|
|
|
|
|
Children told to dispose of garbage in proper way
Teachers to boycott paper checking if demands not met
Van panchayat to deal with shortage of cattle fodder
|
|
|
|
Collecting property rent
tough task for Mussoorie MC
Will leave Cong if Sonia asks me to do so: Amrita
LS poll: Mahila Congress launches campaign
BJP begins campaign, Cong still awaits list of Lok Sabha candidates
Narendra Modi’s tweet leaves party workers perplexed
Bacchi Singh still adamant on not campaigning
Maharaj fires fresh salvo at Harish Rawat
State BSP chief blamed
for weakening party base
Mussoorie BJP women’s wing to launch ‘lotus mehndi’ campaign
No association with illegal miners in Haridwar: Dharchula MLA
Ginger farmers demand certified seeds
No respite from cold, heavy rain in ‘Queen of Hills’
Awareness march on World TB Day
Soil needs protection to sustain life on earth
Employees told to form separate team for postal ballot
Victim's kin continue hunger strike
Aanganwadi staff to be part
of CITU rally
Hoteliers oppose MC’s relief proposal for contractors
Asiad Circus to begin today
|
|
Children told to dispose of garbage in proper way
Dehradun, March 24 The aim of the event was to educate local children about proper waste disposal and to reduce the number of people dumping household waste in the forest area that Waste Warriors has been cleaning for the past seven weeks. The event was funded by Rajiv Sethy who donated a sum of Rs 20,000 to cover the costs of the event and also to employ two full time waste workers to clean the Jakhan road which runs from Rajpur road in Jakhan to Johri Gaon. The children coloured the posters of the waste container in Jakhan to take them home to their parents and a discussion was also held regarding the different ways people dispose of garbage. The children learnt how long different kinds of waste take to decompose and a collage was created using waste items. The children painted a banner ‘Stop destroying our forest’, which is to be hung in the forest at one of the dumping sites that Waste Warriors has cleared. The children learnt about which kinds of waste can be recycled by playing a waste segregation game relay race. Prizes and refreshments were handed out at the end of session and the volunteers were thanked for their hard work. Waste Warriors continued to clean the road and dumping grounds in Jakhan forest. A total of 30 bags of garbage were collected weighing approximately 800 kg. The clean-up sessions are part of a long-term project to clean up the forest. Plans are underway to set up a door-to-door waste collection service in the area to reduce the amount of illegal dumping. |
||
|
Teachers to boycott paper checking if demands not met
Dehradun, March 24 It may be mentioned here that a few days ago the state government teachers, under the banner of Rajkiya Shikshak Sangh, threatened that they would not perform the board examination duties if their demands were not met by the state government. Speaking to The Tribune, Karnail Singh, president of the sangh, said, they would not interrupt in the smooth flow of the exams as it would affect the future of students appearing for the examination. “However, if our demands are not met by the end of the examination, no teacher will participate in the paper correction process. The decision was taken after speaking to the district heads of the sangh,” he said. He said in 2013, Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani had also assured them of fulfilling their demands. But, the state government had passed an order regarding a single demand, while rejecting the others. Since then we are fighting for our rights, but no avail,” he added. “We are demanding an equal pay grade for the teachers in Kumaon and Garhwal region, an increase in the number of privileged leave to 15 per year, special posts for the subject of agriculture and an increase in the retirement age of teachers to 62 years,” he added. |
||
|
Van panchayat to deal with shortage of cattle fodder
Dehradun, March 24 The department will receive funds for storage of cattle fodder from the National Farmer Development Plan. The Forest Department will be expected to work through its 12,000 van panchayats to produce cattle fodder on land measuring 20,000 hectares. These decisions were taken at a meeting presided over by Subhash Kumar, Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand at the Secretariat, here today. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary instructed the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Watershed and Forest Departments to make coordinated efforts to develop fodder banks. It was mentioned that fodder development units have been established in Kalsi, Shyampur and Rudrapur by the Animal Husbandry Department. The department's 101fodder banks have a total deposit of 18,000 metric tonnes of fodder, but still there is a shortage of fodder in the state by one lakh metric tonne. The Forest department was directed to run a campaign to overcome the shortage of fodder. The department was asked to sow and grow adequate plants that may also be useful for wild animals so that these animals do not have to look out for food in urban areas. The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary (Forest) M Ramaswami, Additional Secretary (Watershed) Savin Bansal, Chief Forest Conservator SS Sharma and Additional Secretary (Animal Husbandry) Usha Shukla among others.
