BRO to get Rs 300 cr in a week to repair U’khand roads
Tribune News service

Dehradun, January 29
After the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to complain about the delay in reconstruction of damaged roads by Border Roads Organisation, the Union Surface Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes promised to release a sum of Rs 300 crore within a week to BRO.

Bahuguna had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday evening to acquaint him with the sentiments of the public on the delay in reconstruction of roads damaged in the June 2013 disaster under the charge of the BRO and National Highways Authority, comprising 1,510 and 750 kilometres, respectively.

The CM held detailed discussions with the Prime Minister on releasing Rs 300 crore approved by the Cabinet committee for the BRO to repair the damaged roads. In the half hour discussion, the PM was also informed that Congress MLAs were prepared to stage a dharna in Delhi on the issue and had called it off only at the behest of the CM.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna acquainted the PM with what transpired during his meeting with Union Surface Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes and officials of his ministry during which release of the fund was sought and completion of work before start of the Yatra season.

The CM had opposed the suggestion of the ministry that the road repair be handed over to a public sector organisation and insisted that in the public good, the National Highways Authority and BRO were best suited for the job. Handing over the job to other agencies would lead to avoidable delay, with an adverse impact on the tourism sector of Uttarakhand.

The CM had also opposed handing over the roads to Uttarakhand in this year, stating that first the BRO ought to repair the roads and the transfer would be appropriate in 2015.

The CM also informed that the state already had road repair work amounting to Rs 2,000 crore provided by the World Bank and ADB, for which 10 new divisions of the PWD had been constituted to ensure timely completion of the projects. Under the circumstances, the state lacked the capability to take on new projects.

These facts were brought before the Prime Minister by the Chief Minister. The Prime Minister promised to speedily resolve the issue.

To further the Prime Minister’s decision on the subject, Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar and Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma attended a meeting with the PM’s Principal Secretary, Pulak Chatterjee.

Boost to horticulture: Nabard suggests sorting, grading centres
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Pegging the estimate for horticulture for 2014-2015 at Rs 130.68 crore, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) in its state focus paper (2014-2015), among several measures, has suggested establishing of primary collection centres with facilities for sorting, grading and packaging near major fruit and vegetable growing areas and diversification in floriculture.

Terming the horticulture sector as the sunrise sector, Nabard has suggested replacing of old and degenerated varieties of crops like Gola Pear, Red Delicious, Shanbury and Fanny varieties of apple with improved varieties.

While presenting the state focus paper today, RP Singh, Assistant General Manager, Nabard, said: “To improve productivity of apple, high density orchard activity and adequate steps need to be taken up in Uttarkashi district where the climatic conditions are still favourable for apple development.”

He advocated the setting up of primary collection centres with facilities for sorting, grading and packaging near major fruit and vegetable growing clusters such as Red Chilli processing unit at Bhatraujkhan and Syalde blocks in Almora.

It advocated cluster approach for the floriculture sector, especially around Kashipur and Gadarpur, that have emerged important flower centres.

Underlining the need to bring the oral lessees/share croppers under the ambit of banking service, the paper stressed on issuing a share holding certificate by a government-authorised agency so that they could be linked to the formal banking institutions based on the Andhra Pradesh state model.

“In Uttarakhand due to mass migration by men, farming is done by tenant farmers. Yet they remain outside the purview of banks. As of now the banks are not providing finance for maintenance of horticulture crops,” pointed out the paper.

Training programme to educate adults
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
The State Resource Centre and State Literacy Mission Authority (SLMA), Uttarakhand, has started a five-day training programme under Sakshar Bharat Mission, at the Rural litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) auditorium, here.

The training is being organised for block coordinators, district coordinators and key resource persons from five districts namely: Haridwar, Uddham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Tehri and Bageshwar, on convergence under Sakshar Bharat.

