The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Panwar faction discontinues protests outside UKD office Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) faction led by Trivender Singh Panwar today decided to discontinue their protests outside the party office. Panwar said they took the decision after talking to senior leaders of the party. He said, “The senior leaders sacrificed their ego in the interest of the party. We have also appealed to regional parties to join hands with us to give a strong third alternative to the BJP and the Congress to the people of the state.” He also indicated that some of the expelled leaders, who had been found capable of working for the party, could be re-inducted. Panwar’s decision to discontinue protests also stems from the fact that despite his faction’s insistence to expedite the decision of getting the alleged expelled leaders or the Kashi Singh Aeri’s group expelled from the party premises, the district administration has postponed the date of hearing both factions to June 7. In such a situation Panwar knows that it will not be viable for them to continue protests for long, especially when nothing is going to be decided on the matter in the intervening period. Secondly, Panwar is also trying to woo some of the regional forces in order to strengthen his position vis-à-vis Aeri and showcase that he is still in the reckoning. His indication that a few chosen expelled leaders, whom he had been opposing till now, could be re-inducted showcases a significant change in his strategy that he somehow wants to render Aeri’s position weak. These signs prove that Panwar has grown insecure about his position as president of the party and is making all desperate efforts to stick to the post.
	Aeri group blames Lakhera for tension with Panwar Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 General secretary and chief spokesman of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar) Manmohan Lakhera is being looked at as the main villain in the entire saga of skirmishes between the Kashi Singh Aeri and Trivender Singh Panwar groups. Kashi Singh Aeri’s supporters, who also happen to be members of the original party, are holding Lakhera responsible for steady deterioration in their relations with Panwar that may lead to the possible sealing of the UKD premises. Aeri’s supporter and senior leader Shailash Guleri said, “Manmohan Lakhera, who earlier worked as a journalist in the city, had created a situation that led to lock out of the press club. The press club building has not opened in the last three years. Now, he has led the UKD to a similar situation where the official building of the party is likely to be sealed.” Despite a great deal of conflict, the Aeri group felt that they could still persuade obdurate Panwar. Jay Prakash Upadhyaya, an Aeri supporter, said, “Panwar had sweets from one of us the very next day after Aeri was elected president. It is Lakhera who is not letting the issue to be sorted out because his own importance in the unified party will get diluted. Hence, it suits him that he keeps igniting the fire of hatred between the two factions.” Lakhera, who has been associated with the Uttarakhand Jan Manch, had joined hands with the UKD (Panwar). He has been at the centre of controversy since the day Panwar fielded him as the mayoral candidate of the party in the civic bodies’ election. Lakhera refuted the allegation saying, “It was due to a fight between the president and the general secretary of the press club, who were journalists from two different Hindi dailies, that it was sealed. I got involved because I could not see injustice happening to one side and took the matter to court. After this the press club was sealed. If both journalists patch up, the press club can open once again.” He, however, laughed off the charge that he was a specialist in getting sealed the properties of the organisations he is associated with. “If my opponents are tarnishing my image calling me as one whose activities lead to sealing of premises, I enjoy this label.”
	Bahuguna gives NSC certificates, FDs to girl students in Uttarkashi Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna reviewed various development works in Purola and Badkot tehsils in the Rawain valley of Uttarkashi district today. He held a Janta Milan programme and heard peoples’ problems. He solved several problems on the spot and directed the officials to solve problems at their level. As many as 500 applications were received and most of these were for financial assistance, health facilities, roads, education, potable water and electricity. At Purola tehsil, Bahuguna announced that a college would be set up at Mori and a polytechnic at Purola. He also gave Gaura Devi Kanya Dhan NSC certificates to 12 girl students and Balika Shiksha Protsahan (FDs) of Rs 863,550 to 21 girl students. Each girl received a fixed deposit of Rs 2,850. At Purola and Mori, 606 girls would be covered under the scheme. At the Badkot panchayat hall, the Chief Minister held a meeting with district-level officials and reviewed various developmental schemes. He found that there were many incomplete roads. He suspended Executive Engineer, PWD, RP Singh for laxity in duty with immediate effect. He said the engineer would remain suspended till he could give a proper explanation. He also directed officials present to hold a meeting with Forest department officials to get clearance for roads to be built through forestland. The Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of Jal Sansthan and Peyjal Nigam and was told that water was not available on the Char Dham yatra routes at Damta, Nowgaon and Badkot. He said pilgrims to Yamunotri should be given all possible facilities. He directed the District Magistrate to maintain transparency and quality in works. Labour minister Harish Chandra Durgapal gave information about the work in progress in the district. A Janta Milan was also held at Badkot. A total of 263 complaints and applications were registered at the programme. District panchayat president NS Chauhan, Parliamentary Secretary and MLA from Gangotri VS Sajwan, MLA, Purola, Malchand, former MLA KS Rawat, Rajesh Juantha, Raj Kumar, CS Chauhan, DMR Rajesh Kumar and CDO LM Rayal were present.
