Police arrest BHEL worker, solve two cases of crime
Tribune News Service

dehradun/Haridwar, April 10
Haridwar police busted twin inter-related broad daylight firing cases when they arrested a BHEL worker Vikas Chauhan on the basis of CCTV footages of a bank here today. Vikas Chauhan, resident of village Ghissipura,Pathri, was arrested with the motor cycle used in yesterday's sensational firing case near Sector-1, BHEL ,in which fellow villager Deepak was seriously injured.

As per Senior Superintendent of Haridwar Police Sadanand Date, Vikas Chauhan along with his accomplice Akshay had fired on Deepak near State Bank of India ATM at Sector 1 from a countrymade pistol at 4.40 pm on April 9,2014.

Both the assailants then went back to BHEL factory to work in the evening shift to make sure no one suspected their involvement in the firing case.

Deepak was taken to hospital immediately, which saved his life, while the police reviewed all the CCTV footages made available by the SBI bank authorities.

''Two persons on a motor cycle wearing BHEL workers' dress were spotted during the firing time. We zeroed in on the motor cycle number which was found to be of Vikas Chauhan. We arrested him with the same motor cycle from BHEL and during interrogation he confessed his involvement in the crime,'' said SSP Date.

Accused Vikas later told media persons that he had a long time dispute with Deepak and his friend Parwinder.

He had tried to kill Parwinder on December 7, 2013, by firing in a similar manner at night and later went to night shift at BHEL to escape suspicion. But then also due to a technical fault in the pistol, Parwinder survived, sustaining minor injury.

''I wanted to remove both Parwinder and Deepak as many a time they had openly challenged me and made fun of me in the open public. I took help of my friend Akshay and fired first on Parwinder and later on Deepak. Luckily they survived but now I repent the action,'' said Vikas.

SP City Surjeet Singh Pawar,CO Rajesh Bhatt, SHO Ranipur Mahendra Singh Negi,SSI Vidya Bhushan Negi,SI Sanjeev Chauhan,SI Kundan Singh Rana monitored the investigation since last evening when the firing took place. The police are raiding various hideouts to nab Akshay, who was involved with Vikas in both the shootout cases.

71 ultra sensitive booths in Dehradun district
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
A total of 167 polling booths have been identified as sensitive and 71 as ultra sensitive in Dehradun district alone for the Lok Sabha elections.

District Magistrate and District Electoral Officer BVRC Purushottam told mediapersons here today that these booths are in the 10 Assembly segments of Chakrata (49), Vikasnagar (34), Sahaspur (19), Dharampur (17), Raipur (31), Rajpur (29), Cantt (10), Mussorrie (18), Doiwala (23) and Rishikesh (8).

A single window system has been established to facilitate the candidates who seek permission for public rallies, sound systems, processions, use of vehicles and helipads. The officials of the district administration and the police will monitor the facility.

An expenditure-monitoring cell has also been set up in the district to keep an eye on the money being spent by the candidates in the elections. Based on the instructions of the Election Commission of India, every candidate is required to open a bank account for the money to be used in the elections. Besides, every candidate is required to provide the details of the election expenditure at least three times before the voting takes place.

Purushottam said since the enforcement of the model code of conduct they had seized 22 illegal arms while registered arms licence holders in the district had deposited 1,561 arms. “So far, we have received 63 complaints with regard to the violation of the model code of conduct. Show cause notices have been served on 51 defaulters,” he added.

The facilities

• A single window system has been established to facilitate the candidates who seek permission for public rallies, sound systems, processions, use of vehicles and helipads
• The officials of the district administration and the police will monitor the facility
• An expenditure-monitoring cell has also been set up in the district to keep an eye on the money being spent by the candidates in the elections
• Based on the instructions of the Election Commission of India, every candidate is required to open a bank account for the money to be used in the elections
• Besides, every candidate is required to provide the details of the election expenditure at least three times before the voting takes place

IndiaVotes 2014
3 major parties field women candidates from Haridwar
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar April 10
For the first time in parliamentary election history of Haridwar constituency, three major parties have fielded women candidates.

Taking into account the constituency details since the first Lok Sabha election in 1952, no women candidate has won from Haridwar seat.

