Senior Cong men may not contest elections
SMA Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The refusal of the senior Uttarakhand Congress leaders, including sitting MPs, to contest the forthcoming General Elections indicate that the party leaders have accepted defeat even before the electoral battle has started. The refusal by three senior leaders, including two sitting MPs, to contest the Lok Sabha elections has created a problem for the Uttarakhand Chief Minister as well as for the party high command. Apart from the fear of losing the elections, the internal dissensions within the Uttarakhand Congress have also resulted in senior party leaders opting out of the contest.

Meanwhile, the screening committee meeting to select the party candidates for the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand held in New Delhi deferred the decision on finalsing the candidates. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and state Congress Chief Yashpal Arya held consultations with party president Sonia Gandhi and it was decided to defer the decision to announce the candidates after the festival of Holi.

Moreover, the Congress leaders are also awaiting the list of the BJP candidates on the five Lok sabha seats of Uttarakhand before announcing their own candidates.

Interestingly, senior party leader and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj today announced publicly that he will not contest the coming Lok Sabha elections. He alleged that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has assured the party high command to win Almora, Nainital and Haridwar Lok Sabha seats but there is no mention of winning Pauri Garhwal and Tehri Garhwal seats. “ Who will work for winning these seats in Garhwal region,” he asked.

He further charged that after the massive devastation by the natural disaster in his constituency, nothing much has been done to rebuild the private or government infrastructure as people are suffering immensely.

He alleged that the state Congress government under both Chief Ministers, namely Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat, have failed to honour the party workers from Garhwal region. “ I had given lists of dedicated party workers for giving positions many times to these chief ministers but they on the pretext of getting clearance from party high command deferred the matter. Under such circumstances I will not be able to contest Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

Nainital Congress MP K.C. Singh Baba has also shown his reluctance to contest the elections. Former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has also announced that he will not contest elections from Tehri Garhwal. His son Saket Bahuguna, who lost the Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha byelection in 2012 to Mala Raj Luxmi Shah of BJP, has also opted out of the contest.

The only willing contender seems to be sitting Almora MP Pradeep Tamta. Chief Minister Harish Rawat has to decide about party candidate from Haridwar Lok Sabha seat which he had won in 2009.

Congress sources believe that apart from the fear of losing polls, the fissures within the Uttarakhand unit of the party have also come to the surface. Satpal Maharaj and Vijay Bahuguna are against Harish Rawat and would not like to consolidate the position of Rawat.

A thorough drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections would weaken the position of Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Harish Rawat and Yashpal Arya held a closed door meeting with the district Congress president of Garhwal region at the residence of Yashpal Arya to discuss the emerging situation, last night. It seems that Congress leaders would add to the woes of the Chief Minister Harish Rawat in the coming days.

UKD to revive ‘jal, jungle, jameen’ issues in LS poll
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 13
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) has decided to fight the Lok Sabha elections on the issues that it had raised during the movement for the creation of Uttarakhand.

‘Jal (water), jungle (forest) and jameen (land)’ will be the main issues that the UKD will focus on during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The UKD (Panwar) has decided to field candidates in all five parliamentary constituencies: Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Almora-Pithoragarh and Haridwar.

President of the UKD (Panwar) Trivendra Singh Panwar says a meeting of the parliamentary committee of the party will be convened soon to decide on the candidates. He adds the names of the candidates have already been finalised for the Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar seats but will be declared with other candidates.

Panwar says besides highlighting the ill-governance of the present Congress-led state government and the previous BJP governments the UKD will raise the issues of ‘jal, jungle, and jameen’ effectively.

“Other parties rely on star campaigners, but we will focus on the issues of water, forest and land. Has development happened in hill districts and rural areas of plains? Scarcity of water, shrinking farm land and massive construction works in hills have impacted the environment,” says Panwar, who had contested the Tehri Garhwal byelection in 2012.

