The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Paddy farmers will get Rs 2,000 rate: Scientists Research team conducts survey of Rudrapur market Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 Under a project ''Establishing and networking of market intelligence centres in India,'' scientists of Agricultural Economics Department of College of Agriculture of Pant University have forecast that in this harvesting season farmers will get Rs. 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per quintal for their paddy form October to December 2013. The National Agriculture Innovation Project of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, is sponsored by World Bank. One of the objectives of this project is to make price forecasts well in advance of sowing of selected agricultural commodities and during harvesting. The research team of Pantnagar had conducted a market survey of Rudrapur regulated market, a major market for fine paddy in Uttarakhand, and analysed market price data for the last 18 years. The results of econometric analysis showed that the market prices of fine paddy (Pusa 1121, Panjab-1 and Sarbati etc.) in Rudrapur market would be in the range of Rs 1800-2000 per quintal in October, November and December 2013. Farmers have been advised to sell their fine paddy after harvest since there is limited scope for increase in prices in the next three months. The major paddy producing countries in the world are China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma and Bangladesh. India has the largest area under paddy in the world and ranks second in production after China. India ranks among the first top five exporters of rice and exports about 7-8 lakh tonnes paddy, mostly to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, Europe and USA. India produces about 20-24 per cent of global rice production. The area under paddy in India was 42.50 million hectares and production was around 152.60 million tonnes during 2012. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Karnataka and Haryana are the major paddy-producing states in India. As far as Uttarakhand is concerned, the area under paddy was 0.29 million hectares and production was 0.55 million tonnes during 2011-12. The major paddy-producing districts in Uttarakhand are Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun and Haridwar. Tips for farmers Farmers have been advised to sell their fine paddy after harvest since there is limited scope for increase in prices in the next three months. Rudrapur is a major market for fine paddy in Uttarakhand. Market price data for the last 18 years was analysed.
	Disaster-hit await CM’s visit to solve issues Bahuguna will tour the region from October 21 Our Correspondent Pithoragarh, October 17 A long list of problems, including the rehabilitation of disaster-hit villagers in Dharchula and Munsiyari subdivisions and drinking water schemes in Lohaghat subdivision, awaits the attention of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, as he tours the Kumaon region from October 21. Nearly 450 disaster-hit families are living in tents and government building at Dharchula and its nearby areas. “During his visit to the Kumaon region, we will ask the Chief Minister to rehabilitate these families, which have no source of livelihood left post the disaster," said Aan Singh Rokaya, a Congress leader from Dharchula subdivision. One of the victims said the government was giving Rs 3,000 per month to each family. However, for how long they could survive on this amount? Rokaya said although the government had announced to give a sum of Rs 5 lakh to each victim for the construction of their houses, the land for the same was yet to be allocated. On the other hand, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Niraj Khairwal said," We have started the rehabilitation process and directed officials to identify land. Some roads and routes have been opened in the Madkot and Tawaghat areas. The Darma valley route beyond Tawaghat will open soon.” However, villagers are not satisfied with the claims of the District Magistrate and said due to the delayed action, a raw bridge at Jauljibi that linked the town with Nepal and was essential to save the Jauljibi market was yet to be reconstructed. “Over 20 routes, including the Tawaghat-Darma valley and Jauljibi-Madlot roads, are yet to be reopened. Owing to this delay, disaster-hit people in remote villages are not getting the quota of their ration for the past four months,” said Congress leader Rokaya. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister will address rallies at Lohaghat and Champawat on October 21. Party men have started preparations for the Chief Minister’s tour. “We have prepared a 10-point charter of demands to submit it to the Chief Minister,” said Vijay Mahra, a Congress leader from Lohaghat. Major problems The rehabilitation of disaster-hit villagers in Dharchula and Munsiyari subdivisions Drinking water schemes in Lohaghat subdivision