The aim of this training is to spread literacy amongst Gram Panchayats of Uttarakhand by providing training to master trainers with awareness about voting rights, disaster management, citizen safety, financial literacy, legal literacy and offering of Sakshar Bharat. Mantri Prasad Naithani, Education Minister, Uttarakhand, in his address to the participants today said it was difficult to train adults especially in Uttarakhand due to its geographical conditions. “To accomplish this mission it becomes important to perform this task honestly,” Naithani said.

He also added that he would soon call a meeting of senior officers from the Department of Education with RLEK to discuss Van Gujjar’s education and also how to support RLEK schools, being run in remote areas for marginalised communities.

He also lauded the work of RLEK in the field of education and other areas in Uttarakhand.

Sakshar Bharat Mission is one of the biggest adult literacy based programme in the world. Under this programme’s interpersonal media campaign, it is aimed to provide literacy to 1 lakh Gram Panchayat’s from all over India with SRC, Uttarakhand, and SLMA providing training to master trainers of Uttarakhand who would further provide training to teachers at the village level. These teachers would further spread literacy among the villagers.

Anger brews against Cabinet move to double MLAs’ salaries
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 29
The decision of Uttarakhand Cabinet to double the monthly salaries of the sitting MLAs from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 has not gone down well and the residents of Mussoorie have termed it as putting salt on the wounds of the people still reeling under the after-affects of the last year’s natural disaster in the state.

Social activist S. Bhandari venting his ire against the government said that it had lost all its sensitivity as it is nothing but another way of bribing the MLAs in favour of the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who many believe is on his way out. Bhandari further said that the government instead of providing relief to the people during the trying times in the state was resorting to “enticing” the MLAs by increasing their salaries to save its own skin. He also said that the government had no roadmap of development for the state and was indulging in petty politics, ''bereft of any integrity.'' Bhandari further said that the state was neck deep in debt and all the schemes being run in the state are being funded by World or Asian Development Bank and the innocent tax payer will have to repay them in future, thus adding additional financial burden. But the government, instead of reducing the debt, was bent upon increasing it by raising the salaries of the MLAs “due to its vested interests”.

The statehood agitators are also angry at the decision and are of the view that the real problems of jal, jungle, zameen (water,forest and land) for which the people fought for a separate state still perists but the government was not interested in solving them and instead was playing in hands of the mafia, be it land or liquor, in the state.

Subahasini Bartwal, the statehood agitator in Mussoorie, said the government should have thought of the people affected by the mid-June disaster last year instead of raising the salaries of the MLAs.

Another social activist Megh Singh Kandari said that on the one hand the government was raising the salaries of the MLAs and on the other had raised the fees of filing the job forms in government posts to Rs 500, which was really unfortunate.

Another youth activist Amit Gupta said that he was flabbergasted that the government instead of providing respite to the youth was bent upon breaking their back by raising the application fee for group C and D government jobs to Rs 500. It has taken a decision of raising the salaries of the MLAs which is beyond comprehension.

MLA, Mussoorie, Ganesh Joshi, said the government should have raised the budget for the development works in the state instead of raising the salaries of the MLAs. He further said the government should raise the MLAs’ development funds so that the development works in every Assembly segment of the state did not suffer instead of raising the salary of MLAs.

The Cabinet at a meeting held yesterday, raised the salaries of the present and former MLAs to Rs 10,000 every month. The election area allowance has been increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 while a raise of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2000 had been proposed in the daily allowance. The MLAs would also receive travel allowance of Rs 3,000 per month.

Work begins on drinking water project in Bhatta village
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 29
The long-standing demand of residents of Bhatta village was fulfilled as the work on a project worth Rs 91.62 lakh approved under the district plan and funded by World Bank started at the village today in presence of Ganesh Joshi, MLA, Mussoorie.

Pipelines for the project were laid in the village in the first phase and the work in the second phase would begin in the first week of February.

Officials from the Peyjal Nigam and the Jal Sansthan reached Bhatta village to finalise the modalities and decided to begin the work of laying drinking water pipelines to the households here.

The MLA directed the officials to provide drinking water to every household in the village and finish the work on priority.

He said Bhatta village had been reeling under a drinking water crisis since 2012 and it was due to his efforts that the project was approved. Of the total project cost, Rs 4 lakh had already been transferred to the departments concerned.

