180 police personnel, Circle Officers and Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors to handle this sensitive situation.

Nandhour given wildlife sanctuary status
This will be the 7th one in Uttarakhand
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
With the Union Environment and Forest Ministry giving its nod to accord Nandhour a wildlife sanctuary status, Uttarakhand is all set to get seventh wildlife sanctuary of the state.

Nandhour that lies between the Gola and Sharda rivers in the Terai region of Uttarakhand and is a key part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), and is part of the Haldwani forest division, which has a rich presence of wildlife. Nandhour, that is a key link for the movement of wildlife, particularly tigers in Terai Arc Landscape, has been in the thick of poaching activities for quite some time, but with a status of wildlife sanctuary, it has now fallen into protected area status category. Significantly, now after coming up of the wildlife sanctuary on Nandhour, the poaching activity will also get checked to a big extent.

Hem Singh Gehlot, who has been working for tiger conservation in the Terai region of Uttarakhand, welcomed the Centre's nod towards making Nandhour a wildlife sanctuary. "Nandhour is an important corridor for excess tiger population of Corbett to move into other forest divisions of Terai in Uttarakhand, and also to the extent of Katrniaghat in Uttar Pradesh," Gehlot pointed out, adding that surveys in this area have indicated good presence of tiger and elephants.

Welcoming the wildlife sanctuary status for Nandhour, A K Singh of Wildlife Trust of India disclosed camera-trapping studies indicated that these forests were rich in mammalian species, and a protected area status to the region was necessary. He said the region was ideal to become a wildlife sanctuary as there was no village in the area.

A day back the Union Environment and Forest Minister's Forest Advisory Committee meeting in Delhi had given it's nod to making Nandhour in Uttarakhand a wildife sanctuary. Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden SS Sharma, who took part in the meeting, revealed about the development today. He said the state had put forward a proposal for making Nandhour a wildlife sanctuary before the ministry some time back. Nandhour forest has a history that reveals rich presence of tigers in the region.

Supplementary budget to be tabled in next Assembly session
Cabinet approves cess on power projects
For govt jobs, age limit goes up to 40 years for residents
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
Along with the supplementary budget to fund various schemes, the Uttarakhand government will table the Private Universities Bill 2012, specifically for DIT University, IMS University and Unison University, the Himalayan University Bill 2012, the Uttarakhand Flood Control in Plain Area Bill 2012, the Water Cess Bill 2012 and the Uttarakhand Transport and Civic Infrastructure Cess Bill 2012 in the upcoming Assembly session.

At a meeting, the Uttarakhand Cabinet gave its consent to the presentation of the supplementary budget (2012-2013) and the presentation of the Bills in the session.

Earlier, these proposed Bills were existing in the form of government orders.

By charging cess on power projects, the government is aiming to earn an annual revenue of Rs 1,700 crore. The government proposes to charge Rs 25 per cubic metre water cess on power projects. This arrangement is already in place in Jammu and Kashmir and the National Hydro Power Corporation had recently deposited Rs 450 crore as water cess with the Jammu and Kashmir government.

The proposed Flood Control in Plain Areas Bill will help the government access the aid given by the Centre for flood control.

In another important decision, the Cabinet approved the upper age limit of 40 years for applicants (direct recruitment in state government jobs) who are the permanent residents of Uttarkhand and for others, the upper age limit will be 35 years. The amendment will be brought to the state recruitment service rules and regulation (2004). The relaxation in age will be given while carrying out direct recruitment.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to the creation of structure for the State Food Safety and Standards Authority in the state, which is functioning under the Department of Health and Family Welfare. Now, a total of 96 posts (regular) will be created while the government will outsource work of another 43 posts.

The government also approved service rules for the Department of Medical Education for which some senior level posts had also been approved during the last Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet also approved the recruitment and service rules for officials under the District Panchayati Raj Service Rules.

It was also decided to include Binhari community members residing in the six revenue villages of Vikas Nagar (Dehradun) in the Other Backward Caste list.

Further in a move to facilitate development works being carried out under the MLALAD fund, the Cabinet approved the deployment of private contractors in carrying out construction work, provided they carry out registration at the office of the Chief Development Officer.

The approval has also been given to the MLAs to issue work orders for undertaking work orders whose cost is under Rs 3 lakh without inviting tenders.

