Foundation day celebrations remain a low-key affair
Hirdayesh inaugurates Rs 9.59-cr projects at simple ceremony
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 9
The state foundation day celebrations today remained a low-key affair in the wake of the mid-June disaster. No cultural programme was organised on the occasion.

At a simple ceremony organised at Town Hall here, state Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh inaugurated projects worth Rs 9.59 crore. The projects include development schemes, educational schemes, health and family planning schemes and projects related to animal husbandry.

Besides, the minister also inaugurated an exhibition depicting struggle and development in the state in the past 13 years.

Accompanied by Haridwar District Magistrate Nidhi Pandey, the minister released a development-oriented book, namely ‘Milkar Gadenge Naya Uttarakhand".

Addressing a gathering, the minister said post the mid-June calamity, the most important work for the government was to bring the state back on the path of development.

“Rehabilitating the disaster-hit people, providing them with food, shelter and employment and redeveloping the destroyed villages are our top priority. And for this, we need the support of the common man,” said the minister.

She said the main source of revenue generation in the state was tourism and for this they would have to create a tourism- friendly atmosphere in the state, so that pilgrims and tourists arrive in large numbers without any fear.

On the occasion, the minister also distributed cheques to the beneficiaries of the Nanda Devi Kanya Dhan Yojana, the Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Paryatak Yojana and other state-run welfare schemes.

MLA Sarbat Karim Ansari, Hari Das, Aadesh Chauhan, SSP Rajeev Swarup ,CDO Vishnu Singh Dhanik, social activist Poonam Bhagat, Congress leader OP Chauhan and other public represenatatives were present on the occasion.

Separate policy for small, medium enterprises soon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 9
To promote small enterprises in the state, the government is in the process of finalising a separate policy for micro, small and medium enterprises.

Though the previous BJP government had come up with a hill promotion policy in 2008 to give impetus to small-scale industries in the state, the present Congress government is keen on a policy framework as a separate department of small and medium enterprises has already been established in the state.

Most likely, the policy will focus on giving more incentives to small units and the extension of single-window system.

Other concessions include waiver in power and transport bills and capital subsidy. All these incentives are also available under a special integrated industrial promotion policy for hilly and remote areas of the state already in place.

“The policy will envisage providing a single-window clearance to entrepreneurs and other incentives, including a rebate in transportation and power tariff,” said SC Nautiyal, Additional Director, MSME.

In fact, the department has prepared a proposal for strengthening the MSMEs by demanding stamp duty waiver on loans from banks and waiver of VAT, entertainment and luxury taxes.

With over 40,000-odd units engaged in small enterprises, the government is hopeful of increasing the number further, so that the local youth do not migrate to other states in search of jobs.

“By creating linkages between ITI and small enterprises, skill-development workshops could be held giving direct exposure to the youth and imbibing in the spirit of entrepreneurship,” said Pankaj Gupta, president, Industries Association of Uttarakhand.

He said several units in Haldwani and Haridwar engaged in small enterprises had a capacity to double their output.

“We need to encourage MSMEs to grow and graduate to the next level and the availability of finance should be a key focus area,” said Gupta.

Further, the Confederation of Indian Industries has suggested that the government should play the role of a facilitator by providing good infrastructure and time-bound clearances to entrepreneurs.

BJP gears up for Modi's rally
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 9
State in charge for the BJP party affairs Radha Mohan Singh here today exhorted party workers to begin preparations for making the election rally of prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on December 15 a success.

Addressing the party workers, Radha Mohan Singh called upon them to disseminate information about Modi’s rally. “We are optimistic that Modi’s rally will be able to spur party workers to work unitedly for the 2014 general election,” he said.

He said the rally would help them gauging the mood of the people of the state.

President of the Uttarakhand BJP Teerath Singh Rawat also called upon the party workers to work for making the rally a success. “The attendance at Modi's election rallies held in different parts of the country so far is phenomenal and we are hopeful that this rally, too, will be historical,” said Rawat.

Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, attended the meeting.

Closure of Ganga canal fails to dampen Chhath puja spirit
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 9
The festival of ‘Chhath’, observance of rituals for Sun God also known as Surya Shasthi, was celebrated with gaiety in the city. Women belonging to families hailing from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, thronged Ganga ghats since wee hours in the morning to perform Chhath puja.

The closure of the Ganga Canal, which has been extended due to the expansion of the capacity, the scant flow of water at Brahma Kund, Har-ki-Pauri, and adjacent ghats failed to dampen the festive spirit of the Chhath puja observers.

In the past few years, Chhath puja has gained popularity among locals too. Chhath rituals are performed at Ganga ghats on a large scale. The word Chhath means number six. The festivities continue for six days and Chhath is observed on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik though the actual span of Chhath is four days.

On the last two days, the emphasis is given on fasting and offering of ‘argh’ to Sun God. Argh is offered by women, who observe fast, along riverside or flowing water during the sunset and after performing rituals at dawn to the rising Sun. It is followed by breaking of the fast (Nirjala vrat).

