Schools closed till August 7
Dehradun, August 5
District Magistrate, Dehradun, R Meenakshi Sundaram today issued orders that all public and private schools would remain closed till August 7 following incessant rains. He ordered the District Education Officer to ensure that all schools remain closed till August 7 and the orders were communicated to all block education officers for implementation in the schools in their jurisdiction.

Mussoorie, August 5
Taking undue advantage of the recent disaster and apathy of the Drug Control Department in the state of Uttarakhand, pharma companies are continuing to sell older drugs at higher prices in Mussoorie, despite a government order ( GO) dated May 15 of reducing the prices substantially.

India's Department of Pharmaceuticals on May 15 had published the Drug (Price Control) Order (DPCO) 2013, bringing 362 drugs under government price controls that would have made use of market-based pricing calculations to set retail price ceilings but the pharmaceutical companies are still selling the drugs at higher prices, much to the ire of the consumers in the state.

When contacted the chemists in and around Mussoorie also confirmed that the drugs such as Augmentine syrup are being sold at Rs 110 per bottle along with several other high-end medicines used by cancer and HIV patients.

One chemist under anonymity said that the companies were refusing to take back the old stock from them. Some companies have reduced the prices of only 5 mg drugs, while the prices of the higher mg medicines have remained the same, said the chemists.

The Ministry of Chemicals and fertilisers had on May 15, through NPPA issued a notification to implement the Drug (Price Control) Order (DPCO) 2013 which would have brought down 652 drugs under price control. DPCO had also asked the pharma companies to reduce prices of 362 medicines and replace stocks in the market so that the drugs can be sold at reduced prices in the larger interest of the consumers from August 1 2013, but the concerned companies have failed to adhere to the orders and were booking in huge profits despite the government order, said Neeraj Singhal, general secretary Mussoorie Chemists Association.

The DPCO also asked them to replace stocks in the market carrying reduced maximum retail price within 45 days of the new price notification by the NPPA but no action has been initiated so far, added Neeraj Singhal.

He also affirmed that the same companies have slashed the prices in the state of Delhi but were not doing the same in Uttarakhand as most of the government machinery was busy dealing with the disaster.

The chemists and the industry experts believe that around half of the prices will fall by around 20 per cent, and would also lead to 70 per cent reductions for certain HIV/AIDS combination drugs, and up to 88 per cent reductions for the anxiety drug such as alprazolam etc.

On the other hand the pharma companies fearing the dent in the profit margins due with the introduction of price controls are resorting to delaying tactics to avoid any adverse affect on their pockets.

The Tribune has also learnt that many pharma companies are also planning to take shelter of the court to avoid any such move of the government as such order would affect their profit chances adversely.

When contacted the general secretary of the Dehradun Medical Traders' Association Manish Nanda said that it would take at least one or two months for the new batches of medicine with reduced prices to arrive in market. Till then the consumers will have to live with the existing prices.

The Health Minister, SS Negi, when contacted was not available for comments despite repeated attempts as he was busy attending some religious function.

Dehradun, August 5
Unauthorised parking of vehicles along roads, particularly in busy commercial areas, due to inadequate parking space in the city is causing traffic snarls regularly.

Even after the opening of the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) parking lot at Clock Tower last year, Dehradun still lacks adequate parking space. Day by day, the number of vehicles in the city is also increasing.

After becoming the capital of the state in 2000, Dehradun has seen a little improvement in terms of infrastructure, although commercial establishments have increased, attracting an ever-increasing number of customers, which has resulted in unprecedented level of vehicle pressure on city roads.

Parking is a major problem in the city of Dehradun. Unauthorised parking leaves little space for pedestrians to walk. The administration has also failed to find suitable spaces for creating multiple parking lots across the city. The police has also sarted taking strict action against drivers parking their vehicles in no-parking zones.

Bhupinder Singh, a local resident, said: “There is no parking space on Rajpur Road, which is causing hardships to commuters."

Municipal Corporation-run parking lots are also not enough to cater to the number of vehicles in the city. Another local resident, Mudit Pathak, said: “Even commercial complexes have failed to provide parking space to customers, which force them to park their vehicles along roads and in no-parking zones. Although it is a wrong practice, we are left with no other option in the absence of adequate parking space." Police officials also admit that traffic problems in the city are due to insufficient number of parking lots in Dehradun. Circle Officer (City) Harish Chandra Sati said: "There is no doubt that there is problem of inadequate parking space in the city. But we will have to streamline it in the available space only."

He said a delegation of traders of Rajpur Road had recently met him on the issue of parking and they were also told that the police was identifying free space on Rajpur Road that could be used as a parking lot.

Dehradun, August 5
A firing incident was reported from the East Canal (EC) Road in broad daylight in the capital on Monday afternoon. No major injuries were reported from the incident.

Reportedly, two men, Vikram and Bittu, both residents of Panipat, were going towards Survey Chowk on EC Road on their bike when they hit Vishal Thapa while he was crossing the road to reach his vehicle. After registering his protest, both Vikram and Bittu, allegedly, manhandled Vishal and his wife as well.

After seeing his wife getting harassed publicly, Vishal lost his control and took out his licensed revolver and fired a shot in the air. He later said that he had to use his revolver in self-defence and to save his wife. Later, the police reached the scene and took both parties to Dalanwala police station for investigation.