The approval was also given for introducing amendment to the rationalisation of the Motor Vehicle Taxation Reform Act (2003) reducing multiplicity of taxes and bringing uniformity of taxes in both hill and plain areas of the state.

Further the government has now broadened the list of construction companies/agencies and corporations carrying out construction work in the state, opening doors for the state agencies and the Uttar Pradesh Nirman Nigam.

The Bahuguna government had earlier decided to carry out construction activity in the state through five Central Government agencies and the state and the Uttar Pradesh Nirman Nigam was not on the list. The government will also charge entertainment tax on mechanised swings and rides put up at entertainment parks, water parks and melas.

The Cabinet also approved bringing partial amendment to the Uttarakhand Graphic Era Hill University Act by removing the word Uttarakhand. Further, the Finance Minister and the Uttarakhand exservicemen welfare officer has been empowered to assign and carry out hike in salaries of employees working under UPNAL.

8 IAS officers promoted

Dehradun, November 28
Eight IAS officers have been promoted to the rank of Secretary and also given the super-time scale. The promotions will become effective from January 1, 2013.

The promoted IAS officers include Additional Secretary and Director, Census Operations, Snehlata Agarwal, Additional Secretary and Director, School Education, RK Sudhanshu, Additional Secretary Bhupinder Kaur Aulak (now on deputation to the Centre), Additional Secretary L. Fanai, Additional Secretary Bhaskaranand, Additional Secretary AS Nayal, Additional Secretary Suverdhan and Additional Secretary Gabrayal. These IAS officers would also get the benefit of the super-time scale.

Similarly, a 1981 batch Uttar Pradesh Civil Services officer, Vinod Sharma, at present on deputation to Uttarakhand, has been promoted to the IAS cadre. He is Additional Secretary, Sugarcane and Development. He will also be given 13 years’ seniority. — TNS

DPC meeting today

Dehradun, November 28
The Department Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting, headed by the Chief Secretary, will meet tomorrow to consider the cases of Secretary Finance Radha Raturi and secretary to Chief Minister SS Sandhu for promotions.

Both the secretaries are in line for promotion to the post of the Principal Secretary, which would become effective from January 1, 2013. — TNS 

State Wakf Board properties being encroached upon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
People with vested interests are blatantly encroaching upon the properties of Uttarakhand Wakf Board (UWB). Fresh cases came up near Chakrata Road in the city and another from Roorkee.

Member, UWB, Razia Begh, said two big shops had been built in Sayyad Mohalla in the vicinity of Chakrata Road. A wall has also been erected around 65 bighas near the dargah at Kaliyar Sharif. The Allahabad High Court had imposed a stay on this land in 1985 when two warring factions claimed it as their own. Begh said: “One of these two parties encroached upon this land. Despite the fact that the District Magistrate, Haridwar, stopped them from doing so just 15 days ago, they overrode his decision and erected a wall around it. A senior revenue officer had also submitted a report three months ago regarding the same land, clarifying that this land could neither be sold nor purchased.”

Chief Executive Officer Sadia Alam Khan denied having any knowledge of these two cases and said she would enquire into them.

Not long ago, another sprawling land of the UWB was also encroached upon at Dhamawala by a Delhi-based politician. Begh said many bighas of land of Islamiya School, a madrasa and another 17 bighas of land at Ajabpur Kalan in the city, too, had been usurped like this. She said the caretaker of the land himself was thickly involved in the entire matter. The caretaker had given this precious land in lieu of another plot of the same measurement somewhere else in the city, which was not of much value. She said he earned huge money in this deal.

The phenomenon of caretakers of Wakf properties disposing of precious land secretly or charging heavy rent from tenants by showing paltry sum in records is oft repeated.

The members of the UWB lack solidarity and hence are always fighting among themselves instead of doing anything to check the constant encroachment over Wakf properties. UWB has not been able to elect a chairperson, which is why such issues remain undecided and unresolved.

Autumn festival established cultural identity: Chuphal
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 28
The seven-day autumn festival organised by the Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad at the DS Bisht ground in the town concluded today. “We have been able to establish our cultural identity by organising the autumn festival,” said Bishan Singh Chuphal, state BJP president, who was the chief guest at the concluding day function.

Chuphal, who is also Didihat MLA, announced the closure of the festival. He said the festival that started some 30 years ago not only entertained the locals but also gave a proper stage to the locals to showcase their talent in drama, dance and singing.

