damaged safari track
Chila range of Rajaji park closed to visitors
This is the second closure in January, much to the dismay of tourists
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Pauri, January 24
Much to the dismay of tourists, the Chila range of the Rajaji National Park has been closed temporarily as its safari track has damaged post incessant rain earlier this week.

The Chila range falls in Pauri Garhwal district. Tourists in large numbers visit here every year to have a glimpse of wild animals. Earlier, it was closed to visitors in the beginning of the month to carry out a survey on wild animals in the Rajaji park. It was re-opened on January 7. However, within three weeks, the park authorities have been forced to closed the range yet again.

Chila ranger DP Uniyal said several stretches of a 30-km safari track had damaged post incessant rain. The entry road to the Chila range on the border of Pauri and Haridwar districts was also in a dilapidated condition. "Due to the accumulation of rainwater, potholes and a slippery and muddy track, gypsy drivers were facing many problems. There were chances of accidents. Keeping this in mind, we decided to close the range for carrying out repair works," said Uniyal.

Park officials said they would first inspect the inner park area before initiating the work. The levelling and re-carpeting of the track would need time. The weather would also play a crucial role in it.

Chila canteen owner AS Negi said tourists, including foreigners, were returning disappointed for the past two days.

Amita Ohri, a tourist, blamed the park administration for repeated closure this month. She said while guest houses and bungalows of forest park officials remained opened, it was only tourists who suffer every time.

The Rajaji National Park falls in three districts, Pauri Garhwal, Haridwar and Dehradun. It is spread over 820 sq km area. It is home to 400-odd Asian elephants (elephas maximus), and is known for the presence of rare species of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Experts: Lokayukta Bill can be effective if public is vigilant
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
While the BJP and the Congress Party have been trading charges on the ability of the new Lokayukta Bill to curb corruption, experts say the anti-corruption watchdog could become an effective tool only if the public is vigilant and also uses the available avenues when confronted by corruption and fraud.

“In a state like Uttarakhand where we hear of scams everyday, much would depend on the awareness of the people and their determination to file cases, People need to be educated on following procedures for registering cases under Lokayukta. Once they overcome the procedural hurdles, it would increase participation. Perhaps later the inferior provisions could be eliminated by bringing amendments. In my view, the Right to Information and other tools could be used together to fight corruption,” said RS Tolia, former Chief Information Commission of Uttarakhand.

However, unrelenting in its criticism of the Act , former Chief Minister BC Khanduri has already cast doubts on its ability to curb corruption. “The law is too weak to nail or take action against,” said Khanduri.

By bringing only the cases of the last seven years under the purview of the new Lokayukta, the Congress government has given a handle to the BJP to cry foul. “By including the last seven years clause in the new Act for taking up case for investigation, the Congress government has conveniently provided immunity to the acts and commissions that took place during the full year term of the first Congress government in the state when it was embroiled in 56 scams. Around 17 vigilance inquiries are pending,” charged Ajay Bhatt leader of the opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly.

While the Uttarakhand BJP has been terming the law as inferior, others are of the view that once the Lokayukta is constituted, the legal and social organisations could play a big role in educating the masses about the provisions in the Act. “There is a provision of penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh for filing of wrong case. So, we would have to educate the people about the provisions of the Act,” said Razia Beig, a senior lawyer.

In fact, it is this provision that could determine the success or failure of the general people’s involvement in launching crusade against corruption.

Security up ahead of R-Day
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
Security has been beefed up across the city ahead of Republic Day to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations.

The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has directed station house officers to carry out inspection in their jurisdictional areas and intensify night patrolling to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the Republic Day celebrations.

Heavy police will be deployed near Parade Ground where the R-Day parade will be held. Full dress rehearsal of the parade was held today amid heavy security arrangements.

Quick response teams, civil police force, the local intelligence unit (LIU) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) Battalions have been deployed at the venue.

The traffic police have also made route diversions on January 26. All buses, which start or pass from the Parade Ground route, will be diverted to Orient Cinema chowk. Buses that ply between the Rajpur and Clement Town route will not be allowed to go towards Lansdowne Chowk and instead they will have to ply through Clock Tower.

Even Vikrams will not be allowed near Parade Ground during the Republic Day parade.

R-day function at Parade Ground at 10.30 am
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
The District Magistrate, BVRC Purshottam, has stated that the National Flag will be unfurled in all government and private offices at 9.30 am on January 26. The timings for the R-day function at Parade Ground has been kept at 10.30 am.

In a press release issued here, it was stated that Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Harak Singh Rawat would be in-charge of the main stage that would house the dignitaries and chief guest of the function.

Apart from this, ADM Pratap Shah would be looking after the cultural programmes while City Magistrate Girish Gunvant would be responsible for the law and order situation during the function.

