Snow leopard sighting
Forest authorities instal six more camera traps
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Delighted after getting pictures of two snow leopards from Gangotri National Park, Uttarakhand Forest Authorities have decided to instal more camera traps in the region to check the possibility of existence of such snow leopards in the region. For the first time, two snow leopards - a female and a male - were captured in a camera trap in the Gangotri National Park, bringing cheer to the conservationists.

The park authorities are fitting more such camera traps with the hope to spot these snow leopards. Gangotri National Park’s Deputy Director GN Yadav confirmed the installation of six more camera traps in Tapowan area of the park.

Snow leopards have always eluded Uttarakhand. Only a couple of these wildcats have been sighted in the area and that too through camera traps, revealing the high risk to these endangered beasts.

Snow leopards are found in high-altitude areas (above 3,000m) throughout the state. Typical snow leopard habitats in Uttarakhand are: Trans-Himalayan regions such as Badrinath-Mana, Malari-Lapthal, core zone of Nanda Devi National Park, upper reaches of Valley of Flowers National Park, Nelong Valley in Gangotri National Park and a few more areas in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts.

But, till date, there have only been four confirmed sightings of snow leopards in Uttarakhand. Apart from the recent sighting of two snow leopards in Gangotri National Park, a snow leopard each was captured by cameras in 2011 and 2012 in Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve. These were the first photographic evidences of this elusive wildcat in Uttarakhand.

This elusive cat so far has been monitored through carnivore sign surveys based on evidences such as tracks, pug marks and scats in their habitats. However, forest personnel and local villagers or herders, particularly in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Gangtori National Park and Govind National Park have reported sighting snow leopards, but all these were unconfirmed sightings.

There is no denying the facts that snow leopard have been a neglected species. In India studies have been conducted in some of the protected areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, but rest of the states such as Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and unprotected areas of snow leopard distribution range have still been unexplored.

Welcoming the sighting of two snow leopards in Gangotri National Park, eminent zoologist Hem Singh Gehlot admitted there were a limited number of studies on snow leopards in Uttarakhand and a lot still had to be done on the zoological front for this elusive white cat.

Irregular appearences

Till date, only four confirmed sightings of snow leopards in Uttarakhand have been reported. So far this elusive wildcat has been monitored through carnivore sign surveys based on evidences such as tracks, pug marks and scats in their habitat.

First snowfall brings joy to farmers and tourists
“Snow and rain a boon for Rabi crops”
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 1
Tourists and farmers celebrated the first snowfall of the season on the last day of 2013, as several tourist towns witnessed the much-awaited snowfall of the season in the Kumaon region. According to information received from the weather department sources at the Pantnagar University, “While tourist towns of Nainital and Munsiyari received the first snowfall of the season, several higher regions of Almora Champawat, Nainital and Bageswar districts, also received snowfall, a boon for the Rabi crops.”

RK Singh, an agriculture scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Pithoragarh, said, “The rains that occurred after September in the region, are good for wheat, peas and barley gram crops. We have advised the farmers to add manure to their fields and plant new vegetable saplings as it is the best time for sowing them.”

According to the agricultural scientist, 5mm rainfall is sufficient for winter crops, but it needs the same amount of rainfall over the next 15 days, for better growth of these crops.

According to the weather department, while Almora district received a maximum of 10 mm rainfall, Champawat received 7 mm rainfall while Pithoragarh and Nainital received 5 and 3 mm rainfall respectively. The rains and snowfall led to a fall in temperature as Champawat and Almora districts witnessed 2 degree Celsius while Tarai district of Udham Singh Nagar saw a minimum of 12 degree Celsius on Tuesday.

According to the information received from the ITBP and SSB sources, the high altitude region on the Kailas Mansarowar route witnessed medium to heavy snowfall, which covered the route under a thin layer of snow.

KS Rawat, Deputy Commandant of ITBP at Mirthi in Didihat, said, “Keeping in view the beginning of snowfall in the region, we have asked our jawans at the Indo-China border to remain alert in the days to come, as more snowfall may occur in the border outposts situated there.”

According to ITBP sources, the highest snowfall of 1.5 feet was witnessed at Nabhidhang, Jolingkong, and Kalapani, followed by Kuti, Garbiyang Gunji and Chiyalekh, which saw an average of 1-foot snowfall.