With Congress fielding Renuka Rawat, wife of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Aam Aadmi Party fielding former Director General of Uttarakhand Police IPS Kanchan Roy Bhattacharya and Samajwadi Party opting for Anita Saini, a three-time village head from Roorkee, voters of the constituency are having options galore as far as women candidates are concerned.

Way back in the late 80s Bahujan Samaj Party supreme and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati had contested from Haridwar Lok Sabha seat twice, but she had lost both the elections. Barring her, no major political party ever fielded a strong woman candidate, be it Congress, BJP, SP or BSP.

Female voters in the constituency are a happy lot as first time they are getting such a varied option in parliamentary elections.

Former state Women's Commission chairperson Santosh Chauhan links fielding of three female candidates by three major parties as a positive sign for women's empowerment.

Chahuan says that most political parties do promise substantial number of tickets to women candidates but rarely honour their commitment.

So this seems to be a wave of hope as not only these women candidates have been given ticket but all of them are having a chance of winning.

Congress district women's president Kiran Singh attributes the ticket allocation to Renuka Rawat to party vice president Rahul Gandhi’s vision of giving fair number of tickets to youth and women in every state.

“Renuka Rawat is an experienced candidate, hailing from a political family. She has herself contested 2004 Almora Lok Sabha poll. Women voters of the constituency should understand that voting for a woman candidate like her will provide a platform for all parties to give tickets to women candidates, be it parliamentary, Assembly, civic or village panchayat level elections,'' said Kiran.

Kanchan Roy Bhattacharya, Aam Aadmi Party candidate, told TNS that she has been getting good response from the voters as now thinking of common man has changed.

“Be it male or female, upper caste or lower caste, voter only wants development and connectivity. Besides women are more sensitive and also their honest working style rarely leaves room for corruption,'' said Bhattacharya.

Samajwadi Party candidate Anita Saini on this says that being a woman is a strong point for her as she has been thrice village head of Mohammedpur, Imli Kheda, and local people opted for her owing to her clean , hard working image. “Women are equivalent as far as politics is concerned and whatever male politicians can attain, we too can. Be it Indira Gandhi,Meera Kumar,Shiela Dixit, Sheil Kaul, Sushma Swaraj, Mayawati, Jayalalitha or Dimple Yadav, all have proved their mettle in politics,'' said Saini.

BJP candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank tried to play down the threat from these women candidates.

"We all respect women power but in Haridwar all these three female candidates will be vying for second spot after me.Voters are in favour of Bharatiya Janata Party and know the development I have done as CM and also they want to make Modi as prime minister," said Nishank.

Harak Singh vs Khanduri at Pauri a contest to watch
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 10
The election in the Pauri Garhwal parliamentary seat has become interesting after the Congress fielded Cabinet Minister for Medical Education Harak Singh Rawat against BJP candidate Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, a former Chief Minister.

Interestingly, Khanduri and Harak Rawat, who both belong to Pauri, will be facing each other in the Lok Sabha elections after 16 years. Khanduri had then won the contest easily, but Harak Singh has grown in political stature in 16 years since then and is expected to give a tough fight to the retired general.

Harak Singh had contested the 11th parliamentary elections in 1998 against BJP’s BC Khanduri from Pauri Garhwal on the BSP ticket.

This election was one of the eye catching one in the then Uttar Pradesh as from All India Indira Congress (Secular) Union Minister of State for Railways Satpal Maharaj and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna from the Congress were also in the electoral fray.

Khanduri had then got 55.44 per cent votes (2,80,258 votes) and won the seat comprehensively defeating Satpal Maharaj, who secured 105,311 votes.

Vijay Bahuguna came third with 63,900 votes while Harak Singh came fourth securing 41,268 votes.

After this Harak Singh never contested the parliamentary election, resorting to Assembly politics, where he has so far won five Assembly elections.

Harak supporters and villagers of his ancestral village Shri Kot Gang Nali in Srinagar, Pauri Garhwal, are a happy lot as they feel only he has the calibre to defeat four time MP Khanduri from his home seat.

Born on December 15, 1960, in Pauri Garhwal, Harak Singh did postgraduate and later Ph.D in Military Science. He worked as a lecturer in Hemwati Nandan Garhwal University in Srinagar.

Quite active in student and youth politics, Harak Singh made a foray into active state politics in 1989 by contesting the Assembly elections from Pauri segment but lost to Congress candidate Narendra Singh Bhandari by a marging of 18,312 votes.

