State to introduce water regulatory Bill shortly
Lok Ayukta status and salary enhanced
New Excise Policy set to rationalise taxes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
In order to regulate plastic, biodegradable waste and use of water resources, the Uttarakhand government will soon introduce the Water Management and Regulatory Bill 2013 and, Uttarakhand Plastic and Biodegradable waste Use and Disposal Rgulatory Bill 2013 in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly.

While briefing mediapersons today Chief Secretary AK Jain said, “The enabling provisions in the bill would set limits on the thickness of the plastic failing which there is a provision for fines and jail term for a period of three months on individuals and establishments. The cabinet has proposed to fix fine of Rs 500 on individuals, Rs 50,000 on business establishment/petty traders and Rs 2lah on manufacturers and traders found violating the provisions of the proposed bill,” he said. In case of absence of compliance the fine would be doubly charged.

The Department of Urban Development would be entrusted with the task of collecting the fines.

Further the government checks would be mandatory to ensure children who are below the age of 14years and are not employed in collection of waste. Even the employees engaged in the task of collection of waste would have to compulsorily wear gloves and masks.

Since the creation of the state, Uttarakhand was governed by the Uttar Pradesh Plastic Act which the government felt lacked enabling provisions that would prove beneficial for the hill state.

The legislation measure pertaining to water would ensure judicious use of scarce commodity by all the stake holders including industrial and domestic,” said Jain.

Beside the Uttarakhand Water Management and Regulatory Authority would be tasked to prepare water tariff and ensure the use of all the water resources in the state are being used judiciously.

The authority would be headed by a Chairman ( former senior bureaucrat) and members who would be experts in water resource management as members.

The cabinet also gave approval for the hiking of the salary and bringing at par the status of the Lok Ayukta with the Chief Justice. This envisages bringing amendment in the Lok Ayukta Act.

Acting on the suggestions of the sub-committee the Uttarakhand also gave approval for a new excise policy that has rationalized maximum retail price and tried to get rid of different duties that were hindering collection of revenue.

The government proposed to collect a revenue of Rs 150 crore through these measures and through the rationalization of Taxes it intend to collect a revenue of Rs 950 crore.

However, the allotment of liquor vends would continue to be through the lottery system

New population policy approved

The Uttarakhand cabinet also approved a new population and health policy-2013-2020 that besides charting health indicators for the state has for the first time committed itself to tackling Life style diseases.

Back in 2002, Uttarakhand had become the first state in the country to have it’s own population policy. The term of the policy ended in 2012. The new policy envisages reducing the Infant mortality rate from the existing 36 deaths per 1000 live births to 17 deaths per 1000 live births. It aims to bring down the fertility rate from 2.3 percent to 1.8 percent and HIV infection rate from 0.1 percent to 0 percent. 

Rail Budget brings cheers to hill state
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
The Rail Budget has certainly brought cheers to the hill state of Uttarakhand. The state's pending demand for sanctioning of the Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line in the Kumaon region has been fulfilled with the budget proposing a survey for the railway line, the opening of a skill development centre in Dehradun has come as another major boost for the state.

The start of a direct express weekly train between Bandara to Haridwar, doubling of track from Haridwar to Dehradun and extending Ganganagar-Haridwar Express up to Rishikesh are some other announcements that came Uttarakhand’s way in the Railway Budget 2013-14 presented in the Lok Sabha today.

The budgetary provisions have also been done for doubling of railway track from Najibabad-Kotdwar and also laying of the Deoband-Roorkee line.

Significantly, Skill Development Centre at Harrawala, Dehradun, will lead to creation of employment opportunities for the local youth. A total of 25 such centres are proposed in the country and Dehradun is one of them.

In these centres, the Railway Ministry will impart skills to the youth in railway-related trades with a view to contributing to the national skill development programme.

More importantly, the fulfilment of longstanding demand for laying of Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line has come as a boost for Bageshwar that shares borders with Nepal.

The railway line will strengthen security interests of the country as well as ensure development in this backward area of the country.

Similarly, doubling of railway track from Dehradun and Haridwar will lead to strengthening of railway services in Dehradun. Last year, the Railway Budget had proposed doubling of railway track from Luxor to Haridwar and now today’s budget announcement towards extending the doubling works up to Dehradun from Haridwar has come as welcome surprise to the people of the state.

The single railway track from Dehradun to Luxor has been a major irritant for ensuring better train services from Dehradun.

Moreover, the start of Bandra-Haridwar Express weekly train will facilitate better connectivity of the holy city of Haridwar to both Maharashtra and Gujarat. A large number of tourists, particularly those interested in pilgrimage, comes to Haridwar every year.

The Railway Budget has also approved laying of railway track for constructing a bypass on the Doiwala-Dehradun rail route via Raiwala.

Rishikesh-Doiwala bypass railway line will prevent wildlife deaths
Jotirmay Thapliyal/TNS

Dehradun, February 26
In a major elephant conservation initiative, Railway Budget has proposed Rishikesh-Doiwala bypass loop line in order to avoid killer stretch of track inside Rajaji Park that has been responsible for frequent deaths of elephants and other wildlife animals and has been a matter of concern for conservationists worldwide.