	Tiger reserve status approved for Rajaji National Park Jotirmay Thapliyal Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 The decision of the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to provide tiger reserve status to Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand has come as shot in the arm for the park authorities that have been making frantic efforts to protect tigers in the park in the recent times. The Rajaji Park will be the second tiger reserve in Uttarakhand after Corbett Tiger Reserve. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had some time back announced that his government was making efforts to seek the tiger reserve status for Rajaji National Park. Since then, conservationists have been expecting an announcement for tiger reserve status for Rajaji. Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden SS Sharma said they have been informed of accordance of tiger reserve status for Rajaji Park by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry and are now expecting a formal written order. Rajaji National Park is famous for elephants and also houses some tigers. As per the latest tiger census estimates, the park has around 17 tigers. But the movement of these tigers has been restricted to some areas of the park. The park has been facing a number of challenges in the form of Van Gujjar rehabilitation, resettlement of Khand Goan villagers and, foremost, its porous borders. The man-animal conflict has been at its worst at Rajaji National Park. But with the tiger reserve status for Rajaji Park, the scenario may now change entirely. Like Corbett, Rajaji too will get more attention from conservationists, both within and outside the state. Funds would also be ample and long-pending issues like Gujjar rehabilitation may finally be settled for once and all. Further, the development is also likely to strengthen the connectivity between Rajaji and Corbett and thus help in overall increase in tiger population in the entire region as spillover tiger population of Corbett will get space at Rajaji. While the tiger population in Corbett has been rapidly increasing, Rajaji has a very minuscule number of tigers. The Rajaji Park authorities have even mooted a plan for bringing a tiger from Corbett to Rajaji on the lines of Sariska tiger re-location plan. But the plan is still to see the light of the day. Now, with Rajaji getting the tiger reserve status, the re-location plan may finally be initiated. Another advantage that Rajaji National Park will get is that help in overall increase in tiger population, which will increase the work efficiency at the park. It will lead to the strengthening of anti-poaching measures in the Park. Rajaji Park has been witness of rampant illegal felling of trees and poaching activities due to the porous borders and a large number of human settlements in close proximity to the park. The presence of the railway track crossing the park often results in deaths of animals like deer and elephants in train-hit incidents and this issue is also likely to be finally resolved now, with the park coming under the tiger reserve category and efforts to shift the track may bear fruit. MOVE Benefits It will get more attention from conservationists Funds would be ample Issues like Gujjar rehabilitation may be settled To boost link between Rajaji and Corbett Help in overall increase of tiger population
	Forest dept for ban on choppers to Kedarnath Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 With the yatra season picking up in Uttarakhand, the forest authorities have objected to the landing and take off of helicopters in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Helicopter service to Kedarnath has been quite popular with pilgrims from other parts of the country and abroad, who avoid taking to the compulsory 14-km arduous trek route to reach Kedarnath from Gaurikund due to the absence of a metalled road. Nine companies, including Pawan Hans, Jet Airways, Prabhatam, Air Deccan and Himalayan Hailey, are providing helicopter service to Kedarnath. Helicopters take off from Phata and land in close proximity to Kedarnath, which is a part of the sanctuary. Helicopters fly in low height over the sanctuary, causing disturbance to the region’s wildlife. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) SK Dutta said this constant movement of helicopters from 6 am to 5 pm was proving detrimental to the wildlife of the sanctuary. The fragile sanctuary is famous for musk deer and snow leopards. Dutta said the Forest Department had recommended to the state to stop the helicopter service immediately. He said the companies providing the helicopter service must take a no-objection certificate. Locals have also been opposing it for the very beginning. Lack of oxygen in a high-altitude area like Kedarnath also causes a lot of noise, which is above the normal sound emanated by a helicopter while on flight. Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary has rare species like snow leopards, musk deer and Himalayan black bears. Conservationists have been stressing the need to safeguard the region’s wildlife keeping in view a large influx of pilgrims. Temples like Tungnath and Rudranath are also situated in this sanctuary. Even the 14-km trek route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath passes through the wildlife sanctuary area. The state government is all for the promotion of the Char Dham Yatra, particularly helicopter service for pilgrims, but little heed has been paid to the adverse consequences for the region wildlife.