According to police sources, Vishal Thapa, who is a resident of Doiwala, and has a property business, had brought his wife to hospital for check- up. The incident happened when he was coming out of the hospital. The police also confirmed that Vishal had a valid revolver license, from which he fired a shot.

Dalanwala police told The Tribune that both Vikram and Bittu had come to Mussoorie for leisure and were under the influence of alcohol when the incident happened. The police said that further investigation was going on in the matter.

Dehradun, August 5
District Magistrate RM Sundaram yesterday held a meeting with the officials concerned to review sanction to allow mining from rivers which have got flooded with sand and gravel after a series of heavy downpours in the district.

He constituted a committee to assess the area and quantity of mining material to be collected from the rivers and nullahs. The committee will also deal with issues related to disaster relief fund at the district level.

The committee has Subdivisional Officer, Deputy District Forest Officer, Executive Officer, Irrigation and Senior Mining Officer of the areas concerned as members. These officials will identify the areas which face the potential threat from the swelling rivers. He also directed SDMs and Additional Mukhya Nagar Adhikari of Dehradun Municipal Corporation to be included in the committee to deal with issues related to the Bindal and Rispana rivers. Sundaram said: “The senior mining official should inspect the rivers on a daily basis to prevent illegal mining there. In the very first instance, the accused on being caught red-handed should be levied penalty. If he is again caught doing same thing, then along with challan and penalty, he should be issued a warning. Third time, FIR should be registered against him. Similarly, for issuing challans to the owners of vehicles for carrying the mining material, the police help should be sought.”

Dehradun, August 5
Encroachers have cut plots, filled a nullah with sand and built a road and a makeshift bridge on a gram sabha land at Tarla Amwala in Dehradun. This all has happened near the land where the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) is planning to launch its housing schemes.

As the encroachers have filled the nullah in the area with soil and sand, the outlet for rainwater has been blocked. This can lead to heavy damage in the area due to heavy rains. However, despite several complaints the illegal constructions have not been removed. Though former Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ranjana Verma had removed an illegal embankment along the nullah two months ago, the encroachers not only rebuilt it but also constructed a bridge and a road. Vice-Chairman of the MDDA RM Sundaram has taken serious note of the situation and ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.

In a letter written to Apar Tehsildar on March 21, a revenue clerk had pointed out that he had evicted an encroacher from the land of Anant Ram and warned him against such illegal activity.

The revenue clerk had also taken a written assurance from him and three landowners that they would dismantle the illegally-built embankment. But these people not only rebuilt the embankment but also constructed a road and a bridge. They also filled the nullah in the area with sand.

Even the Secretary of the MDDA had written to Additional District Magistrate (Financial and Revenue) Jharna Kamthan about illegal constructions on the gram sabha land. Residents of the nearby areas too had brought the matter to the notice of the Naib Tehsildar and the Station House Officer, Raipur, but these structures had not been removed till today.

Rajat Gupta, who owns a piece of land at some distance at Danda Lakhond, said, “Despite an assurance to the revenue staff on March 21 that they will not indulge in the illegal activity again, they have rebuilt the embankment. They have also constructed a road and a makeshift bridge.”

He said, “It was when the Dehradun Municipal Corporation officials were busy with the municipal corporation election that the encroachers filled the partial dry nullah with soil. This has led to blocking of the rainwater outlet. Now, there is a serious threat of flooding and extensive damage in the area due to heavy rains.”

Gupta added the encroachers had built the makeshift bridge over the drain to connect the area to the road. This road is a shortcut to the Sahastardhara road. 

Dehradun, August 5
Principal Secretary S. Ramaswamy said that the Uttarakhand government would soon issue notification for guidelines on issuing death certificates to missing persons presumed dead in the Uttarakhand calamity.

''The guidelines would be approved in a day or two after these are endorsed by the Chief Minister. For persons who are missing from other states, next of kin would have to apply through the Resident Commissioner of Uttarakhand based in New Delhi,'' he said. He said that the guidelines, while taking the Tsunami incident guidelines as reference point, have been suitably reframed according to the needs of the state. ''We have put in enough checks and balances so that the arrangement is not misused for procuring death certificates,'' he said. — TNS

A match in progress during the CBSE Sahodaya School Complex Inter-School Football Tournament in Dehradun on Monday. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, August 5
In the ongoing CBSE Sahodaya School Complex Inter-School Football Tournament played at Scholars' Home School in Dehradun, the knockout stage matches ended today.

Out of the total five matches played today, three were played in junior category and the rest two in senior category. In the first match of the day in senior category, Welham Boys defeated Kasiga School by the score of 3-0. In another match, Jimp Pioneer School defeated Lucent International School with a score of 4-0.

On other hand, in the junior category, Welham Boys won their match convincingly by defeating Lucent International School by 5-0. Kasiga School won its match in the junior category after defeating Jaswant Modern School with score of 1-0. In the last match played in junior category between Asian School and Doon Hill School, the former won by 4-0 margin. Notably, the tournament started on August 3 and the finals will be played on August 9. Fifteen teams are participating in the senior level category and 14 in the junior level.

Notably, Ravindra Rautela from 40th Battalion of the PAC in Haridwar and Mukesh Kumar from the Haridwar police have won gold and silver medals, respectively, in the games. DGP Satyavrat Bansal also congratulated them for winning medals for Uttarakhand. — TNS