30 % primary class students in Kumaon have diseases: Study
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 20
Over 30 per cent primary students are in the grip of various diseases, including 11 per cent suffered by dental ailments, in the Kumaon region. A study taken under the Chirayu scheme in the region under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan has revealed.

According to sources, out of 4,36,886 primary students medically examined in the region from April 2012 to March 2013, over 1,32,206 were found affected by one or other diseases. “The medical examinations were held by 12 teams assigned for the purpose in 6,600 primary schools of the region,” said Dr Nilamber Bhatt, a senior physician and member of the Chirayu campaign started by the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan in the Kumaon region.

According to Dr Bhatt, a maximum number of students in Almora district were found affected by diseases followed by Pithoragarh, US Nagar, Nainital, Bageshwar and Champawat districts.

“Most of the primary students in these districts were anaemic and having dental problems, skins diseases, ENT ailments and 69 students were found affected by heart diseases in the region,” said Dr Bhatt.

According to Dr Manoj Joshi, another member of the team, 80 per cent primary students out of a total of 3,000 medically examined under the scheme were found affected by dental ailments. "The students are inviting dental diseases due to their habits of eating fastfood or junk food," said Dr Manoj Joshi.

According to programme coordinator Shiv Kumar Sriwastawa, out of 12 medical teams deputed to examine primary students under this scheme, three each were deputed in Nainital and US Nagar, two each in Almora and Pithoragarh district while one each team was deputed in Bageshwar and Champawat districts.

Tehri MP for CBI probe into misuse of Uttarkashi natural disaster funds
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 20
BJP MP from Tehri Mala Raj Laxmi here today called for a CBI inquiry into the misuse of the Disaster Relief Fund of Rs 220 crore allocated in the wake of Uttarkashi natural disaster in 2012.

The MP from Tehri said Rs 220 crore were allocated by the Central Government to take steps for repairing broken roads, bridges and community facilities due to cloudburst.

“However, nothing seems to have taken place on the ground, whatever repair work has been carried out is insignificant and of poor quality. A CBI inquiry should be initiated into the misuse of funds,” said Mala Raj Laxmi while addressing a press conference.

The MP also lashed out at the Bahuguna government for making false promises to the people of Uttarakhand on the issue of reducing VAT on petrol and diesel in view of the Tehri byelection last year and then backtracking on it, after the Congress was defeated.

The MP said the infighting in the Congress was affecting the day-to-day functioning of the government as a result the people of the state were regretting their decision to vote for the Congress.

“Congress leaders and ministers were busy pulling each other's legs while the Chief Minister instead of staying in Dehradun prefers to hand over the list of demands to the Central ministers thinking his duty was over,” said Mala Raj Laxmi.

She also accused the government of giving short shrift to the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra arrangements and also demanded that the local people should be made stakeholders in all development schemes to be launched for Tehri Lake by the state government.

Development works come to halt in Haridwar due to poll code
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 20
With the district administration and the government busy in preparations for the the civic bodies' elections and the poll code in force, development works in the city have come to a halt.

The laying of sewer lines, recarpeting of roads, cleaning of nullahs and other development projects have been affected.

People are being forced to walk on unlevelled roads while sewer-laying work in the remaining colonies seems will only be done post elections. More than 70 nullahs are cleaned by MC sanitation workers in May-June every year. However, with the elections scheduled for April 28, it's being feared that the cleaning of the nullahs may be extended.

This may lead to the choking of the nullahs in the rainy season when the city faces a major threat from waterlogging. An anti-encroachment drive of the district administration has also been stopped.

Following the directives the High Court, more than 100 illegal structures and buildings in the periphery of the Ganga were identified by the Haridwar Development Authority. However, the drive has been stopped midway.

Secretary, HDA, Girdhari Singh Rawat said the drive would be carried out after the election process was over. 

Wrong figures on crime embarrass govt
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 20
Instead of helping the cause of the Bahuguna government in the wake of allegations levelled by former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank about the soaring lawlessness in the state, the Uttarakhand Planning Minister Dinesh Agarwal caused embarrassment by giving out wrong figures about the crime graph in the state. So much so, the government was forced to summon the Inspector General (IG), Law and Order, RS Meena, and brief the media on the law and order situation in the state.

Instead of coming upfront on the issue, things have come to such a pass that the Bhauguna government had to seek the help of an IG to blunt the charges of former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. Meena said in the last three years the department had begun work on the pending cases and most of these cases were being sorted out.

Meena said, “The national average of solving the cases of Dacoity stands at 50, while the state average is 77. Similarly, the national average of solving cases pertaining to loot is 44, where as the state average is 72.” 

Face of the week
Batrohi a strong votary of Hindi language
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 20
He is one of the most popular authors of the country and people only know him from his pen name Batrohi.

Hailing from the Kumaon region, writing skills of Laksham Singh Bisht, popularly known as Batrohi, are recognized both in India and abroad. He is among a few of Indians who has headed the Union Ministry of External Affairs’ instituted Chair in Budapest, Hungary, meant for promotion of Hindi and Indian culture abroad.

Apart from his brilliance in academics, Batrohi even worked for a number of news magazines. Way back in 1965-66, he worked with Hindi monthly magazine Nai Duniya in Patna in the capacity of Guest Editor. At Allahabad in 1967, he worked as sub editor with Nai Kahaniya, a publication of Amrit Rai, son of Munshi Premchand.