Executive Engineer, Peyjal Nigam, Sitaram told mediapersons that the second phase of the project would begin in the first week of February and it would be extended to other villages near Bhatta and Kyarkuli.

DP Pokhriyal, XEN, Jal Sansthan, said Bhatta village was facing an acute drinking water crisis and with this project they would receive regular water supply.

Assistant Engineer, Peyjal Nigam, Sunil kumar; Junior Engineer, Peyjal Nigam, Vikas Singh; president of the BJP Mussoorie unit Roop Singh Kathait; general secretary of the party Sundar Singh Kothial; BJP youth wing member Rakesh Rawat and others were present on the occasion.

Villagers travel 27 km to purchase essential goods
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 29
Over 500 families of six villages in the Ailagarh area of Dharchula subdivision are forced to travel 27 km to buy goods of daily needs as the road connecting their villages to the market, which was damaged in the natural disaster last year, is yet to be repaired.

“A proposal for the repair of the 7 km road from Ailagarh to Jumma was sent to PWD officials through the Dharchula MLA but it was not approved, causing more trouble to villagers,” said Hoshiyar Singh Khair, a former pramukh of the Dharchula block.

Khair said 110 families of Rora village, 135 of Laligara, 85 of Kaila and 100 families of Palpala village in the Ailagarh area have to travel 27 km to buy things from a market in Dharchula town. “These villagers return home next day after buying essential goods from the market as they have to travel 12 km on foot and 15 km by jeeps,” he said.

According to villagers, the road to their villages is still covered with heavy boulders that fell after the natural disaster on June 16 last year. “We have repeatedly approached the departments concerned but they have failed to help us. Hence, our problems are bound to continue,” said KS Kunwar, a local villager.

Meanwhile, the Tanakpur-Tawaghat highway was blocked at Dhungatoli village today after heavy debris and boulders fell on it during construction work by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The road remained blocked for five hours and over 300 vehicles were stranded. “I have told the BRO engineers to be cautious while carrying out blasts and remove debris immediately,” said Pramod Kumar, SDM, Dharchula.

Bahuguna creating rift between communities, alleges Babbar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Accusing Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna of ''playing dirty politics'' to create a rift between the Hindu and Sikh communities, Gurcharan Singh Babbar, president of All India Sikh Conference (Babbar), has threatened to intensify their movement to rebuild Gurdwara Gyan Godri Sahib at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar.

Babbar along with several supporters under the banner of All India Sikh Conference had arrived at the Secretariat to meet the Chief Minister on Tuesday. Voicing their anger, following the refusal from CMO to meet the group, Babbar said that the Chief Minister had given them an appointment to resolve the issue.

''During an earlier meeting the Chief Minister had fixed an appointment for today and had assured that issue to rebuild the gurdwara would be finally resolved. He has not only cheated us, but also the entire Sikh community, which has no faith left in Bahuguna and his party,'' said Babbar.

''However, upon enquiring from the CM office we were informed that the Chief Minister does not have time to meet us and when he has the time we will be informed. This kind of attitude clearly reflects that the Chief Minister is not interested in resolving the issue. Instead, ever since the issue cropped up, the Chief Minister is bent on involving various Hindu groups, including the Ganga Sabha and RSS. It appears that Bahuguna wants to raise a wall between both the communities resulting in communal disharmony,'' added Babbar.

The disputed site currently houses Bharat Scouts and Guides office, which the bearers claim to be in existence before 1970. According to the protesting Sikhs, Gurdwara Gyan Godri Sahib, the holy Sikh shrine situated at Har-ki-Pauri, related with the Third Udasi (mission) of Guru Nanak Dev, was destroyed in 1984. It was considered to be the final resting place for many Sikhs and was built in memory of the First Sikh Guru.

CPI (ML) flays proposal to double MLAs’ salary
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
The state unit of the CPI (ML) today termed as insensitive the proposal of the Uttarakhand Cabinet to increase the monthly salary of the sitting MLAs and the pension of the former MLAs. It demanded that the proposal be withdrawn immediately.