The party has already started preparations for the elections in Haridwar and Panwar had already visited the constituency a few times. Panwar had told the party workers that it was not only about winning the elections but also making a sizeable presence among the voters and raising the issues of the people

Central secretary of the UKD Uday Ram Semwal, who has been the face of the party in Haridwar, speaks about the rise and success of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“We need to take a leaf out of the AAP success in Delhi. They focused on the local issues and raised them vehemently. We need to replicate this in Uttarakhand. We were a major political force before the creation of Uttarakhand and we can again regain that position by raising the ‘jal, jungle, and jameen’ issues seriously,” says Semwal.

A membership drive by the party two months ago had got a good response from the people. What was notable during the drive was that besides people from hill areas, residents of plains also became members in a large number.

Semwal says this bodes well for the UKD, as “we want to bridge the gap between hill areas and plains”. President of the UKD city youth wing Lalit Mamgain criticizes both Congress and BJP for engineering a divide between hill areas and plains.

“Both these parties are only interested in power. Both Congress and BJP have changed their Chief Ministers twice in during the last two governments. Red beacons, power, ministerial quotas are all they want while the people of Uttarakhand are still living in the same conditions as they were in erstwhile Uttar Pradesh. Nothing has changed for them since 2000,” laments Mamgain.

The UKD will soon start campaigning in the Dharampur, Rishikesh, Doiwala, Haridwar city, Haridwar rural, Ranipur-BHEL, Jwalapur, and Roorkee Assembly segments.

Election agenda The UKD (Panwar) has decided to field candidates in all five parliamentary constituencies in the state Besides highlighting the ill-governance of the present Congress-led state government and the previous BJP governments, the UKD plans to raise the issues of ‘jal, jungle, and jameen’ effectively It has already finalised the candidates for the Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar seats The UKD has started preparations for the elections in Haridwar and Panwar has visited the constituency a few times.

A hidden pact between Harish Rawat, Brahamchari ?
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 13
Despite being at the opposite ends for the last five years, there seems to be a hidden pact between Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Pradesh Congress Committee treasurer Braham Swarup Brahamchari .

Both the veteran leaders had been at loggerheads since 2009, when the claim of saint-turned-politician Brahamswarup Brahamchari was sidelined for the party ticket by Harish Rawat.

Such was the turmoil that Brahamchari ,a former city municipal committee chairperson, had even called Harish Rawat a migrant bird, trying to raise the hill background of Rawat, which had created a major row between the two leaders.

Prior to the election campaign, Harish Rawat then paid a visit to Brahamchari's Jai Ram Ashram, where closed door meeting in the presence of senior party leaders were held.

Then Brahamchari was made election campaign coordinator for Rawat's 2009 campaign.

But after elevation of the then Tehri Garhwal MP Vijay Bahuguna as Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Brahamchari openly came with Bahuguna camp, posing discomfort for Rawat.

Since then both these leaders were rarely seen at the same dais despite Harish Rawat being local parliamentarian and Brahamswarup holding various positions at PCC.

But now with a change in guard at the state government, Brahamswarup who had claimed for the party ticket again from Haridwar a few weeks ago, is now giving his blessings to Anupama Rawat, daughter of Harish Rawat.

Brahamwarup is even taking part in the on foot march of Congress activists being led by Congress general secretary, women's cell Anupama Rawat, at various Assembly segments of Haridwar constituency.

When asked by TNS, Brahamswarup said that he had been a dedicated party worker, who only gives priority to party's prospects than his own.

“Be it Anupama or any other party leader, nominated by party as Haridwar candidate, then I will support and work for his or her victory with the same dedication. We are aiming at all five Lok Sabha seats in the state, so every party worker aim should be to help the party achieve this aim, irrespective of candidature,'' said Brahamswarup.

This mellowing down of the saint leader is being seen as a tactical victory for Harish Rawat camp, as in Haridwar only Brahamswarup Brahamchari was the tall leader, who stood any chance of claiming his presence in front of seasoned Harish Rawat.

City Congress president OP Chauhan said that this time too Congress district unit seems united as was during 2009 parliamentary election.

With Brahamswarup taking active part in padyatras, every single party worker is jubilant and ''we are sure again Congress will win the Haridwar seat for the second consecutive time.''

A politician close to both the factions, hinted that Brahamchari has been assured of a bigger role in state Congress and also a Cabinet rank portfolio, after elections get over in the state by the CM.