Born on April 25, 1946, in non-descript Chana village under Lamgada block of Almora district of Uttarakhand, Laksham Singh Bisht “Batrohi” was the youngest of four siblings of the late Bishan Singh Bisht. He got his early education at Devithal in Almora. He soon shifted to Nainital where he went on to get his MA in Hindi in 1966. Subsequently, he went to Allahabad and was awarded D Phil in 1970, which he did under the guidance of the late Ram Swaroop Chaturvedi, well-known Hindi critic of his times. Shortly thereafter, he got an appointment as lecturer at Government College, Nainital. He went on to become the head of the Hindi department at Government Collge, Mirjapur, in Uttar Pradesh.

He later came back to Uttarakhand and worked for two years in Government College, Rudrapur, and in 1977 got a job in Kumaon University, where he held the posts of Reader, Dean Arts and Dean Coordination. He retired from the university in 2006.

Apart from his brilliance in academics, Batrohi even worked for number of news magazines. He, wayback in 1965-66, worked with Hindi monthly magazine Nai Duniya in Patna in the capacity of Guest Editor. At Allahabad in 1967, he worked as sub editor with Nai Kahaniya, a publication of Amrit Rai, son of Munshi Premchand.

He also worked with Shailesh Matiyani’s publication Vikalp. "Hindi kahani ke atharah kadam", "Kahi dur jab deen dhal jayee" and "Anath Muhallah ka Thulda" are some of well-known books authored by Batrohi.

Despite all odds, Batrohi says Hindi continues to be a strong link language in the country. “Even abroad, people are much more interested to learn Hindi and this is the reason that Hindi teachers are in good demand even in the United States”, he said.

He, however, added Hindi was yet to become the language of academicians in India, who prefer English to Hindi. “Language is not puritan and Hindi-English mix is fast catching up common readers”, he said. 

THDC awarded gold medal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 20
Tehri Hydro-electric Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL) has been awarded gold medal for “Best HR Strategy” by Green Tech Foundation, New Delhi. SK Biswas, director (Personnel), THDCIL, received the award from Member of Parliament Shripad Y Naik at a function organised by Green Tech Foundation in Goa on Friday.

Biswas, expressing pleasure on this moment said: “Corporation’s polices and strategies are being recognised and appreciated in the corporate world.”

The THDCIL is one of the premier hydro-power generators in the country. With the commissioning of Tehri & Koteshwar Dam, the installed capacity of the THDCIL has gone up to 1400 MW. The THDCIL is already bestowed with Mini Ratna-Category-I and Schedule 'A' status.

DS Group to invest Rs 400 crore in Sitarganj
Tribune News service

Dehradun, April 20
The Dharmpal-Satyapal (DS) Group will invest Rs 400 crore in dairy, food and packaging industries in SIDCUL phase 2, Sitarganj. Company director Atul Jain and MD, SIDCUL, and Principal Secretary (Industries) Rakesh Sharma signed an MoU in the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna at the Secretariat here today. A cheque for Rs 1 crore was handed over to the government as earnest money and processing charges.

The Chief Minister said the state had adopted the single window system and an industry-friendly policy which was bringing in a lot of investment. He said several proposals of investment were in the pipeline.

He said private investment was being encouraged while protecting the interests of the state.

Bahuguna expressed hope that the DS Group's dairy and food units would benefit local producers. He said the government would ensure that priority in employment was given to the local youth by units that were set up in the state.

The Principal Secretary said the company would set up units in Sitarganj and would give employment to 1,000 persons . It will also buy local dairy produce. The company has been given 200 acres at the rate of Rs 54 lakh per acre as per government norms. If needed, 70 acres would be given to the company in the second phase.

Rajesh Kumar, director of the group, said at present, the company was investing Rs 400 crore which might go up to Rs 1,000 crore in the future.

Koshiyari invites Congress rebels to join BJP
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 20
Former BJP national vice-president BS Koshiyari today described the Congress as a sinking ship. Koshiyari, who was here today to take a meeting of party workers ahead of the civic bodies’ elections, said the Congress had failed to deliver both at the Centre and in the state.

He said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had failed to provide development-oriented governance. Koshiyari said Congress rebels were welcome to join hands with the BJP to dislodge the state government. “We are ready to incorporate Congress rebels into the BJP, so as to pave the way for our state government,” said Koshiyari.

“Many Congress leaders are protesting against their own government. It’s better that they leave the party that does not cater to their interests. We are ready to accommodate them,” said Koshiyari.

On the candidature of Manoj Garg as Mayor, he said Garg was a loyal party activist working selflessly for decades. “We will show the Congress that the days of its regime are less than a year and the BJP will be back to power in Haridwar,” said Koshiyari.

Holds roadshow to seek votes for party candidates
Tribune News Service

Former Chief Minister BS Koshiyari campaigns for BJP candidates in Dehradun on Friday.

Dehradun, April 20
Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Bhagat Singh Koshiyari held a roadshow and election meetings at different places in the city on Friday. Koshiyari held a roadshow at Yamuna Colony in the morning. He actively canvassed for the candidates standing for the posts of councillor in different wards and Mayoral candidate Vinod Chamoli.

Koshiyari said the Congress-led governments at the Centre and in the state had failed to serve the people and should be booted out of the office. He later held a meeting at Kargi Chowk and visited several areas in the city. He would also be campaigning in Rishikesh and Haridwar.