Round-the-clock live footage of Kanwar fair available
Haridwar, August 1
In view of the terror threat looming large on the ongoing Kanwar fair, and the subsequent rise in the number of Kanwariyas at the mela, the police is making all efforts to ensure smooth completion of the pilgrimage.

Dehradun, August 1
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna submitted a proposal of Rs 60.70 crore for the conservation of soil and water in the disaster-affected areas of Uttarakhand to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi today. The Chief Minister informed Pawar that agriculture activities in the state had been adversely affected due to the natural disaster. Fields in the hills were washed away due to flash floods on June 16 and 17 while those in the plains were damaged.

The prime occupation of those living in the disaster-affected areas is agriculture. He said since the kharif crop production was also likely to be affected, immediate remedial measures should be taken.

According to the proposal, there is a need to immediately treat about 37,000 hectares of agriculture land in order to save it from further damage. This task would cost around Rs 55 crore.

The state government has included the cost of other activities such as repair of terraced fields and the construction of check walls and dams as well as retaining walls. He has also suggested to the Union minister the planting of trees in order to avoid soil erosion. This will also involve reinforcement of block development offices in the disaster-affected areas, setting up of government agriculture farms, investment in redevelopment of disaster-hit Agustmuni at Rudraprayag and the repair of seed storehouses at Doiwala, Raipur, Kalsi, Ukhimath and Bhatwadi on priority. Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar was accompanying the Chief Minister. 

Haridwar, August 1
Presenting a unique example of bonhomie that exists between Hindus and Muslims in Haridwar, Rozedaars, after breaking their fast of Roza in the evening, are lending community service to Hindu Kanwariyas in suburban Jwalapur.

Led by social activists Anis Khan, Rozedaars are offering Lord Shiva devotees fruits,refreshments and water along the Kanwar patri at Pull Jatwada. Notably,Jwalapur is a minority-dominated suburban colony, from where Kanwariyas pass to reach Kanwar patri. But such is the communal harmony among the two sects here that mela administration never thought of an alternative route for Kanwariyas. Cooperation from the minority community and holding of such Kanwar camps for Kanwariyas by them adds to the bonhomie that exists between the two commuities in Haridwar.

Khan adds: ''Rozedaars offering water to Kanwariyas demonstrates the Indian diverse culture and the love that exists between the people living in Haridwar. Rarely elsewhere in the world would one witness such harmony that exists in Haridwar,which is widely regarded as Hindu spiritual-religious city.''

Ghulam Sabir, a volunteer, pointed out that the pious month of Mah-e-Ramzan ''teaches us to be good human beings first. After completing Roza rituals we feel glad to offer fruits and water to the Kanwariyas ,who are also on a spiritual journey, taking pains and treading miles to fetch the holy Ganga jal from Haridwar.'' Similarly, Rozedaars like Anjam Ansari, Islam Ansari, Sahil Ikrar, Yamin, Pappan Qureshi, Gulfaam Pir, Shakeel Tanveer, Abrar Qureshi and Sarfaraz Khan are delighted after seeing Kanwariyas hugging them after accepting their offerings at the service camp.

Haridwar, August 1
The district administration today forcibly shifted Swami Sanand to the All India Institute of Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi after his health deteriorated. Sub-Divisional Magistrate DK Singh accompanied Sanand after convincing the inmates of the Matra Sadan ashram of the need for urgent medical attention.

Environmentalist Prof Guru Das Aggarwal, who is now known as Swami Sanand, has been agitating for the past 50 days. He had turned down requests of district administration officials to give up the agitation. He is demanding that the purity and sanctity of the Ganga be restored so that it becomes ‘nirmal Ganga’ once again. He is also demanding that the Himalayan ecology be maintained.

Sanand says the natural disaster in Uttarakhand was caused due to human and government interference in the local ecology, religious activities and the environment. He adds government representatives and administration officials had given him assurances even during previous agitations but not fulfilled them. He was firm on his demands this time and was no mood to give up the agitation.

District Magistrate, Haridwar, Nidhi Pandey, SSP Rajeev Swarup and SP, City, Jagdish Bhandari had called on Sanand at the Matra Sadan ashram recently. They had urged Sanand to give up his agitation. They had tried to convince him that they would take up the matter with the authorities concerned and the government, but Sanand remained adamant that till he gets the assurances in writting he would not call off his agitation. The Matra Sadan ashram had also urged the people to support Sanand in his agitation launched for the cause of the Ganga, the Himalayas and the ecology.

Sanand along with inmates of the Matra Sadan ashram has been opposing hydropower projects being built in Uttarakhand hills. He had also objected to uplifting of the revered shrine of Mata Dhari Devi at Srinagar in Pauri Garhwal district last month.

Haridwar, August 1
In view of the terror threat looming large on the ongoing Kanwar fair, and the subsequent rise in the number of Kanwariyas at the mela, the police is making all efforts to ensure smooth completion of the pilgrimage.

Round-the-clock live footage of the Kanwar fair is being provided by CCTV cameras spread over the mela zone. Vigil is being kept by a special CCTV police cell.

