Panel to study degradation caused by hydro-projects

New Delhi, October 20
Nearly four months after the Uttarakhand floods, the Environment and Forests Ministry has formed an expert committee to study whether the environmental degradation caused by hydro-electric projects on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers led to the disaster.

Other than looking into the degradation caused by the functioning as well as the on-going hydro-projects, the committee will examine the impact of the proposed 24 hydro-power projects on the biodiversity of the region.

The ministry has given the committee a period of three months to study the impact and submit a final report by January 14, 2014, a statement on the ministry's website said.

The 17-member committee will examine the extent to which the projects were responsible for the tragedy.

"The committee has been constituted in accordance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court vide its judgement dated 13.08.2013 in the case of Alaknanda Hydro Power Co. Ltd. versus Anuj Joshi and others," the statement said.

The committee will also suggest suitable environmental safeguard measures to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts in respect of ongoing projects for which environment clearance has been granted, including tourism projects and also suggest changes in project parameters if they feel it necessary, the statement added.

"The committee will also draft a Himalayan policy for Uttarakhand keeping in mind the unique ecological, social and cultural characteristics of the state and suggest environment friendly development activities," the statement said.

The committee will make a detailed study and evaluate as to how far the projects have contributed to the aggravation of damage caused by downstream floods.

"It will also examine, as observed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report, whether the proposed 24 projects in Uttarakhand are causing significant impact on the biodiversity of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins," the statement said.

Apart from these, the committee has also been asked by the ministry to assess and review extent of progress made in respect of ongoing or under construction hydroelectric power projects as on the date of occurrence of the tragedy made in compliance of environmental conditions and safeguard measures.

"A study on current state of Himalayan glaciers and impact of hydro-electric projects on glaciers, as well as the impact of receding glaciers on HEPs, study cumulative effects of proposed and existing bumper to bumper and run of river schemes and review existing Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) will also be undertaken by the committee," said the statement.

Apart from these, the committee will also review compliance of existing protocols for construction activities in the basins of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, assess status of progress in respect of proposed 24 projects and assess projects where impacts cannot be mitigated to preserve biodiversity. — PTI

Gear up for panchayat poll, Saket asks voters
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, October 20
Saket Bahuguna, son of the Chief Minister, Vijay Bahuguna, on his two-day tour in Dhanaulti Assembly segment met the Congress workers at Kempty, Nainbagh, Garkhait and Thatyur in order to instil confidene among them. He asked them to gear up for the Panchayat elections and work to strengthen the hands of the party.

He also visited disaster-affected Parodi village near Thatyur and assured of adequate relief and compensation.

The villagers demanded rehabilitation from the village elsewhere to which he said if the villagers had their own land, the rehabilitation work could be started without any delay and the government would also provide pre-fabricated houses within one month.

He said the government led by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna by increasing the compensation amount had provided relief to the disaster-affected persons and was ready to assist them further.

He said every member of the family would be given the compensation instead of earlier guidelines where only one person of the family was entitled for the compensation in case of the disaster.

Speaking to the media he said around Rs 22 crore had been allocated for repairing and relaying the roads to for the Dhanaulti Assembly segment out of which 6 crore had been assigned for Thatyur division through Asian Development Bank funds. Rs 6 crore had been given to the DM Tehri out of which the Dhanaulti SDM had been given Rs 1.5 crore for the interim relief and would be distributed to the affected persons soon.

He said around Rs 130 crore had been distributed in the state as compensation amount which is a rare feat in itself.

Senior Congress leaders Jot Sigh Bisht, Manmohan Singh Mall and other congress leaders were also present on the occasion.

Dehradun diary
Embarrassment for Congress govt on Presidential consent to state Lokayukta Act

The state Congress government faced a major embarrassment this week on the issue of consent given by the President of India to the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act 2010 passed by former Chief Minister Maj-Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd). The state Congress government was completely in the dark on the issue till it was known that the Bill after coming back with consent in the state was sent for publication. It came as a shock to the state government, particularly to the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, as it was completely ignorant about the Bill.

Interestingly, former BJP Chief Minister Maj-Gen. B.C. Khanduri (retd), during his second stint in the state, had come up with the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act on the lines of the Bill proposed by social activist Anna Hazare. Team Anna had come to Dehradun to discuss the modalities of the Bill. Finally, had Khanduri got the Bill passed in the state assembly which is considered a stringent Bill. The then Governor of the state Margaret Alva also gave her consent to the Bill and sent it to the President of India for final consent.

During the state assembly poll, the Lokayukta Bill was one of the poll issues of the BJP, but the Congress came to power in March 2012 and Vijay Bahuguna took over Chief Minister. Bahuguna announced that the Congress government would bring in amendments to the Bill and bring a fresh one in the state assembly.