Steps taken
|
||
|
Collecting property rent
tough task for Mussoorie MC
Mussoorie, March 24 The municipal council, over the years, had leased or rented out its properties to the business community in and around Mussoorie but most of them have not yet paid the rent amount due over the past 10 years to the council as yet. Added to that the rent amount has also not been raised and several MC rented property holders are either paying paltry sum or have not complied to submit the due amount so far. The information sought by an RTI activist, Dharamvir, reveals that more than 100 shopkeepers besides properties, especially at Kingcraig, near the petrol station, which were leased out by the municipal council over 30 years ago, are paying paltry rent to the MC. The RTI also reveals that many shopkeepers have not paid their due rent to MC at Bhotia market since the last 10 years. The MC had constructed several rented shops for the locals and had leased or rented out to private persons in order to gain necessary revenue from but instead the council is finding it difficult to collect the rent amount from such people in Mussoorie. The Tribune has also learnt through sources that one leaseholder has sold the property to another interested party at the exorbitant amount of Rs 27 lakh without bringing it to the knowledge of the MC, flouting all norms. The state government has already made it clear that no property belonging to the local bodies can be transferred, leased or sold without the permission from the government but such activity is going on at rampant pace in which the residents and social activists do not rule out the involvement of some land mafia here. When contacted, the MC president Manmohan Singh Mall said that the council was already facing cash crunch due to the natural disaster that occurred last year and this had led to denting the revenue collection of the council adversely. Manmohan Singh Mall further said the MC, taking a serious note of such irregularities being committed here, in order to improve its financial condition had set an investigation into the matter and begun the exercise to recover the amount by serving notices to such defaulters. He asserted that if the people involved do not comply then the orders for seizing such properties would be taken without any delay. Meanwhile, the lease holders who have the right to such properties till 2017 are worried lot as after termination of such agreement the properties in their possession would have to go through auction or the processes, predefined in the bylaws of the MC. |
||
|
Will leave Cong if Sonia asks me to do so: Amrita
Dehradun, March 24 Her statement is being seen as a positive development in the hour of crisis as there were widespread rumours that Amrita Rawat would quit the party following her husband and Congress MP Satpal Maharaj’s exit from the Congress to join the BJP. Addressing a press conference here today, Amrita Rawat said she would not resign from the party unless Congress President Sonia Gandhi asked her to do so. “Though I am not happy with my present portfolio, I will not resign unless Sonia Gandhi personally asks me to do so. The decision taken by her will be final,” she said. She said, “I want to make it clear that I am not leaving the party or resigning from my post in the state government. Satpal Maharaj's decision to quit the party was based on his ideologies. However, it does not mean that I will follow in his footsteps and resign from the Congress.” “There are various political families in the country, including the Scindias, that have members actively involved in different parties. Does that mean that they are having a feud among themselves? Being part of different political outfits and following your ideologies does not mean that husband and wife are not on good terms with each other,” said Amrita. She said Rahul Gandhi during his rally in Dehradun recently had made it clear that they wanted to see more women joining politics and becoming chief ministers of the states. "If the party high command asks me to leave at this point of time, it will not only send a wrong message but also spoil the image of the Congress. Moreover, in Uttarakhand, women voters are in majority, therefore the party will not take any chances ahead of the LS elections,” said the minister. Amrita Rawat also made it clear that she had no intentions of contesting from Pauri in the absence of Satpal Maharaj and that she was satisfied being an MLA. “I have no big dreams. Moreover, my name does not figure on the list of the probable candidates sent to the high command for the five constituencies. However, I will continue to support the Congress and be actively involved in the campaigning process,” she said. Coming out in full support of her husband, Amrita Rawat said Satpal Maharaj had done a great deal of work for the rehabilitation of the disaster-hit families. “He personally visited the remotest areas where no government machinery or NGO has ever reached. Our family also distributed ration to nearly 20,000 families that were displaced in Chamoli district,” she added. |
||
|
LS poll: Mahila Congress launches campaign
