Rajiv Gandhi remembered, described as ‘great visionary’
Tribune News Service

Dehradun/Haridwar, May 21
Tributes were paid to former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi on his 23rd death anniversary in Haridwar here today.Various commemorative functions were organised in the city to pay tributes to the ''great visionary leader,'' who scripted the success of information technology in India.

Apart from Haridwar, in Roorkee, Lakhsar, Mangalore, Landaura, Bhagwanpur and Khanpur, functions were held at Congress offices. Through a press note issued by Sewa Dal district president Rajesh Rastogi, youths were urged to follow the ideals of Rajiv Gandhi .He termed Gandhi as a visionary, who paved way for the 21st century resurgent India.

Congress activists led by veteran leader Sanjay Chopra paid tributes to the sixth prime minister of the country,who was assassinated on May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu during a poll campaign.

City Congress chief OP Chauhan addressed the party workers at Subash Ghat-based Congress office. Chauhan highlighted the imperative role that Rajiv Gandhi played in bringing computer technology to India in mid 80s.

At another function, Uttarakhand Kranti Manch activists remembered Rajiv Gandhi for him being more close to common public and party workers. They mentioned Rajiv Gandhi’s role in strengthening the nation and the Congress as under his leadership the party won record 411 Lok Sabha seats in 1984 election.

Orators pointed that Rajiv had sharp political acumen, too, as he fielded young candidates Amitabh Bachchan and Madhav Rao Scindia, as both emerged victorious against Opposition political stalwarts Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1984 General Election.

“Rajiv Gandhi dismantled the licence raj, laid stress on science and technology, reversed the coup in Maldives, improved relations with the US and was trying to help Sri Lanka in overcoming LTTE ,of which he himself became a victim.He was a global visionary leader,” remarked Santosh Chauhan, former Women State Commission chief.

Congress state women leader Poonam Bhagat said the day was also observed as Anti-Terrorist Day to educate youth of the country to stay away from cult of terrorism and violence.

 Amrita sacking: Total division in Congress rank and file
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 21
Political scenario within Congress post humiliating defeat of Chief Minister Harish Rawat's wife Renuka Rawat has further got aggravated after the sacking of minister Amrita Rawat.

As Haridwar has been birthplace of Satpal Maharaj,husband of Amrita Rawat, and for the past five years parliamentary constituency of Harish Rawat, supporters of both Rawat factions are at loggerheads with each other.

Media briefs, allegations and protests by both sides' supporters have upped the political temperature of the pilgrim city.

Now Congress looks divided openly within the party rank and file ,as while Satpal’s supporters demand re-induction of Amrita Rawat into Congress led-coalition government Cabinet, pro-Harish supporters describe it as the right step ,questioning the loyalty of Amrita with the Congress Party.

Veteran Congress leader and Mandi committee chairperson, Jwalapur, Sanjay Chopra had been demanding of late resignation of Amrita Rawat since Satpal Maharaj switched sides with the BJP. Chopra had even taken out a march, seeking ouster of Amrita Rawat, legislator from Ram Nagar, segment of Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha, just after 5-0 wash of Congress from all five seats of Uttarakhand, including Haridwar.

Pro-Amrita Rawat supporters have termed CM Harish Rawat's decision as uncalled for and the one which smells of a personal vengeance.

Former district cooperative union president Sushant Pal has sought explanation from CM Harish Rawat over Amrita episode.

Pal remarked that Satpal Maharaj had gone to BJP on his own. So how come one arrived at a conclusion that his wife Amrita was now closer to BJP ideology than of Congress?

“Amritaji has been thrice a legislator from Birokhal and Ram Nagar segments, twice Cabinet minister. In fact, after Indira Hriyadesh, she is the only women who holds political stature in whole state.How can Chief Minister Harish Rawat treat her in this way. She is a seasoned politician apart from a spiritual orator,” said Pal.

Women leader Ruchika demanded reinstating of Amrita Rawat into state Cabinet once again as the shoddy treatment meted out to her is also disrespect to womanhood.