Dept expresses inability to accept nurses' demand for pay raise
Tribune News Service

Patients had to face inconvenience following a strike by nurses at Doon Hospital in Dehradun on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, January 1
With the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare expressing it's inability to fulfil the demand for raising the grade pay to the level of pharmacists, the members of Uttarakhand Staff Nurses' Association may not after all see their major demand being fulfilled.

The nurses who have been boycotting the morning and night shifts since the last three days, during their talks with the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Om Prakash, have already been conveyed how the acceptance of their demand would spur other employee associations to demand the same.

''The quantum jump in grade pay in the range of Rs 5400-Rs 6600 given to the pharmacists is already proving troublesome. The government would be in a difficult situation to give a similar raise to the nurses. However, we are willing to consider the remaining demands,'' said Om Prakash, Principal Secretary, Health.

Meanwhile, to meet out the exigencies arising due to the boycott call in Doon Hospital, the management has pressed into service 15 pharmacists (brought from sub centres and dispensaries), 13 auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANMs) and health centres provided by the Chief Medical Officer (Dehradun) and health visitors and MBBS and BAMS interns.

''The nurses work under the supervision of the doctors. If you go by the norms, all across the state there is shortage of nurses and one has learnt to get maximum out of the existing staff. Only at the ICUs and operation theatres do we require nurses who work round the clock. So we have shifted the operations to the afternoon shift when the nurses give their duties,'' said Dr RS Aswal, Principal Superintendent, Doon Hospital.

In Doon Hospital around 76 staff nurses and 30 sisters have been boycotting morning and night shifts.

Due to the boycott call, at the Women's Hospital, which is already facing shortage of nurses, the services are being manned by 11 contractual nurses, nine ANMs and six pharmacists. The hospital has a staff of 40 nurses who are now discharging only one shift duty.

''Though operations are being conducted in the afternoon shift, we do not want to take any risk and are, therefore, urging the family members of patients to weigh their decisions carefully due to the strike,'' said Dr Chandra Pant, CMS, Women's Hospital. Meanwhile, the nurses' association president Anjana Bhowmick along with other office bearers will again hold talks with the government tomorrow.

Delhi-based firm provides aerial ropeway across Alaknanda
Tribune News Service

Dehradun January 1
Apart from well known corporates , little known companies are also doing their bit to contribute to the relief work in flash flood-hit Uttarakhand. A lesser known Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT) , a Delhi-based engineering and infrastructure company, taking the initiative, has erected a 100-metre span ropeway with trolley at Bhagwan village across river Alaknanda for immediate connectivity and accessibility of nearby residents of one of the worst affected areas north of Devaprayag.

“The aerial ropeway at Bhagwan village has been erected across river Alaknanda, located north of Devaprayag and short of Srinagar. It is at the site of the foot bridge which was washed away during the recent floods. This is connected to the traditional trekking route to Badrinath on the far bank, before the highway came up. It connects Rudraprayag and Tehri (Garhwal) districts. School children studying in Bhagwan from villages across Alaknanda require it urgently,” said KK Kapila, Chairman and Managing Director, ICT. He is also Chairman of global road safety body, International Road Federation (IRF).

“The demand for aerial ropeways with trolleys has been large and more than the capacity of the local authorities to provide. ICT took the initiative of addressing this by designing one in house, for a 100 m crossing at Bhagwan village. This along with better selection of sites to minimise effort has proved effective. The system has cut down costs by about Rs 3 lakh (25%), is safer, more robust, easier to maintain and operate and quicker to construct. It will speed up the urgent deficiency of such crossings. ICT plans to sponsor more of these in a bid to supplement the government effort and enabling rehab activities to be speeded up,” said Kapila.

“The ropeway trolley erected with improved and relevant technology will not only provide access to the inaccessible but also help in for goods material handling of basic necessities in the area. Apart from erection of the ropeway, the company has also adopted a school in Phata village in Ukhimath block in Rudraprayag district for orphans and deprived children. The school project involves repair of a few buildings in a dilapidated state, for running a school for 65 children till Vth class. Teaching and administration will be managed by International Association of Human Values (IAHV), volunteers, while funds for teaching staff, maintenance and provision of mid-day meals will be provided by ICT for a period of three years. The building will be handed over to local authorities thereafter. The premises shall also be used for skill development training outside school hours and other community activities,” said Kapila.