Dehradun, March 24 The campaign, spearheaded by the Uttarakhand Mahila Congress observer Parmeet Brar, was to be launched on March 22, but was postponed in the wake of the sudden exit of Satpal Maharaj, the Congress sitting MP from Pauri Garhwal. In a press release issued here, Brar stated that they would be visiting every nook and corner of the state and draw strategies for achieving success in the forthcoming elections. ''A meeting would be held with the members of Kumaon mandal in Rudrapur on Tuesday. A plan would be drawn and moves made accordingly,'' he added. |
||
|
BJP begins campaign, Cong still awaits list of Lok Sabha candidates
Mussoorie, March 24 The Congress is finding it difficult to overcome from the debacle it faced recently with its senior leader Satpal Maharaj joined BJP and is in a quandary over the issue of finding candidates for Lok sabha or to save the state government from falling due to infighting and the possible rebels among the party. The morale of Congress workers in Mussoorie is at its lowest ebb as they still await the names of candidates for Lok Sabha elections in the state. The BJP on the other hand is on a roll as it has taken the lead by announcing names for all five Lok Sabha seats and begun work in Mussoorie for Mala Raj Lakshmi, the candidate from Tehri. Several Congress workers under anonymity were of the view that the state leadership instead of fearing about the political consequences should finalise the names of the candidates so that they do not lag behind in forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Former district general secretary of Youth Congress Amit Gupta said that Congress is an ideology in itself and with Satpal Maharaj leaving the party it would have no impact on the vote bank of Congress that is still in tact in its place. He further said that the party workers in Mussoorie were raring to go as soon as the names of the candidates are announced in the state. The Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt said that Congress was a demoralised unit and for them finding candidates has become an uphill task. He further said that the Congress which did not pay any attention towards providing relief to the people affected by last year's natural disaster was facing a sort of disaster in its party presently and such confusion will only benefit BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. |
||
|
Narendra Modi’s tweet leaves party workers perplexed
Mussoorie, March 24 Narendra Modi in a tweet said that some enthusiastic supporters are using slogan “Har Har Modi”. “I respect their enthusiasm but request them not to use this slogan in the future,” Modisaid. The tweet has created ripples among the BJP workers who had taken to the slogan like fish to water and the mantra that would take them to the seat of power in the Centre by popularising it in every election campaign being held here. The tweet comes after Dwarka Peeth Shankarachayra Swaroopanand Saraswati objected to the “Har Har Modi” slogan in favour of BJP's prime ministerial candidate and has registered his strong protest with the party leaders. Many religious seers had also aired their objection and termed it as disrespectful to modify the chant of “Har Har Mahadev” used to hail Lord Shiva, the prominent God of Hindu devotees and use it for political gains in favour of Modi. When contacted the local BJP leaders found it difficult to respond to the clarification sought by mediapersons and were at a loss of words and chose to remain mum on the issue. |
||
|
Bacchi Singh still adamant on not campaigning
Pithoragarh, March 24 Talking to this correspondent over the telephone from Haldwani, he said he would like to voice his resentment to senior party leaders. “I will decide on campaigning on all the five seats after high command is convinced with me on my stand,” said Rawat. However, he said he is most likely to campaign on all the five seats of the state. BJP state chief Teerath Singh Rawat last evening claimed that Bacchi Singh had agreed to campaign on all five seats as voters in Nainital were enthusiastic on making Koshiyari the party candidate from the seat. Teerath Singh visited the residence of Bacchi Singh Rawat to placate him as Bacchi Singh Rawat did not go to meet him at the BJP office at Haldwani city. Talking to mediapersons at Almora, Teerath Singh said his party believed corruption in the distribution of polyhouses by the state government though Horticulture Minister Amrita Rawat, wife of Satpal Maharaj, was not involved. “We have not levelled corruption charges against Amrita Rawat or Satpal Maharaj though the party alleged corruption in the distribution of polyhouses,” said the BJP chief. |
||
|
Maharaj fires fresh salvo at Harish Rawat
Dehradun, March 24 He alleged while he was raising the issue in Parliament, Harish Rawat was arguing that these were not languages but dialects. “Where was Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat when the state was hit by a massive natural disaster in June last year?” he asked. Maharaj said instead of providing any succour to the affected people, Harish Rawat was busy maligning the state government headed by Vijay Bahuguna with the sole objective to unseat him. He said after becoming the Chief Minister, he started talking about the disaster victims.
