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Crops rot in rains, farmers seek compensation
I-Day brawl over hoisting of flag in Mussoorie
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Demand to train public representatives in anger management gains momentum
Soni not to attend meeting today, Cong MLAs unhappy
Measures sought to prevent extinction of monal
Dehradun diary
List of missing persons sent to Centre
Moderate showers in several parts of Uttarakhand
PRD members’ protest continues
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Crops rot in rains, farmers seek compensation
Pithoragarh, August 18 “Farmers from Ramgarh, Dari, Okhalkanda and Bhimtal blocks took part in the demonstration, displaying rotten vegetables and fruits in their hands and showing the loss of these products due to heavy rains and subsequent landslides in this area this year,” said Dan Singh Bhandari, BJP MLA, and organiser of the demonstration. The BJP leader said that as over 90 per cent vegetables and fruits had been damaged in this area this year due to the rains, the government had done nothing to give relief to these farmers who totally depend on the sale of the produce. “Though on the orders of the state government, the Kumaon Mandal Vikash Nigam is purchasing the remaining produce, the prices determined for the produce are an insult to the farmers," said Dan Singh. He said thousands of farmers of these four blocks of Nainital district depended on the farming of these cash products for their livelihood, but due to heavy rains and damaged roads to the nearest mandi at Haldwani, the produce could not reach there in time and rotted in the farms. “Besides damaging ready-to-pick vegetables in the fields due to waterlogging in these fields for a long time, the rains damaged fruits of apple, pear and peach this year,” said Lakhan Singh, a farmer from Bhimtal block. The demonstrating farmers have also demanded exemption from agriculture loans of last year, economic assistance to the farmers who have not been covered under agriculture insurance schemes and the construction of cold stores in every block of the district. |
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I-Day brawl over hoisting of flag in Mussoorie
Mussoorie, August 18 The two leaders who reached Mussoorie for the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Shaheed Sthal shook hands and hugged each other, tendering an apology to the nation for the act which has shamed not only the town but also their respective parties. Both leaders, tendering apology to the nation, said that the incident was unfortunate and would remain as a blot on their poltical careers for life. They resolved not to indulge in any such act in future and work towards the development of the town by forgetting their animosity. A senior UKD leader, speaking on the truce between the two leaders, said the two had shown the true character of their partiesy and termed the exercise as a gimmick and a decision taken following public outcry. He said the leaders from both parties, on one hand were bent upon creating animosity among their workers on August 15, and now were hugging each other today. This revealed that they were working only for their interest and not of the town. Meanwhile, the people of the town have welcomed the move and heaved a sigh of relief. Residents said that the truce between the two would go well in the long run and the development works would not suffer in future. |
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Minister lays stone for upgrading Shaheed Sthal
Mussoorie, August 18 The minister arrived in the morning and laid the foundation stone for the renovation and upgradation of the Shaheed Sthal at Jhoola Ghar, where seven persons, including a Police official had lost life during the statehood agitation in 1994. The minister speaking on the occasion informed the gathering that the design of the said site had been decided in consultation with the Shaheed Sthal samiti and the new memorial would house a museum showcasing culture and tradition of hill state along with the statues of the people martyred during the agitation.The MDDA would oversee the construction and the cost for it would be around 85 lac. He said the architecture of Mussoorie would also be amalgamated in the new Shaheed Sthal constructed here. A memorial would also be constructed at Batagad, where the people from Uttarkashi and other areas had faced the police firing during the agitation and some person lost their lives during separate state agitation. Pradeep Bhandari a social activist suggested to covering the activity area with tin shed considering the inclement weather of the town. Preetam Panwar speaking to the media on the occasion said the state hood agitators who have been left out of identification process would be included after consultation with the concerned authorities. The MLA Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi presided over the function while MC president, Manmohan Singh Mall, Former MLA Mussoorie Jot Singh Gunsola,VC MDDA Meenakshi Sundaram, former MC president OP Uniyal, The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal senior leader and the convener Rajya Andolankari Sanghatan Jaiprakash Uttrakhandi,Megh Singh Kandari,Anuj Gupta, Jasveer Kaur and others were also present on the occasion. |
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Demand to train public representatives in anger management gains momentum