Name deliberately excluded from list, says Bacchi Singh
Former MP appeals to Golu Devta for justice
BD Kasniyal

If no local senior leader is given the ticket from the Nainital seat, Murli Manohar Joshi will be the most suitable candidate. Bacchi Singh Rawat, bjp leader

Pithoragarh, March 13
BJP leader and four-time MP Bacchi Singh Rawat said here today that his name was intentionally excluded from the list of probable candidates from the Nainital Lok Sabha seat by state party leaders. The development had disappointed him and the BJP leadership should hold a high-level inquiry in the matter, he added.

“Whatever has happened to me should not happen to any other party worker. It was a gross violation of rights of sincere workers of the party,” said Bacchi Singh while addressing mediapersons at various places in the Kumaon region. He had resigned from all party posts in protest against the exclusion of his name from the list of probable candidates from Nainital.

Bacchi Singh said some political parties had approached him after he resigned from all BJP posts and offered him the Nainital seat. “I have come to the conclusion that one can better serve the party without being an MP or MLA,” he said.

He, however, denied that some party leaders had tried to pacify him by speaking to him on the matter. “How can that be possible when I was given all information up to February 13 but then my name was excluded from the list of probable candidates from the Nainital seat at the last moment,” said Bacchi Singh.

He added that he did not believe in lobbying or other methods for obtaining the party ticket. “A political party cannot be run on personal interests but needs transparency and clarity in its outlook,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bacchi Singh today submitted a written appeal to Golu Devta, considered a deity of justice, at his temple near Chitai in Almora district and sought justice. “As Golu Devta is a deity of justice in the Kumaon region, I have appealed to him seeking justice for exclusion of my name from the list of probable candidates from Nainital,” said Bacchi Singh Rawat here today.

Bacchi Singh, who is popularly known as Bachda, is touring the Kumaon region. He said if he was not considered suitable for the party ticket from Nainital, the seat should be given to top party leader Murli Manohar Joshi. “If no local senior leader is given the ticket from the Nainital seat, Murli Manohar Joshi will be the most suitable candidate,” he said.

Asked how long his fight for justice would continue, Bacchi Singh said he would fight within the party until a clear mechanism for choosing candidates for the parliamentary and Assembly elections was evolved. “Even if I do not get the ticket I will keep working for the party. I will also keep fighting for justice at the same time,” said Bacchi Singh.

BSP failed to build on good performance of 2009 LS poll
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has failed to consolidate its position in the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand even though it had polled 15 per cent votes in the parliamentary elections in 2009.

The BSP, which is an alliance partner of the Congress-led government in the state, is witnessing voices of dissent over the distribution of the ticket for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. It has big stakes in the Haridwar and Nainital Lok Sabha seats where Dalit voters are present in large numbers.

BSP legislator Haridas had recently accused state party president Meghraj Jaraware of intentionally giving the ticket to weak candidates. He also exposed rampant infighting among BSP leaders in the state.

The BSP has already announced Hazi Islam as its candidate from Haridwar, Laik Ahmed from Nainital and Sheeshpal Singh from the Tehri Lok Sabha constituency. However, MLA Haridas’s allegation against the party president has affected the morale of the party candidates.

Interestingly, the BSP is the only party that has recorded a steady rise in terms of vote percentage in Uttarakhand ever since it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000. It polled 6.77 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and this figure rose to 15.24 per cent in the general elections in 2009. Similarly, the party’s vote percentage constantly increased in the Assembly elections in 2002 (10.93 per cent), 2007 (11.76 per cent) and 2012 (12.19 per cent).

While the party is hoping to fare well in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand, infighting is taking its toll on its chances. The BSP had given the ticket to Mohammned Shahzad from Haridwar in the last parliamentary election in 2009. It was then banking on the Dalits and the Muslims who had a large presence in the constituency. While the Dalits did support the BSP, the Muslims voted in favour of the Congress. They voted in favour of Congress candidate Harish Rawat after BSP MLAs led by Kazi Nijammudin came in support of him.

In charge of the Uttarakhand BSP Ramachal Rajbhar during a recent visit to Dehradun had accused the Congress of weakening the BSP to ensure smooth victory of its candidates in the last two parliamentary elections.