However, with the passage of time, the state Congress and the Chief Minister lost track of the Bill that had gone to the President of India for consent. The Chief Minister got busy with his own assembly poll in August 2012 and then with the Tehri Lok Sabha bypolls in which his son Saket Bahuguna was a candidate. After his son’s defeat, the Chief Minister got busy in holding a Cabinet meeting at Gairsain in Chamoli district in November 2012.

In mid- June, the state was struck with the worst-ever natural disaster, creating widespread death and devastation. The state government got busy in the relief and rehabilitation process and the issue of bringing in the new Lok Ayukta Bill was relegated to the background.

But the state government faced embarrassment when the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and the Uttarakhand Parliamentary Affairs were kept in dark as the Bill was returned to the state following Presidential consent and sent for publication. The state government has ordered an inquiry by the Chief Secretary into the episode. There has been a feeling in the state government that there was an attempt to put the state government and particularly the Chief Minister in an embarrassing situation by certain elements within the state government. It was the duty of the Principal Secretary looking after the legal department to have informed the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Parliamentary Affairs Minister about the Presidential consent to the Lokayukta Bill.

It is a million dollar question why they were kept in the dark about such an important piece of legislation.

Chief Minister Bahuguna has again reiterated that certain sections of the Bill regarding bringing in lower judiciary under the purview of the lokayukta are “unconstitutional”. He said the state Cabinet would discuss the amendments in the Bill required to be brought in the state legislature. He said the state government has the powers to either repeal or bring in amendments in the Bill even after the Presidential assent.

On the other hand, the issue has given an opportunity to the opposition BJP to put the Congress government on the mat. BJP leaders have charged that the state Congress government tried to hide the fact about the consent given to the Bill by the President of India. They alleged that the state Congress government has no knowledge of the goings-on under its own nose.

Maj-Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd) took this opportunity to meet and thank the President of India for giving consent to the Bill. The BJP proposes to take political capital out of the issue by demanding the implementation of the Bill.

The party would rake up the issue in the coming panchayat and Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held in May, 2014. — SMA Kazmi

CM to lay stones of 25 projects in Kumaon today
Will meet disaster victims during tour
Our correspondent

Pithoragarh, October 20
On the two-day tour of Champawat and Pithoragarh districts of the Kumaon region, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna will lay the foundation stones of several projects, inaugurate some of the projects and meet the people still living in tents or government buildings an are awaiting rehabilitation.

According to the SDM, Dharchula, the Chief Minister would land at the Army helipad at 1.35 pm on October 21 and would be busy thereafter in several programs, which include a meeting with the Uttarakhand disaster victims and people of the subdivision. “The Chief Minister will lay the foundation stones of over 25 projects, including a river rafting centre and adventure sports institute at Jauljibi and several motor roads broken during the Uttarakhand disaster,” said SDM Pramod Kumar .

According to source the aim of the CM's visit was to solve the problems being faced by the victims of the disaster in the subdivision. The victims will narrate their problems in an open darbar to be held from 3 to 4 pm in Dharchula town hall. According to the sources, Bahuguna would lay the foundation stones of motor roads from Narayan Ashram to Sirkha and Sirdang, Madkot to Basantkot besides laying the stone for the construction of a suspension bridge at Basantkot in Madkot . “The CM will also lay the foundation stone of seven other roads in the area besides inaugurating a newly constituted subdivision at Gorichhal, “said Harish Dhami, MLA. Dharchula.

A day before the Chief Minister’s visit, Dharchula Congress felicitated local MLA Harish Dhami for his efforts to remove the limits of the Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary from 111 villages of the area, paving way for the construction of two long-proposed hydroelectric schemes in the area.

In Champawat district, preparations have been made on war-footing by the district administration and the Congress party to make the tour a success.

“Besides addressing a public rally at Ramlila Ground in Lohaghat, the Chief Minister will lay the foundation stones of worth 65.82 crore projects in the district and will inaugurate three schemes,” said Jodh Singh Dhek, a senior Congressman from the district.

Study in Ganga basin: secrecy clause a hindrance
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Confidentiality involved in sharing of stream-flow data is proving to be a big hindrance in flood-related disaster study in the all important Ganga basin of the country. According to an article, published in the recent issue of Current Science, a peer reviewed science journal by Sharad Kumar Jain, from the National Institute of Hydrology Roorkee, the present stream-flow data sharing policy that puts stream data for Ganga river basin as classified, prevents researchers to even obtain and analyse the stream-flow data, and thus, is a big stumbling block towards flood-related disaster preparedness.