Sources close to Satpal Maharaj faction also disclosed that Amrita Rawat may resign from active legislator membership and instead would seek fresh verdict by contesting the byelection.

In all probability she will contest from Ram Nagar, but option of contesting from to-be-vacant Doiwala segment, as Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has been elected as Haridwar MP, cannot also be ruled out.

Chinks in the armour

Veteran Congress leader and Mandi committee chairperson, Jwalapur, Sanjay Chopra demanded resignation of Amrita Rawat since Satpal Maharaj switched sides with the BJP. Chopra had even taken out a march, seeking ouster of Amrita Rawat, legislator from Ram Nagar segment of Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha, as Congress was washed out from all five seats of Uttarakhand, including Haridwar

CM to decide in a week seat to contest Assembly election

Dehradun, May 21
Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said he would within a week decide about the constituency to contest the election to enter the state Assembly. All efforts would be made for the smooth conduct of the Char Dham Yatra in the state. He was speaking at a function held to remember late Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi on his 23rd death anniversary at Congress Bhawan here.

The Chief Minister said stern instructions had been given to officials to ensure smooth conduct of the Char Dham Yatra. He claimed that pilgrims would be allowed to visit the Kedarnath shrine after completing necessary formalities.

Later Uttarakhand Congress president Yashpal Arya urged Congressmen to follow in Rajiv Gandhi?'s footsteps. "Rajiv Gandhi gave a new direction to the country, and his contributions to modern India were commendable," he added. — TNS 

 CM sanctions Rs 1 crore for urban areas of Dharchula, Munsiyari
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has instructed officials to ensure timely dissemination of pension to beneficiaries and scholarships to backward class students within a month. He sanctioned Rs1 crore for construction works in urban areas of Dharchula and Munsiyari during his visit to Pithoragarh district. He instructed officials to release Rs 15 crore for disaster-relief work, and other pending development works in the region.

Rawat said that government officials from different government departments should have better coordination in order to address grievances of villagers.

He told officials to ensure availability of land for construction of Baba Saheb Ambedkar building, appointment of trainers within 15 days at adventure tourism training institute at Munsiyari, constitution of a tribe commission, construction of health centres at Khumti and Sosa, starting air-service to shift seriously ill patients to higher centres, imparting training to guerrillas, providing ration to migratory population at Dharchula and assistance pony-porters.

Instruction was also given to officials to hold camps for dissemination of OBC-caste certificates on May 24, provide two-month ration at remotely situated villages, select beneficiaries under kisan pension scheme, sanction funds for Darma valley Mahakumbh and distribute ration cards under National Food Security Act.

After assuring that state government is committed to establishing Rajiv Gandhi Navodya Vidyalaya, Rawat told officials to ensure smooth conduct of yatra in the region.

He instructed officials to expedite in the construction of Vyas-Chaudas-Darma route, and to repair damaged routes at earliest. Rawat told officials to ensure 100 per cent electrification in remote areas, and to set-up 132 KV sub-station at Baram in the district. Rawat expressed concern over callous approach of Pey Jal Nigam, and gave stern instructions to officials to complete all pending works at earliest in order to ensure supply of potable water to remote areas. aMLA Dharchula Harish Dhami, MLA Gangolihaat Narayanram Arya, Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, District Magistrate HC Semwal, were present.

 Harish Rawat mulls contesing Assembly poll from Dharchula
Releases Rs 17 crore for relief works
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, May 21
Chief Minister Harish Rawat is mulling over contesting the Assembly elections from Dharchula as there are several options to contest election from other Assembly segments open for him.

Rawat, who was talking to mediapersons in Dharchula today, was responding to a question on the invitation given to him by local MLA Harish Dhami to contest Assembly elections from Dharchula.

The Chief Minister, who reached the border town to review disaster relief works done by the government in this region, attended a meeting with the district-level officers and talked to the Congress workers.

