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Dahlia Bank property owner alleges harassment by Landour Cantt Board
Villagers not supplied ration, threaten stir
Employees request Kunjwal to help restore mining rights to Forest corp
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BJP demands dues payment to sugarcane farmers in state
BJP, govt faced embarrassing moments during monsoon session of Assembly
BSP gears up for Lok Sabha elections
Cong to hold rally at Bazpur on Sept 29
Physical education teachers continue dharna
Anna Hazare may launch fast in Delhi again
Private schools demand government aid
Free medical camp organised at Kargi
FRI to organise international workshop on forest hydrology
Hydroelectric projects have caused disaster: Experts
Ayurvedic pharmacists demand jobs
Disseminate info on Kanyadhan yojna: CDO
Dhasmana presides over Paramedical Workers’ Welfare Society meeting
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Dahlia Bank property owner alleges harassment by Landour Cantt Board
Mussoorie, September 22 He showed legal documents and said the work at Dahlia Bank was being done according to the three resolutions of the Landour Cantonment Board, which is the competent authority, and not illegally as being suggested by the board. Narang recounted the course of the events and said the Landour Cantt Board in its first resolution No. 6 dated March 20, 2012, had approved the work on the tennis court structure, which was never challenged or disputed by any person. The board through a second resolution (additional point No. 1) dated June 30, 2012, approved work on the main buildings but this resolution was revoked by the GOC-in-Chief, Central Command on November 16, 2012, without any notice or hearing him. Consequently, the Nainital High Court set aside the revocation order of the GOC-in-Chief, Central Command, vide its judgment on June 11 this year and hence this resolution was also valid even today. Narang said through the third resolution No. 17(a) dated September 18, 2012, the reconstruction of the main building was once again approved overriding objections by the then Chief Executive Officer of the Landour Cantt Board, which has not been challenged by anyone till date. Hence, from the above mentioned resolutions
it was clear that the work being carried out was valid and according to approved plans. “In the case of Dahlia Bank the sanction has been obtained (as per resolutions above) and the erection work on the building has already been completed. Hence, there is no ground, whatsoever, by which a mala fide action being proposed by the board could be contemplated and any such action, therefore, would be potentially illegal. Narang said courts had held that the application for the reconstruction of Dahlia Bank was “deemed sanction” as it was made before the Cantt board resolutions granting sanction. He also clarified that the pretext of the notification issued on the August 30, 2005, under defence works of the Defence Act, 1903, to observe that no structures were permitted to exist within 50 metres of the ITM, a defence installation, was patently erroneous as no single structure had been removed since the date of the notification. On the contrary the ITM has issued a NoC for reconstruction to another property in the vicinity, which raises a question that why the board was after his property in particular, added Narang. He said due to the highhanded attitude of the board in creating hurdles in construction work on his property he had also filed a case in the Supreme Court. It is to be noted that Landour Cant Board officials on September 14 had made a futile attempt to enter the premises of Dahlia Bank citing illegal construction. They had tried to serve a notice to seize construction material, tools, machinery, scaffolding and other things used in the erection of the building or execution of any work under Section 239 (2) of the Cantonment Act 2006 to Narang’s workers. However, they met was met with a stiff opposition. Meanwhile, the board officials maintain that the work being done by Narang was not according to law and action would be initiated under the existing Cantonment Act soon. |
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Villagers not supplied ration, threaten stir
Pithoragarh, September 22 The villagers said food grains were lying in godowns in Dharchula subdivision for 46 days. They also resented non-opening of routes to the villages of Drama valley to enable the villagers to come down easily for their winter migration. “There is no hope that routes to various villages of the Drama valley will be opened anytime soon. The administration has not distributed ration among the disaster-affected people living in various camps in Dharchula. This will result in mass starvation of the villagers, who have not received ration for the past 46 days,” said Aan Singh Rokaya, zila panchayat member of the area. “Over 5,000 sheep herds have come down from the Darma valley to lower villages for winter migration. But since the Tawaghat route is still closed, these herds have to put up at Dar and Bungling villages,” said Rokaya. Rokaya said if the herds do not reach their winter destinations, they will starve to death as pastures in the upper valleys will be out of flora. A gram pradhan of the Darma valley said two godowns, one at the Rang committee meeting hall and another at the Veterinary Department hall, were full with relief material sent by various organisations from the various parts of the country. The administration was supposed to distribute this material among the victims. “The relief material consists of dry food, woollen clothes, solar lanterns, utensils and blankets. The victims are in a dire need of this material,” said Rokaya. The Darma gram pradhans have demanded at the meeting that all the routes to various villages of the Darma valley be opened soon and the victims be given permanent shelter. “We want local villagers included in the administration committee that is identifying damaged houses. The officials are not doing justice to their job,” he added. |
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Employees request Kunjwal to help restore mining rights to Forest corp
Dehradun, September 22 The employees opposed giving the mining rights to private entrepreneurs. Kunjwal assured the employees of taking up the matter with the state government. He said he himself was in favour of giving the mining rights of state rivers to a government institution like the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation President of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation Employees Association Santosh Rawat led the delegation. |