“This is as a part of the drive to address issues that complement the efforts by the government and other agencies by corporate funding. ICT has also initiated a programme to sensitise the environment on appropriate technology for this region for more reliable infrastructure identifying suitable techniques and available equipment. These are based on studies carried out in-house by a team of experts. While a great deal of this relates to techniques that make construction in the fault-ridden, slide-prone mountains quicker and safer in the long term, quicker road connectivity, it was felt it was the key to all the rehab effort and this could be best advanced by new generation emergency bridges that allow two- lane traffic for NH designed loading, a four-fold advantage over the erstwhile Bailey bridges,” Kapila added.

Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT), an ISO-9001:2008 Certified Company incorporated in the year 1987, ranked among top 100 consultancy companies in the world, has operations in more than 35 countries across the globe. It is a leading international consulting organisation specialising in highways, structures, airports, urban and regional infrastructure development, water supply, water resources development and management, traffic and transportation, ports and tourism, institutional strengthening and capacity building and socio-economic and environmental impact assessment.

Vital targets

• The ropeway trolley erected with improved and relevant technology will not only provide access to the inaccessible but also help in for goods material handling of basic necessities in the area.
• Apart from erection of the ropeway, the company has also adopted a school in Phata village in Ukhimath block in Rudraprayag district for orphans and deprived children.
• The school project involves repair of a few buildings in a dilapidated state, for running a school for 65 children till class Vth.Teaching and administration will be managed by International Association of Human Values (IAHV), volunteers.
• The premises shall also be used for skill development training outside school hours and other community activities.

Taxi union burns transport minister’s effigy in Mussoorie
Demands rollback of anti-breaking system norm
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 1
The members of Jai Maa Santoshi Welfare Taxi Union and other sister transport organisations registered their protest by burning an effigy and blocking the Mussoorie-Suvakholi-Thatyur-Chamba route at Suvakholi against the government order of transport minister on introducing Anti-Breaking System (ABS) among vehicles run by the taxi unions in Jaunpur development block, here today.

The union members reached Suvakholi early in the morning and raised slogans against the transport minister demanding removal of the new ABS system imposed on taxi owners of the hill region here.

Tourists returning from Dhanaulti had to bear the brunt of this protest for several hours.

The secretary of Thatyur Taxi Union Sunil Thapliyal said the transport department was trying to enforce the rule of placing anti-breaking system in their vehicles run under the taxi permit in the region.

He also said taxi owners were reeling under immense pressure of making their ends meet due to road blockages over the last several months following the natural disaster and flash floods that occurred in June 2013 and were in no position to install such a system due to its exorbitant cost.

He added the union members also opposed the nine year validity rule for the MAX taxi owners which the government had introduced for the hilly regions earlier.

Thapliyal warned if the government failed to recall such draconian orders immediately it would face severe consequences in the forthcoming panchayat and Lok Sabha polls.

Elaborating further, Thapliyal said the state government through its regional transport offices had assigned the task to big companies for installing ABS in Max vehicles running from 2007. Raising a question, he added the system should have been installed in the vehicles from the start and should not have been enforced upon taxi owners now.

What is ABS?

The ABS system monitors the speed of each wheel to detect locking. When it detects sudden braking, it releases braking pressure for a moment and then provides optimum braking pressure to each wheel. By repeating this process in a short period of time, it enhances steering control during sudden stops. As a result, it also helps improve the ability of stopping the vehicle, especially in hilly areas.

CIC summons Indian Olympic Association
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
The Central Information Commission summoned the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for not providing relevant information related to Uttarakhand Olympic Association to a RTI applicant. The applicant asked about the process adopted by the Indian Olympic Association to check that none of its member holds multiple posts in different sports associations in the states.

According to Section X of the Indian Olympic Association’s constitution (Holding of Office), no office-bearer of a National Sports Federation can be an office-bearer of any other National Sports Federation, affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association.

Similarly, no office-bearer of State or Union Territory Olympic Association can be an office-bearer of any other State or Union Territory Olympic Association, affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association.

Despite this, a family from Uttarakhand continues to hold post in different state and national sports association.