After chairing an officers meet, he announced that a separate Schedule Tribe Commission would soon come into existence in the state. “The CM also announced to open an adventure sports institute in Dharchula subdivision and released a sum of Rs 17 crore for the purpose of relief works in the disaster-hit villages,” said an information department official.

He also announced that Kailash Mansarowar Yatra would be completed this year with priority and if needed, services of stand by helicopter would be taken during the yatra. “We have also decided to run helicopter services on subsidy basis during the monsoon, to the areas which are yet to be connected by road after the disaster last year,’ said the Chief Minister.

 Class x Icse results
Sarthak Goel from St George’s, Mussoorie, tops with 97 per cent
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, May 21
As Class X results of the ICSE board were declared in Mussoorie today, Sarthak Goel of St George’s School made his school proud by scoring 97% while Mihir Raj was a close second with 95.4%.

Sarthak Singhal from St George’s College stood third with 95.25% while Utkarsh Kashyap with 94.4% and Himanshu Bhurtal with 93.4% stood fourth and fifth, respectively. Seventeen students from St George’s scored more than 90%. Akshita Gupta, Ujjwal Naithani and Aditya Vikram Jalan, topped Wynberg School by obtaining 94.6%.

Tsering, Stuti Bhimsarya followed with 94.2% for Wynberg Allen. Kritika Goel scored 94% and topped his school.

Eighteen students from Wynberg Allen scored more than 90%. Utkarsh Gaur obtained 90.6% and topped the Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School while Harjas Chhabra with 88.4%, Bhanu Kumar with 88.4% and Akshita Tyagi with 87% followed closely. Utkarsh Gaur and Harjas Chhabra obtained 99% marks in computers and topped the subject in Mussoorie. In all 57 students appeared for the board exa ms for the school and all were declared successful said the GNFC School Management.

From Mussoorie Public School, Shivani Juyal topped the school with 85.2%, Rohan Pandey stood second with 76.8%, Sahil Sonkar stood third with 75.4% marks and Rishika Panwar stood fourth 72.2% marks.

 Dehradun students excel, again
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
Dehradun students proved their mettle in the ICSE class X exams the results of which were declared today. The city students had given excellent results in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) class X board exams yesterday.

Once again, St. Joseph's Academy and Brightlands School outperformed other schools in the ICSE class X board results as their students scored brilliant marks. More than 105 of the total 209 students of Brightlands School scored more than 90 per cent marks and above. Shubhankar Mir Seth topped the school with 98.4 per cent marks, followed by Sanjhi Rawat and Arpita Mitra, who scored 97.8 per cent and 97.6 per cent marks, respectively.

Not far behind, St. Joseph's Academy students Keshav Dutta, Abhinav Kothari, and Vasundhara Sharma scored 97.2, 97 and 96.8 per cent marks, respectively. Of the total 227 students in St. Joseph's Academy, who appeared in the ICSE board examinations, 80 achieved 90 per cent marks and above.

SelaQui International School also recorded 100 per cent results. Mayank Kumar topped the school with 97.30 per cent, followed by Ishita Jayesh Lalan who scored 96.80 per cent marks.

Students of Shiwalik International School also brought laurels by registering 100 per cent results. Shreya Garg topped the school with 94 per cent while Chandrakant Pradhan and Shubham Jain scored 93 per cent marks. All students of the school scored above 80 per cent marks.

Students of Convent of Jesus and Mary also performed exceptionally well in the examinations. Tavleen Kaur Bhatia topped the school with 91.2 per cent marks. In Brooklyn School, Vipul Saklani secured 93 per cent and emerged the topper, followd by Shivangi Nain and Samarth Verma.

Meanwhile, Shubhangi Shah of The Cambridge School scored 90 per cent and topped the school, which has recorded 100 per cent result this year.

Similarly, students of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy also scored brilliant marks. Shivam Maini of the science stream scored 96.8 per cent in the school, followed by Saksham Goyal who secured 94.2 per cent marks.