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BJP demands dues payment to sugarcane farmers in state
Dehradun, September 22 Earlier, the party had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in this regard. Led by BJP legislator Pushkar Singh Dhami, the delegation charged that sugarcane farmers had not been paid dues for sometime. They also said those farmers who were affected by the floods had been forced to pay their loans. They said it appeared that the state government was siding with the sugar mill owners rather then helping the hapless farmers. They threatened that if the dues of the sugarcane farmers were not paid within a week, the party would start an agitation. Party legislators Swami Yateshwaranand and Sanjay Gupta were also part of the delegation. |
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Dehradun diary
The recently concluded three-day monsoon session of the Uttarakhand Assembly proved embarrassing for both ruling Congress as well as opposition BJP. The session started on a historic note when Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal with the concurrence of the state government agreed to discuss as an adjournment motion the unprecedented natural disaster that struck the state in June resulting in large scale deaths and widespread destruction.
The elated BJP leaders wanted to floor the government on the issue of its ineffective handling of situation after the natural disaster and relief and rehabilitation works. They were happy that the government had allowed them to discuss the issues related the natural disaster. However, the catch was that the wily Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Indira Hriyadesh, had extracted a promise from them that they would allow the government business to be carried, including the passage of the supplementary budget. While the BJP leaders poured their heart out in criticising the government on its handling of the natural disaster, Indira Hriyadesh got the supplementary budget passed without any discussion. The BJP leaders had been demanding that since there were many issues to discuss the session of the Assembly be extended by another two days. In the beginning, the treasury benches gave signals of placating the Opposition but as the government got its business done, including the passage of the supplementary budget without a discussion and tabling of Bills, they were in no mood to extend the session much to the annoyance of the BJP. The BJP leaders, who were busy discussing the natural disaster, were foxed by the Parliamentary Affairs minister, who refused to extend the session. The BJP leaders wanted to highlight embarrassing issues like the murder of an aide of Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat and firing by a Congress legislator Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion at a dinner party hosted by Harak Singh Rawat at his residence on the eve of the Assembly session were left high and dry. On the third and final day of the session, the BJP leaders cried foul as they realized that the session was coming to an end and they had been tricked. There was even dissension and arguments among them for the Congress had taken them for a ride. The BJP legislators sat on a dharna in the well of the House against betrayal by the ruling party but by then the Speaker had adjourned the House sine die. The Chief Minister, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Speaker tried to persuade the agitated BJP legislators to end their protest. The government also faced much embarrassment during the session. The firing by Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion at a dinner party hosted by Harak Singh Rawat injuring two Congress workers on the eve of the Assembly session and efforts by the government to push the incident under the carpet brought a bad name and gave enough ammunition to the Opposition to target it. The government, especially Indira Hriyadesh, made light of the incident arguing that it was a minor happening and there was no question of a probe since no one had lodged a complaint. Interestingly, Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion remained absent from the House and was not traceable. However, much to the embarrassment of the government, the Assembly Speaker, who was also present at the said party, announced that Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion had fired shots forcing the latter to surrender to the police. The Speaker, who in the past had been candid about prevalent corruption and the inefficiency of the government, took a moral stand. On the adjournment motion on the natural disaster also, he also gave suggestions to the government to speed up the relief and rehabilitation works. However, the BJP legislators realised their folly after the supplementary budget was passed. They alleged that the budget was passed in a hurry without a discussion. They said a department-wise budget was not presented and even the amount of the supplementary budget was not mentioned, which was mandatory for the passage of the Finance Bill. However, Indira Hriyadesh argued that she read most part of the budget department wise and it was part on the record of the proceedings. But experts believe the BJP legislators in their enthusiasm forgot the first lesson of the parliamentary democracy of using the question hour to nail the government. On all three days, the question hour was abandoned and questions of the MLAs were not taken up. Thus an opportunity to take departments to task on various issues was lost due to the ignorance of the opposition benches. |
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BSP gears up for Lok Sabha elections
Mussoorie, September 22 Barman also said the BSP was preparing the booth sector and Assembly-level committees in the state for better management. He also opined that the induction of the UKD members in the party was a sign that the BSP was gaining ground in the state. Lambasting the Congress government at the Centre, he said it had indulged in the anti-people policies and the people of the country would give a befitting reply by posting the incumbent Congress in the parliamentary elections. He also criticised the Congress government for failing to address the problems of the disaster-affected people in the state. District president of the BSP Mayaram Kohli, state general secretary Sheeshpal, Assembly in charge Sunil Sonkar and others were present.