At CCR-based CCTV cell, facility of monitoring 78 such set ups, is available. More than two dozen other CCTVs are monitored at various police stations spread across the city.

Superintendent of City Police Jagdeesh Singh Bhandari told TNS that in view of the terror threat and incidents of antisocial elements mixing with the Kanwariyas to create a nuisance, CCTV monitoring is being a given special emphasis.

The SP pointed out that recently a group of Kanwariyas was found trying to barge into the national highway instead of Kanwar patri. As police personnel prevented this, ,tension began to mount.

From CCTV footage at CCR tower, this was reported to the nearest police station and additional force was sent to the place. Seeing additional police personnel coming in,the errant Kanwariyas silently went towards the Kanwar patri.

CCTV cell in charge Netra Singh Sailal added that maintenance work was being done on some non- operational CCTV stations as in the coming days

with the arrival of vehicular Kanwar (Dak Kanwar), the rush of pilgrims may surpass 1 crore mark.

Displaying the recordings of prominent places like Braham Kund, Har-ki-Pauri, where 9 cameras are placed, Netra pointed that they have ample recording cameras with higher resolutions, zoom facility and storage to make up for the dozen-odd defunct cameras.

In view of paucity of funds ,which was posing hindrance for city police to monitor vital points of the city through CCTVs, a proposal was sent to police headquarters in this regard which was cleared five months back.

Uttarakhand Police headquarters, Dehradun, had also sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for CCTV equipment, which will surely step up the security in the coming days.

Currently at Malviya Ghat (9), Subash Ghat (7), Mata Mansa Devi (3),Khad-Khadi, Shankarcharya Chowk, Chandracharya Chowk (1),Bhagat Singh Chowk,Shiv Moorti Chowk, Tulsi Chowk, Chandi Ghat police booth,Singh Dwar,railway station, bus station, RTO Chowk, Dudhadhari, Gujjranwala Chowk,Valmiki Chowk-Laltaura are the prominent places where CCTVs have been installed.

Upcoming CCTVs are likely to be installed at Bhoopatwala, Desh Rakshak intersection (Kankhal) and at NH-58 and 72 on which Kanwar movement is the maximum.

Mussoorie, August 1
More than 500 fruit-bearing saplings were distributed to equal number of students from Government Inter College in Kempty village on the occasion of van mahotsav today.

The saplings were provided to the students free of cost by Eco-Task Force on the condition that they would grow them near their homes in the villages and take good care till they start bearing fruit. The students also took pledge of growing more trees and saving the environment in the process. Deepak, a student of the school, read out a small essay highlighting the importance of trees in the lives of people and the role they played in conserving environment.

The yoga students who have been representing the school at the national level under the guidance of Roop Chand showcased their talent, which was much appreciated by the gathered audience.

The chief guest on the occasion, MC president Manmohan Singh Mall, and eminent sportsperson Shiv Painuly inaugurated the festival by planting one sapling each in the school premises here. Mall also distributed FD certificates worth Rs 2800 to the female students of class IX provided under a government scheme where hill woman were being given cash amounts instead of bicycles to their compatriots from non-hill areas.

Manmohan Mall speaking on the occasion commended the efforts of the school in taking special interest in planting trees around the region.Mall further said that the recent disaster that took many lives in Kedarnath and elsewhere in the state was a living example on the need to preserve ''our environment in order to avoid any natural disaster of such magnitude in the near future.'' He also said that the saplings provided to the students would also bear fruit, thus helping the family economically, too. Shiv Painuly speaking on the occasion said that people such as Gaura Devi had struggled for their life to save the environment and it was the duty of every citizen of the state to follow the footsteps of such people so that the future generations can live in a safe environment.

The Principal of the school P.Peter read the annual report and highlighted the achievements of the school in the current year. She also said that the endeavour of the school was to provide value-based education along with modern education in the era of globalisation.

The Principal also said that the edu-comp group that runs the MIS was also planning to open a school for the poor and needy. The chief guest on the occasion, the chairman and managing director-Educomp Shantanu Prakash commended the efforts of the students on the occasion. The students excelling in academics and sports were also felicitated on the occasion.The president school projects, S.Agarwal, also addressed the students on the occasion. 

Mussoorie, August 1
The door-to-door garbage collection project began from Kulri ward (ward no 5) here today. It is being funded by the ADB under the state solid waste management scheme.

However, the project could not take off on the expected lines as only one NGO, Shristi Social Development Organisation, out of the two NGOs, which have been entrusted with the task, collected garbage from 40-80 houses.The Municipal Council had claimed to start it in all wards of Mussoorie. Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall, who inaugurated the project, was cornered on the issues of waterlogging in colonies, thus diverting the attention from the original cause for which people were assembled.

Residents alleged that the project was just an eyewash as workers of the NGO visited only one ward and not in others as planned earlier.

They rued that the NGO had increased the user charges to Rs 30 in comparison to the previous arrangement of Rs 20 taken by swachta samitis.

Health officer Dr RK Singh said the project had been started on an experimental basis from one ward only and would soon be expanded. Dr RK Singh said the Municipal Council would assist the NGO by providing vehicles, but it would be making its own arrangement for manpower.