 Process of land holdings consolidation in limbo
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
In the absence of policy pronouncements and shortage of manpower, the process of voluntary consolidation of scattered land holdings in the hill districts of the state continues to lie in a state of limbo despite the keen interest envisaged by Chief Minister Harish Rawat and his predecessor former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

As soon as Harish Rawat took office in February, he declared the setting up of a separate department dedicated to hill agriculture.

Long before Chief Minister Harish Rawat set up a separate department, Vijay Bahuguna had formed a committee of ministers in August comprising Yashpal Arya, Minister for Revenue and Irrigation, Indira Hridayesh and Harak Singh Rawat, Minister for Agriculture, to advise the government on the land consolidation so that a policy could be framed but the committee has not held a single meeting so far. ''The committee has not been able to meet due to various reasons. There was a change of leadership in the state and then came the Lok Sabha polls that kept us occupied,'' said Yashpal Arya, Minister for Revenue. Further, before the setting up of a separate Department of Hill Agriculture, the Department of Revenue was tasked to map the land holdings and encourage villagers to take up voluntary land consolidation.

''As two units dealing with land consolidation are already functioning in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, we had suggested establishing one unit each in Garhwal and Kumaon. But now that a separate department has come up, the issue of voluntary chakbandi too would be taken up by them,''said Bhaskaranand Joshi, Secretary, Department of Revenue.

Meanwhile, while a new department has come up, it continues to be devoid of manpower and staff. ''By now a policy should have been drafted for taking up voluntary chakbandi in the state, but not a single meeting has been held. To top it the new chief minister came and created a new department without appointing the staff. It reveals the non-serious attitude of the government,''said Garib Das, who has been at the forefront of voluntary chakbandi movement in the hill districts. 

Only on papers

Long before Chief Minister Harish Rawat set up a separate department, Vijay Bahuguna had formed a committee of ministers in August comprising Yashpal Arya, Minister for Revenue and Irrigation, Indira Hridayesh and Harak Singh Rawat, Minister for Agriculture, to advise the government on the land consolidation, so that a policy could be framed. However, the committee has not held a single meeting so far

 Notices to 24 for faux pas in poll process
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh May 21
Vinod Kumar Suman, District Magistrate, Almora, has issued notices to 24 employees who were posted on election duty at six booths for the LS polls in the district and did not press the closed button of the electronic voting machines (EVM) before sealing them. This later caused delay in the process of counting of votes in these booths. ?Notices have been sent to these employees through the heads of their departments seeking explanation as to why they did not press the closed button before sealing the EVMs even though they had been well trained for the job, said the District Magistrate.

He added the employees to whom the notices had been issued had to furnish their replies by May 26. The failure to file a reply up to the deadline would invite action against the employee concerned under the sections of the Representation of the People Act. ?

Pradeep Tamta sees corporates behind BJP's victory in LS polls
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, May 21
Corporate houses and Hindu fundamentalists helped the BJP win majority of the seats in the Hindi belt of the country in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. The Modi wave could not enter the non-Hindi belt indicated that this collaboration could befool only people of Hindi belt while the voters of non-Hindi belt rejected it, observed Pradeep Tamta, the defeated Congress candidate from the Almora seat.

Tamta said there were many factors responsible for the defeat of the Congress in the elections, specially in Almora seat. “We could not explain to voters, the Congress party's vision of giving rights to people in respect of food, education and health and some of the flagship schemes like Food Security Act could not be implemented before the elections,” said Pradeep Tamta, who reached Almora after meeting Congress workers at Champawat, Lohaghat and Bageshwar towns.

The Congress leader said the future of Congress was bright and the people who had fallen in the BJP's trap of development, would soon realise their folly. “ The people of hill regions, who do need development more than Hinduism, will realise one day that they have elected wrong people,” claimed Pradeep Tamta.

 Wildlife trust has high hopes from Modi govt
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
TheWildlife Trust of India, a premier national wildlife conservation organisation,is looking forward at new dispensation at the Centre with much hope and expectation, particularly on conservation issues staring the country.