Congress MLA from Pithoragarh Mayukh Singh Mahar had inaugurated the festival on November 22. “Despite a financial crunch, we have been able to invite cultural parties from Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Nepal to entertain the local population of the town,” said Rajendra Singh Rawat, Chairman of the Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad. The nagar palika organised the festival in association with the district administration.

“Besides, cultural troupes from outside the state, local schoolchildren entertained the people. Stalls of various government departments showcased the latest technology at the handloom expo organised by the Handloom Directorate of the state,” said the organiser of the festival.

Indo-Australian scientist’s radiation technique can benefit agriculture, minerals industry
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, November 28
The radiation technique developed by an Australian mineral scientist of Indian origin, if adopted by India, could bring a sea- change difference in determined growth in agriculture, and also prove beneficial to the Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand in making authentic claims for the Green Bonus in the near future.

The radiation technique developed by Plackottu (Bill) Mathew, nuclear physicist and former employee of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia, that led to development of several on-line analysis instruments, is bringing million of dollars worth of benefits to the minerals industry and significant opportunities for Australian manufacturers. The same technique could be used to measure the exact amount of biomass present in the area and the analysis would benefit the government to formulate the growth policy.

Bill Mathew, who was on a brief visit to Mussoorie, speaking to The Tribune revealed that all geological material, including our body, have minor traces of radioactive elements such as potassium, uranium and thorium. "The water that we drink contains traces of tritium which is radioactive in itself and this radiation can be measured to determine the exact biomass of an area by harnessing small levels of natural radiation," said Bill.

He said the radiation technique would benefit the farmers as it could be used to monitor the quality of very large quantities of soil being used for agriculture purpose. The exact measurement of the biomass would not only benefit the scientists but the state governments for formulating state policies in accordance to the authentic data.

Bill Mathew, speaking on the recent row over the opposition of nuclear power plant in Kerala, said that most of the opposition to nuclear technology was due to sheer ignorance. Supporting the nuclear technology, he said that there were around 450 nuclear power plants in the world and the accidents had occurred in only two, of which Chernobyl was much publicised, where the loss of life was around 58. "More people die in coal mine accidents every year in comparison to nuclear plants. Therefore, the conception that the radiation from nuclear plant will affect the human lives drastically was unfounded. We are being bombarded with radiation from earth, space and even our own human body on daily basis. The hydroelectric technique which involves large scale displacement is much more cumbersome and costly technique in comparison to nuclear technology," added Bill Mathew. He further opined that the nuclear power technology used with utmost safety procedures could transform the growth of the country and herald much needed industrial revolution, and as a consequence help in alleviating poverty form the country.

Mathew said he was ready to share his research work with other scientists and the state government. Mathew’s hometown is at Kallopppara in Kerala.

Govt condition for teacher jobs unconstitutional: HC
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh November 28
The decision of the state government to appoint 2,253 trainee teachers in various schools may get affected as the Nainital High Court on Tuesday in its interim order held that the condition for jobs that a candidate seeking appointment in any district should be its permanent resident was violative of Section 16(2) of the Constitution.

The Bench of Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Justice UC Dhyani held that the government condition for the jobs was against the Constitution. It stopped further execution of the government notification, said Devesh Vishnoi, advocate for the petitioners.

Devesh said the government had started the process for filling 2,253 posts in various schools all over the state by appointing those candidates as trainee teachers who fulfil the condition of being residents of the district.

A single-judge Bench of the court had previously held right the condition for the jobs and dismissed the petition of Triveni Chandra Pandey and others of Kashipur. However, the two-judge Bench today ordered stopped further action on the government order, said Devesh.

Rajnath blames UPA govt for stalemate in Parliament
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
Former BJP national president Rajnath Singh has said the Congress-led UPA government is responsible for the current stalemate in Parliament.

Rajnath, who was in Haridwar today to attend a programme of the Students Welfare Board of Gurukul Kangri University, told mediapersons that it was because of the autocratic style of functioning of the UPA government that Parliament could not function for four days. “It is always the responsibility of the ruling party and not the Opposition to ensure the smooth running of Parliament,” he asserted.

The BJP leader said the precious time of Parliament would not have lost had the UPA government accepted the demand of the Opposition to discuss the FDI issue under Rule 184. He added the FDI in retail would hurt the interests of both traders and farmers.

He said the Congress had earlier assured Parliament that the FDI in retail would not be allowed but now it was going back on its word.

