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Haridwar, Rishikesh face after-effects of disaster
Mussoorie tourism comes to standstill
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In June, Dehradun had highest ever rainfall of 1,095 mm
Schedule of 10 Haridwar trains changed
Symposium on biomarkers in health tomorrow
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Haridwar, Rishikesh face after-effects of disaster
Haridwar, July 1 The two cities witness a heavy rush of pilgrims and tourists during May, June and July owing to the Char Dham yatra. The pilgrimages to the Kailash Mansoravar, Shri Hemkund Sahib and numerous other revered shrines located in the Himalayan belt add to the rush in the cities. But the situation has changed drastically due to the calamity triggered by heavy rains from June 15 to 17 and a large number of casualties in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts. As the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib yatras have been suspended for an indefinite period, pilgrims and tourists from other states have stopped coming to the state, affecting the livelihood of thousands of people. Haridwar, which is considered an entry route to the Garhwal Himalayas, is bearing the brunt of the tragedy. Traders here claim that they have suffered business losses of crores of rupees as lakhs of pilgrims usually visit Haridwar on their way back from the Char Dham pilgrimage. The Hotel and Lodges Association has demanded waiver of the surcharge as they say only a few rooms in their hotels are occupied during this peak season. President of the District Traders’ Association Om Prakash Jamdagni, who owns two hotels in the city, said the natural disaster had affected everyone--hoteliers, dhaba owners, bus and taxi operators, rickshaw-walas and local traders. “We are facing a tough time paying instalments of loan taken for business, salaries of employees and making other payments. The state government should consider our problems and help us,” said Jamdagni. Aadesh Marwadi, who runs Teerath Hotel near Har-Ki-Pauri, said he was giving 20 per cent discount on room rates to customers as 90 per cent of the rooms in his hotel were unoccupied. He added in the past they had no room vacant and had bookings in surplus during the peak tourist season. Rajat Ohri of Cheap General Store at Moti Bazaar said the Upper Market, which used to be abuzz with pilgrims till November, now look deserted. “We had stocked commodities for pilgrims keeping in mind a probable increase in the number of Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrims and tourists in Uttarakhand. But now we have barely sold 5 per cent of the stock and it looks like the off season time of January when portals to the holy shrines remain closed and it is also quite cold in Haridwar,” said Rajat while waiting for customers at his shop.
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Mussoorie tourism comes to standstill
Mussoorie, July 1 The disaster at Kedarnath and Uttarkashi has instilled fear among them. They have begun cancelling the bookings for hotels in Mussoorie. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Hotel, which remained 100 per cent booked in the month of June, is left with only 10 per cent occupancy, said the manager. According to Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board member Sandeep Sahni, the tourism industry has taken a beating this June as the town wears a deseted look. He further said too much dependence on religious tourism and the neglect of leisure tourism has left the business community of Nainital and Mussoorie in quandary. Sandeep Sahni is of the view that till the time the Char Dham Yatra, the mainstay of the Garhwal economy, remains suspended, the government should focus on places like Mussoorie, which have remained unaffected in the recent disaster, in order to keep the state's economy running. The Mussoorie Hotels' Association is also demanding that the state government should bail the hotel industry out from this precarious situation by granting subsidy and relief in taxes for the current year. "If the government does not support us at this juncture, we would be forced to shut down our installations, leading to more unemployment in the state,'' said Varun Ranawat, the owner of a hotel in Mussoorie. Tourism officials are also of the view that the panic-stricken tourists are just keeping away from the state and the need to restore their confidence is being felt here. However, with the scale of devastation in the state, it would take more than a year to bring the economy on track again.
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In June, Dehradun had highest ever rainfall of 1,095 mm
Dehradun, July 1 Dehradun’s highest ever rainfall took place when cloudbursts caused floods that ravaged Uttarakhand in June. The floods led to many pilgrims on the Char Dham yatra and locals being stranded in higher reaches. More than 1,000 persons died and several are missing. According to the weather department, it was partly cloudy in Uttarakhand today. The flood-affected areas of Yamunotri (north of Uttarkashi) and Gangotri in Uttarkashi district and Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district today received up to 10 mm rainfall, added the Meteorological Department. Badrinath in Chamoli district 5 mm to 15 mm of rainfall. Dehradun, Haridwar and the neighbouring areas are likely to receive 10 mm to 30 mm of rainfall and Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Almora, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh 10 mm to 20 mm. In Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts, there was light to moderate rainfall, the same as today. Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri and Tehri witnessed 10 to 20 mm of moderate rain. In Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Almora, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh, there was 10 to 30 mm of rainfall. On July 3, the weather in the flood affected regions will be the same as in the previous two days. Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri and Tehri will receive 10 mm to 20 mm of rainfall. The other districts of Uttarakhand will receive 40 mm to 60 mm of rainfall, predicted the Meteorological Department.
