Byelections to three assembly seats
Harish Rawat may contest from both Dharchula, Doiwala seats
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, June 20
Chief Minister Harish Rawat may contest from two seats in the Assembly byelection scheduled next month. As Someshwar is a reserved seat there is speculation that Harish Rawat may contest from both Doiwala and Dharchula seats. Revenue Minister Yashpal Arya gave this indication during a brief stopover in Haridwar here today.

Arya said it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to contest from either Doiwala or Dharchula seat or from both. “At present the Chief Minister is recuperating in Delhi and hence our first concern is his speedy recovery. But at the same time as the Election Commission has announced the date for the byelection, the seat the Chief Minister will contest from will be known soon. We will work wholeheartedly to ensure his victory from Doiwala or Dharchula or even from both seats,” said Arya.

Notably, Harish Dhami had resigned as Dharchula MLA to pave the way for Harish Rawat to contest from the seat, which is regarded as a Congress stronghold. Congress Lok Sabha candidate Pradeep Tamta had gained a huge lead of 95,000 votes from the Dharchula segment in the Almora parliamentary constituency though BJP candidate Ajay Tamta emerged victorious.

Poonam Bhagat, state women president of the Kissan Cell, said in all probability the Chief Minister would contest from Dharchula as MLA Harish Dhami had vacated the seat for him. However, it would be a cakewalk for him in case he decides to contest from Doiwala, which is in Dehradun district but falls in the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.

“Harish Rawat has been in the state and national politics since late 70s. His works as MP from Almora and Haridwar, as Rajya Sabha MP, state Congress president and now as Chief Minister have no parallel in terms of development and vision. We will work hard to ensure he wins from both segments in the byelection and stamps his authority in the state politics,” said Poonam.

He may face rebel Cong leader in Dharchula
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, June 20
Rebel Congress leader BD Joshi may fight the Assembly byelection against Chief Minister Harish Rawat from the Dharchula seat.

Joshi has been four-time Dharchula block pramukh and has announced to contest against the Chief Minister who he accuses of subverting his nomination for the BDC seat in the block last week. He has since resigned from all posts of the Congress

“Harish Rawat has honoured me this way for my services to the party for the past 45 years. I had even helped Harish Rawat win several elections in the past,” claimed Joshi while talking to mediapersons here today.

“My nomination was rejected at night though it was found correct when I filed it before the presiding officer. The party leadership or the Chief Minister did not even reprimand my opponents, who always wanted to oust me, despite my service to the party for 45 long years,” said Joshi.

panchayat polls
15.80 lakh voters to take part in second phase today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
The second phase of the panchayat elections will take place tomorrow. A total of 15.80 lakh voters will exercise their right to franchise to elect their representatives for 2,638 gram panchayats of 31 development blocks.

A total of 17,046 posts of gram panchayat member, 2,638 posts of pradhan of gram panchayats, 1,088 posts of member of kshetra panchayats and 135 posts of member of zila panchayats are up for grabs.

The elections will be held in Chukutia, Dwarahat, Tadiketh in Almora district; in Jaspur, Kashipur and Bajpur in Udham Singh Nagar district; in Lohaghat, and Barakot in Champawat district; in Kota Baag, Betalghat and Ramnagar in Nainital district; in Dharchula, Munsiyari, and Didihaat in Pithoragarh district, in Garud in Bageshwar district; in Bhatwari and Dunda in Uttarkashi district; Garisain, Karnprayag and Pokhri in Chamoli district; in Thauladhar, Jaunpur, and Pratapnagar in Tehri district; in Kalsi and Sahaspur in Dehradun district; in Dugadda, Yamkeshwar, Dwarikhal, Ekeshwar and Jharikhal in Pauri Garhwal district; and in Jakholi development blocks in Rudraprayag district.

The State election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the elections tomorrow.

State lost 1,276 working days to election code
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
For electing MLAs and MPs, Uttarakhand has paid a heavy price of 1,276 days of productive work to the model code of conduct.

Since its inception in 2000, Uttarakhand has faced three parliamentary elections, three legislative elections and 10 byelections, during which new tendering processes, new announcements and many new projects were withheld on account of the poll code. In the entire process of election and re-elections, the public, too, has been at the receiving end.