	State govt in fix over appointment of Deputy Lok Ayukta Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 Caught in an unsavoury controversy on the issue of the appointment of the Deputy Lok Ayukta which the Vijay Bahuguna government was pushing forth but was stalled by Governor Aziz Qureshi after his office was informed about the President giving his assent to the new and powerful Uttarakhand Lok Ayukta Bill passed by former BJP Chief Minister BC Khanduri, the Congress government now finds itself in a fix. The Uttarakhand government will now have to issue a notification regarding the Bill and constitute a committee for it’s implementation. Coming at a time when the general elections are a few months away, the assent by the President has no doubt come as a blessing for the BJP in Uttarakhand whose former CM BC Khanduri was the architect of the new Bill. It is the manner in which the reality about the Bill came to the fore that has left the Opposition BJP baying for the Congress government’s blood. According to government sources, the President of India signed the Bill on September 4 this year but strangely the Congress government did not get the whiff of it. It even went about it’s task of fixing the date of swearing in ceremony for the Deputy Lok Ayukta KD Bhatt, who, in anticipation of the responsibility, had resigned from the post of the member of State Public Service Commission, but for the last minute cancellation of the ceremony. “The government kept things in the dark and did not even inform the Governor. The swearing in ceremony for KD Bhatt was fixed for Wednesday but it was cancelled after the Governor was informed about the President giving his assent to the new Bill. The Governor was put through a lot of awkwardness and embarrassment,” said Ajay Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly. Though the Chief Minister was not in town, there was no explanation forthcoming from the government on the issue. However, Chief Secretary Subash Kumar said: “The President has given his assent to the Bill and a notification would be issued shortly regarding the Bill,” he said. The Uttarakhand Lok Ayukta Bill which was described as the near perfect Bill by the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare had catapulted the former Chief Minister Khanduri into the forefront and at that point in time he had said that an effective and strong Lok Ayukta that had overriding powers would help in reigning in corruption in the state, and would also propel the Centre and other states to frame a strong Lok Pal and Lok Ayukta, respectively. The former Chief Minister’s quest for a strong Lok Ayukta began in 2011 and after the former Governor Margaret Alva had given her assent. It was sent to the President for approval. But in 2012, after the BJP government was routed in the Assembly elections and Congress government was sworn in, the Chief Minister, Vijay Bahuguna, had overturned several decisions of the Khanduri government. On the issue of the Uttarakhand Lok Ayukta Bill, Vijay Bahuguna had spoken about bringing amendments in the Bill so that the judiciary could be kept out of the purview, but forgot about the whole issue. Instead, his government went about bringing amendments in the existing Lok Ayukta Act which is in place in the state.
	BJP chief flays govt for keeping people in the dark Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 Uttarakhand BJP chief Teerath Singh Rawat today lashed out at the Congress government for keeping the people of the state in the dark on the President giving assent to the Uttarakhand Lok Ayukta Bill 2011. “The government has no respect for the Constitution. Instead of administrators, the government is being run by people with dubious reputation and these people ensured nobody should get a whiff about the Bill that will put an end to censure their activities and strike on the corrupt in the state,” said Rawat, while addressing a press conference here today. He said the BJP would take to the streets if the government failed to start the process for the implementation of the Act. Thanking the President for passing the Bill, the BJP chief said Uttarakhand would become the first state in the country which has a strong Ombudsman. “A strong message will go in the country that the BJP during the leadership of former Chief Minister BC Khanduri was committed to addressing the issue of corruption,” BJP chief Teerath Singh Rawat said. While lashing out at the government, Rawat said the government had no faith in the Constitution and was hell- bent upon lowering the prestige of the institutions. “By appointing officials as administrators in the panchayats before the elections, the Congress government has shown that it has no faith in the Constitution. We are afraid that the government may try to interfere in the election process as it is aware that it will lose the panchayat elections,” charged Rawat. However, on being asked why the Opposition too was caught off-guard on the issue, Rawat said the former Chief Minister had sent two reminders to the government. Interestingly, while the Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt had raised the issue of the government trying to appoint KD Bhatt as the Deputy Lok Ayukta, he too was not aware that the President had given his assent to the new Lok Ayukta Bill (2011). Significantly under the Lok Ayukta Act, there is no provision for Deputy Lok Ayukta. It would comprise an all-powerful Lok Ayukta with 58 members.