Vivek Menon, Chief Executive Officer, Wildlife Trust of India, who was in Dehradun to launch his book “Indian Mammals - A Field Guide,” talked to The Tribune expressing hope that the new government at the Centre keeps conservation among the list of its priorities.

“While conservation is the art of possibility, we look forward to the new government hoping that things work in the right direction,” Menon said. While refuting that conservation was something against development, he said this fact must be well understood that any conservation activity is around people and was never aimed to isolate them.

Responding to query, Menon admitted that much is being said about possible corporate friendly policies of the new government but asserted that he firmly believes that development schemes must not undertaken in a manner that it overshadows conservation issues.

Referring to Uttarakhand, Menon said the WTI and Uttarakhand keep close bondage as the organisation has been working in the region for long and has some of the notable projects in the area. “Our train hit mitigation model that was conceptualised to minimise elephant deaths on railway tracks in Rajaji National Park has been a resounding success and replicated in other states as well, where railway tracks have been causing deaths of pachyderms,” Menon pointed out. “Following Uttarakhand, the train hit mitigation project will also be replicated in other badly affected states of Assam West Bengal and Jharkhand,” he elaborated.

It is noteworthy that WTI's national train hits project aims to mitigate loss of wild animals in railway accidents, specifically targeting endangered Asian elephants as a flagship species.

Menon also referred to efforts of WTI officials working in Rajaji towards shifting of Khandgoan that falls in between Chila Motichur corridor. He said land has already been identified at Lalpani and shifting of Khandgoan is already in its last stages.

He also disclosed that WTI was actively engaged in securing Chilkiya Kota corridor that connects Corbett with Ramnagar and keeps much importance for tiger movement.

“There were times when none could image even talking about shifting Sundarkhal settlement, major block in the corridor, but today inhabitants of Sundarkhal have at least started talking of rehabilitation, which is purely due to the efforts of WTI,” he pointed out.

A conservation biologist Vivek Menon, currently CEO WTI, has worked on the conservation of a number of endangered species, including the elephant and rhino. He has penned nine wildlife books. He is also a member of several International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Specialist Groups on Rhino and Elephant.

  World Bank to support Health Dept

Dehradun , May 21
World Bank will support the Department of Health and Family Welfare in providing tele medicine and internet services in 2,700 selected areas of the state under the Health System Development Project phase II.

At a meeting with Chief Minister Harish Rawat, a team of World Bank showed interest in linking remote areas through Internet and initiating tele medicine services in the state through the 104 service.

On the other hand, the Chief Minister sought assistance from World Bank in developing ways to deal with the situation arising out of a disaster. “We have to strengthen our trauma centres with 24 hour doctors and other staff. We hope to receive assistance under World Bank,” said Rawat. — TNS

 DM tells depts to take flood-control measures
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 21
With monsoon nearing, District Magistrate D Senthyl Pendiyan has issued directives to the departments concerned to ensure that flood-control measures are implemented in time.

He inspected Ganga riverbed and ordered that flood-control measures should be in place before the monsoon. He also laid stress on the quality of work.

The DM said if anyone tried to hamper flood safety works, strict action would be taken under the Disaster Management Act.

“Disaster prevention work is a social public work, therefore, no laxity will be tolerated. The departments must ensure that all construction works are completed in time,” he said while giving orders to officials at flood-prone Bhogpur, Balawali and Sopari villages.

The DM told Irrigation Department officials and the state chief engineer to inspect those sites where flood prevention-related works are underway. Assistant District Magistrate, Finance, Harak Singh Rawat said funds were being released on regular intervals.

SDM Maya Dutt Joshi and district disaster management official Naresh Chaudhari were present.

 Qureshi invites poor children to Raj Bhavan
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
Seventythree underprivileged children from various districts of the state visited Raj Bhavan last evening and spent five hours there. They were specially invited by Governor Aziz Qureshi.

These children are in Dehradun on a five-day tour organised by the Uttarakhand Bal Kalyan Parishad and are attending a state-level, "Milkar rehna seekho" camp.