In 1991, he won his maiden election from the Pauri Assembly seat on the BJP ticket bagging 28,585 votes and winning by a margin of 5,326 votes.

Owing to his dynamic character and common man approach he won against the then Congress heavyweight candidate dvocate Pushkar Singh Rauthan.

During this very term he became the youngest minister in the then Uttar Pradesh Cabinet becoming tourism minister. In the next Assembly election Harak Singh replicated his winning feat from Pauri Assembly.

In 1996, he switched to Janata Dal United and lost from Pauri Assembly to BJP candidate Mohan Singh Rawat Gaonwasi by 27,416 votes.

In 1998 as Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Harak Singh Rawat lost by 700 votes to BJP’s Teerath Singh Rawat.

Shifting his base to Lansdowne segment of Pauri district in 2002 ,Harak Singh won against BJP’s Bharat Singh Rawat by thin margin of 468 votes, becoming Cabinet Minister for Revenue, Food & Supplies, Disaster Management in the then Narayan Dutt Tiwari's tenure.

In 2007, he got re elected from Lansdowne Assembly segment defeating once again BJP’s Bharat Singh Rawat by3,818 votes. In 2012 he won a major contest in Rudraprayag against 6 times BJP legislator and the then Irrigation Cabinet Minister Matabar Singh Kandari by moving out of Pauri district.

“I am contesting only to win, as despite Khanduriji being a four-time MP from Pauri, development has not taken place in the constituency. I won from Rudraprayag against a six-time MLA due to the love of people and hard work of party workers,” said Harak Singh.

Congress hails ticket to Saket, Harak, Renuka
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
The Uttarakhand Congress has welcomed the party high command decision to grant the ticket to Renuka Rawat, Saket Bahuguna and Harak Singh Rawat from the Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal and Pauri Garhwal constituencies, respectively.

In a statement issued today, Uttarakhand Congress spokesman Dhirendra Pratap also asserted that Congress will win all the five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand. He in particular asserted that Pauri Garhwal Congress candidate Harak Singh Rawat has been right choice as the latter has a long political experience.

Dhirendra Pratap asserted that Congress will win all the five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand. He said the people of Uttarakhand will not allow communal forces to win in their state. He said the entire party rank and file is all geared up to ensure success to Congress in the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress MLA takes out jan sampark yatra in Doon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Cabinet Minister and MLA from Dharampur Assembly constituency Dinesh Agarwal took out a ‘jan sampark yatra’ in support of Renuka Rawat, wife of Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Renuka Rawat is contesting from Haridwar parliamentary constituency on a Congress party ticket. While addressing a public rally at Majra, Agarwal appealed to the local people to vote for Rawat.

“Renuka Rawat is a symbol of women power of the state. By giving ticket to her, the Congress party has respected the sentiments of women of the state,” added Agarwal. Other local Congress leaders also accompanied the Cabinet Minister in the daylong jan sampark yatra. Agarwal also visited a number of places in his constituency to garner support for the Congress party.

BJP to complain to EC against govt for changing liquor policy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Ajay Bhatt, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, today said the party would file a complaint with the Election Commission against the Congress-led government for bringing changes in the liquor policy in March when the model code of conduct was in place in the state.

“In violation of the model code of conduct, the Congress-led state government issued a government order on March 23 changes the rules for the sale of foreign liquor to benefit a businessman. The matter was not even brought before the Assembly and the changes were affected primarily to benefit a businessman, who is expected to fund the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections,” said Bhatt while addressing a press conference here.

He said the BJP would lodge a complaint the Congress-led government with the Election Commission tomorrow and demand the cancellation of the new liquor policy.

“The state government could have waited for the elections to end but the Congress wanted funds and hence it issued the order in March in violation of the model code of conduct,” said Bhatt.

Asked whether he would take up the issue of the violation of the model code of conduct by Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, Bhatt said he had left the matter to the party to decide. “I am heading a constitutional post and so is Govind Singh Kunjwal. As a responsible leader, he should desist from participating in political meetings,” he added.

Significantly, to give a message of unity in the party, Madan Kaushik and Munna Singh Chauhan were also present at the press conference. In fact, Munna Singh Chauhan lauded the BJP manifesto and the vision of prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for giving voice to the concerns of small states.