Raju Gusain, co-founder of DehradunFootball.com, had asked the Indian Olympic Association to provide information about the monitoring process adopted by the IOA to check the malpractice and why no action had been taken against a top office-bearer of the Uttarakhand Olympic Association and his wife for controlling different state’s sports associations and also a post in some national federations.

The Central Information Commission has asked the Indian Olympic Association to appear in the hearing in New Delhi on January 9, 2014. They have also instructed Raju to attend the hearing via video conferencing from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in Dehradun.

State developing at a snail’s pace: Speaker
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 1
Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Gobind Singh Kunjwal agreed with politicians that the ruling governments had not lived up to the expectations of the residents, since the inception of the state in 2000.

Speaker Gobind Singh Kunjwal was here yesterday to attend a school annual function in Bhagwanpur.

Speaking to mediapersons during a brief stay at the state guest house in Damkoti, Haridwar, Kunjwal lamented despite state witnessing tenures of seven Chief Ministers, development in remote areas as well as hilly regions were not up to the mark.

He said, “The gap between the rich and poor has only widened courtesy lack of political vision, corruption and competing for red beacons among politicians. This has aggravated the situation and public confidence needs to be restored as the common man feels alienated from the political setup.”

On speculations about change of guard in the Congress-led coalition government in the state as well as Delhi visits by state Cabinet ministers and Congress legislators, Kunjwal said it was a routine for ministers and legislators to visit Delhi.

Talking about the leadership issue, he said, “I don’t want to comment on the issue as I hold a constitutional post, but visits of legislators are primarily concerned with development works, schemes, Union government ministries and party high command leaders. The government is doing a good job and I do not understand from where this speculation is arising.”

Passion for vintage scooters
Parwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Old Lambretta and Vespa scooters owned by SP Singh in Dehradun. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Dehradun, January 1
In the age of zooming bikes and sporty set of four wheels, city based SP Singh, an educationist, loves his decades old Lambretta scooter and prefers to stay in the old world.

An educationist by profession, 45-year-old SP Singh started collecting vintage scooters three years ago. A blue coloured Lambretta, prized possession of the Singh family, was brought in from Kalsi area three years ago. “My father had a Lambretta scooter. In fact that was the first vehicle that I ever drove. I polished my two-wheeler driving on that scooter only. That’s when I fell in love with the vintage scooter.”

“My father sold the scooter for mere Rs 1500 to a scrap dealer. Ever since then I was on a look out for a lambretta in running condition. There are very few scooters left in the country and those who have it do not wish to part with due to emotional bonding,” said Singh.

Apart from 1970s Lambretta, the family possesses a vintage Vespa 150,a gift from a Mussoorie based family friend, and Vijay Super brought from Kotdwar in the state.

“Though I don’t drive these scooters much, but every week they are started and warmed up to keep the engine in running condition. The scooters are old so they require frequent servicing. The engine and the parts are all original and its difficult to find their replacement these days.”

“I am always on a lookout for some vintage two-wheelers. I have spoken to so many friends and they keep telling me about the Lambretta. In fact once I had even traveled to Sangrur district in Punjab for the search of scooter. But the owner, who used to celebrate the scooter’s birthday every year, refused to part with it despite a very high price offered by me. This is a passion that I want my children to inherit. A classic set of two wheels is a beauty in itself that can never fade away,” he added.

State accused of patronising illegal quarrying business
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Jan Sangharsh Morcha's president Raghunath Singh Negi has accused state government of patronising illegal quarrying business in Uttarakhand. Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Jan Sangharsh Morcha's president and former Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam's Chairman Raghunath Singh Negi said the state government had done allotment of land for quarrying on areas where there is little possibility of getting minerals and, in other way, was facilitating illegal collection of minerals from rivers.

He said any quarrying allotment on a piece of land is only done after getting all the details regarding the quality and quantity of minerals to be obtained from that particular piece of land. ''But this has not been done in case of Uttarakhand and an unlimited allotment has been done,'' Negi said, asserting the state government was helping quarrying mafia to get minerals from rivers and instead show these minerals as obtained from the other land areas on official records.

Raghunath Singh Negi disclosed that the state government had not even got clearance of Environmental Impact Assessment Cell of Union Environment and Forests Ministry, state Pollution Control Board and other authorities before making these allotments.