Mussoorie SDM reviews preparations for R-Day
Ajay Ramola/TNS

Mussoorie, January 24
Mussoorie SDM Ramjee Saran reviewed the preparations for the Republic Day celebrations at a meeting held with various departments and important figures of Mussoorie yesterday.

In order to avoid the repetition of the tussle over hoisting the Tricolour that had led to a near fist fight between two senior Congress and BJP leaders during Independence Day last year, it was decided that a senior citizen, Ratan Lal, would be unfurling the flag on Republic Day.

Taking lessons from the debacle that had shamed the town due to an unnecessary brawl during the Independence Day celebrations last year where the MC president from Congress Manmohan Singh Mall and BJP MLA from Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi had entered into a verbal spat and a near fist fight over hoisting the National Flag in Mussoorie, a consensus was reached that instead of politicians, Rattan Lal a senior citizen would be hoisting the flag to mark the Republic Day celebrations.

Surprisingly, the suggestion of unfurling the flag by the senior citizen was put forth by the chairperson of the meeting MC president Manmohan Singh Mall here, much to the delight of the gathered dignitaries from all walks of life.

The BJP members also consented to the suggestion, thus avoiding any chances of the repetition of the fiasco that had occurred on Independence Day. It was decided at the meeting that a cleanliness drive would be carried out in the town with the assistance of the Municipal Council and other agencies to mark the occasion.

The eminent figures from Mussoorie such as Chandralekha Tripathi, Ganga Prasad Bahuguna and Bal Kishan would be honoured for their exemplary service in their respective fields on the occasion.

The public flag hoisting would take place around 11 am at Landour Chowk while all the government and non-government organisations will unfurl the Tricolour in their respective institutions at 9.30 am. The students from Sanatan Dharam Inter-College will present patriotic songs and folk dance. In addition to that, prayer sessions by holy men of all major religions will be held on Republic Day.

The SDM also directed the police to prepare a special traffic plan and beef up the security at various important government and non-government installations. Considering the vacation of the schools in Mussoorie, it was decided at the meeting that the MC members would arrange a prabhat pheri on Republic Day.

The Congress leader, Javed Khan, has been named as the co-coordinator of the programme while Mohan Petwal, vice president of BJP local unit, will be assisting him on the occasion.

The SDM Mussoorie Ramjee Saran informed the media that an alert has been sounded and the officials have been directed to ensure tight security arrangements on Republic Day.

However, the public participation for the meeting was thin as very few people turned up for the preparation meeting in the MC premises today. The number of government officials was also less in comparison to last year due to unknown reasons.

MC ward members Sashi Rawat,Jasvir Kaur and Anuj Gupta, besides fire, Jal Sansthan and forest officials were among the ones who were present at the meeting today.

Training course for NSS teachers
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 24
The 8th enhancement training course for National Service Scheme (NSS) teachers began at Shri Bhagwan Das Adarsh Maha Vidyalya here yesterday.

The seven-day session is being organised by Kumaon University and Uttarakhand Sanskrit University. Delegates from the Garhwal division are participating in it.

The Vice-Chancellor, Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Prof Mahavir Aggarwal, said the NSS had helped students hone their skills, instill confidence in them and enhanced their overall development.

The Chancellor, Gurukul Maha Vidyalya, Dr Hari Gopal Shastri, said the NSS aimed at developing the overall personality of students through community services. Presiding over the inaugural session, Prof Niranjan Mishra discussed the broader objectives of this scheme.

Prof Atul Joshi, training coordinator, Dr Suresh Chand Tyagi, district coordinator and Dr Shailesh Tiwari, programme manager, were present.

National Girl Child Day celebrated in Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 24
National Girl Child Day (Rashtriya Balika Divas), a day dedicated towards the welfare of the girl child, was celebrated here today in Haridwar. To address the needs of the girl child as well as aspects of safety, nutrition, health and education, varied programmes were held across the district on this occasion.

At the town hall a discussion was organised by Sanshkar Sewa Samiti under the aegis of Bal Vikas Pariyojata, Haridwar city.

Experts from varied fields such as police, education, child right commission, women's right commission and NGOs participated in the forum, stressing the need of giving equal right and opportunity to the girl child as is given to the boy child.

As per social activist Kamla Joshi, the 2001 census revealed that in the age bracket up to six years ,there has been a steep low in female-male sex ratio, which is quite shocking as despite all the technological advancements India has attained in the past decade, still female foeticide is happening on a large scale.

Police officer Bhawna Kainthola informed the girls about ways to avoid sexual abuse, molestation, eve teasing and other related crimes.

Bhawna also made them aware of the legal aspects, help from police and recent amendment in the Act of crime against women, Dowry Prohibition Act, Pre-Conception and Natal Diagnostic Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and free compulsory education for girls.