|
||
|
State BSP chief blamed
for weakening party base
Haridwar, March 24 In a meeting here today, both the legislators termed their suspension as uncalled laying blame on Uttar Pradesh-based leaders Megh Raj Zaravare ,party state president, and Ram Achal Raj Bhar,state in charge, BSP, ''who have no knowledge and sense of political affairs of the hill state.'' Cabinet Minister for Transport Surendra Rakesh lamented that he along with Hari Das had been for past a decade involved in strengthening the Bahujan Samaj Party cadre in Uttarakhand, but party supreme Mayawati has been misguided by these two UP-based leaders. He said that if BSP continues to follow the same route ,then in the coming days it will be losing its presence. '' How can the party grow when its reins are in the hands of Uttar Pradesh based leaders, ''who just come as migratory birds to Uttarakhand.'' Hari Das said they had tried to meet Mayawati but some leaders close to Zaravare and Meghraj ensured that this did not happen. Otherwise their ''autocratic style of working would have been exposed.'' On the future course of things, particularly supporting Chief Minister Harish Rawat-led coalition in the state government; both the legislators said that support will continue as per the mutual agreement that exists between Progressive Democratic Front and Congress. They made it clear that it was not Zaravare or Megh Raj, who have strengthened BSP in Uttarakhand, but due to efforts of party workers of the state and its high time that BSP opts for local leaders to be put at helm of party affairs in Uttarakhand. |
||
|
Mussoorie BJP women’s wing to launch ‘lotus mehndi’ campaign
Mussoorie, March 24 BJP Mussoorie women’s wing unit president Jyoti Raee Kotia informed the media in Mussoorie today: “The party workers under this campaign will interact with the women of the town and carry a cone of mehndi with them, and if willing, will apply a lotus design (BJP symbol) on both their palms to remind them of which party to vote during the Lok Sabha elections. Applying mehndi is an auspicious symbol for Indian women.” However, the move could backfire as the Election Commission has prohibited use of the party symbol during the polling dates around the country. Later at the meeting the BJP women’s wing president Jyoti Raee Kotia also announced that the executive committee for Mussoorie. Pushpa Devi was named as vice-president, Mira Suyal, Kiran, Anita Jwadi and Rajeshwari Devi were appointed as secretaries, Sunita Chaudhry was appointed treasurer, while Kamlesh Sharma was declared publicity manager and Seema Sharma was named as media in charge. Addressing the gathering of the workers Jyoti Raee Kotia appealed to them campaign door to door and at every booth level to ensure the victory of the party with Narendra Modi as prime ministerial candidate during the Lok Sabha elections. Mussoorie BJP unit president Roop Singh Kathait and others were also present on the occasion. |
||
|
No association with illegal miners in Haridwar: Dharchula MLA
Haridwar March 24 Dhami refuted the allegations but admitted that he had called upon Deo as some Youth Congress activists were extorting money from legal quarrying ‘patta’ holders. Deo had filed a complaint with SSP, Haridwar, Sadanand Date, that Dhami had threatened him of dire consequences if the Youth Congress did not stop raising the issue of illegal quarrying on the Ganga riverbed in Haridwar. Deo said a raid was conducted on the orders of Sanjay Gunjiyal, CEO of the Anti-Mining Vigilance Cell, two days ago on his complaint about illegal quarrying continuing on the Ganga riverbed at Bishanpur Kundi. An upset Dhami called him up and threatened him of dire consequences if he continued to raise the issue. “Legislator Dhami had also made it clear that his aides were involved in the quarrying work in Haridwar district. Hence, he won’t tolerate anyone to hamper their interests. He asked me to keep quiet or be ready to face dire consequences. Dhami threatened me that he won’t hesitate from killing me if I continued to raise the issue. He was already facing many court cases and knew how to escape the legal dragnet,” said Deo. Youth Congress activists staged a protest here today and burnt an effigy of Dhami. They also urged the Chief Minister to intervene in the matter. Deo accompanied by