Good poll prospects help BJP win over unhappy leaders
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
With the first cycle of its election campaigning already over, the Uttarakhand BJP has managed to get a head start in the Lok Sabha elections for the five parliamentary seats in the state.

The party leaders continue to be upbeat about winning all the five seats in the Lok Sabha elections and have already won over the party leaders who were unhappy with the ticket distribution.

“Most of the leaders, who were unhappy with the party, have resolved to work for the official candidates. The issue was resolved at the highest level and we are now working unitedly for the party,” said Teerath Singh Rawat, Uttarakhand BJP chief.

Both senior BJP leaders Madan Kaushik and Munna Singh Chauhan, who were unhappy with the ticket distribution, have now buried the hatchet

To further strengthen the party, RSS workers have taken over the responsibility of organising its workers at the booth level by appointing Palaks. Publicity vans are already moving in the villages and cities disseminating the message of the prime ministerial candidate Narindra Modi.

“The Congress has announced the names of the candidates only yesterday but we had done it several days ago. Our leaders are already in the battle mode while the faction ridden Congress is still trying to get it's act together,” said Ajay Bhatt, who is heading the committee on election campaign for the party.

Left parties to garner support for their joint candidate
Ajay Ramola
Tribune ews service

Mussoorie, April 10
The workers affiliated to Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (M) pledged to support and vote their joint candidate from Tehri Lok Sabha, Shiv Prasad Deoli, in the forthcoming elections from their Lok Sabha constituency during a meeting held at a hotel in Mussoorie today.

The district secretary of the Communist party of India, Surendar Singh Sajwan, addressing the gathering said that people of the country were fed up with the ''anti-people policy of the Congress government'' at the Centre and BJP was following the same policies.

He further said that, therefore, it has become imperative to oust both parties and bring in the joint candidate of the Left parties by ensuring his victory in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The CPI secretary Devi Godyal speaking on the occasion said that both Left parties namely CPI and CPM will run a joint election campaign in favour of Shiv Prasad Deoli and expose both Congress and BJP in front of the people. He further said that due to the liberalisation policy of Congress the people were at receiving end with ever-increasing inflation and unemployment in the country.

The Lok Sabha candidate of Left parties from Tehri Lok Sabha speaking on the occasion said that his focus would be on providing employment and development to the people from constituency.He also said that he would leave no stone unturned to improve the situation of the laborers and workers in various business installation in Tehri. Deoli assured that he would remain between the masses before and after the elections.

The district president, CITU, Purshotam Puri, district secretary Lekhraj, CPI members Aslam Khan, Sobhan Panwar,Harish Badoni and Bhagwan Singh Panwar were also present on the occasion.

Scheduled Tribes fail to emerge as a strong political force in Uttarakhand
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Due to their miniscule presence in the Terai and hilly areas of the state, the Schedule Tribe communities of Uttarakhand have failed to emerge as a political force that could be wooed by the political parties and as the countdown for the May 7 polls has started, the members of Scheduled Tribes continue to be ignored.

Though comprising 3 per cent of the total population in the state, the Tharu and Bauxa Scheduled Tribesmen and Jaunsari tribesmen have a considerable presence in the Nainital-UdhamSingh Nagar and Tehri parliamentary constituencies. But none of them are the toast of any political party.

''The members of Scheduled Tribes do not figure in the wish-list of the political parties because they are fewer in numbers. Beside they never tried to organise themselves in a group,'' said Pushkar Singh Dhami, a BJP MLA from Kahtima and a Tharu tribesmen.

While the Constitution of India has ordained special rights on the tribesmen, wherein their land cannot be sold or bought, they continue to face land alienation.''Majority of the land owned by the Tharus and Bauxas has been either illegally sold or grabbed by other communities that have now settled on their land. The tribal areas are devoid of roads, means of communication and water. They continue to inhabit the no man's land that is seldom visited by the politicians,'' said Jay Singh Rawat, author and political analyst.

Interestingly, after coming to power in the state, the Bahuguna led Congress government had promised the setting up a state advisory tribal council to empower the tribesmen but it continued to remain on paper. ''The setting up of the council was promised by former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in 2012 and it came to be known as the Khatima declaration. It was aimed to empower the tribals on the lines of the advisory councils set up in the North Eastern states but nothing came of it,'' said Rawat.