Most of the time, officials too leave for poll duty. Even day-to-day work gets affected. Since the creation of the state in 2000, the Vidhan Sabha elections were held in 2002, 2007 and 2012 and during the ensuing period, the poll code was imposed for 204 days.

During the parliamentary elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014, the model code of conduct remained in force for 260 days.

Radha Raturi, Chief Electoral Officer, said: “The model code of conduct is again in force in the state since June 18 to July 31 in the wake of the bypolls to three Assembly seats. Although there is no ban on the projects sanctioned earlier, no new works can be undertaken,” she said.

Since the creation of the state in 2002, the state has witnessed 11 byelections. These took place each year or every alternative year for which the poll code remain in place for a period of 812 days. In total, the model code of conduct has been in place for a total of 1,276 days.

“If you take a look at the byelections, these have taken much of our time. The frequent poll code imposed the duration for the byelections is much longer. Most of the productive time lost could be avoided, if political parties take a stand not to field sitting MLAs for the parliamentary elections. In Uttarakhand, a practice of sorts has been established that both Congress and the BJP have been fielding sitting sitting MLAs in the parliamentary elections,” said BJP MLA Harbans Kapoor.

Accountant arrested for Mahant Sudhir’s murder
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, June 20
The two-year-old murder mystery of saint Mahant Sudhir Giri Maharaj of Maha Nirmani Panchayati Akhada was solved today with the arrest of accused Ashish, an accountant of the akhada and two shooters hired by him.

It was on April 14, 2012, that two motorcycle-borne assailants fired five bullets at Mahant Sudhir when he was coming from the ashram at Kankhal to Belada village.

SSP Sadanand Date said Ashish, alias Tulli, a resident of Miyanan Mohalla in Kankhal, had given Rs 9 lakh to two shooters Mehtab and Imtiaz, both residents of Muaffarnagar, to kill Mahant Sudhir.

Ashish was removed from the post of accountant of akhada by Mahant Sudhir as the saint had come to know about his illegal activities. Ashish used to buy akhada land at nominal rates and used to build residential flats and commercial establishments on it.

Ashish became one of the leading real estate builders in Haridwar in a few years. Mahant Sudhir came to know of Ashish’s wrongdoings and sacked him in 2004. However, Ashish was reinstated in 2006 after he pleaded for mercy with other saints.

However, Ashish again started selling akhada property, inviting the ire of Mahant Sudhir. Thus, Ashish decided to kill the saint and hired two shooters for the purpose. He gave them Rs 9 lakh as blood money.

The SSP said a special investigative team was formed which zeroed in on all people visiting the ashram.

“From some close insiders, we came to knew about the rift between Ashish and Mahant Sudhir. But, we had no substantial proof. For the past one year, we were tracking Ashish’s movement and a few days back we came to know about his meeting with Mehtab and Imtiaz, who have criminal background in Uttar Pradesh. We traced and intercepted them last evening from the Muzzafarnagar-Dehradun highway with two English pistols and bullets. All the three accused have confessed of their involvement in Mahant Sudhir’s murder and revealed the whole episode,” said SSP Date.

The police have also arrested Hazi Naushad, a resident of Model town, Muzaffarnagar, who provided vehicle and firearms to the shooters.

On the success of the Haridwar police team, Director General of Garhwal range Amit Sinha has announced a cash award of Rs 10,000 to the investigating team.

ASP Surjeet Singh Pawar, Trainee IPS officer Tripti Bhatt, CO Rajesh Bhatt have also lauded the investigating team that comprised Inspector Yogendra Singh, special operation group in charge Mohammed Yassin, Zakir Hussain, Devendra Mamgain, Chandrasekhar, Prem Prakash, Surendra Singh and Yogendra Bisht.

Experts concerned over rise in mental disorders
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
Experts have expressed concern over the rise in the number of people with mental disorders. They are of the view that if such cases continue to rise, the day may not be far when mental health ailments overtake other diseases.

“Carelessness and ignorance towards mental disorders can prove to be fatal. The way such ailments are engulfing the globe in their vicious circle, it is estimated that by 2002, depression will be the third most widespread disease in the world. It is very important to educate the public about such ailments to check their spread,” said Prof (Dr) NK Singh, Principal, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences.