Union Railway Budget 2013-14 provisions for sanctioning a Rishikesh-Doiwala bypass railway line has come as a pleasant surprise for wildlife conservationists. Rajaji National Park authorities, way back in 2007, sent a proposal to Railway Ministry for a bypass track from Raiwala to Doiwala in order to avoid killer track stretch of Rajaji National Park. The park authorities had been pushing for this bypass track for quite some time. Rajaji Park former Deputy Director and senior Uttarakhand IFS officer Surendra Mehra, when informed of sanctioning of Rishikesh-Doiwala bypass railway line, expressed happiness on the development. "Avoiding Rajaji Park stretch by taking a bypass route starting from Raiwala to Doiwala will be of immense benefit to the wildlife and will even come as a relief for Rajaji National Park," Surendra Mehra pointed out.

Apart from wildlife, Rishikesh Doiwala bypass railway line is also being considered beneficial for the general public as well. While wildlife casualties like elephant hit incidents can be avoided, even holy township of Rishikesh will get better railway connectivity.

Under the present arrangement, railway track enters Rajaji National Park at Raiwala. But with sanctioning of Rishikesh- Doiwala bypass railway line, the train diverts from Raiwala to Rishikesh and subsequently from Rishikesh will reach Doiwala, thus avoiding the elephant vulnerable stretch of railway track at Rajaji National Park.

Further, for the general public, Rishikesh will get a better connectivity and passengers will get a station between Raiwala and Doiwala in the form of holy township like Rishikesh. Moreover, Rishikesh residents won't have to come to Dehradun or Haridwar to board trains. Moreover, speed of the trains that are presently curtailed due to Rajaji, will also gain resulting in saving of precious time for passengers.

Wildlife Trust of India's North Region head AK Singh too welcomed the development. "I am yet to get to go through Union Railway Budget 2013-14 but if the Railways have decided to avoid the vulnerable stretch of the track inside Rajaji Park responsible for elephant deaths in the past, it is certainly a big achievement for the cause of elephant conservation," AK Singh observed.

Snow fails to deter ITBP patrolling
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 26
ITBP personnel, guarding the Indo-China border using ropes and skies, will continue patrolling in the sensitive border areas despite heavy snowfall this year in Vyans and Darma valleys, ITBP sources said.

“Even after clear sky since Sunday morning, our jawans on the high altitude border posts have experienced shivering cold due to melting of snow and started using ski and ropes to carry out their patrolling,” said Kedar Singh Rawat, an officer of the force.

According to the ITBP sources, despite most of highways covered, under heavy snow, have been opened in the past two days, the 27-km highway from Bundi to Kalapani on the Kailash Mansarowar route is still covered under more than 100 cm of snow.

“Our jawans are not only patrolling these tough routes but also caring the old villagers of Garbiyang, Kuti and Gunji villages on this border”, said the ITBP Commandant.

Record generation of power by small hydro projects
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
The management of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) is jubilant over record generation of power by small hydropower projects during February, thanks to long stretches of good rainfall in this one month. It is after a long spell of low generation that many such projects have broken the record of power generation for the month of February.

The Chibro project achieved its annual target of 762 million units (MUs) on February 20 itself, which was fixed for the current financial year.

Along with this Chibro also repeated history once again when it generated maximum power in February in 1979.

Simiarly, the Khodri project, too, achieved it's annual target of 350 MUs for the current financial year on February 24 itself. This is the first time Khodri generated so much power in the month of February, after it was set up.

Kulhal power project also did exceedingly well like other two projects by generating 9.8333 million units in February, highest ever in this month 
since 1976.

Managing Director, UJVNL, GP Patel, gave the credit to team work and hard work of officials and employees of UJVNL for the record generation.

He also said that the regular maintenance of machines helped in unhindered generation. The timely planning of executing decisions, including flushing out garbage from the iron bars installed before the flow of water, added further to the good results.

MLA Joshi meets DM over notices served on villagers
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
MLA, Mussoorie, Ganesh Joshi, met District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam with a delegation of Mitthi Bedi residents over notices served by Indian Military Academy (IMA) on villagers to vacate Army land. Joshi asked the DM to look for alternate land for the Army somewhere in the district so that the villagers could not be shifted from their homes. Purushottam said he would look into the matter from all angles and decide on it soon.

The then District Magistrate Ravinath Raman had also handed an inquiry to Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) regarding the Army’s claim that 75 families in the village were staying on Army land for the past 15 years. Joshi said the land management committee of the village also inquired into the matter and examined the revenue records as well. The committee found that 0.02 acre land was distributed among 23 families by the state government. He said the then SDM had also forwarded the name of those who were found eligible for it under the regulation.

He also added that he talked to the Chief Minister in this regard where it was decided that the Army would be given rural land equivalent to 0.02 acre somewhere else in the district. He urged the District Magistrate to look for appropriate land to be given to the Army in lieu of the 0.02 acre patta land.

Joshi also questioned the Army for not touching this issue for the past 15 years as in the intervening period, these families got well settled on the land and the state government too spent crores of rupees on providing amenities to the villages.