Indresh Maikhuri, Garhwal secretary of the CPI (ML), told mediapersons here that while the state was facing a crisis due to the natural disaster that took place in June last year, the state Cabinet passed an insensitive proposal to double the salary of the sitting MLAs and the pension of the former MLAs.

He also criticised the BJP and said it was keeping silent on the issue as it too stands to gain from it.

“When ever there is an issue relating to development projects for the welfare of the people, the Vijay Bahuguna government gives the excuse of fund shortage. The proposal to raise the salary and pension of the MLAs is a clear case of misuse of public money. It will also increase the burden on the exchequer,” Maikhuri said.

“Of the 70 lawmakers in the state Assembly, 33 are billionaires. The apathy of the state government can be gauged from the fact that while it has taken back its earlier decision to abolish fees for employment forms, it has enough funds to increase the salary and pension of the MLAs,” she added.

UKD accuses BJP, Cong of resorting to politics
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) today accused both the BJP and the Congress of resorting to politics, aimed to grab power.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, UKD Media in charge Manmohan Lakhera said the incumbent Congress Government in Uttarakhand has focused its entire energy on the post of chief ministership.

“The earlier BJP Government too concentrated on the post of chief ministership,” he said.

He added that both the BJP and the Congress had only given instability to the state, least caring on the development initiatives and only believed in changing the Chief Ministers.

He said the sense of constant instability was affecting the development activities in Uttarakhand.

He said the people of the state had understood the game plan of the Congress and the BJP and were now in a mood to teach them a lesson.

AAP workers, teen’s kin seek arrest of culprits
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Aam Admi Party (AAP) workers along with Ankit’s parents, who died on January 25 under mysterious circumstances, held a protest at the Senior Superintendent of Police’s (SSP) office, demanding arrest of the culprits allegedly involved in beating up Ankit, which lead to his death.

The Raipur police have already arrested Sub-Inspector Sompal for allegedly beating up the youth who was in a relationship with Sompal’s daughter. The protesters led by Sanjay Bhatt, District Coordinator of AAP, demanded immediate arrest of Sompal’s wife and his son for physically assaulting Ankit.

Ankit’s family have claimed that Sompal along with a few others took Ankit to his house and brutally manhandled him. Meanwhile, Ankit’s parents claimed Sompal is also the gunman of a Congress MLA and they are blaming the Dehradun police of working under pressure. 

ABVP members burn govt’s effigy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
The members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) burnt effigy of the state government in front of DAV PG College gate here today, against the introduction of application fees for the state government recruitment examinations.

“The state has still not recovered from the Kedarnath tragedy and the government has reached to its lowest level by charging Rs 500 from the unemployed youth as application fees, reflecting its anti-youth mindset,” said Pramod Mishra, district coordinator of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Pari-shad. The protesting Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Pari-shad members clai-med that the government had not done anything for the unemployed youth of the state and had even failed to make a policy for the eradication of widespread unemployment in the state.

Moreover, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Pari-shad members questioned the relevance of the government’s decision to increase the salary and perk of the ministers and demanded an immediate rolling back of the decision.

Guv pays condolences

Dehradun, January 29
Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi met renowned English writer Nayantara Sahgal at her residence on Rajpur road here on Tuesday. He expressed condolences to Sahgal on the demise of her son.

Sahgal (86) is the daughter of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s sister Vijay Lakshmi Pandit. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was active in the Indian nationalist movement. — TNS

Mussoorie to get respite from hanging power cables soon
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 29
The web of overhead power cables that presented an ugly look and were subject to damage due to inclement weather would become a thing of the past in Mussoorie soon.

According to the Executive Engineer NS Bisht of the Electricity Department, the tendering process for the project of undergrounding the power cables on the Mall Road is complete and the work would start from next week.