Further, even if a researcher manages to obtain the data, the primary data that includes numerical values cannot be part of the paper published in any technical journal due to classified nature of information, thereby providing a big hindrance in the critical review of interpretations. He said Ganga basin was home to 40 per cent of the population of the country and every year one part or the other of the basin is in floods.

Strongly supporting declassifying the stream gauge data in the Ganga basin, Sharad Jain said in spite of immense importance of Ganga basin due to its huge water and power potential, the basin's hydrology and water resources development matters have not be studied at the desired level in spite of availability of large technical expertise on the subject.

Referring to recent mid-June Kedarnath disaster, Sharad Jain argues that meteorological data network in mountainous region of the country is very poor. "There are fewer stations at attitudes greater than 2,000 metres and thus there is little information on rainfall, snowfall, wind velocities and even temperature at those heights. This proves to be a big handicap while calibrating hydrologic models for the catchments in the region and developing improved understanding of the impacts of climate change on the water resources of the Himalayan rivers," he said.

He said in case of Kedarnath disaster, there was no satisfactory early warning system in place in the the affected areas and no studies have so far been completed to set up a flood forecasting models on the catchments in upper Ganga basin.

"Scientific expertise and hydrological data that are captured by spending large resources and great efforts are put to their best use by sharing of stream flow data," concludes Sharad Jain in his paper.

HP ahead in farm, industrial sectors: Experts
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 20
The three-day Industrial Expo, held at the Integrated Industrial Estate, SIDCUL, concluded today. The industrialists, corporates and economists participated in the event. They said be it the global economic meltdown a few years ago or the recent shutdown in the United States of America, the Indian economy had sustained these twin impacts successfully.

They said the slowdown didn't mean that the industrialisation expansion needed to be curtailed as for a developing country like India, the industrial sector after the agriculture was the backbone of the Indian economy.

Harendra Garg, head, SIDCUL Manufacturers Association, said the more government gave relaxation and tax waiver to the industrial sector, the more output the industry would give.

He pointed that India had a wide pool of skilled technicians and non-skilled labour, which could make India a global industrial power.

Referring to Uttarakhand, Garg said apart from the plain region industrial sectors, mini-industrial hubs in the hill districts was the need of the hour.

Economist Dr Sunil Kumar Batra pointed that since the creation of separate Uttarakhand state, the limited revenue generating resources with the state having its disposal, was a major concern.

Batra said setting up of mini and micro units of industry across the thirteen districts of the state would provide employment to local people, while revenue to the state exchequer.

He also cited examples of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh state. He said Himachal had the same geographical ecology as Uttarakhand, but was way ahead in both agricultural and industrial sector.

The Industrial Expo, which began on October 18, witnessed more than 300 stalls put up by the participating industrialists from across the country.

Khanpur MLA Champion pitches for candidature from Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 20
With Haridwar parliamentarian Harish Rawat expressing his desire of working for the party rather than contesting the next Lok Sabha elections , controversial legislator from Khanpur in Haridwar district, Kunwar Pranav Singh 'Champion', has pressed for his candidature from the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat. He sees himself as an able successor to Harish Rawat who won with record 1.15 lakh margin in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Kunwar Pranav said if Harish Rawat did not want to contest the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha elections, then he was willing to contest from the seat.

The Khanpur legislator said he had been elected thrice for the state Assembly, twice from Lakshar and now from Khanpur and it pointed toward his popularity in the region.

“There are few leaders who have a hold in the Haridwar constituency. Rawatji is a veteran leader but if the party high command looks for another candidate, then I am here to contest the elections,” added Singh.

While talking about his post of the Forest Corporation chairperson, Kunwar Pranav said he did not care of red or green beacons, but the trust of voters in him.

"If I have the faith of voters, then such posts will follow sooner or later. It's my nature that I don't vie for luxuries but take care of the woes of the public," remarked Singh.

When questioned about the much-awaited reply to the notice served on him by the Pradesh Congress Committee Disciplinary Committee, Kunwar said at the right platform and moment he would explain his views.

Notably, last month, Kunwar Pranav Singh got involved in a firing case during a dinner hosted by Agriculture Minister Dr Harak Singh Rawat at his residence and later came under the scanner of the party high command for openly announcing failure of the Congress party in all five state Lok Sabha seats in coming elections.

He has also been involved in several firing cases.

Fill top posts with women, says Mahila Cong chief
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Mahila Congress National President Shobha Oza has sought prompt filling up of vacant posts of heads of various corporations and boards in the state with suitable women leaders. Addressing a press conference here today, she said she has urged the Chief Minister for the same. She said the state Congress leaders had been demanding the same for long.

The demand for a better office at the Congress Bhawan in Dehradun had also been raised before the Chief Minister.