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Schedule of 10 Haridwar trains changed
Haridwar, July 1 Station Superintendent, Haridwar railway station, Gopal Krishan Das said the 10 trains will run as per the new time from July 1. The new time of the Allahabad Express (14116) is 16:25, Ajmer Express (19610) 19:55, Ahmedabad-Haridwar Mail (19105) 12:10, Ahmedabad Mail (19106) 15:10, Amritsar Jan Shatabdi (12053) 14:30, Badmer Link (25888) 09:20, Delhi Passenger (54476) 04:50, Lok Manya Tilak Express (12171) 13:10, Ram Nagar Express (15033) 18:30 and Una Link Express (12063) 14:30. Gopal Krishan Das said that the new schedule has been put on display boards in the station, internet, Railway portal, websites, newspapers and charts at the stations through which these trains pass to make sure passengers get to know of it in time. He said loudspeaker announcements are also being in this regard. Meanwhile, many passengers missed their scheduled trains owing to the new chart. Railway officials arranged for the alternative train seats as it was the first day for the changed timing. The duration of halt of the Gorakhpur Express, Upasana, Ujjain-Indore Express has been increased to 20 minutes from existing 10 minutes. Ratan Singh, a Delhi-bound passenger, said the new timings should have been put in place at least a fortnight in advance so that people came to know of it in time.
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Govt to provide education to children who lost parents
Dehradun, July 1 "Further, a one-time assistance of Rs 500 would be given to students studying in all schools, intermediate colleges and ITIs and Rs 1000 per student would be given to those polytechnics, degree colleges and other institutions," said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna after the Cabinet meeting. It was also decided that the local administration will keep a close watch on any such construction on the river banks and new constructions will be permitted in strict compliance of the existing rules and regulations. The cabinet also decided that the relief amount for sugarcane will be 50 per
cent more than the compensation of the normal crops. Further, all the disaster-hit families whose villages have been cut off would be provided 15 kg rice,15 kg wheat flour, 5 kg pulses, 3 kg sugar, 1 lt refined oil, spices, salt, match boxes and kerosene free of
cost by the state government, he said.
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Ambika takes stock of relief steps
Dehradun, July 1 She reportedly warned the senior Congress leaders to refrain from making controversial statements on the disaster. She told them that Congress President Sonia Gandhi was concerned about the situation in Uttarakhand and would visit the state to monitor the relief and rehabilitation efforts soon. On her arrival in Dehradun on Sunday, Ambika Soni held a meeting with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and his senior cabinet colleagues. Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat was also present. Today, she held two meetings with Congress legislators and state office-bearers. She reportedly asked the Congress legislators and senior state party leaders to wholeheartedly work for the relief distribution work amongst the victims of the natural calamity in the state. It was decided that a government committee would be formed in each district with each respective District Magistrate as its secretary and the MP and the legislators of the area as its members to oversee the relief and rehabilitation works in their districts. Similar committees
at the block levels would also be formed, comprising one social worker of the area. She said that the relief supplies provided by the Congress party in 200 trucks should be immediately disbursed to the victims under their supervision. She said that there would be no shortage of relief supplies and more relief was on the way. Regarding the contradictions in the claims of the Chief Minister and the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, she warned that no one should speak on death toll and only the state government figures be quoted. She said that she had talked to Kunjwal, who is in Pithoragarh, regarding the basis of his claim of 10,000 deaths in the disaster. She said that Kunjwal had replied that it was based on the reports given by the people. Soni criticised senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj for demanding the sacking of the state Congress government for its alleged failure to provide timely help to the victims. She said that in this time of natural calamity, Sushma Swaraj should not have indulged in politics, but contributed in helping the victims. Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said Sushma Swaraj had not visited Uttarakhand after the
disaster and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani had not said a word on the natural tragedy.