''It has now been clearly revealed that Uttarakhand state government wants to assist quarrying mafia,'' Raghunath Singh Negi observed.

10 per cent hike in user charges for APL patients
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
The state Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare today hiked fee for different medical services being offered at government hospitals by 10 per cent. The hike has affected patients belonging to the APL category. Patients belonging to the BPL category will continue to avail all services free of cost.

The department hikes the fee every year to garner additional financial resources for improving services at hospitals, which are dependent on budgetary allocations made by the government.

“The prescription fee will now be Rs 14 and admission fee Rs 70," said Dr RS Aswal, Principal Superintendent, Doon Hospital. However, service charges of MRI, lithotripsy and spinal machine at the physiotherapy centre of Doon Hospital would not be affected by the hike.

“While the MRI services are being run under the PPP mode, the lithotripsy and spine machine at the physiotherapy unit were recently installed on a trial basis for which regular service charges are still being worked out,” said Dr Aswal.

In the wake of the mid-June disaster, state Minister for Health and Family Welfare SS Negi had earlier announced that the nominal 10 per cent hike in user charges would not be announced. However, it seems he had to bow to the prevailing financial conditions of the hospital.

Routine affair: The department hikes user charges every year to garner additional financial resources for improving services at hospitals, which are dependent on budgetary allocations made by the government.

MLA threatens protest during special Assembly
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 1
Perturbed at non-fulfilment of promises made by the government and Congress leaders to the disaster-hit victims in Dharchula subdivision, Congress MLA from Dharchula Harish Dhami has threatened to stage a dharna during the special Assembly session beginning from January 13.

“If the demands were not fulfilled immediately, I will stage a dharna during the special Assembly session," said Dhami.

MLA Dhami alleged the government had failed to deliver on its promises.

It was yet to develop 111 villages that were earlier part of a wildlife sanctuary.

He alleged Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, in the presence of Congress general secretary Ambika Soni and state unit party president Yashpal Arya, had promised to provide land to the disaster victims for the construction of houses.

“Neither the government has provided any land nor done anything to rehabilitate the victims, who are bearing the brunt of winter," alleged Dhami.

Dhami demanded that besides allotting land to the disaster victims, embankments be constructed on the Kali, Gori ad Dhauli rivers.

“If the government fails to complete these works before March, we will have to face another disaster in the monsoon,” said the Dharchula MLA.

Small conveyance vehicle owners observe strike
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Resenting non-renewal of licences, small passenger conveyance vehicle owners in Uttarakhand observed a strike today. Under the aegis of Doon Garhwal Jeep Commander Operators' Association, the small passenger conveyance owners that ply on hilly roads went on strike today. Association president Rajan Mamgain accused state transport authorities of not renewing their licences and forcibly asking them to fit Anti Brake Lock System in their vehicles. He said there is no company in Uttarakhand that provides Anti Brake Lock System and such condition should not be compulsory for renewal of licences.

Mamgain said due to delay in renewal of licences of small passenger conveyance vehicles, the youths, who were operating these vehicles, are now facing crisis of livelihood. He said the population in hill districts of Uttarakhand was already suffering due to mid-June disaster and now the state government was further troubling the youths of the state.

Satyadev Uniyal, YS Rawat, Anup Jaiswal and Sanjay Chauhan were prominent signatories to the memorandum, that was submitted by the association to the Uttarkhand transport authorities today.

State-level Sanskrit shastriya contest begins today
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 1
Shri Bhagwan Das Adarsh Sanskrit Maha Vidyalya, Haridwar, will host the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Shastriya Competition on January 2 and 3. Principal of the institution Dr Bhola Jha announced this at the college today.

Various events would be held across 22 categories and the winners would be directly eligible for the National Sanskrit Championship to be held at the Bhopal-based campus of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan.

Dr Bhola Jha said invitations were sent to all Sanskrit universities and colleges based in Uttarakhand three months in prior, so that students could prepare for the events in time.

He added winners of all events at the national competition would be awarded Rs 10,000 cash while the second and third runners up would get Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively.

Presiding guest for the event would be Swami Shyam Sunder Das Maharaj of Garibdasiya Ashram, chief guest Jagad Guru Shankarachaya Shri Raj Rajeshwaram Maharaj of Jagadguru Peethadeeshwar along with Ved Prakash Shastri vice-chancellor of Gurukul Kangri University and Dr Suresh Charan Bahuguna, secretary of Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy. Students’ Union representative Pankaj Upreti said the accommodation, eatery and other facilities were being put in place for the participating students from all thirteen districts of the state.