She said the Women Congress was all prepared for the coming panchayat elections and would ensure convincing victory for the party.

Responding to queries, she said Women Congress would take up the women issues at national-level in a big way. Women Congress had been very sensitive towards the cases of women atrocities and had pledged to fight for the victims even if the state was ruled by their very own party,she said

Oza said she was still very much hopeful that Women Reservation Bill would get through from Parliament and women would finally be able to get adequate representation both in the Parliament and state assemblies.

She said women today did not get adequate tickets in the elections due to the winning factor working against them.

“Yes, women do get less number of tickets and this is the challenge. We have to make women strong enough so that they are in position to win more and more seats in the Assembly and other elections”, she said.

State Congress Women’s Cell President Sarojini Kaithura was also present at the news conference.

Cong slams BJP on Lokayukta Bill
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
The state Congress has accused the BJP of misleading the masses on the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill. In a statement issued here today, the state Congress spokesman Shilpi Arora said the Congress had always been committed towards uprooting corruption and there was no question of going soft on it. She said the present Lokayukta Bill, which had now become an Act had many flaws and need amendments.

She reminded that the then BJP Chief Minister BC Khanduri had introduced Lokayukta Bill in Uttarakhand Assembly to take political mileage in the Assembly elections.

She said the BJP was worried about the development initiatives undertaken by the Bahuguna government in the state and was now trying to divert the attention of the people in the name of Lakayukta Bill.

She also took strong exception to Uttarakhand BJP leader Balraj Paasi’s statement that Bahuguna government was trying to bring disrespect to the President by opposing Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act that has now latter’s consent.

“Chief Minister has shown no disrespect to the President and was only trying to rectify past mistakes”, Arora said.

She said the state BJP instead of criticising for the sake of criticism must play the role of constructive politics.

Ex-servicemen exempt from house tax in state: Rawat
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
Uttarakhand Ex-servicemen Welfare Minister Harak Singh Rawat today announced that no house tax would be charged from ex-servicemen in the state.

Addressing a convention of ex-servicemen below the rank of officers in Dehradun, Harak Singh Rawat also announced an increase in the one-time grant for widow re-marriage from existing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Rawat said his ministry was also undertaking efforts towards the setting up of a war memorial in Dehradun in memory of defence personnel from the state who have attained martyrdom in various wars and conflicts.

The Uttarakhand Sainik Welfare Department vice-chairman, Major Hari Singh (retd), said the other ranks were the strength of the Army and must also be given due respect after retirement.

Earlier, President of Personnel Below Officers Rank Ex-servicemen Welfare Association Shamsher Singh Bisht said need for an organisation that took up the concerns of ex-servicemen below the rank of officers was being felt for quite some time.

Association’s General Secretary RD Shahi (retd), district Dehradun in charge Capt UD Joshi (retd) and a large number of other ex-servicemen were present on the occasion.

Sacked cops accuse govt of partiality
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
The sacked policemen whose services were terminated for filling application forms for the post of constable from two places in 2010 are continuing with their protest in the state capital.

The agitating former policemen are demanding restoration of their services as they claimed that out of the 1,400 constables who were recruited, 872 filed their forms from two different places, but the services of only 250 constables were terminated by the Police Department.

They are blaming the government and the police department of nepotism and partiality.

According to them, many people had contacts in the government and in the department so they managed to remain in the service even after filling application forms from two places.

Notably, 250 constables were terminated in 2012 when it was found that the candidates filed the application forms from more than one place.

According to the rule, one person can apply from only one district.

CPI flays UPA for ‘anti-worker’ policies

Dehradun, October 20
CPI's national council member Samar Bhandari has accused the UPA government of following anti-worker policies. Addressing a convention of the Oriental Bank Staff Association in Dehradun, Samar Bhandari said the UPA government had failed on all fronts and was now pursuing anti-worker policies. He said the working class was deliberately being ignored and the Centre was working at the behest of capitalists.

Shankar Devdarey, General Secretary, All-India Oriental Bank Staff Association, said the government had failed in its economic policies. He said inflation in the country was rising and banks were being rampantly privatised. — TNS

Schoolteachers' protest rally on Nov 1
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 20
The Uttarakhand School Teachers Association has decided to hold a protest rally and gherao the state secretariat in support of their demands. It was decided at the meeting of the association here today.

The teachers are demanding that they should also be given assured career progression (ACP) benefits on the lines of state employees and the facility of 20 days of leave in a year.

Their other demands include retirement benefits to the teachers who had national or state awards in the field of education and increasing the retirement age to 62 years. They also said that teacher association must be taken into confidence before making any education-related policy.

The association criticised the state government for not considering their demands for the past three months and decided to hold a massive protest rally on November 1.