Elsewhere, former chairperson of the Uttarakhand Women's Commission Santosh Chauhan said, “One out of two girls is malnourished, one of every sixth girl child faces gender discrimination, one of 10 girls reports sexual abuse and female mortality is high in more than 200 districts in India.”

Khanduri resents meagre funds for road repairs
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
Former Chief Minister BC Khanduri has expressed displeasure at the failure of the Central government to allocate adequate funds to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for the construction and repair of damaged roads in the state.

He said through different forums he had been urging the Central government to allocate adequate funds to the BRO for the construction and repair of damaged roads in the Garhwal division but it had not paid heed to his requests.

In a communiqué, Khanduri said due to lack of funds the roads damaged in the natural disaster last year had not been repaired. “I had even tried meeting Union Minister for Roads and Highways Oscar Fernandes but he was not available in New Delhi at that time. Hence, I wrote a letter clearly stating the problems being faced in Garhwal due to lack of funds for road repairs,” said Khanduri.

The Chief Minister said in the last three financial years the BRO had demanded Rs 1,200 crore but received only Rs 150 crore. In 2012-2013, it had demanded Rs 200 crore but got Rs 20 crore only.

Finish all development projects by Feb: DM
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 24
Pithoragarh District Magistrate instructed the officers of all departments to speed up the pace of development activities under the sanctioned budget, before the financial year 2013-14 comes to an end.

With two months left for the conclusion of the financial year, most departments have not even achieved 50 per cent of the targeted work.

When we reviewed the planning progress in the district, we found that only the irrigation and minor departments were close to completing their development projects assigned for the year, the rest had not even finished 50 per cent of the assigned progress, said Dr Neeraj Khairwal, District Magistrate of Pithoragarh.

Khairwal, who reviewed the progress at a meeting today, the departments of Zila Panchayat and Jal Sansthan had not utilised the year’s budget said: “While the Zila Panchayat failed to complete even a single project out of the 17 projects assigned to them for the current financial year, the Jal sansthan could only complete 22 of its 52 assigned projects for this year," said the District Magistrate after the meeting.

In their defence, the Jal Sansthan officers said they could not complete the work on the assigned drinking water projects due to the extreme cold and de-linked roads in the last few months as they were situated in the the upper Himalayan villages which were adversely hit by last year's natural calamity.

Khariwal instructed the officers that the rest of the assigned works must be completed by February or the first week of March.

DM distributes blankets to street children
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
an aim to protect the street children against cold, District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam distributed blankets to nearly 56 children in the age group of 1-13 years, in a function held here today.

Addressing the gathering, the DM said it was necessary to send the children staying in Raen Baseras to the Aanganvadis where they would receive some education. Also the adults, who were often seen begging on the roads, should rather be given vocational training so that they could lead a dignified life.

He said a drive had been launched in the city to stop the begging menace by a team led by chief development officer along with SP City, circle officers and members of an NGO called Aasra.

As part of the drive, the children found begging on the street were being provided education at the Parade Ground based school. The Child Development Board has provided a fund of Rs one lakh for the project.

SDM Sadar, Sonika, Ajay Mohan Saklani and Sidharth Bansal were also present on the occasion.

Sentencing in Sahaspur gang-rape case on Jan 27
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
A local court is expected to announce the quantum of punishment to two convicts in the sensational Sahaspur gang-rape and murder case on January 27. It convicted the two accused for the crime yesterday.

The incident occurred in December last year when an elderly woman of Sabhawala village in the Sahaspur police station area went missing. Her body was found in the nearby jungle the next day.

However, the post-mortem report confirmed that she was physically assaulted before being killed.

Meanwhile, the police questioned a large number of people during the investigation and on the basis of surveillance of mobile phones and forensic evidences collected from the crime spot arrested truck driver Mehtab and his friend Susheel.

The court yesterday found Mehtab and Susheel guilty of the crime. It was expected to pronounce the sentence today but deferred the decision to January 27.

Minister lays stone of school block
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 24
Mantri Prasad Naithani, Education Minister, laid the foundation stone of the main school block of Government Inter College at Srikot village today. The school was damaged during the mid-June natural disaster last year, in Tehri district.

The students were being forced to sit in open due to lack of adequate building since the natural disaster. With the foundation stone ceremony which was conducted here, the parents, teachers and students heaved a sigh of relief.

The estimated budget for the new block of the school building is estimated to be around Rs 25 lakh.

Naithani said the government was committed towards improving the government school infrastructure and quality of education in the state. He directed the officials to ensure that the construction material should not be of a sub-standard quality.

The local representatives informed the minister about acute shortage of teachers in various government schools of the Jaunpur development region and demanded fresh appointments without any further delay as the students were suffering due to lack of adequate teaching staff.