If the members of the Scheduled Tribes continue to be ignored by the political parties, the members on their own too have shied away from taking a plunge in politics.

Barring Gopal Singh Rana, a Tharu who became two time MLA from Khatima, and Gagan Singh Rawat, who was elected as MLA from Dharchula in the past, none of them have made it to Parliament.

BJP’s ST morcha holds swabhiman sammelan
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
To rally the members belonging to the Schedule Tribes (ST) and exhort the party workers to work for ensuring victory for the BJP in the five parliamentary seats, the BJP ST morcha held a swabhiman sammelan which was attended by senior BJP leaders.

Speaking on the occasion the Uttarakhand BJP chief Teerath Singh Rawat said that the Congress Party had failed on all the fronts and the people of the Uttarakhand state would give a fitting reply in the Lok Sabha elections.

“We are poised to win all the five seats and I exhort all the workers to work in their areas for ensuring the victory of the official candidates,” he said.

The outgoing MP from Tehri and BJP party nominee Raj Laxmi Shah also exhorted the members of the ST morcha to ensure the BJP voters come out in large numbers to vote for the BJP candidates.

MLA Ganesh Joshi submits reply to EC

Mussoorie, April 10
MLA Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi, who was served a notice for breach of model code of conduct by the Election Commission for calling a meeting of government officials in Dehradun recently, submitted his reply today.

Ganesh Joshi in his reply to Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) said on April 1, 2014, while attending a free medical camp organised by Aryan group, he had requested the Peyjal and the Jal Santhan officials present there to ensure safe drinking water.

He said he wanted to make sure that the people of the town receive safe drinking water during summers. He said such meeting was not against the model code of conduct. — TNS

AAP workers canvass for Nautiyal

Dehradun, April 10
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) workers canvassed for their Tehri Lok Sabha seat candidate Anoop Nautiyal in the Rajpur Road Assembly segement of Tehri constituency in Dehradun today.

Holding brooms in hands, the AAP workers visited Tagore villa colony, Dobhalwala chowk, Krishna place and Chakrata road areas. They appealed the residents and the shopkeepers to vote and support AAP.

They said the country was in the grip of corruption and only AAP could provide corruption free governance. They accused both the BJP and the Congress of befooling the people of the state.

“The BJP and the Congress have only focused their energies for the post of chief minister. They have never cared for the betterment of the common man,” said Anoop Nautiyal. Anoop Nautiyal along with Bhargav Chandola, Mayank Naithani, Vishal Kumar and Praveen Sonkar were the prominent AAP workers who took part in the canvassing. — TNS

Parodi villagers threaten to exercise NOTA
Politicians have failed to help them post-natural disaster
Ajay Ramola
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, April 10
The residents of the natural disaster-hit Parodi village have threatened to exercise the NOTA (none of the above) option on the electronic voting machine (EVM) in the Lok Sabha elections in the state scheduled for May 7. The Election Commission has introduced the NOTA option on the EVMs for the first time.

The villagers are disenchanted with political leaders, as the latter have failed to provide rehabilitation and relief to them. At the same time, the sight of a polling booth set up at the village for the Lok Sabha elections has deepened their anguish.

Houses and irrigated land at Parodi village were destroyed in the natural disaster and the villagers were rendered homeless. Politicians of all hues visited the village and made false promises of rehabilitation and compensation to the disaster-hit villagers.

Dejected with the indifference of the political leaders, the villagers have threatened to exercise the NOTA option to register their protest.

Upendar, a resident of Parodi village, is still running from pillar to post to receive compensation for his house devastated in the natural disaster last year. He says politicians and the government instead of providing relief to them are insulting them by expecting them to vote for them in the elections for which a polling booth has been set up in the village.

In earlier elections the polling booth used to be at Bangaar village, about 2 km from our village, adds Upendar.

He says around 32 families in the village were affected by the disaster but only 17 of them had received compensation of about Rs 2 lakh initially and the others only promises.

The residents say they will exercise their right to vote by pressing the NOTA button as a protest against the indifference of the politicians.

Hoardings removed from Chakrata Road
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Amid cries and helpless pleas of small kiosk owners, an administration team removed encroachments from Chakrata Road here today as part of an ongoing drive.

On the third day of the drive, the team removed hoardings, banners, kiosks and extensions made by the shopkeepers. The drive started from the Kishan Nagar chowk and ended at the Clock Tower chowk.