Mussoorie, August 18 The two leaders -- Mussoorie Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall and MLA Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi -- who were involved in the reprehensible act of losing their temper and seen jostling to hoist the flag on August 15 in Gandhi Chowk are already feeling the heat.After a public outcry, they are in an apologetic mode, although too late. The two shook hands with each other and tendered an apology to the nation for their act on the sidelines of a function in Mussoorie today. However, in the wake of the incident, the bigger question still remains: that why the politicians are unable to control their anger and is there a need for them to undergo training in anger management? The state general secretary of the Communist Party of India, Samar Bhandari, who has a long political career, feels that the aggression being witnessed among the new generation politicians is due to the absence of any ideology, where the motive of joining politics is more to further self-interest rather than serving the people. Hence one witnesses such acts as displayed by the politicians in Mussoorie. Samar Bhandari feels that he too gets angry, but it is followed by the immediate realisation that anger is futile and would harm not only others, but him too. He feels that considering the present political scenario, the need for anger management training for the elected representatives has become necessary. State Planning and Sports Minister Dinesh Agarwal feels that the incident of August 15 when two politicians were seen fighting with each other is condemnable and he has never in his political life indulged in such an act. However, he feels that instead of any sort of training, political experience is the best teacher and the realisation that the elected representatives are there to serve people leads to minimising any aggression. According to the Anger Research Consortium, India and America, anger is a normal emotion with a wide range of intensity -- from mild irritation and frustration to rage. It is a reaction to a perceived threat to us, our loved ones, our property, our self-image, or some part of our identity. Anger is a warning bell that tells us that something is wrong. The anger has three components: physical reactions, usually starting with a rush of adrenaline and responses such as an increased heart rate, blood pressure, and tightening of muscles; often known as the “fight or flight” response. The second is behaviour, or the way the anger is expressed. Turning red, raising voice, clamming up, slamming the door, storming away, or signal of being angry. Once angry, people should ask for a time-out, request an apology, or ask for something to change. The study of the association shows that everyone experiences anger, and it can be healthy. It can motivate to stand up for ourselves and correct injustices. When anger is managed well, it prompts to make positive changes in the lives of people and situations. However mismanaged anger, on the other hand, is counterproductive and can be unhealthy. Former BJP local unit Anita Saxena is of the view that the people in public life should have a control over their anger as it not only leads to creating bad air among the people they are surrounded by, but also harms the personal health. “Whenever I am angry, I take a glass of water and realise my mistake and it is in this way I control my anger,” added Anita Saxena An eminent psychiatrist, Dr Pratibha Sharma, is of the view that being angry isn’t a problem in itself. It’s how you deal with it. She says that considering the amount of money spent in the elections, aggression is increasing among the elected representatives, which results in harming the society at large and training in anger management has become essential. Dr Sharma further said that the elected representatives are under constant pressure due to their hectic public life and the need of imparting anger management training has become essential in present day politics. The in charge of the School Library at Wynberg Allen school, Kurien Arackal, is of the view that anger management should start at the school level, where any aggression shown by a student in class or playfield should be immediately addressed so that they do not grow up and fight over issues such as hoisting of flag. |
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Soni not to attend meeting today, Cong MLAs unhappy
Dehradun, August 18 The Congress legislators, particularly belonging to the camp of Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat, wanted to convey to her a true picture of the disaster relief and rehabilitation work being undertaken in the state. They were disappointed with the cancellation of the meeting. However, the presence of Sanjay Kapoor, co-in charge of party affairs, failed to encourage the legislators. The Chief Minister had convened a meeting of the legislators belonging to the Congress and the allied parties to listen to their grievances regarding the disaster relief work in their respective Assembly segments. Most of the legislators belonging to the ruling dispensation are dissatisfied with the relief work. Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts were badly affected in the natural disaster of June 15 and 16 while extensive damage was caused in some other areas, including Haridwar district. The worst affected Assembly segments of Rudraprayag, Pindar, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Uttarkashi, Dharchula, Kapkot, Pithoragarh, Khanpur and Laksar are all represented by the Congress or allied parties. Congress legislators Rajendra Singh Bhandari from Pindar and Shaila Rani Rrawat from Kedarnath have been vocal in criticising the efforts of the state government in mitigating the suffering of the disaster-affected people in their respective Assembly segments. Similarly, Congress legislators and those from allied parties have their own grievances related to the relief and rehabilitation work. The Chief Minister had called the meeting to listen to their grievances and allow them to give vent to their feelings. According to party sources, it was planned to give an opportunity to the legislators to openly convey their demands to the Chief Minister directly and deflate the opponents’ move about the alleged failure of the state government in tackling the disaster. Most of the legislators are unhappy that the Chief Minister has not met them even after two months of the disaster. Many of them had to face horrid times as people in their Assembly segments gheraoed them for the alleged failure of the state government to tackle the situation perpetuated by the natural disaster. More than 300 villages in the disaster-affected areas are still cut off as more than 400 roads and 250 bridges have either been damaged or washed away. The damage control exercise is also aimed at placating the legislators of the ruling alliance in the wake of the coming Assembly session. The opponents were pinning their hopes on Ambika Soni but were now disappointed. Dampened spirits