11 shopkeepers challaned for using poly bags
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
As part of the anti-polythene drive, the district administration distributed bags to school children in the 60 wards of the district for collecting the plastic bags being used in the households. The students have been asked to collect the plastic bags from their houses and locality. These bags would then be transferred to the trenching ground for disposal.

Meanwhile, City Magistrate Girish Gunvat seized two quintals of polythenes from the Darshani Gate, Hanuman Chowk and Tilak Road areas of the city. Almost 11 shopkeepers were challaned and a fine of Rs 19,600 was realized from them.

Tibetan wolf sighted in Bageshwar
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 24
A Tibetan wolf was sighted in the Sundardhunga glacier area of Bageshwar district last evening.

It was captured in camera traps installed in the area by the Forest Department with the help of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to trace the existence of snow leopards and other Himalayan animals.

Divisional Forest Officer, Bageshwar, DS Meena said a rare species of the high Himalayan wolf, mainly found in the Tibet plateau, had been sighted in the Sundardhunga glacier area situated at an altitude of 3,500 metres. “The wolf, locally known as chankyu, may have entered the India territory from Tibet to escape unbearable cold weather in that area,” said Meena.

WII scientists said camera traps had also been installed in the Kafni and Pindar glaciers areas of Bageshwar district.

“The Tibetan wolf is more violent as compared to the Indian wolf. It preys on small animals like rabbit and hunt for its prey during night,” said Vipul Maura, a WII scientist.

Sources in the WII said for the first time, the state had started a project to gather information about Himalayan animals through camera traps.

“The sighting of the Tibetan wolf is indicative that the high Himalayan reaches of the state are rich in rare fauna, which strengthen the presence of rich biodiversity in that area,” said Paramjit Singh, Chief Conservator (Forests), Kumaon.

Jobless youths lock gate of Education Directorate
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
Unemployed B.Ed graduates today locked the gate of the Education Directorate here and raised slogans against the Education Department for not filling posts of assistant teacher in primary schools.

The unemployed B.Ed graduates have been protesting in front of the directorate for the last 21 days. Amit Kashyap, general secretary of the B.Ed Trained Association, said the government had betrayed them by recruiting ineligible persons as assistant teachers instead of giving jobs to them despite their having cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test.

“The government should revive 3,246 posts of assistant teacher and issue a notification in this regard at the earliest,” said Baldev Bhandari, president of the association. Bhandari threatened to intensify the agitation if the government did not fulfil their demands immediately.

Uttarakhand Lokayukt Bill inclusive: Tamta
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh January 24
Pradeep Tamta, Congress MP, Almora, told mediapersons here yesterday that the Lokayukt Bill passed by the Assembly recently had been drafted on the lines of the Lokpal Bill passed by Parliament. “Being based on the Lokpal Bill passed by Parliament, the Lokayukt Bill of Uttarakhand is inclusive and covers all sections of society,” said Tamta.

He added the Bill covered members of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and other classes living on the fringe of society. “The Lokayukt Bill passed by the previous BJP government was not inclusive in the nature and hence needed to be replaced,” said Tamta.

Asked whether he wants to contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections, he replied in the affirmative.

Teenage girl ends life
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
A 16-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her house here today, when her parents were not at home. She has been identified as Manisha, a resident of Rajpur Road and a student of class IX.

Her parents said they left their house early morning to drop their children to school and when they came back the door was closed from inside.

On finding their house locked from inside, they entered the house by breaking open the door and saw their daughter hanging from the ceiling fan.

They informed the police, who took the girl to a hospital where the doctors declared her brought dead.

The police said the girl might have committed suicide due to ongoing financial problems in the family, which the father had also accepted during police questioning. Her body was sent for the postmortem examination.

MDU, Rohtak, scores 233 for loss of 5 wickets
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 24
A four-day final cricket match between MDU, Rohtak, and GNDU, Amritsar, in the ongoing prestigious All-India Universities Inter Zonal Rohinton Baria Cricket Tournament began today. GNDU, Amritsar, team won the toss and elected to field first.

Batting first, MDU, Rohtak, displayed a good batting show on the first day with Vinit and Kapil Dhaka not-out with an individual score of 90 and 59 runs respectively. MDU, Rohtak, scored 233 runs at the loss of 5 wickets.

From the bowling side, Akash Sudan took 2 wickets while Subek, Karand and Ravinder took 1 wicket each.

Earlier in the first semifinal match, MDU, Rohtak, beat the University of Mumbai by 8 wickets while the match between GNDU, Amritsar, and Jain University, Bangalore, could not be completed on the second reserve day as well due to wet ground conditions. The match was decided on the basis of the spin-the-coin method and GNDU, Amritsar, won it.