Asked about the controversy involving Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani, Rajnath said the BJP had served him a notice and now the BJP Parliamentary Board had to decide on the matter. He rejected Jethmalani’s charges against BJP president Nitin Gadkari.

Replying to a question, Rajnath did not rule out the possibility of the mid-term Lok Sabha elections in the near future.

Earlier addressing students of the university, Rajnath said the Gurukul system of education was one of oldest education systems in the country. He called upon the youth to become good citizens of the country. Prof Swatantra Kumar from the university was also present on the occasion.

Later, Rajnath met former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank at his residence in Dehradun and expressed his condolences on his wife’s death. 

BJP accused of promoting liquor mafia
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 28
Spokesperson for the state unit of the Congress Surendra Kumar has accused the BJP of resorting to double speak and promoting liquor mafia in the state.

In a statement issued here yesterday, Surendra Kumar said while the BJP had earlier been denying that sacked Uttarakhand Minorities Commission Chairman Sukhdev Singh Namdhari was its member, later on it itself expelled him for the party.

Surendra Kumar alleged that the BJP had always kept close links with liquor mafia. He said the Namdhari episode had revealed the BJP’s role in promoting liquor mafia.

He said even the RSS role behind Namdhari’s appointment as the State Minorities Commission Chairman had been revealed.

Cong decision on shrines’ issue ‘politically motivated’
Tribune News service

Dehradun, November 28
The Uttarakhand BJP has termed the decision of the Congress government to give additional charge of Vice Chairman, Badrinath Kedarnath Samiti, whose term ended recently, to the Chief Executive Officer of the samiti as politically motivated and attack on the functioning of a body created under an Act.

After the tenure of the Badirnath Kedarnath Samiti Chairman Anusuiya Prasad Bhatt ended recently, the government handed over the additional charge to the CEO of the committee. According to the Badrinath Kedarnath Committee Act 1939, the government should have handed over the charge to the Vice Chairman, Madhu Bhatt, till the time the new Chairman was nominated. “But the Congress government did not abide by the rules laid down under the Act and wilfully gave additional powers to the CEO of the committee,” said Satish Lakhera, BJP spokesperson.

He said that rule 13 of the committee Act clearly states that in case the tenure of the Chairman of the committee comes to an end, the Vice Chairman has the right to chair meetings.

Citing the precedent followed by the Congress government led by former Chief Minister ND Tiwari, Lakhera said that a similar situation had arisen during the tenure of Tiwari, when the tenure of the then Chairman of Badrinath Kedarnath Committee NK Nautiyal had come to an end. “The then Principal Secretary SK Matto on October 18, 2005, had then given additional charge to Subodhanand Bharamachari. Instead of the practice set by it’s own previous government, the present Bahuguna government has vitiated the functioning of the committee and tinkered with the functioning of an ancient body,” said Lakhera.

The BJP is now demanding that the government reverse it’s decision and not politicise the functioning of the religious body. “It should immediately hand over the additional responsibility to the present Vice Chairman of the committee,” said Lakhera.

Women ready for stir as liquor vend reopens
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 28
Women organisations in the Chalthi area of Champawat district, which had started a two-month agitation against the successful removal of a liquor shop from their area, have decided to restart the agitation. They have alleged that the liquor shop, which was shut after the agitation, has been reopened in a temporary shed near the village.

“As soon as we called off the agitation on the presumption that the administration would keep its word and would not allow the shop near the village, the contractor occupied the shed again and started selling the liquor which is intolerable for us,” said Radha Devi, a woman agitator.

“We will discuss the issue with the District Magistrate in the first week of December and if the latter does not help in closing the shop, we will resume our agitation,” said Sundar Singh Bora, former BDC member from Diyuri village.

According to Bora, after two months' dharna by the women from more than 12 villages of Chalthi, the shop was shut but as soon as the women organisations discontinued the agitation, the shop was opened.

“Not only the poor of the already backward area of Chalthi, but the new generation is also in the grip of liquor menace with the opening of government-protected liquor shops in the area,” said Sundar Singh, who also participated in last month's agitation led by women. “We have decided not to allow the shop even for new session from April 2013,” said the agitation member.

The agitators have alleged that the shop has been opened at the entrance to the forest area and due to that the women, who go to forest to collect fodder for their animals, face abusive language of drunkards.