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Cong to hold rally at Bazpur on Sept 29
Pithoragarh, September 22 The rally will be addressed by All-India Congress Committee (AICC) co in charge for the state Sanjay Kapoor, leaders of the state unit of the party and Union ministers, namely Sriprakash Jaiswal and Jairam Ramesh. Kapoor, who is on a tour of the Kumaon region, said he would visit all districts of the region to make people aware of revolutionary works being undertaken
by the party for the welfare of the poor. “A thanksgiving rally will also be organised by the party in the state in October, where Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will also be invited,” he said. Addressing party workers at Lohaghat in Champawat today, Kapoor said the coming panchayat elections were vital for the Congress, as it would pave the way for the party's victory in the Lok Sabha
elections. “All party men should unite at this time to ensure the party's victory in the panchayat poll," said Kapoor. He said under the Food Security Bill, Uttarakhand would be allocated additional ration quota per family as states like Uttarakhand had less foodgrain production due to tough terrains here. “Our workers will have to take this message to people living in the interior parts of the state before the panchayat and Lok Sabha elections,”
he said. "The Congress is the party for the poor while the BJP represents the rich,” said Kapoor. He also ruled out infighting in the Champawat unit of the party and said all workers are united. |
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Physical education teachers continue dharna
Dehradun, September 22 The unemployed teachers continued their relay
dharna and shouted slogans in support of their demand. Surinder Dhoni, president of the Unemployed B.Ped and M.Ped Teachers' Association, demanded that the state government should
create posts of physical education teacher in all primary and secondary schools on the lines
of Shikska Bandhus and posts of physical education lecturer in inter colleges. Dhoni said though they had been agitating for a long time the state government had ignored their genuine demands. He threatened that they would intensify their agitation if the state government failed to look into their demand for jobs immediately. |
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Anna Hazare may launch fast in Delhi again
Dehradun, September 22 Addressing mediapersons here today, Dr Sunilam, a member of the Jan Sansad Abhiyan Samiti, which is spearheading the movement of Anna Hazare, said a meeting of the samiti would be held on October 5 to discuss a strategy for the same. Dr Sunilam said, “Process to form state and district-level committees is in progress, which will play an important role in making Anna's next nationwide campaign a success.” He said to prepare the ground for the movement in the state, such district-level committees were also being formed. State coordinator of the samiti Gopal Singh said a district-level committee, led by Avtar Singh Negi, was already functioning in Rudraprayag. Similar committees had also been formed in Rishikesh and Roorkee. Members of the samiti said special focus was being made on giving representation to women, people from the weaker sections of society and the minority communities in the district- level committees. Dr Sunilam said the present government would have to face the wrath of the people of the country for betraying Anna on the issue of the Lokpal Bill. In the proposed agitation, once again the focus would be on the Bill. He accused the Congress of leaking reports from the Army headquarters against Gen VK Singh (retd), a close aid of Anna Hazare in the anti-graft movement. “The Congress is trying to inject politics into the Army without seeing its ramifications," he alleged. |
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Private schools demand government aid
Dehradun, September 22 The protesters raised slogans against the government and staged a dharna at Hindi Bhawan near Parade Ground. The association also gheraoed the Assembly complex. Members of the association said the teachers and staff in the non-government unaided schools across the state were waiting for the government to include the said category schools in the grant list of schools for a long time now. The association also threatened to intensify the stir if the government did not meet their demand. Trilok Singh Bhandari, Ramchandra, Brijmohan and Bharat Kandari were prominent among the protesters. |
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Free medical camp organised at Kargi
Dehradun, September 22 While speaking on the sidelines of a free medical camp organised at Kargi by Harish Rawat, Kunjwal said, “Doctors are like god in the eyes of a common man. They are the ones who give second lives to the ailing person.” He also showed concern over the deterioration in the health sector in the country. After Haridwar district, free medical camps are being organised in Dehradun district also. Doctors from Indresh hospital and medical staff from the Dolphin institute provided their services in the medical camp and attended almost 1,500 patients. |
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FRI to organise international workshop on forest hydrology