Congress poll strategists too admit that the BSP can play spoil sport for the Congress in the Haridwar and Nainital parliamentary seats. 

BJP again delays list of candidates till March 15
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The BJP central leadership today postponed the release of the list of candidates for the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand till March 15.

This is the third time that the party has postponed the release of the list of candidates, though it is almost final.

According to party sources, dissatisfaction among senior leaders for denying the ticket might have forced senior party leaders to delay the release of the list.

BJP leaders in Kumaon, especially BS Chufal, have already come in support of senior BJP leader Bacchi Singh Rawat, who had expressed displeasure after his name was not included in the panel.

The names of former Chief Ministers, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from Haridwar, BS Koshiyari from Nainital and BC Khanduri from Pauri are already doing the rounds.

It is certain that other leaders vying for the party ticket from these seats may launch an attack on the party high command for favouring leaders repeatedly.

‘Set up flying squads to check use of money in polls’

Dehradun, March 13
District Election Officer (DEO) BVRC Purushottam has ordered the setting up of flying squads in every police station in the district to check the use of money, liquor or any other item to lure voters during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 7 in the state. He has directed the district administration and the police to gear up for the elections.

He has said luring voters through liquor or money is a punishable offence and strict action will be taken against the persons found flouting the law. — TNS

Helpline announced

Dehradun, March 13
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has announced child helpline (1098) for the disaster-affected districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh. It will start functioning from March 19.

The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) during a meeting with Central government officials last year had especially recommended the setting up of a child helpline in the disaster-affected areas of the state. — TNS

Mixed response to voting decision on Tibetans
Tibetan Refugees currently deemed stateless say the aim was not to settle in India, but to go back home
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, March 13
The announcement of granting voting rights to Tibetan children living in exile in India by the Election Commission has evoked mixed response among the Tibetan community in Mussoorie.

According to the orders dated February 7, children of Tibetan refugees born in India between the cut-off date of 1950 and 1987, as mentioned in the Citizenship Act 1955, can no longer be denied enrolment in voters’ list.

The move on part of the EC comes in the wake of an August 2013 Karnataka High Court order which paved the way for granting Indian citizenship to Tibetan refugees.

Many community members residing in Mussoorie have welcomed the move and are of the view that now the Tibetan community members would be seen with respect and dignity in the country and would have much more say to the cause of free Tibet.

Tibetan refugees who are currently deemed stateless said the aim was not to settle in India, but to go back to their home country. Voting right was a way to assert their citizenship. Some young Tibetan community members had a different view and said the move was welcomed, but it should not dilute their struggle for free Tibet as younger generations with more rights would not be interested in the freedom struggle back home.

However, when the Mussoorie SDM Ramjee Saran was asked about the EC order he was ignorant about the issue.

More than thousand Tibetan community members reside in Mussoorie, who could alter the poll prospects in favour of any candidate once they start exercising their voting rights.

What they say...
Community members residing in Mussoorie have welcomed the move and are of the view that now the Tibetan community members will be seen with respect and dignity in the country and will have much more say to the cause of free Tibet

Procession marks Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, March 13
Members of the Mussoorie Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) held a peaceful rally in Mussoorie to commemorate the 55th anniversary of National Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day, on Wednesday.

Tibetan women offered prayers and paid obeisance to their spiritual head Dalai Lama. Following this, a procession carrying placards and Tibetan flags was taken out and the members raised slogans against the Chinese regime and its alleged violation of human rights, especially against women. The procession went through the Mall Road, Jhoola Ghar, Kulri Bazar, and Picture Palace. A small meeting at the Gandhi Chowk was also held.

Leaders of the Tibetan Women Association, addressing the gathering said that on March 12, 1959, thousands of Tibetan women from all the three provinces of Tibet stood up against the Chinese forces thereby triggering a peaceful resistance that continues even today.

During the uprisings and thereafter, hundreds of Tibetan women lost their lives in the brutal crackdown enforced by the Chinese forces and the day is observed to honour the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Tibet.