office-bearers of the Youth Congress also pledged to save the Ganga riverbed from illegal quarrying at Bishanpur Kundi, Pherupur and other places. Arvind Gujjar, a senior Congress youth wing leader, said they would continue with their protests and keep the Anti-Mining Cell posted about such illegal acts. He added they also demanded Dhami’s arrest for his association with the mining mafia. Meanwhile, Dhami refuted Deo’s charges saying that the Youth Congress activists were extorting money from licensed quarrying ‘patta’ holders and the latter had approached him for help. “I called on Ram Vishal Deo to stop extracting money from miners as some of the quarrying people, who belong to my Assembly segment, have complained to me that Youth Congress activists were extorting money from them. Why should I threaten somebody on the phone. I am a public representative and intervened in the matter to ensure Deo does not extort money any further legal miners,” said Dhami. He also enquired about Deo’s sources of income saying the latter had amassed huge wealth in a short span even though he belonged to a farmer’s family. SSP Sadanand Date said he had received a complaint from Deo and directed the officials concerned to look into the matter. He added the police would conduct a fair investigation in the issue. |
||
|
Ginger farmers demand certified seeds
Pithoragarh, March 24 “While the department has received 3,000 quintals of potato seeds, including 1,000 quintals of certified seeds from the Potato Seed Growers Association at Munsiyari, in time the demand for ginger seeds cannot be met as the related proposal is still to be cleared,” said Khan. Asked why some potato farmers in Champawat and Pithoragarh districts are protesting against insufficient quantity of certified seeds they received this year, Khan said due to incessant rain in the state these days, digging of certified potato seeds in government farms at Kashipur, Rudarpur and Gangalahari at Haridwar was disturbed. “We have managed to arrange the required quantity of potato seeds this year,” he said. Potato farmers in Champawat district have appealed to the government that as they earn their livelihood from potato farming, they should be provided certified seeds produced in the Munsiyari seed farm of the department that gives the highest yield and fetches a good price in the market. “We are compelled to purchase potato seeds from the open market in plains at Rs 3,200 per quintal, which is costlier than the seeds provided by the department,” said DS Bohra, a potato producer in Champawat district. Khan said seeds could not be procured in a sufficient quantity from the Potato Seed Growers Association at Munsiyari as the seed growers have developed a tendency to sell it in the open market rather than supply it to the Horticulture Department. Meanwhile, ginger farmers in Almora and potato farmers in Champawat district have complained to Jageshwar MLA and Speaker of the Assembly Govind Singh Kunjwal about insufficient supply of both cash crops this year. “As potato and ginger seeds were not available in a sufficient quantity in time this year, the farmers in Champawat district and Dhaula Devi, Someshwar and Chukhutia blocks in Almora district are compelled to purchase seeds from the open market,” said Kunjwal from Almora. |
||
|
No respite from cold, heavy rain in ‘Queen of Hills’
Mussoorie, March 24 The rainfall began in Mussoorie since early morning and continued till evening forcing the tourists and residents to stay indoors. The surrounding peaks Nag Tibba and the tourist destination Dhanaulti also witnessed spell of hail and rain here today. For the disaster affected villagers from Parodi it was another day of suffering. The residents are baffled by the frequent rains in the month of March this year and opined that if such weather continues this year it could affect the tourism adversely. Upendar Lekhwar a resident from Parodi said frequent rain has disrupted their lives completely as they were forced to shudder in cold due to no rehabilitation and compensation arriving at the village. |
||
|
Awareness march on World TB Day
Dehradun, March 24 A large number of schoolchildren a team of the Hope project attended the march. Later, volunteers also created awareness in the slum areas of the city. They stressed the need of timely medical care in case of TB. |