	Court rejects plea to withdraw case against MLA Our Correspondent Pithoragarh, October 17 Application of the state government, seeking withdrawal of a criminal case against Congress MLA Harish Dhami, has been rejected by the District and Sessions Judge, CP Bijalwan, Pithoragarh, who, in his judgment has ordered the MLA to appear before Didihat court for hearing on October 24 this year. The case was transferred from the court of a first class magistrate in Didihat on the request of the MLA. The court has also ordered that the case will be heard in Didihat court hereafter, said the judgment. Harish Dhami, against whom a case under various criminal sections had been lodged in the Munsiyari police station in the year 2007, was issued a non-bailable warrant by the court on November 8, 2012, as he did not appeared before the court for hearing and after he was declared absconding and the court attached his property, Dhami surrendered before the court on May 16, 2013 and was sent to 15 days judicial custody before granting bail on June 1, 2013. Dhami had alleged that due to deliberate delay by the Government lawyers in pleading his case, he had to go to jail. “After his repeated attacks on the Government on negligence shown by Government counsels in his case, the Government had filed an application in Pithoragarh court, demanding withdrawal of the case being the complainant of the case, which was earlier rejected by Didihat court on the Ground that the case can not be withdrawn in public interest,” said the source from the Pithoragarh court.
	Champion offers unconditional apology to CM Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 Following his removal as Chairman of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation on disciplinary grounds by the state government, Congress legislator Kunwar Parnav Singh Champion, today tried to placate angry Chief Minister (CM) Vijay Bahuguna by offering his unconditional apology to him. Earlier, Champion, who is known for brash behaviour had put the state government in an embarrassing situation by levelling serious allegations of corruption against Social Welfare and Transport Minister Surender Rakesh who belongs to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Champion also used derogatory language for the CM. The seven-member Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) having independent, BSP and UKD legislators taking serious note of Champion's utterances, gave 10 days ultimatum to the CM to take action against the erring legislator. The state Congress-led government is dependent on the support of seven-member PDF for survival. The state Congress had given two notices to Champion to explain his conduct but he refused to reply to these notices. Before the expiry of the PDF ultimatum, the CM acted by removing Champion from the post of the Chairman of the Forest Development Corporation with a Cabinet rank on October 16. After action against him, Champion, who was reportedly away from the state, met the CM in New Delhi today and affirmed his support to the government. He apologised to the CM and said that he was sorry for his words if it hurt anyone. He further said he was a loyal party worker and he himself had resigned from the post to save the state government and his party from embarrassment. The Chief Minister also tried to end the controversy by saying that Champion had sent his resignation on October 14 and he had accepted his resignation. The issue has been resolved, claimed Bahuguna.
	Virasat festival begins today Focus will be on resurgence, new beginning Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 Coming just four months after the mid-June natural calamity, Virasat, the art and heritage festival, that will kick off tomorrow would focus on the theme of resurgence and a new beginning by putting the memories of the tragedy far behind. ''It is time to tell the world that we have overcome the tragedy and are now looking ahead and what better way then to say it through our various art forms which would be on display for 15 days,'' said Lokesh Ohri of Rural Entrepreneurship for the Arts and Cultural Heritage while speaking with mediapersons today. During the 15-day extravaganza, the ethereal beauty of Banaras known for its art and culture would come alive through the programme ''Best of Banaras dedicated to North India's folklife. ''Around 150 dancers from North India would bring alive the thumri singing and kathak dances,'' said Ohri. Breaking new grounds at the 19th Virasat, the people of Dehradun would be able to witness poetry theatre Daleel-e-Seher on October 27. With focus on Dehradun, a photo exhibition on rediscovering Dehradun too would be held on October 19. Significantly, while reposing faith in the younger generation on whom rests the responsibility of taking the art and culture forward, classes in art and crafts would be regularly held for school children. For aficionados of Garhwali art and culture, the famous Ramman which has been given the UNESCO heritage tag, too, would be staged on October 23. Further, the famous Jagar singer Basanti Bisht with her fabled notes would set the stage on fire on the inaugural day tomorrow.
	Regularise houses in slums: BJP Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 17 With their demand of constructing check dams and regularisation of constructed houses in slums on the banks of the Bindal and Rispana rivers, Bharatiya Janata Party workers held a protest at the collectorate office against the administration. The protesters said as many as 2.5 lakh people lived on the banks of these rivers in slums and they were forced to live there in their damaged houses, risking their lives. They demanded construction of RCC walls on the banks of the rivers in Dehradun and cleaning of the rivers on regular basis. They also demanded from the administration to regularise the constructed houses in the slums. MLA Harbans Kapoor, Vinod Sharma, Sanjay Gupta, Chandra Shekhar Nautiyal, Anju Bist, Pritam Pundeer and Harish Kashyap were among the protesters.