Headed by Additional Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Harshvardhan Mishra, the team confiscated goods displayed by the shopkeepers on footpaths outside their shops. Though the district administration claimed that the shopkeepers and kiosk owners had been informed about the drive in advance, the latter denied having received any notice.

“The team is not clear about what to remove in the name of encroachment. How can a hoarding that is placed 15-20 feet above the footpath hindring the movement of people? The pick and choose policy being adopted by the administration in removing encroachments is not acceptable,” said a shopkeeper.

Another kiosk owner whose stall was inside the complex of a cinema hall, asked: “My shop is the only source of income for my family. What will I feed my children?”

The anti-encroachment drive was being carried on the orders of the Nainital High Court.

Residents protest shifting of LPG connections
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Residents of Deep Nagar staged a protest outside the District Supplies Office here today against the non-fulfilment of their demand for restoring their LPG connections to the original gas agency.

It may be recalled that hundreds of residents had yesterday protested against the shifting of nearly 2,500 LPG connections from Shiva Gas Agency at Deep Nagar to Himani Gas Agency. Indian Oil has taken the step in order to ease pressure on Shiva Gas Agency and improve the services.

The protesters demanded that their connections be restored to Shiva Gas Agency as it was difficult for them to travel 8 to 10 km to fetch a refilled cylinder.

Addressing the protesters, Deep Nagar councilor Lalit Bhandari said the customers were suffering due to the inefficiency of the agency owner. “Instead of taking action against the erring agency, the company is forcing the consumers to travel a distance to fetch gas cylinders. This is a big problem for the financially weak consumers who have to shell out extra money for travelling to the new gas agency,” he said.

Arvind Sharma, Munshi Ram, Sonu, Bacchi Bhandari and Radha Negi participated in the protest.

No industry came up in Almora since formation of state
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 10
Industrial development and subsequent employment generation have not taken place in all four districts falling under the Almora parliamentary constituency since 2000 when Uttarakhand came into existence. Even the industries that were set up in the constituency in the sixties started closing down due to the government indifference, lack of market for their products and an outdated technology used in manufacturing.

“Industrial employment in four districts in the Almora constituency is the lowest today. This has resulted in large scale migration of youths, including those trained in local ITIs,” said Ravindra Chandra Joshi, a former industrialist in Ranikhet town of Almora district.

“The area, which was abuzz with industrial activities in the sixties, now has only some ailing drug factories in Almora and a magnesite factory in Bageshwar district, besides some traditional family-run cottage industries,” said sources in the industrial centres in the parliamentary constituency.

They said of the 9,000 small and medium industries established between 1960 and 1970 and again during 1985 and 1986 in all four districts in the constituency, over 2,000 have closed down due to lack of market for their products, dearth of raw material and several other factors. “The industrial estates established by the Uttar Pradesh government during 1962 to 1990 at Chilianaula in Ranikhet, and Pataldevi, Dwarahat, Danya and Bhikiasain areas in Almora district have disappeared as most of the industrialists were not allotted sites or sheds and even those allotted sites also fled due to lack of facilities,” said Joshi.

He added the successive state governments after the creation of Uttarakhand did not pay any attention to the industries in these hill districts and only focused on the Terai region for the establishment of industries. “Had the successive state governments attached small industrial units in the hill region to big industries coming up in the Terai region, the condition of the area would have been different,” said Joshi.

Today, only one factory manufacturing dead burnt magnesite is running at Jhiroli in Bageshwar district that gives employment to some 300 locals. Besides, some soft stone units, which mostly send raw material to other areas, exist there. “One of the reasons for the absence of the industry in the region is that the traditional local industries could not be made available the required technology as it was not on the agenda of the successive state governments and public representatives,” he said.

In Pithoragarh district, two magnesite units, which produced dead burnt magnesite in the eighties, have closed down after being in operation for over 20 years, as local public representatives did not pay attention to the issues of subsidy and rising raw material costs raised by the industry owners. “The two magnesite units in the district, which employed more than 1,500 workers, could not be revived despite assurances by the candidates of several political parties, some of whom even won the elections and became ministers,” said CM Awasthi, a former employee of one such unit.

DIG reviews city patrol unit’s functioning
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Garwhal Range, Amit Sinha, conducted a meeting to review the functioning of the newly set up city patrol unit for the Dehradun city here today.