||
|
Soil needs protection to sustain life on earth
Dehradun, March 24 The chief guest of the valedictory function of the conference, RS Tolia, former Chief Secretary and Chief Information Commissioner, addressing the participants pleaded for the unified efforts of various governmental agencies and functionaries to maximise delivery from different schemes meant for the benefit of farmers. Matthew Prasad, VC, state University of Horticulture and Forestry (UUHF), SK Chaudhary, Assistant Director General (ADG, SW&M, ICAR), New Delhi, and Anil Prakash Joshi, Chairman, Hesco, Dehardun, who were guests of honour also addressed the participants during the concluding session to consolidate the outcome of the conference. Matthew Prasad, VC, UUHF, and Anil Joshi warned that the soil is source and hence it needs to be protected in order to sustain life on the earth. The dignitaries and participants pledged on soil conservation. Farmers’ friendly organisms and features of the soil need to be conserved by one and all. SK Chaudhary, ADG, emphasised the need for soil conservation to minimise the loss of soil organic carbon and soil health, which are important for life. He also informed the gathering that balanced use of fertilisers and contingency planning to tackle emergencies was needed. MJ Sharma, Director, Department of Soil Conservation, J&K, JC Bhatt, Director, VPKAS, Almora, Madhumitha Mukherjee, Executive Director, NFDB, Hyderabad, and VC Goyal, head, NIH, Roorkee, addressed the participants on soil water conservation, watershed management and livelihood options, including fish production in available water resources. Earlier, PK Mishra, Director, CSWCRTI, and the president, IASWC, Dehradun, welcomed the chief guests, innovative farmers and the participants. He called for inputs from the participants to refine the outcome further. The conference focused on the issues and experiences of farmers from 5 states of Northern India (Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir), besides NCR of Delhi and UT of Chandigarh. Chosen innovative farmers shared their ideas and experiences with scientists and other stakeholders. The conference brought together farmers, researchers, policy makers, planners, administrators, NGOs and stakeholders on a common platform to share and discuss technological advancements, experiences and other issues related to adoption of soil and water conservation practices. In all, about 180 registered delegates, including 60 farmers and many invited resource persons, experts, research managers and policy planners participated in the three-day deliberations . Various recommendations on researchable issues, policy needs and extension efforts emerged from the discussion, which will be further refined by the organisers for the end users. Policies should be different for hills and plains as per the specificity of resources, topography, farmers’ capacity. Networking of farmers and creation of farmer associations, field farm schools in modern villages, adoption of modern tools and techniques, refinement of indigenous knowledge, multiple use of water, integration of farming components etc. were identified as requirements. |
||
|
Employees told to form separate team for postal ballot
Dehradun, March 24 “The list of names of the team members along with their phone numbers, email address and residential address should be deposited in the election office at the earliest,” she added. He said: “Every ballot will be written in a register maintained at the counter. The postal ballots will be received till 8.30 pm.” — TNS |
||
|
Victim's kin continue hunger strike
Dehradun, March 24 The agitated residents and members of the victim's family were forced to take the extreme step after the Haridwar police failed to identify and arrest the culprits even after over two months of the crime. The then Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Vijay Bahuguna, had assured the victim's kin of arresting the accused with 15 days of the crime or else the case would be handed over to the CBI. However, nothing had been done so far. Notably, a minor Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped and tortured before being killed in Haridwar. The naked body of the victim was found the next day. — TNS
|
||
|
Aanganwadi staff to be part