President of the Poorvanchal Ekta Sangh Kanhaiya Lal said the four days of the Chhath puja were called Nahakha (bath and eat), Kharna (the day before Chhath), Chhath Sandhiya Arghya (evening offerings) and Parna (the day before Chhath).

At Har-ki-Pauri and adjacent Ganga ghats, despite scarcity of water, hundreds of women gathered to perform rituals to break their fast which they had been observing since morning. Members of the Poorvanchal Ekta Sangh Raj Dulari, Radha Krishan,Sushil Yadav, Kapil Dev, Shri Kant Awasthi and Shri Ram Gupta resented non-availability of water at the sanctum sanctorum of Braham Kund, Har-ki-Pauri due to ongoing expansion work of the Ganga Canal.

Ward councillor Asha Yadav said the decision of the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department to stop the water affected the performance of rituals in the city. Most of the Chhath observers offered rituals at Neel Dhara, Chandi Ghat-Indira Gandhi Setu, Birla Ghat, Daksh Temple and temporary makeshift ponds.

Protest in Mussoorie leads to cancellation of foundation day programmes
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 9
Functions, which were to be organised to mark the 13th Foundation Day of Uttarakhand, were cancelled due to protest by some social activists in the town here today.

A social activist and president of the Parvitaya Bigul Sanstha Pradeep Bhandari said he would boycott the Uttarakhand Film and Television Award ceremony to be held in the town on November 10.

The municipal council (MC) had prepared for several programmes, including a show by a Garhwali singer Preetam Bhartwan today. The show was cancelled by the MC after Pradeep lodged a protest against having such programmes in the town. He termed it as disrespect to the disaster-affected victims. He said the municipal council despite the clear government order of observing the state Foundation Day with simplicity had flouted rules in the process.

The MC cancelled all programmes to be held today. It also refused to finance the Uttarakhand Film and Television Award ceremony.

Pradeep alleged that the film and television award function was not authentic as organisers had a checkered past. He said he along with other social activists would protest against the award ceremony.

Organising members of the film and television awards Anil Godiyal and Rajendar Rawat said the MC was not involved with them now. They said they would go ahead with the award ceremony despite the call for protest given by some social activists. People protesting against this award ceremony had dubious motives, they added.

Godiyal said organising members were funding the whole project privately. There was no reason to rake up a controversy over it.

Municipal council Executive Officer PS Rawat said they were not part of any function being organised to commemorate the state Foundation Day.

Kunjwal performs 'bhoomi pujan' of Assembly building at Gairsain
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 9
Speaker of the state Assembly Govind Singh Kunjwal today performed "bhoomi pujan" at Bhararisain in Gairsain, where the Uttarakhand Assembly building will come up.

Speaking on the occasion, Kunjwal said the construction of the Assembly Building at Gairsain would help giving due focus to the hilly areas of the state. "It will help check migration and send a message to the people that the government is commited to the all-round development of the state," he said. e said the construction work was expected to be completed in 18 months. 

Make Gairsain permanent capital of Uttarakhand: MP
Our correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 9
Welcoming the initiative of the state government to construct a Vidhan Sabha building at Bhararisain in Gairsain, Pradeep Tamta, Almora MP, today appealed to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to declare Gairsain as the permanent state capital.

Talking to mediapersons on the occasion of the 14th establishment day of the state, Tamta said sooner or later the state government would have to give into the mounting public pressure.

He said Uttarakhand was the only state to have a place in the plains as its capital while all other Himalayan states have hill districts as their capitals.

He appealed to the Chief Minister to release the activists of the Uttarakhand Lok Vahini, who were prevented from meeting the Chief Minister in Dehradun and taken into custody when they were going to submit a memorandum demanding the implementation of the provisions of the 74th Constitutional amendment in the state.

“They are democratic activists and the government should give them due respect while dealing with their agitation,” he added.

Pharmacists' strike cripples health services
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 9
The ongoing indefinite strike by pharmacists and paramedical employees has taken a toll on medical facilities in the district.

With all government hospitals and health centres closed, patients are being forced to go to private medical stores for buying medicines. The pharmacists boycotted work and staged a protest under the aegis of the Uttarakhand Diploma Pharmacists Association at Har Milap Mission Chikitsalaya today.

The pharmacists are demanding increase in wages; time-bound payment of arrears. The medical lab technicians were already on strike demanding various sops. With medical lad technicians on strike, patients had to return from government hospitals. They are demanding Rs 4,200 as grade pay, besides other facilities.

Pankaj Verma, district head of the association, said though the state government had agreed to the majority of our demands, it didn’t give any clear indication related to demand for increase in the grade pay. As per the Employees State Insurance Scheme project, a 200-bedded hospital would be set up in Haridwar. The number of medical dispensaries would also be raised in the coming years.

Rawat Cong in-charge for MP Assembly poll
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 9
Union Minister for Water Resources and Haridwar MP Harish Rawat has been made in-charge of the Congress for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. Rawat, who had planned to visit the Badrinath area from November 13, therefore, postponed it.

Congress national general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi made this announcement and asked Rawat to immediately take charge of the new assignment and hold consultations with Mohan Prakash, in-charge of the Congress affairs in Madhya Pradesh.