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Diwakar Bhatt calls for unity among UKD factions
Dehradun, August 18 He said the UKD had played an important role in the statehood movement. “The time has come for all UKD factions to come together and put up a joint fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Leaders of different factions must shed their personal egos and come together for the large interest of the state,” Bhatt said. Diwakar Bhatt alleged that national parties like the Congress and the BJP were only fooling the people of the state and hurting their interests. He said the issues that led to the creation of Uttarakhand were still to be addressed. The problem of migration continued to haunt the hills and there had been little creation of employment opportunities for the youth of the state in the past
one decade. DN Todariya, Manmohan Lakhera and DD Sharma were also present on the occasion. |
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Book ‘Kaun ho Tum’ released
Dehradun, August 18 He said the collection of poems penned by both the poets threw light on the condition and plight of women in the society. She said these poems create awareness about accountability towards the nature, rivers, respect for women and underprivileged sections of the society. Guest of Honour, Indrani Pandhi, a journalist mentioned the relevance and importance of the realities of the present era. Various renowned literary personalities of Manmohan Chadha, poet Shelendra Chandna, writer Madan Sharma, author Vinayak Raut, advocate Ravi Singh Negi, poet Avdhesh Pandey and Anand Deevan, advocated the importance of the literary people and their efforts, and the need of sensitive and emotional literature, that was needed in the education system to add humane dimension into the character of youth and students, which appears to be diminishing gradually. Sanjeev K Sharma, a journalist mentioned that they would always strive to launch the upcoming authors and poets and to bring quality and genuine literature to fore. Poetess Seema Sharma recited her few poems. On the occasion Yash Pal, Kunal Uniyal, Ashish Goyal, Rajeev Sharma, Poonam Sharma, Chanda Sharma, Diyansha, Rachna Pandhi, Motilal, Mukesh Rawat, Vidit, Ketan and Bharti Raut were present. |
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Tributes paid to ‘Gandhi of Uttarakhand’
Haridwar, August 18 A special meeting was organised by the activists at Kankhal to pat tributes to Badoni. District chief of the UKD Bal Singh Saini described Badoni as a visionary, who had laid the foundation of a separate statehood movement. Anil Pokhriyal, central general secretary (industrial wing) of the party, said Badoni was elected to the UP Assembly from the Devprayag segment, Pauri Garhwal, in 1969. He was also the chairperson of the Hill Council and raised the separate hill state issue at various platforms. Veteran leader Uday Ram Semwal said in 1994, Badoni started a fast in Pauri town, which ignited the statehood movement in others parts of the hill region as well. “Badoni’s contribution to the separate statehood movement is similar as that of Mahatma Gandhi to India’s independence struggle,” said Semwal. Chief of the city youth wing Lalit Mamgain said despite 13 years of the formation of Uttarakhand, politicians of both the BJP and the Congress had failed to imbibe the principles of Badoni. He said had the vision of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali and Indramani Badoni followed by the respective state governments, the picture of Uttarakhand would have been different today. |
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Measures sought to prevent extinction of monal
Dehradun, August 18 Villager Ram Babu Junglee, who shot into fame a decade ago over his art of mimicking a large number of wild animals, has yet again raised the issue of falling number of the state bird monal. He pointed out that he had even brought the matter to the notice of the President's office early this year following which details were sought from both Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh about conservation efforts for monal Pheasant. It is strange that while Himachal Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) has responded to his concern, Uttarakhand seems little interested. Claiming that population of Monal has significantly reduced to 3,000, Junglee said Uttarakhand wildlife authorities have so far initiated no effort to conserve this pheasant that have been accorded the state bird status. Junglee, who is keeping indisposed for quite some time said he will single-handedly continue to work for conservation of monal. “I have no resources nor I have any NGO to generate funds but as an individual I have always worked for conservation of wildlife particularly monal,” he pointed out. He expressed concern over indiscriminate felling of trees particularly in the higher reaches that forms habitat of monal. Junglee said the time has come for the people of the state to rise to the occasion particularly after rain disaster and work towards conservation of environment and wildlife. |
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Dehradun diary
The recent Supreme Court judgment ordering the Union Environment and Forest Ministry and the Uttarakhand government to withhold environment or forest clearance to any hydroelectric project in the state till further orders has made the fate of such projects uncertain.