NS Bisht further informed The Tribune that the survey for the project was done during the tenure of the former MC president OP Uniyal and was to begin in the month of November last year but was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Elaborating further he said that in the first stage the power cables from Library Bazaar to Jhoola Ghar would be made underground and the second phase will start from Jhoola Ghar to Picture Palace. The estimated cost for the project is around Rs 4.75 crore and would be completed within a few months prior to the peak season, said Bisht. He also said that the undergrounding of the power cables would also improve the reliability of power supplies.

However, many experts believe that undergrounding the power cable lines have their own advantages and disadvantages and should be done with utmost care.

The replacement of overhead cables providing electrical power with underground cables can increase the initial costs of electric power transmission and distribution but may decrease operational costs over the lifetime of the cables.

Underground cables can transmit power across densely populated areas or areas where land is costly or environmentally sensitive. Other advantages include that underground cables are less subject to damage from severe weather conditions (mainly lightning, wind and snowfall). The underground cables also reduce emission into the surrounding areas of electromagnetic fields (EMF). The electric current in the cable conductor produces a magnetic field, but the closer grouping of underground power cables reduces the resultant external magnetic field and further magnetic shielding may be provided at additional cost. Underground cables need a narrower surrounding strip of about 1-10 meters to instal (up to 30 m for 400 kv cables during construction), whereas an overhead line requires a surrounding strip of about 20-200 meters wide to be kept permanently clear for safety, maintenance and repairs. Underground cables pose no danger to wildlife and are less subject to thefts, illegal connections, sabotage and damage from armed conflict.

However, the disadvantages of the underground power cables are that these are more expensive since the cost of installing cables underground is several times greater than overhead power lines, whereas finding and repairing overhead wire breaks can be accomplished in hours. Underground repairs can take days or weeks,. Underground cable locations are not always obvious, which can lead to unwary diggers damaging cables or being electrocuted. Operations are more difficult since the high reactive power of underground cables produces large charging currents and so makes voltage control more difficult, whereas overhead lines can easily be uprated by modifying line clearances.

Tamta writes to conservator on “harmful” mining
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 29
Almora MP Pradeep Tamta has written to Conservator of Forests of Kumaon and Bageshwar District Magistrate to visit the interior area of Nargar, Guler and Bhasori of Kapkot bloc of Bageshwar district and find out as to how the soft stone leases were given to contractors in Nargara and Bhasory villages of Kapkot block despite the area being highly sensitive to landslides and full of oak forests, which are not suitable for soft stone mining.

“On my visit to this area around Republic Day this year, I was astonished to find that this landslide sensitive area is fully under rule of high-powered land machines, which are digging soft stones, making the area more landslide sensitive, while the helpless villagers are fleeing the villages,” said the MP.

According to the MP, when he reached the subdivisional headquarters of Kapkot to address the villagers on the occasion of Republic Day, they were all in tears as their land and water sources were being sucked by these soft stone mining.

The Almora MP said that the villagers were so sacred of these miners that they are silently leaving their villages as the entire area has become landslide prone after mining activities. “The area is run by these mining mafias and the state has failed protect the villagers from disasters.

NRMU threatens strike if demands not met

Mussoorie, January 29
The central executive committee of the Northern Railway Men’s Union (NRMU) met at Oak Grove School, Jharipani, to discuss the future course of action on their longstanding 36 demands.

NRMU joint secretary DN Chaubey said if their demands were not met, the union would be left with no other option but to enter into a nationwide strike.

He further said the union was demanding to revoke the new pension scheme and reinstate the old scheme that was applicable in 2004. The other demands of the union were to remove the anomalies entered after the implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations, maintenance of the railway quarters, adequate health facilities for employees at every station, increase in pay band of technical staff, to fill vacant posts, the implementation of the recommendation of trackman committee was not being implemented due to the lackadaisical approach of the railways. Chaubey said another meeting would be held on February 17, 2014, at Kota in Rajasthan where the dates for next course of action would be decided. — TNS

UKD workers stage protest
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) workers staged a demonstration at the District Magistrate's office in Dehradun today seeking action against the persons occupying land earmarked for a park.