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MP meets Guv over revamp of Kedarnath Temple
Dehradun, July 1 They discussed the restoration of roads and bridges, and the resumption of "Pooja" and "Archana" at Kedarnath shrine besides preparations to prevent epidemics. The Governor spoke to the delegation about his meeting with Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and other members of the "sant samaj" at Haridwar last evening, where he had discussed the resumption of pooja, archana at Kedarnath shrine. He said he had requested all elected representatives of the people and voluntary organisations to come together in this hour of tragedy and help the victims generously. Those present in the delegation include Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Dr Anusuya Prasad,Maikhuri, Badri-Kedar Mandir Samiti chairperson Ganesh Godiyal, Pauri MLA S Mandarwal, Kedarnath Vidhan Sabha area MLA Shailarani Rawat and Rajendra Rawat.
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Armed robber involved in heist held
Haridwar, July 1 Notably, yesterday evening two assailants on a motor bike fired on a salesman of a petrol pump near SIDCUL and took away cash Rs 25,000 from the salesman. Within minutes the same bike-borne assailants stopped a motorcyclist near SIDCUL and forcefully took away his bike HR 14 D 7738 , leaving their own (UK 8 E 7578) to escape. A case under sections 251/252 and 13 was registered at Ranipur police station against the two unknown persons. In view of this, under the directives of Senior Superintendent of Haridwar Police Rajiv Swaroop, intense checking drive was carried out in the district. On a tip-off the police team got information that two persons on same number bike were going towards gram Daluwala-Rithorgrant bridge. Police teams started combing the area and soon saw two persons on the bike. When the team tried to stop them ,the bikers tried to escape into the nearby jungle and also fired on the police team. But finally one of them Amit Chaudhari, resident of village Sohalpur, Bhagwanpur tehsil, was arrested from the spot while his accomplice Vinesh Pundit of same village escaped. From the arrested person the police recoverd .316 bore revolver and also the motor cycle looted from SIDCUL area yesterday. SSP Rajeev Swaroop has lauded the efforts of the police team comprising of SSI Kundan Singh Rana,Kamal Mohan Bhandari,SOG in charge Narendra Singh Bisht, Pradeep Rawat, Shashi Kant, Mahesh Chand Lakheda, Madan Mohan Bhatt, Kailash Kadakoti, Pramod Purohit, Satendra Kumar, Mukesh Dhiman, Shashi Kant ,Harveer Singh and Dalveer Singh.
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Symposium on biomarkers in health tomorrow
Dehradun, July 1 This is the first national symposium being sponsored by the two statutory bodies in this medical institution. The theme of this national academic meet is to know, identify and search for newer and cheaper markers for the benefit of suffering humanity. Clinical biochemists, molecular biologists, laboratory medicine experts and leading clinicians from all over the country will put forth their theories and researches
on applications of biomarkers. Dr V M Katoch, Secretary, Department of Health Research (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) and Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, will inaugurate the symposium and also be the chief guest. Mahant Devendra Dass Ji Maharaj, chief patron, Shri Guru Ram Rai Education Mission, Dehradun, will also address the symposium. Prof Rajendra Prasad, Director, V P Chest Institute, Delhi, Prof Raj Kumar, Director, AIIMS, Rishikesh, and Dr P K Seth, former Director, Indian Institute of Toxicological Research, Lucknow, will be the guests of
honour. The foundation day lecture will be delivered by Prof T Venkatesh, Director, National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning. The speakers invited for this symposium are Prof. D M Vasudevan from Kerala, Prof Y N Rao from Andhra Pradesh, Prof Shashidhara from Bangaluru, Prof Malati from Hyderabad, Prof R B Singh, Poland, Prof Rakesh Sharma, USA, Prof Pandey from BHU, Prof Vibhuti Rai
from Chhattisgarh, Prof Raizada from Delhi, Prof Rajiv Sinha from Patna, Prof Reddy from Wardha (Maharashtra) and Prof A K Singh from Dehradun. The establishment of a lead clinic will be announced for lead poisoning related training, research and diagnostic opportunities for the people of Uttarakhand at Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, here.
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Students light candles for calamity-hit
Mussoorie, July 1 The students marched from the school premises in Landour Bazaar to Shaheed Sthal and paid homage to those who lost their lives in the recent calamity in Kedar valley and other places of the state. The students appealed for the help for the affected persons through songs and posters on the occasion.The students after lighting the candles observed two minutes' silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The head of the school, Dr Rasim Kulshrestta, said the people should unite and work towards one goal of reviving the state to it's past glory by assisting in the rescue and relief operations.
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