He was speaking at a workshop organised by the department of psychiatry of the institute yesterday.

On the occasion, specialists also discussed the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.

Dr Shobhit Garg said as a result of mental illness, a patient developed superstition, depression, epilepsy, sleep disorders and became addicted to liquor, opium or smack. Suicide tendencies were also common among them.

“Increase in work pressure, cut-throat competition, increased smoking, addiction to narcotics, following the western culture, unbalanced food habits and too many ambitions are some of the factors that could lead the human mind into depression,” added Dr Garg.

The specialists said it was very important to motivate the patient to seek medical advice in the first stage, as most of them avoid seeking psychiatric help due to the stigma attached to such problems. Depending upon the stage of the illness, the treatment was possible by means of medicines and counselling.

Power cuts continue to haunt Doonites
Generation in hydropower projects dips due to silt
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
Frequent power cuts continue to haunt residents of Dehradun. Officials said the problem had aggravated due to reduction in generation in state-run hydropower projects, as silt had deposited in Himalayan rivers on account of heavy rain in the higher reaches of the state.

Among the worst affected are residents of the remote areas, where power cuts ranging from two to four hours are being implemented on a daily basis.

Power generation in the 198 MW Kalagarh and 10 MW hydropower projects has also been stopped due to silt deposition in rivers. On the other hand, power generation in the 304 MW Maneri Bhalli-II project has reduced from 135 MW to 125 MW.

Spokesperson for Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited Madhusudan said emergency cuts were being imposed across the state. He said the corporation was procuring power from other sources to meet the gap between the demand and availability of power in the state.

Meanwhile, several colonies, including New Cantt road, Vijay Colony, Hathibarkala, Pathariyapeer, Nav Vihar Neelkanth Vihar, Inder Vihar and Kalidas road, faced a two-hour of power cut due to maintenance work at the 11 KV VIP feeder and the 11 KV Vijay Colony feeder.

Residents of Tilak road, Chukhomohalla, Tagore Villa, Khurbura and the adjoining areas also faced power cut for two hours.

Saints, Congress men pray for CM’s speedy recovery
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, June 20
Saints and Congress activists today performed religious rituals for the speedy recovery of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is recuperating at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Harish Rawat injured his neck and spine during an emergency landing of his chopper last week.

The party activists also prayed for a record victory for Harish Rawat, who would contest the Assembly byelection on July 21 to become an MLA.

Congress Sewa Dal volunteers, along with district party workers, offered milk to the Ganga at Brahmakund, Har-ki-Pauri, for Harish Rawat’s speedy recovery. Sewa Dal district organiser Rajesh Rastogi prayed for his well-being while teerth purohit Anshul Sri Kunj performed the rituals.

Maha Mandaleshwar Hari Chetanand Maharaj, Akhada Parishad spokesperson Baba Hatyogi, Bharat Sadhu Samaj national general secretary Mahant Rishishwaranand and Mahant Satya Dev were also present on the occasion.

Rastogi said Harish Rawat had asked the party workers not to come to Delhi and hence they decided to pray for his good health in Haridwar.

Govt set to launch three pilot projects
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
The state government is all set to introduce three pilot projects to develop a market-driven service delivery system. The system will be implemented in redevelopment works, urban development projects and health services initiated after the natural disaster.

The announcement was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar held here yesterday, a press note issued here said.

It stated the Uttarakhand Administrative Academy, Nainital, would be appointed the knowledge centre while the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy, Mussoorie, and the IIM, Kashipur, would be the knowledge partners in the project.

A steering committee headed by the Chief Secretary along with the Secretaries of the related departments would implement the projects in the state.

The first meeting of the steering committee would be held in the last week of July.

Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary SS Sandhu, Umakant Panwar, DS Gabryal, Amit Negi and other officers were present at the meeting.

Kin of disaster victims to get Rs 2 lakh more aid
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
The Uttarakhand government has decided to enhance the grant on compassionate grounds to the legal heirs of those persons who were killed or had been reported missing in the natural disaster last year.