	Brutal killing of Chhattisgarh leaders dastardly act: Uttarakhand Congress Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 26 The Uttarakhand Congress today passed a resolution condoling the brutal killing of Chhattisgarh Congress leaders in the Naxalite attack that took place in Jagdalpur yesterday. Presiding over the state Congress committee emergency meeting held at Congress Bhawan in Dehradun today, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the inhuman killing of Congress leaders in Jagdalpur was a dastardly act. Vijay Bahuguna said that while he would not like to bring politics into the incident, lack of will on the part of the Chhattisgarh state government to tackle Naxalism was a matter of urgent concern. Remembering Chhattisgarh Congress president Nand Kumar Patel, Bahuguna said he had met Patel in the Jaipur Convention of the Congress, where the latter had expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order condition due to the rise in left wing extremism. “Nand Kumar Patel had also held the incumbent state government in Chhatisgarh responsible for increase in Naxal activity in the state. He had even feared violence in the assembly elections,” Bahuguna recalled. While seeking stern action against perpetrators of this heinous crime, Bahuguna asserted that Uttarakhand Congress leaders were ready to go to Chhattigarsh and campaign for the party in the forthcoming assembly elections. Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj blamed the Raman Singh government of Chhatisgarh for the brutal killing of Congress leaders. Demanding the dismissal of the Chhtattisgarh government, Satpal Maharaj said while Chief Minister Raman Singh moved with heavy security, he took little measures to provide security to the opposition Congress. Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said the attack on Congress leaders in Chhattigarh by Naxalites was an attack on the Indian democracy and security of the nation. Congress vice-president Hira Singh Bisht, Congress Rajpur MLA Raj Kumar, Congress state disciplinary committee chairman Narendra Bhandari and a large number of other Congress leaders were present on the occasion. A two-minute silence was also observed for the peace of the departed soul.
	dehradun Diary Infighting in state Cong groups intensifies After the debacle in the civic elections in the state, the internal squabbling within the ruling Uttarakhand Congress has reached a new level, with both the factions trying to upstage each other on various issues. The infighting within the ruling party has intensified with the faction led by Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat launching a tirade against the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. Last week, Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal put the state Congress government in an embarrassing situation by alleging that Uttarakhand is among the most corrupt states in the country. This infuriated the Chief Minister and his group, but found support from the Harish Rawat group. Union minister Harish Rawat defended Kunjwal by stating that the Speaker was referring to the overall bane of corruption afflicting the country. The latest controversy has been raised following a statement by Uttarakhand Finance Minister Indira Hriydesh that the new state assembly would be built at Raipur in Dehradun. The Hatrish Rawat group in the Congress is up in arms against the statement. Interestingly, it was again Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal who had raised questions about the decision to have two assembly buildings -one at Gairsain and another at Dehradun. Another Harish Rawat loyalist, Almora MP Pradepep Tamta, also questioned the decision and demanded that the state government should clarify its stand on the issue. Harish Rawat also stated that the ambiguity on the issue could not be allowed to linger and wanted a clear cut stand by the government. However, it was a fact that it would not be possible for any government of any party to take a decision on the issue of the permanent capital of the state. Dehradun was made an interim capital at the time of formation of the new state in 2000 due to various reasons. Several commissions appointed by the respective state governments had failed to suggest a concrete place for a permanent capital of the state. The state and its people are themselves divided on the issue. While, the people residing in the hills argue that being a hill state, the capital should be in the hills, a vast majority of the population stays in the terai or plain region of state and would prefer a place in the plains. Vijay Bahuguna did try to rake up the issue after his son's defeat in the Tehri Lok Sabha bye-election in October 2012 by holding a meeting of his Cabinet at Gairsain, a place chosen by agitators to be the capital of the new state. He laid the foundation stone of the new assembly building in January at Gairsain, but also laid the foundation stone of new assembly building at Raipur in Dehradun. Most interestingly, Kunjwal, who has raised questions about having another assembly building at Raipur, was also present at both the foundation stone laying ceremonies. Firstly, the Harish Rawat group tried to take credit of having the new assembly building at Gairsain by organising a yatra by Kunjwal and Pradeep Tamta in the Kumoan region and deny any political benefit to the Chief Minister. The Harish Rawat group has now started questioning the logic of having a new assembly building at Raipur to further embarrass the Chief Minister, knowing full well that any Chief Minister would be constrained to take a final decision about the permanent capital and a permanent assembly. These controversies clearly indicate that both the groups are not united in their approach and the party lacks consensus on various sensitive issues. Another issue that has further widened the gulf between the Chief Minister and the Harish Rawat camp is the detention of Dharchula Congress MLA Harish Dhami in a contempt-of-court case. Harish Dhami, a strong supporter of Harish Rawat, is in custody on court orders for defying the non-bailable warrants issued against him by the Didihat court. Although the state government had recommended that the case against him be withdrawn, the court had rejected the state government contention and sent him to jail. The jailed MLA has blamed the Chief Minister and the state government for his plight. He has threatened to start a tirade against the Chief Minister after his release from custody. It is believed in Congress circles that a lot of fireworks within Congress party can be expected after Dhami's release from custody. His bail application would come up for hearing in the Pithoragarh sessions court on May 28. — SMA Kazmi