Led by their mahanagar president Virendra Singh Bisht, the UKD workers reached the District Magistrate's office during morning hours and raised slogans in support of their demand.

The protesters alleged that the land mafia had occupied 600 bighas earmarked for a park on the Rajpur-Sahastradhara bypass in the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority master plan. They sought prompt action by the administration in this regard. 

BJP gears up for LS polls

Dehradun, January 29
The BJP in charge and MP Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday said the party was all geared up to win all the five Lok Sabha seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

“The anti-incumbency against the UPA government and the misrule of the Bahuguna government in the state would help us win all the five seats in the state and above all there is Modi wave all across the country,” said Radha Mohan Singh. He was here to see the preparations of the Uttarakhand BJP and held a meeting with the party office-bearers to discuss the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. — TNS

Children unable to attend school, likely to lose year
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 29
Over 50 children of Bacham village in the Pindar valley in Bageshwar district are not attending schools and are likely to lose an academic year. They are unable to travel to their schools as bridges on the Pindar and Sundardhunga rivers, which were damaged due to the natural disaster last year, are yet to be repaired and rebuild.

“The authorities of junior and primary schools at Khati, across these rivers, have informed us that as our children have not been attending classes since June last year they will be not be allowed to take examinations,” said Gopuli Devi, a resident of Bacham village.

The villagers say they cannot send their children to schools as bridges on the rivers were washed away in the natural disaster last year and the temporary wooden bridges are not reliable. “Makeshift bridges that villagers had constructed on the two rivers after the natural disaster are risky for small children to cross to reach school,” said Gopuli Devi.

“Only some students of high school are taking the risk of crossing these temporary wooden bridges while parents are not allowing their small children to travel on them,” said Tara Singh, another villager.

BS Manral, District Magistrate, Bageshwar, said a delegation of villagers met him last week and apprised him of their problems. “I have instructed the education officer of Kapkot to send a teacher to these villages so that the children could continue with their studies. I have told the PWD to install trolleys on the rivers till concrete bridges are constructed,” said Manral.

Four-hour power cut in entire state
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
Uttarakhand experienced four hour power cut owing to rising gap between the supply and demand of power in the state today.

According to the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited sources, the total power availability in the state on Tuesday stood at 33.49 million units of power against the total demand of 34.57 million units of power.

Out of the total 33.49 million units power availability in the state, only 7.07 million units of power was generated in the power stations across the state and the rest came from the central pool and other sources.

In order to make up for the shortage, the power authorities had to resort to power cut to the tune of four hours in the entire state, barring the rural areas of Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts, where the power cuts were for three hours.

Meanwhile, a vehicle each was deployed at the three power divisions of Dehradun as part of the Night Electricity Breakdown Repair Service, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Tuesday.

BJP, Cong working to grab power: UKD
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) today accused the BJP and the Congress of resorting to politics aimed at grabbing power.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun yesterday, UKD media in charge Manmohan Lakhera said the incumbent Congress-led government in the state focused its entire energy on the post of Chief Minister.

“The earlier BJP government too concentrated on the post of Chief Minister,” he added. He said both BJP and Congress had only given instability to the state, least caring for development.

He said the sense of constant instability was affecting the developmental activities in the state. He added the people of Uttarakhand had understood the game plan of both parties and were now in a mood to teach them a lesson.

Coop bank to give Rs 202 crore loan
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 29
Pithoragarh District Cooperative Bank has passed a proposal to issue a credit of Rs 202 crore in 2013-14 to farmers, weavers, craftsmen, employees and self-employed persons in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts to generate people’s trust in the bank.

This was stated at the 40th annual general meeting of the bank held here on Tuesday.

According to the balance sheet presented at the meeting, the bank, which had a working capital at Rs 517.53 crore on March 31, 2013, did a business of Rs 579.64 crore. It extended loans to the tune of Rs 176.43 crore, including Rs 49.87 crore on March 31, 2013 alone, which almost doubled last year. “The bank registered a loan recovery rate of 85.31 per cent and a before tax profit of Rs 9.86 crore during the period,” said PC Dumaka, GM of the bank.