On the Governor's direction, the children were shown "Bhootnath Returns" at the Raj Bhavan auditorium. Later, the Governor spoke to them informally. The children told him about the camp and sang patriotic songs.

The Governor said for any country, its children were the most important people. He said poor and helpless children were not given a chance by the world to show their talent. He said in many countries, everyone had equal educational and medical facilities but unfortunately this was not so in India.

The Governor said it was the moral duty of every government to look after educational, medical and nutritional needs of children as they were the future of the country.

The Governor appreciated the objectives of the camp and said such initiatives played an important role in preparing children to become good citizens. Such camps gave an opportunity to them to express their talent and live in harmony with other children, rising above the barriers of caste, religion and language.

The Governor wished them a bright future and told them to share their experiences with their schoolmates when they go back.

Dr Pushpa Manas, general secretary of the welfare council and organiser of the camp, spoke about the activities being undertaken at the camp. As many as 22 escorts (teachers) accompanied the children. Joint Secretary KP Bhatt , life member of the council BK Dobhal, Madhu Berry, KP Kala, Kusum Kothari, KP Sati and Solomon Prakash were also present.

 B.Ed members demand appointment of teachers
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
The members of the B.Ed (TET) Prashikshit Sangh have demanded appointments of teachers on the 1,898 vacant posts created by the state government in February.

In a memorandum submitted to the Director (primary education), Amit Kashyap, general secretary, said the appointments were stopped in wake of the model code of conduct implemented due to general election.

“The appointments should be made on the posts at the earliest,” he added.

 Thieves strike at mobile phone shop
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
Thieves struck at a mobile phones shop in the Patel Nagar police station area and took away costly mobile phone sets, recharge coupons and cash from the shop on Tuesday morning.

The incident came to light when owner of the shop, Abhijeet, reached his shop at Majra this morning and found that the locks of the shutter were broken. After entering the shop, he was shocked to see that the mobile phones, recharge coupons and other accessories were stolen but the thieves did not take away Rs 30,000, which was in the cash counter locker.

According to Dharmendra Rautela, head of the ISBT police chowki," we are trying to gather information about the suspects who have committed the theft."

In an almost similar incident at Capri Trade Centre on May 6, thieves stuck at a laptop showroom and took away laptops worth Rs 50 lakh. Police are still clueless about the identity of the thieves despite their car was caught in the CCTV footages.

 Nehrugram club drub LOKO FC
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
Nehrugram Football Club defeated LOKO FC 2-1 in the ongoing District Football League played at Pavilion Ground here today.

Garuav scored the first goal for Nehrugram at the 35th minute of the game while Rahul scored the second goal at the 40th minute. Vishal scored the only goal for LOKO FC at the 44th minute.

In the second match, Pachua Doon Football Club defeated Thakurpur 2-0 with Vaibhav and Virendra scored the goals at 22nd and 59th minute of the match.

Two matches will be played tomorrow. The first match will be between Doon Challenger and UK Tiger while the second match will be played between Doon Eagle and Exodus Football Club. 

 SelaQui Int’l School to impart training in cricket, tennis
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 21
To nurture the sporting talents of children, SelaQui International School has designed an excellence programme called ‘Arjuna’ to impart professional training in the field of cricket and lawn tennis.

Addressing a press conference, Director Rohit Pathak said players would be selected after a camp scheduled to be held on May 28-29. “The players who show exceptional results would be given scholarship. We are looking at an age group between 12-14 years for the induction in the academy,” he added.

Deputy Director Sports Shane said usually students participating in sports have to undergo the regular academic classes. “But players chosen under the excellence programme, a special schedule will be adopted in which priority will be given to their game.”

“Apart from professional guidance, the players will be given the coaching, physiotherapy, nutrition and special medical attention,” said Shane.

“The school is also offering an integrated programme for IIT and medical aspirants. Aimed 
at developing super-achievers, the programme is titled Gurukul,” said Pathak.