There has been a controversy about the feasibility of building so many hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand after it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000. While policy planners as well as politicians proclaimed Uttarakhand as a future power state having the potential of producing 20,000 MW of hydropower, environmentalists and local social voluntary groups started opposing the move of the state government to start a large number of hydroelectric projects in the ecologically-fragile Himalayan region. However, it was in 2007 after the right wing Hindu leaders started an agitation demanding a ban on hydroelectric projects on the Bhagirathi between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi that the then state BJP government stopped the construction of two projects, namely 480 MW Pala Maneri and 381 MW Bhaironghati on the river. A large amount of money had been spent and major works had been completed on the Pala Maneri project being undertaken by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Since then there has been confusion about the fate of such projects. The Ganga Basin River Authority under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister had formed the BK Chaturvedi Commission to look into the details of the projects and their impact on the environment. The panel had agreed that the biodiversity of the Himalayas had been compromised because of the projects. It had suggested that a few of the tributaries of the Ganga should be left untouched. The Union government had declared a 130 km stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi as an eco-sensitive zone and banned all kinds of construction activity within 5 km of the banks of the Bhagirathi last year. However, the situation has changed drastically following the natural disaster of June 16 and 17 that killed thousands of people and destroyed property. Many power projects on the Alaknanda, the Mandakini and the Asi Ganga were completely washed away in the calamity. The debris of the hydroelectric project on the Alaknanda brought down by flash floods played havoc in Srinagar town and nearby areas. However, the recent Supreme Court judgment has further complicated the situation as far the hydroelectric projects are concerned. It has directed the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to constitute an expert body consisting of representatives of the state government, the WII, the Central Electricity Authority, the Central Water Commission and other organizations to do a detailed study as to whether hydroelectric projects, both existing and under construction, have contributed to environment degradation, if so, to what extent and also whether it has contributed to the June tragedy. The ministry has also been directed to examine, as noticed by the WII in its report, whether the proposed 24 projects are causing significant impact on the biodiversity of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi river basins. The Disaster Management Authority, Uttarakhand, has also been directed to submit a report in the court as to whether they had any disaster management plan in place in Uttarakhand and how effective that plan was in combating the June disaster. The reports will be submitted within three months. The state government is yet to clarify its stand on the issue. Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is a firm believer in allowing hydroelectric projects that have been given environment clearance. He had pleaded with the Ganga River Basin Authority to allow construction of stalled hydroelectric projects. It will be seen whether the state government still wants hydroelectric projects or changes its priority in the aftermath of the natural
disaster. — SMA Kazmi |
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List of missing persons sent to Centre
Dehradun, August 18 As a large number of pilgrims haling from other states too had gone missing in the calamity, the help cell set up for the purpose collated reports based on FIRs and information given by the relatives of missing persons. This list was then sent to respective states for verification. While other states responded, the Uttar Pradesh government was yet to give a reply, thus causing delay. Based on the list, the Central government is expected to release money from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), which would be disbursed as ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the missing persons, who are now presumed dead. |
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Moderate showers in several parts of Uttarakhand
Dehradun, August 18 The Met office here said that Pantnagar recorded 22.2 mm rainfall while Dunda in Uttarkashi district had 22 mm rainfall. Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag received 13 mm and 13.4 mm rainfall, respectively. Meanwhile, reports reaching here from Uttarkashi said that 20-25 houses were affected due to a landslide yesterday. However, 30-35 families living in these houses were shifted to safer places. The Met office forecast that no major change was expected in the weather as parts of the state might continue to receive rainfall.
— PTI |
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PRD members’ protest continues
Dehradun, August 18 Their demands also include raising the life insurance amount to Rs 10 lakh and giving a government job to a family member in case a PRD member dies on duty. The state president of the association of PRD members, Promod Kumar Mandrawal, said the PRD must be separated from the Youth Development Department and people belonging to Uttarakhand must be given preference in the
PRD. |
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