Former Cooperative Minister and Didihat MLA Bishen Singh Chufal appealed to the bank general body to introduce labour cooperatives in the two districts and initiate the cooperative distribution system of crops grown by the farmers in the villages. More than 411 members drawn from several cooperative committees in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts attended the meeting. “The bank needs to upgrade its basic infrastructure in rural areas to introduce cooperative marketing in rural areas of the district,” he said.

‘Dolly’s’ 98-year-old grave centre of attraction
Tribune news Service

Dehradun, January 29
Almost 100-year-old grave of a mynah, has generated a lot of interest among the Doointes’ who flock the residence of SP Singh, an educationist, housing the grave. Inscribed on the marble grave are iron castings that read: “Here rests mynah Dolly, dearly loved and daily missed.”

The eight-year-old bird that breathed her last on June 28, 1916 might be unknown to the people of present day, but it has certainly formed a strong bond with the city. “I have never met the Dutt couple as they had sold the house to the previous owner from whom I purchased it. However, the owner told me that Dutt couple while selling the house had requested to maintain the sanctity of the grave and not destroy it. Till date, the grave is cleaned daily and maintained properly. Though some words on the grave have gone missing and I am on a look out for the exact metal used, to replace them,” said SP Singh.

Perhaps the oldest pet grave in the city, it attracts people especially those having a close connection with their pets. “We too have dogs as pets and understand how the Dutt’s might have felt when the bird died. In fact I am proud to be part of the Dutt legacy and intend to carry it on,” he said.

“I have never stopped anyone from coming to my house to look at the grave. A lot of recommendations come from my friend circle to allow their relatives or acquaintances to have a look at the grave,” said the educationist.

Ex-servicemen to hold rally on January 31

Dehradun, January 29
Perturbed over the government apathy towards families of martyrs and ex-servicemen, the Uttarakhand Poorv Sainik Evam Ardh Sainik Sangathan will stage a rally on January 31.

President of the body Ganga Singh Rawat said the central and state government had failed to resolve the issue.

The state government has politicised the Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam that was formed to provide employment to ex-servicemen. “Instead the appointments were made on the basis of recommendations from political leaders, thus defeating the purpose of its formation,” he said. — TNS

SGRR college students’ union week begins
Tribune News Service

Dehardun, January 29
A cultural extravaganza marked the first day of the students’ union week being organised at SGRR PG College, here today. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal was the chief guest.

Addressing the gathering, Principal VA Bourai said it was very important for the students to participate in the extra-curricular activities along with studies.

The programme started with a Saraswati Vandana sung by Sonali, Archana and Sugandha. A dance was presented by Ritika and group on the popular number ‘Kamli’ from Dhoom 3. A play was also staged during the function.

Thieves steal jewellery, goods worth Rs 12 lakh
Tribune News service

Mussoorie, January 29
Thieves once again struck at the house of a social activist near Landour Bazaar in Mussoorie on Saturday and decamped with cash, household goods and jewellery worth Rs 12 lakh.

Narendar, a resident of Landour Bazaar in Mussoorie, was staying in his another house at Jharipani when the thieves broke into his house. A passerby informed Narendar next day that his house was unlocked and monkeys were making merry inside it. He rushed back and found that the thieves had committed a big theft at his house. The police was informed about the incident immediately.

The police said the thieves broke open cupboards in every room and decamped with cash and jewellery, besides new sarees and other clothes worth several lakhs of rupees. The police have registered a case and started investigation.

Meanwhile, Circle Officer, Mussoorie, Jaya Baloni visited the town and met local residents in the wake of the theft incidents. She asked the people to play an active role in preventing crimes in the town. She also asked them to inform the anti-theft cell of the police before leaving their houses for long periods so that regular checking could be done.

Jaya also advised traders to employ watchmen for various markets in the town and install CCTV cameras in various apartments. The latest incident took place in the backdrop of a series of thefts in the town during the past 10 days and the police had failed to solve any of the cases reported so far.