Giving directions to the district police officials, the DIG asked the Dehradun SP City to carry out constant checking of the functioning of city patrol units and to ensure that they operate with more sensitivity.

He directed the district police officials to make sure that the ten city patrol units deployed in the city to carry out highway patrolling in and around the city.

“Apart from streamlining the chaotic traffic system in the city, the city patrol unit should make efforts to curb street crimes and crime against women,” he added.

It was also decided during the meeting that the DIG Garhwal would be take a weekly review meeting regarding the functioning of the city patrol unit on regular basis.

SSP Dehradun Ajay Rautela, SP Police Headquarters, SP City, SP Traffic and other traffic police officials were also present in the meeting.

Mallikarjun School celebrates annual day

Pithoragarh, April 10
Mallikarjun School celebrated its 13th annual day here today. The school management expressed its commitment to save environment and promote family values in the campus.

“Apart from providing an excellent academic atmosphere, we have tried to inspire our students towards saving the bio diversity around their residential areas. We have also discussed with the students about promoting family values during extra curricular activities,” said Raghubar Dutt Joshi, chairman of the Mallikarjun Group of schools in the region.

The annual day was marked by several presentations by the students. The presentations were in different languages including, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, besides Kumaoni and Garhwali. Former Indian basketball captain and Arjuna awardee Haridutt Kapri, was the special guest on the occasion. He talked about the inspiring atmosphere in the school.

He said if there was a strong willpower and commitment among the students, they could reach the achieve success both in sports and academics. Col SK Yadav, Commanding Officer of 15 Kumaon regiment, was the chief guest. — OC

Seminar on Sanskrit language from May 20
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
A two-day seminar on Sanskrit language will be organised at Raj Bhawan on May 20 and May 21, with the aim to propagate the use of Sanskrit in daily life. The Vice-Chancellor of Sanskrit University, Professor Mahavir Agarwal, met Governor Aziz Qureshi regarding conduct of the seminar.

The governor has said that Vice-Chancellors of Sanskrit universities, academicians and experts of Sanskrit language will be invited during the seminar. He said that the seminar would help in establishing the links with other Indian languages.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Kumaon University led by Dr. Lalit Tiwari met the governor regarding their problems and requested him to take steps to solve their problems at earliest.

‘Govt must frame a policy to deal with ill-effects of climate change’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
A two-day workshop on ‘Retrospect and Prospects of Natural Resource and Disaster Management in Uttarakhand Himalayas’ began at Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences here today.

Over 200 researchers, academicians and students from across the country will participate in the two-day academic seminar. Experts will share their viewpoints on the topic.

Renowned academician and Padma Shri awardee Professor AN Purohit inaugurated the seminar and threw light on ‘global warming’ in his inaugural address.

He said change in weather was a natural phenomenon and it had been happening since time immemorial.

“The governments and experts across the globe have sensationalised the issue of ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’. A huge amount of money is also being spent on projects, consultancy and counseling, but still the ‘climate change’ is happening,” said Purohit.

He said the government should not remain silent on the issue and must frame a policy to deal with the ill-effects of the climate change.

Professor SP Singh, expert on ecology and biodiversity from Forest Research Institute, was the keynote speaker on the first day and spoke on the issues of rampant cutting of trees.

Woman files complaint alleging rape
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 10
A woman filed a complaint at Doiwala police station yesterday against a person alleging physical abuse on pretext of marriage.

According to Doiwala police, a 24-year-old woman registered a complaint against Ganesh Singh, a resident of Tapkeshwar Colony, of raping her on the promise of marriage, but later started avoiding her.

The woman also claimed that Ganesh threatened to kill her when she confronted him and warned him against filing a complaint with the police.

Two scooters stolen in Kotwali area

Dehradun, April 10
Vehicle thieves active in the Kotwali area stole two scooters from different places here today. In the first incident, Jai Pal Arora registered a complaint in the Kotwali police station about his scooter theft.

According to his complaint, he had come to visit Peepal Mandi temple in the morning and when he came back after visiting the temple, the scooter was missing.

In the second incident, scooter of Anil Chauhan was stolen from Nashville Road Church. The police have registered both the complaints and have started making efforts to nab the notorious vehicle thieves. — TNS