The leaders, highlighting the objective of the Tibetan women association said that the core purpose of establishing this association was to continue the works of all the great women of Tibet, who have sacrificed themselves to preserve our identity, freedom and our culture.

The community members also pledged that the hardships endured by these martyrs for the cause will not go in vain and that they will continue to stand resolutely united and be of firm commitment the to the cause of Tibet.

The president of the Tibetan women association Tsering also informed the gathering that today in Tibet, any expression of identity and patriotism is dealt with in the most severe manner.

The arbitrary arrests and sentencing of Tibetan singers, writers and social activists, who work for the welfare of all the Tibetans, have increased over the years. The Chinese authorities also continue to criminalise the family members, friends and relatives of these self-immolators by calling them as murderers or inciters, bringing to light the harrowing human rights situation inside Tibet.

Tsering also aired her concern about the continued abduction of the XIth Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima who will turn 25 years old this year and demanded his unconditional release form the clutches of Chinese regime.

The other demand of the Tibetans was that the Chinese leadership acknowledge their 60 years of failed policies in Tibet and review it and deal sensibly with the Tibet challenge. TWA’s steadfast commitment to resolving the long-standing issue of Tibet through the Middle Way Policy seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet remains strong, said Tsering.

Mussoorie mountains to resonate with American folk, rock music
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, March 13
For the third year running the mountains of Mussoorie will resonate with American folk and classical rock music to be held on Saturday, April 19, at Rokeby Manor in Mussoorie.

The event is being termed "Mussoorie’s Big Gig" that will take place at Rokeby Highlands in Landour this year in which The Okies, American husband and wife duo Abe and Bethany Okie, teachers in Woodstock School who hail from Atlanta, Georgia, in the USA, will entertain the crowds with their mesmerising American folk music.

The two have been part of the previous Mussoorie Gigs and are influenced by their eclectic set, influenced by the rich musical heritage of their childhoods in the American South, drawing on classic rock, folk and western classical music, that is both unique and pleasingly unpredictable.

The other band known as the Bootleg Browns that includes Woodstock staff Aditya Manral, Andrew Das, Prateek Santram and Peter Millican will present a cocktail of blues-based rock music with a hint of funk and a dash of soul, influenced by The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. They will perform a number of Sufi-inspired ballads, and have performed at both previous Big Gigs.

The band from Delhi is known as Run. It's the Kid - an indie-folk outfit based in New Delhi, consisting of duo Dhruv Bhola, Shantanu Pandit, and its extended form comprises Bhairav Gupta on drums and Danik Ghosh on bass.

The proceeds of the Big Gig planned on April 19 will go to a school that provides free education to village children. This year there will be stalls set up for NGOs and other charitable organisations to sell their products at the festival.

The Big Gig is an independent event organised and supported by staff at Woodstock School, and co-sponsored by Rokeby Manor.

Wakf Board identifies ways to earn revenue

Dehradun, March 13
In order to improve the financial health of the Wakf Board, efforts have been started to identify properties and societies that could be brought under the board.

Precautionary steps planned for Char Dham Yatra
Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 13
Putting the worst ever natural calamity last year in Uttarakhand behind, the state government has decided to look afresh and plan for the forthcoming Char Dham Yatra. A slew of precautionary measures, including biometrics registration for all pilgrims, have been planned in the backdrop of the horrifying experience relating to identification of victims following the disaster.

Uttarakhand Secretary, Tourism, Umakant Panwar, said here today that a special control room would be set up at the Uttarkhand Tourism headquarters at Dehradun to facilitate the pilgrims and tourists. A nodal officer will manage the centre.

The opening dates for the holy dhams are May 2 for Yamnotri and Gangotri; May 4 for Kedarnath and May 5 for Badrinath; May 25 for Hemkund Sahib.

Panwar, who tried to dispel all apprehensions relating to the security and safety of pilgrims, said the proposed biometrics registration “will help keep track of pilgrims and establish contact with them in times of emergency.” Fife points spanning over the entire state have been identified to creates centres where pilgrims will be registered. He said tourism has picked up and the state is fast limping back to normalcy with substantive help from the Union Government. The state is raising a Rapid Deployment Force under its Disaster Management Authority to deal with any contingency.