of CITU rally
Dehradun, March 24 In the meeting chaired by union’s district president Urmila Devi the decision was taken keeping in mind the increasing workload on the workers. “Among the major demands would be the fixation of a minimum pay package of Rs 10,000 for the anganwadi workers along with the provision of leaves and state employee status,” she said. It may noted here that a few days ago CITU had announced a major rally to be taken out from Parade Ground on March 30. CITU’s state general secretary Birendar Bhandari said that they would be demanding the stoppage of privatisation in the public organisations, defence establishments and Central establishments. A complete ban on the FDI in retail industry, registration of trade unions within 45 days, provision of leaves for the contractual employees as per the regular employees, provision of labour law, direct recruitment of contractual employees in the departments and the employees working in the corporations be given the status of state government employees would also be demanded during the rally. Speaking about the other demands that would be the highlight of the rally, Bhandari said: “We would also be demanding an abolition of the Public Private Partnership model, disbursement of the bonus and minimum salary to Asha workers and social and job security to the bhojan matas working in the schools under the mid-day meal scheme.”
|
||
|
Hoteliers oppose MC’s relief proposal for contractors
Mussoorie, March 24 They say they have also suffered huge financial losses due to the natural disaster last year and demanded a similar relief. The Tribune has learnt that the MC has sent a proposal to the government seeking financial relief for the private contractors managing its properties at major tourist locations like the ropeway, Mussoorie Lake, Company Garden etc. It is awaiting the government response to the proposal. The MC had built the ropeway several decades ago and also managed it. However, it leased the ropeway to private contractors for Rs 1.25 crore per annum several years ago. Local residents say that the private contractors have earned huge profits through the sale of tickets in the past and also by raising their prices. They are now seeking financial relief from the government, which is uncalled for. The hoteliers of Mussoorie are also irked at the MC decision that they termed as unfair. The president of the Uttarakhand Hotel and Restaurant Association, Sandeep Sahni, said the hoteliers had suffered tremendously due the natural disaster that shattered the economy of Mussoorie last year. Hence, concessions similar to that proposed for the private contractors should also be given to the hoteliers Azhar Ali, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, said the private contractors managing the council properties had suffered huge financial losses last year. They had written a letter to the state government demanding compensation for the contractors. The MC was still awaiting a response to the proposal from the government. |
||
|
Asiad Circus to begin today
Haridwar, March 24 Randir Singh, manager of the circus, said, the major attraction of the circus will be artists from Kenya and Russia. He said keeping in mind the changing taste of the audience, particularly in the wake of technological-media advancements, the circus had been evolving a lot of changes. Owner of Asiad Circus, Raju Swami, said though there were multiple entertainment tools for today’s generation, yet the circus still held its own charm and magic. He said innovation was the key to survive in today’s era as the audience wants latest and changed items. Kenyan artists Awgrey and Harizon said they had visited India earlier and the Indian audiences were keen in circus. “We are quite fascinated to perform in front of the Indian audience as they clap, whistle and admire our artistry. Specially, the funny acts are appreciated the most, while the animal acts are also closely watched,” said
Awgrey, who has performed in various countries. Randhir Singh said the show timings will be in three slots: 13:30 hours, 16:00 hours and 19:30 hours daily. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Classified | E-mail | |
Dehradun, March 24
Mussoorie, March 24
Haridwar March 24
Mussoorie, March 24
Dehradun, March 24
Dehradun, March 24
Mussoorie, March 24