According to the government order issued here today, the legal inheritors of those killed or missing in the natural disaster were to get Rs 5 lakh (Rs 1.50 lakh under the SDRF/ NDRF head; Rs 1.50 lakh from the state budget, and Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund). This amount has now been enhanced and the legal heirs of the dead and missing persons would get an additional Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

MLA’s plea for sanction of parking projects
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, June 20
Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi here today met Finance and Revenue Minister Indira Hridayesh and urged her to sanction parking projects on urgent basis.

Ganesh Joshi while addressing mediapersons said he had apprised the minister of the parking problem being faced by tourists and residents in Mussoorie. He said in the absence of sufficient parking lots, traffic jams had increased in the town.

Joshi said the minister had assured him of looking into his demand.

Joshi also enquired after the health of Chief Minister Harish Rawat who injured his neck and spine during an emergency landing of his chopper last week.

Three-day teachers’ training camp on Indian culture
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, June 20
A three-day national teachers’ camp was inaugurated at Dev Sanskrit University here today. Dr Pranav Pandya, a spiritual ideologue of the Akhil Bharatiya Gayatri Family, inaugurated the event.

He said the Indian culture was unique as it teaches us moral, human and spiritual values. He related various examples of civilisation, culture, education, moral values, spirituality, ethics and patriotism to stress that the Indian civilisation was unique due to its ancient culture, which is closer to nature.

Addressing delegates from 22 states, Pandya said unless we teach ourselves to enhance spiritual-mental qualities, we won’t be able to teach students. He urged the delegates to focus on the overall development of mental, physical and spiritual skills as only then our culture would remain strong.

“Rishi munis, Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, and Bhagwad Gita are our guides in life and education. Culture is in our roots,” he added.

PD Gupta, camp coordinator, said around 400 teachers from 22 states were being given training. Camp coordinators Veereshwar Upadhyay, Kesari Kapil, Dr Chinmaya Pandya, Shyam Bihari Dubey, Sali Gram, Dr OP Sharma, Atul Dwivedi and Prakash Thapliyal were present.

Harish Dhami gets threat calls
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, June 20
A case under Section 504, 506, 507 of the IPC and Section 17 of IT Act has been registered with the Madkot patwari on a complaint by former Dharchula MLA Harish Dhami that he received threat calls from an unknown mobile phone number last week.

According to Dhami, the caller called him from Kalika town of Dharchula and threatened to kill him if he comes to the town. “After registering a case with the Madkot Patwari, I have appealed to the police to take up the case as the revenue police are not well equipped to trace the caller,” said Dhami.

The revenue police have taken Dhami’s version and are now relating it with the cancellation of nomination papers of former Dharchula block pramukh BD Joshi.

According to the administration, Joshi’s nomination for the post of block development committee member was cancelled as he allegedly hid information about a case pending against him in court.

Tripathi commission gets 3 more months
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
The state government has given a three-month extension to the Tripathi Commission set up to investigate scams that took place during the BJP rule. Its tenure was to end this weekend. The commission has submitted three reports to the government, two are in the pipeline while groundwork has to be done for two more.

Former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had set up a one-man inquiry commission headed by KL Bhati to probe six scandals that rocked the BJP government, leading to the removal of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from the post of Chief Minister.

Bhati, who probed six scams, submitted a report on alleged irregularities in Uttarakhand Seeds and Terai Corporation Ltd (USTCL) to the government.

However, soon after submitting the report Bhati resigned from the commission following a controversy over his official residence. He was replaced by SC Tripathi, a retired IAS officer. The opposition BJP, which was at the receiving end, had even charged Bhati with working at the behest of the Congress.

The commission is probing alleged irregularities in the allotment of 56 hydropower projects, Citurgia housing project, Mahakumbh mela, centrally-sponsored schemes, USTSC and disaster management funds during Pokhriyal’s tenure as Chief Minister.

Significantly, the Tripathi Commission reports have not been tabled in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. 

Rain washes away bridge in Dharchula
Our correspondent

Pithoragarh, June 20
A makeshift bridge constructed on the Sumdung nullah was washed away due to heavy rain last night. Over 200 residents of Sumdung, Tejam, Karto Umchia and Gum villages in the Darma valley in Dharchula subdivision of the district have been cut off from the mainland.

According to villagers, the bridge was constructed after they boycotted the last parliamentary elections and took up their problems with Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma. “The bridge was constructed by a state agency but it could not withstand even the pre-monsoon rain last night,” said Jagat Singh, a resident of Tejam village.