All district magistrates in Garhwal, besides the Departments of Health, Sanitation, Water, Electricity, etc have been given the responsibility to maintainefficient and smooth Char Dharm Yatra, Panwar added.

Instructions have been issued to ensure that work on roads and infrastructure is completed by end of April. A special task force comprising police and Nehru Institute Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, has been set up for the Kedarnath route from Bhimbali.

RLEK conducts gender training
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
Women from five blocks namely Raipur, Doiwala and Sahaspur blocks of Dehradun district, Bhagwanpur block of Haridwar distict and Jaunpur (Thatyud) block of Tehri district participated in a three-day residential gender training conducted by the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), her today.

The training was organised by the RLEK under the project ‘Strengthening women’s role for a gender just, secure and stable democracy through participation in institutions of local self-governance.’

The training was inaugurated by Dr Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR in Hyderabad and senior vice chairperson of the RLEK.

In his opening address, Dr Faizan Mustafa said: “These days political parties are only interested in protecting their seats instead of doing something for the society. They only work during the elections. This brings more responsibility for the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) to not just work for the society, but also empower compatriot women.”

Dr AR Ramchandran from faculty of law, LBSNAA and chairperson of SRC said: “One cannot be a good leader if he does not have a basic knowledge of law.”

He said legal literacy, especially for women were very important as it played an important part in the empowerment.

Sessions on gender sensitisation, patriarchal society and role of women, the PCPNDT Act, imbalanced sex ratio in Uttarakhand, the NRHM scheme, MGNREGA, legal rights of women, group games like realising a woman’s contribution in the family and value of her time were undertaken.

A session on Woman and Child health was taken by Dr Sushma Dutta, Child Health Consultant, Uttarakhand Health Department.

She made women aware on the importance of pre and post natal care, precautions during delivery and various government schemes on child and women health care.

The training was imparted by master trainers Rekha Pundir, Damini Bhargava and Narendra Tripathi. They cleared doubts of the participants on various issues.

The participants also shared their experiences and problems. A total of 45 women EWRs and prospective women representatives from five blocks of Dehradun, Tehri and Haridwar districts participated in the gender training.

CM attends annual students' week at DAV College

Dehradun, March 13
Chief Minister Harish Rawat was the chief guest during the ongoing annual students' week celebrations at DAV PG College here yesterday.

Harish Rawat, while addressing the students, said the time had changed with increasing competition in every sector.

There should be a healthy competition among the students. He wished them luck for their future endeavours.

Meanwhile, the college campus wore a festive look as the annual students' week celebrations on the penultimate day.

The day was filled with fervour, zest and enthusiasm and an extravaganza of activities was conducted.

The college students presented a cultural programme which left everyone present spellbound. It was followed by a dance performance by a Delhi-based group. — TNS

Health Dept's MRI machine fails to function at Doon Hospital
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The Health Department’s public private partnership (PPP) model that was unveiled in 2009 has come unstuck with the MRI machine installed at the Doon Hospital continuing to remain in a state of disrepair for the past one month.

When the MRI machine began operational in 2009, it was touted as the first experiment in the PPP, but after four years the PPP model has been reduced to tatters.

However, from time to time the private partner Mahajan Imaging Pvt (New Delhi) and its representative Dr HS Bhatia continued to have issues with the government including the payment for the film that did not find mention in the memorandum of understanding (MoU).

While Dr Bhatia has gone ahead and set-up an MRI centre with the name of Doon MRI centre nearby, there seems to be no hope for the Doon Hospital MRI machine.

“The MRI machine requires servicing from time to time that has been done by the firm as we are still under the warranty period. But now the UPS has developed a snag, it will be repaired by tomorrow,” said Dr RS Aswal, principal superintendent Doon Hospital.

Experts say, as it was the first PPP model that the Health Department had entered into with the private partner, several key issues were not mentioned in the MoU.

“The memorandum did not mention about the payment of the film nor did it vest the responsibility of undertaking repairs of the machine on the private partner, once it completed the warranty period,” said a senior doctor.