Dehradun, September 22 The main objective of the workshop is to provide a forum for forging linkages between various international and national agencies and institutions dealing with forest and water issues to share experiences and knowledge. It will give a fillip to long-term collaborative research in the Asia Pacific. In the Asia Pacific, many of the rivers flow across national boundaries and forests in the catchments and upper basins of these rivers could have critical impacts on the hydrological regime. They may also have serious influence on the environment, climate and livelihoods of different nations. Over the years, the forest hydrology from the plot process and watershed experiments has established the general principles of the direct effects of forest management on the hydrological processes. Today, the challenge is to apply these principles to predict how hydrologic processes will respond to varied changes, including climate change in forests. As a consequence, the research in forest hydrology has shifted towards the study of reforestation and large-scale watershed, climate change impact and the use of modern tools and techniques in the application of hydrological models. This will help in predictions and addressing current and future issues, including cumulative watershed effects, climate change and forest management practices. In the backdrop, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, has constituted a committee on forest hydrology to identify the research areas in the era of sustainable management of forests. The management of forests in relation to water is a critical issue which should be highlighted and given a high priority. The workshop will cover six main themes: Forest hydrology and climate change, hydrological regulatory service of forests, forest influences on precipitation and micro-climate, effect of forest management practises and disturbances on quality and quantity of water, forests as source of water, managing for livelihood and food security and frontiers of research and application of modern tools and techniques in forest hydrology. A special session will also be conducted by the ICIMOD, Nepal, highlighting the role of the Himalayan glaciers and rivers with regards to water. A field visit will be organised on the third day of the workshop (September 25) to the experimental sites of the FRI and its technical partners in Mussoorie/Dhanaulti. The workshop is open to individuals and organisations working in the area of policy, research and operations related to the forest hydrology and environmental services. Industries will find the workshop especially useful. Government officials, scientists, domain experts, field functionaries, industry representatives, private sector officials and scholars of about 15 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region and globe are expected to attend the programme. Union Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat will be the chief guest on the occasion. The Director General, Forests, and DG, ICFRE, Sri Kantharaj Jude Sekar, will preside over the two-day proceedings. |
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Hydroelectric projects have caused disaster: Experts
Dehradun, September 22 Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh, who was the key speaker, said the construction of hydroelectric projects and encroachment on rivers were some of the important factors contributing to the deterioration of the environment in Uttarakhand. He said a continuous degradation of the environment had also contributed to deaths in the recent Kedarnath disaster. Eminent environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt said hydroelectric projects had caused unrepairable damage to the hills It was unfortunate that the locals were not taken into confidence before formulating policies on development projects in the state, he said. Several environmentalist and academicians attended the workshop.
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Ayurvedic pharmacists demand jobs
Dehradun,
September 22 The protesters said there were over 150 vacant posts of
Ayurvedic Pharmacist under the National Rural Health Scheme-aided projects and
these should be filled immediately. They requested the government to ensure
appointment of Ayurvedic Pharmacists in herbal companies starting operations in
the state. They also raised anti-state government slogans. Azad Dimri,
Krishna Pandit, Kulveer Jayara and Kaushal Maithani were among the protesters.
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Disseminate info on Kanyadhan yojna: CDO
Dehradun, September 22 Block Development Officers have been nominated nodal officers under the scheme. She said the applications, with regard to the general category, would be collected by the District Probationer Officer and SC/ST category to the District Social Welfare Officer. She said those girls who had been left out last year must also be included in the scheme.
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Dhasmana presides over Paramedical Workers’ Welfare Society meeting
Dehradun, September 22 Presiding over the meeting, Vice-President of the state unit of the Congress Suryakant Dhasmana informed the participants about the progress being made towards ensuring compulsory registration of paramedical workers in the state. Dhasmana said a paramedical council had been constituted in the state to protect the interests workers. Society president Arun Negi and a large number of paramedical workers were present on the occasion. |
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A delegation of employees of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation met Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal and urged him to intervene.
A delegation of BJP legislators met Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate clearance of the dues of sugarcane farmers by sugar mill owners.
Unemployed B.Ped and M.Ped teachers today continued with their dharna at Hindi Bhawan in support of their demand for jobs in government schools and colleges.
Dehradun, September 22