Play staged on women empowerment
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 1
The members of the NGO MPower People Uttarakhand staged a street play to create awareness towards women empowerment iss-ues at Garhwal Terrace in Mussoorie today. The artistes through the-ir street play raised the issue of rampant women trafficking being carried in areas affected by the mid-June disaster in the state.

The members also raised issues on domestic violence, female foeticide and appealed the public to stop such a menace from entering into our society that would lead to its degeneration.

They staged the play during the open street festival ‘Mutangan’ at the Mango grove on the FRI campus.

The CEO of the organisation said they were running a variety of projects towards women empowerment in around eleven states in the country and would be spreading the message through street plays at Gandhi Park in Dehradun on Thursday.

Priya Raturi and Praveen Chandra, members of the NGO MPower People Uttarakhand, along with Abhisehk Maindola, Hina and Anurag, artistes from Sambhav Manch, were also present on this occasion.

Tel Bhavan (Green) win ONGC tourney
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Tel Bhavan (Green) won the ONGC Inter-Departmental Football Tournament after defeating Tel Bhavan (Red) 3-1 in the final match played at Ambedkar stadium here today. For Tel Bhavan (Green), Narendra Kumar, Sushil Badola and Satender Negi scored one goal each in the match. While for Tel Bhawan (Red), Sanjay Bhatt remained the only goal scorer in the match.

During the closing ceremony, Kamal Nayan Barthwal of Tel Bhawan (Red) was given the golden boot award for scoring maximum goals in the tournament, while Sushil Badola of Tel Bhavan (Green) was adjudged best forward and Manish Bonal as best midfielder.

Security Football team received the fairplay trophy award and Frontier Basin football team was given the most promising team award.

The Employee Welfare Committee (EWC) of ONGC organised the football tournament. Pradeep Sahariya, executive director, Personnel Department, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Protest over withdrawal of mandi tax
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Mandi employees here today staged a protest demonstration against the withdrawal of mandi tax, To check the rising prices of vegetables and fruits, the state on Monday withdrew mandi tax of two and a half per cent. The decision was taken by Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat at a meeting. Threatening to boycott services if there demands were not met, the employees said the mandi tax had nothing to do with the rise in the prices of fruits and vegetables.

“The Mandi Board has stopped taking development cess and mandi tax that has caused a lot of inconvenience to farmers and consumers. The government has taken the decision without giving any thought or a discussion with experts or farmers. The biggest loser in this game will be the farmer, who in the wake of uncontrolled mandis, will have to bear the brunt,” said the protesters.

Mulayam Singh Yadav to visit state shortly
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav will be visiting Uttarakhand shortly. Addressing a press conference in Dehradun yesterday, state Samajwadi Party president SN Sachan said Samajwadi Party was fully prepared for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

He disclosed Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav will be in Uttarakhand in mid January and will be addressing public meetings in Roorkee, Haldwani and Kashipur areas of the state. He said the party will shortly organise Mulayam Sandesh Yatra in Uttarakhand. Responding to queries, Sachan said party workers in particular were focusing on Nainital and Haridwar Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, where Samajwadi Party keeps a commendable following.

Sachan also criticised UPA government, accusing it of completing ignoring farmers. He alleged the BJP was using corporate funds to promote Modi's rallies in the country.

DM reviews preparations of national volleyball tourney
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 1
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam here today reviewed preparations for the 40th Junior National Volleyball Championship being hosted for the first time in the state from January 8 to 14.

At least 2,000 players, including girls, are expected to take part in the national tourney. The District Magistrate asked officials and departments associated with the tourney to ensure that all preparations were completed well in time.

He directed them to make proper arrangements for the player's stay and food, besides making available 12-15 vehicles for ferrying them.

President of the Uttarakhand Volleyball Association Avdesh Chowdhary said preparations were in full swing to provide a comfortable stay to the outstation players, besides ensuring cleanliness around their dwellings and grounds.

The DM instructed SP (traffic) Pradeep Kumar Rai to ensure a smooth and unobstructed flow of traffic.