According to the terms of the agreement, the patients with BPL cards will get free treatment, while others would have to pay Rs 3,500 per case, the charges similar to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). As per the terms of the agreement the company will be able to pocket the revenue earned after the OPD hours, from 2 pm onwards till the next day.

Doon students win art contest organised by UK varsity
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
Three Dehradun students brought laurels to the city after they were announced as the winners of an art competition, organised by The Arts University Bournemouth in United Kingdom.

Muzammil Hussain and Upam Lakhar from Welham Boys School and Richa Jain from Welham Girls School were among the top five winners from India who won the art competition on an emotive topic namely, ‘Who are you in a gender defined world?’

Students were asked to create an art work that looked at their identities in the context of gender attitudes in society.

The winners will receive scholarships to study at The Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). Their art work will supersised on a 48-sheet hoarding across UK.

The twenty-two best entries will also be featured at the ‘Gender Defined World Exhibition’ at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on May 2.

It is to be noted that the winners had to go through a long selection process and their work was scrutinised by a panel of judges, comprising of eminent personalities in the creative field from India as well as abroad.

The art works delivered by the finalists were published on the university’s Facebook page and website for a public vote that engaged nearly 30,000 people.

Spirit of camaraderie at RIMC reunion meet
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
It was a day of reunion at the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) with the alumni gathered to celebrate the 92nd Founder’s Day and reunion meet here today. The spirit of camaraderie of yore years was still evident as they relived their old times, exchanged memories and had a good time.

The celebration began with wreath-lying at the war memorial inside the RIMC campus. Wreaths were laid by former Chief of Army Staff, General VN Sharma, accompanied by Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee, Air Marshal PP Reddy and Cadets captain of RIMC.

The cadets also organised a daredevil horse show with Pratap Section lifting the Colonel PP Singh Inter Section Trophy for Inter Section Horse Riding Competition. For his outstanding skills, Cadet Rupesh Kumar bagged the late Cadet Akshay Chibbar gold medal for horse riding while Cadet Abhay Singh bagged Major General SD Mohanti Trophy.

During the day, a cricket match between old boys and the cadets was organised with the latter winning it convincingly with the help of Cadet Sourav Singh’s splendid performance.

Dignitaries like Lt Gen Yash Malhotra (retd), Air Marshall PP Reddy, Lt Gen BS Pawar (retd) and Lt General SS Dhillon were also present on the occasion.

Dance, music mark end of DAV College fest
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The seven-day annual festival of the DAV PG College concluded here today with students turning out in large numbers on the last day of the week-long celebrations.

The much-awaited Mumbai-based dance troupe and orchestra performance enthralled all the students present there with everyone dancing on the tunes. “Everyone enjoyed the last seven days of celebrations and it was one of the most successful annual students’ week celebrations in the DAV PG College,” said Sidharth Rana, president of DAV PG College students’ union.

It is to be noted that the celebrations witnessed painting and rangoli competitions along with cultural programmes. A kavi sammelan was also organised during the student week extravaganza. Chief Minister Harish Rawat, MLA Harbans Kapoor and MLA, Mussoorie, Ganesh Joshi also attended the programme and addressed the students.

Court order to attach Naithani’s property
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 13
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) issued orders to attach the property of Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani after he failed to appear before it repeatedly in a 2010 case.

Naithani was booked in 2010 for trying to commit suicide at Shaheed sthal inside Dehradun court premises during a protest of statehood agitators over their demands.

A case was registered at Kotwali against Naithani and he failed to appear before the court after repeated notices sent to him from the court in this regard.

The court also issued a non-bailable warrant against him on March 6, which was also not implemented.

Meanwhile, the Kotwali police will paste a copy of the notice at Naithani’s house requiring him to appear before the court within one-month or the police will start the process of attaching his properties under Section 82 of the CrPC.

SSP Ayay Rautela said, “We have not received the court orders.”

Vehicle thieves arrested

Dehradun, March 13
Vikasnagar police arrested two notorious vehicle thieves and claimed to have recovered five stolen motorcycles from their possession here today.

After getting a tip off about a vehicle thief, Vikasnagar police formed a team and arrested Chota Musharaff.

The police later arrested Wasim from Vikasnagar and recovered four motorcycles from his possession. — TNS