In September last year the IMA had served notices to these 75 families to vacate the land. The villagers had been holding regular protests on this issue. The villagers who met Purushottam today appealed him to do something concrete about their problems. They said they were living under fear of being removed from their homes and made to live on roads. Purushottam assured them of swift action in the matter. 

TPS Rawat sits on dharna, sends memo to CM
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
President of the Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha TPS Rawat sat on a protest before the Vidhan Sabha Bhavan yesterday to draw attention towards the burning issues. He later sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister.

Rawat said the unemployed youth of the state was spending a lot of money on the entrance fee for various competitive examinations in order to get government jobs. He alleged "the corrupt state government" was playing with the future of the youth by withholding the results of such exams. He gave examples of many such departments where the process of employment got under scanner for dubious ways. He also lamented the decision of the state government to hand over primary education institutions of the state on public private partnership mode.

Touching upon the issue of permanent residence, he said the government had no authority to differ with the provisions of year 1950 as set by Supreme Court for such matters.

He also opposed reservations in promotion in the state. Be it irregularities in the PDS or reduction of six Vidhan Sabha seats of hill pockets due to "wrongly projects delimitation picture," or absence of any clear policy on regularisation of jobs, he said mismanagement and corruption prevailed everywhere in the state.

He urged the state government to make timely preparations for Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra by rising above petty politics. He said there was paucity of time as not much work could be done when the yatra would commence during the rainy season. He demanded issuance of a White Paper from state government on the extent of agriculture land converted into residential and commercial land ever since the state was formed.

He demanded a fair inquiry into MNREGA "irregularities," where the job holders did not get wages, nor the employees got salaries for the past six months. He said all district magistrates must issue directions to pay wages to people connected with the scheme.

He referred to the issue of Gairsain, saying that unless the place was not declared permanent capital, the dream of providing wholesome development in hill region would not be realized.

On the issue of migration, he said no state government could solve this tricky problem, which was becoming grave day by day. The agriculture was getting destroyed, as the crops were being damaged by wild animals. No concrete plans had been formulated for hill people, owing to which they were on the brink of poverty and had no option but to resort to migration.

Cong leaders hail proposals; Oppn calls these biased
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26
Uttarakhand Congress leaders have welcomed Union Railway Budget 2013-14 for its provisions for the state, while Opposition BJP has termed it a budget meant just for select areas of the country.

Union Water Resources Minister and Congress MP from Haridwar Harish Rawat described Union Railway Budget 2013-14 as one full of achievements for Uttarakhand. He said sanctioning of Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line will boost development in Kumaon region. He said similarly, setting up of skill development centre at Dehradun will lead to creation of employment opportunities.

Congress Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj said Union Railway Budget 2013-14 has taken adequate care of Uttarakhand's railway concerns. Uttarakhand Congress Task Force convener Yogendra Khanduri said the Railway Budget was balanced and public oriented. He asserted that the Railway Minister had ensured that there is no hike in passenger fares. Uttarakhand Congress spokesman Dhirendra Pratap also thanked Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal for clearing Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line project. Former Dehradun Mayor and Congress leader Manorama Dobriyal Sharma welcomed the Union Railway Budget.

On other hand, Opposition BJP has criticised Railway Budget, asserting that it only focused on Amethi, Rai Bareilly and Chandigarh. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt said he hoped that the Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line sanctioned today does not meet the same fate as in the case of Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway line. He said 6 per cent increase in freight charges will ultimately lead to rise in inflation in the country.

CPI (ML) state secretary Indresh Maikhuri said Railway Budget was very depressing and promoted privatisation. He asserted that Uttarakhand had been completely ignored in the budget.

Meeting on smooth plying of buses for Char Dham

Dehradun, February 26
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam today held a meeting with officials of the Transport Department, urban local bodies and police to discuss smooth functioning of buses during the Char Dham pilgrimage. He directed the transport officials to resume a normal bus service for commuters in Rishikesh and Haridwar so that they did not face any convenience due to the divergence of buses for the pilgrimage. He asked the officials to put some buses on local routes. This arrangement would also provide good revenue to the department.

Another issue discussed at the meeting was to check the road worthiness of the buses to avoid any untoward incident during the pilgrimage. Purushottam said hoardings should be put on Haridwar and Rishikesh bus stands about information regarding the bus services for the pilgrimage.— TNS

Nod to Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line welcomed
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 26
Bageshwar residents rejoiced as the Tanakpur to Bageshwar rail line was approved by Union Railway Minister Pawan Bansal in his presentation of Rail Budget in Parliament 
on Tuesday.

"The people have gathered around the meeting place, where we held a demonstration yesterday in demand of this railways line, and distributed sweets among them," said Gusain Singh Dafauti, president of the Sangharsh Samiti in Bageshwar, who is a veteran of long struggle for this railway line.

"We are continuously fighting for this cause since the year 2004 and have held many demonstrations besides three time sits-in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Today we have achieved this target due to continuous support of people for this case," said Dafauti.

Rendering his thanks to the Prime Minister, Railway Minister and the Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dafauti hoped that this old decision be implemented without any further delay.