The villagers said they were bound to face a lot of problems if the bridge on the Sumdung nullah was not reconstructed soon, as it was the main link of these villages with the Tawaghat road head. “We have sent a team to assess the loss and are making alternative arrangements,” said Pramod Kumar, SDM, Dharchula.

Ban sought on telecast of religious ads
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
Kunwar Singh, chairman of the Gramin Vikas Samiti, has urged the Centre to ban the telecast of religious advertisements.

Kunwar Singh while addressing mediapersons here yesterday alleged private companies were minting money by playing with the religious sentiments of people. He urged the government to ban the telecast of religious advertisements.

Vijay Prasad, Tara Chand, Govind, Ravi Gandhi, Suraj Bhaan, Manjeet Singh, Mala and Shikha were present.

Man, beloved receive burns
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
A man and a woman was brought to government hospital after they received severe burn injuries, here today.

The man, identified as Vicky, visited the residence of his former married lover late last night in the absence of her husband. When the in-laws of the woman came to know about his visit, they locked them in the room.

Both of them were rushed to hospital by the family members after they saw burn injuries on them on Friday morning. The duo has been referred to Coronation Hospital as their condition was reported to be critical.

The in-laws of woman said the duo had tried to commit suicide by setting themselves ablaze. Whereas, the family members of the woman have alleged that her in-laws tried to kill them by setting them on fire. An investigation is on by the city police after registering a case.

Man jumps before train
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
A man committed suicide by jumping in front of a train at the Badripur railway crossing here today.

The deceased is yet to be identified. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. The matter was reported to the police by eyewitnesses. A case has been registered.

Super lawn tennis tourney concludes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
Seven final matches were played under different categories in the All India Super Series Tennis Tournament at the Shanti Tennis Academy here today.

Megh Patel of Gujarat defeated Kelvin of Chandigarh 6-3, 6-0, while Yugal Bansal of Delhi beat Megh Patel of Gujarat 6-1, 6-2 in the under boys single 14 and 16 categories, respectively.

In the girls single under 14 and under 16 categories, Mahek Jain of Maharashtra clinched both titles defeating Muskan of Delhi 6-1, 6-0 and Shreya Gulia of Haryana 6-1, 6-1.

While in the boys double under-14 category, Kawalya Rawat of Gujarat, and Kevin Patel of Gujarat defeated Neeraj Yashpal of Chandigarh, and Drona Walia of Uttarakhand 6-1, 6-2.

In the under-16 boys double category, Uttarkarsh Bharadwaj of Uttarakhand, and Yugal Bansal of Delhi won the match against Sahishnu Sharma of Jammu and Kashmir, and Sagar Bains of Chandigarh 6-2,4-6,10-6.

In the under-16 double girls category, Mahek Jain of Maharashtra, and Sarah Dev of Punjab defeated Ayesha Patel of Gujarat, and Abhirami of Delhi 6-0, 6-0.

India Red beat India Blue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
India Red registered a 98-run victory over India Blue in the ongoing 2nd Inter-Zonal Cricket Tournament for the Blind being organised at The Doon School here today.

In the first match of the day, India Blue won the toss and elected to field. They scored 211 runs for the loss of three wickets in 20 overs. Rajender Verma, who scored 76 runs and remained not out, was the highest scorer. In reply, India Blue failed to reach the target and were bundled out for 113 runs.

In the second match, India Green defeated India Yellow by three wickets. Batting first India Yellow made 83 runs in 13.4 overs. In reply, India Green achieved the target in 12.1 overs.

RR Academy win cricket match by 70 runs
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 20
The RR Pal Cricket Academy defeated the Pratap Cricket Academy by 70 runs in the 5th Vasudev Memorial Cricket Tournament being played at the Doon Global Academy ground here today.

Batting first, the RR Pal Cricket Academy scored 154 runs losing all wickets. Shivam Sharma scored the highest 70 runs. Chasing the target, the Pratap Cricket Academy was all out for 84 runs, thus ensuring a 70-run victory for the RR Pal cricket Academy.

Shivam Sharma of the RR Pal Cricket Academy was adjudged the man of the match.