News Analysis India

Tag: Uttarakhand

  • Unrest In Haldwani: Residents Flee Amidst Violence Fallout |

    New Delhi: Life in Haldwani is gradually returning to normalcy after enduring the brunt of violence. However, those disrupting the peace are soon to face consequences. The police have apprehended 5 individuals involved in the violence, with their identities now revealed. The hunt for the mastermind, Abdul Malik, is ongoing, with 12 police teams dedicated to capturing riot suspects. Yet, it’s the common people who have borne the brunt of the unrest, leaving them fearful and seeking refuge elsewhere.

    Residents of the curfew-hit Banbhulpura area in Haldwani express astonishment at the unprecedented violence. The owner of a local hotel recounts sheltering 17-20 stranded passengers during the chaos, highlighting the alarming sound of gunfire echoing through the streets. After four days of uncertainty, police intervention finally ensured their rescue. However, the aftermath leaves a scarcity of essentials like food and vegetables, disproportionately affecting the impoverished populace.

    Amidst the turmoil, Anabiya, a 10th-grade student, frets over her impending board exams. With internet services suspended, essential tuition classes are disrupted, casting uncertainty over practical exams scheduled for February 12th. Anabiya’s father, Faisal, shares his concern for his children’s education, urging authorities to reinstate internet connectivity. The pervasive unease resonates among other board examinees in Haldwani, amplifying distress over academic preparations.

    In the wake of the Haldwani violence, a mass exodus ensues as residents seek refuge elsewhere. Exclusive interviews with women from the Banbhulpura area reveal a community grappling with the aftermath of stone-pelting and arson. Locked homes stand as silent witnesses to the upheaval, prompting an exodus driven by intensified administrative actions. Amidst the turmoil, families are compelled to seek sanctuary with relatives, grappling with the ramifications of the unrest.

    Residents of Malik’s Bagicha area recount familial arrests, prompting them to seek solace with relatives. Anxiety pervades as locals contemplate the ramifications of the imposed curfew. Maulana Muqeen Qasmi of the Indira Nagar Mosque refutes claims of external involvement, stressing the need for impartiality in addressing culpability. While acknowledging the need for accountability, Maulana advocates against indiscriminate targeting, emphasizing a measured approach to justice.

  • Haldwani Clash Latest Update: 4 Dead, Rioters Being Identified Using CCTV; Shops, Schools Closed Amid Curfew Restrictions; 10 Key Developments

    Protestors including women and kids started pelting stones and petrol bombs at the police officials from behind a wall and roofs of adjacent buildings.

  • Uniform Civil Code Bill In Uttarakhand Assembly Today: Check Key Features |

    In a major development, the Uttarakhand Assembly bill will take up the Uniform Civil Code Bill for discussion and passing today. The UCC draft was approved by the Uttarakhand Cabinet led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday. The common civil code bill proposes uniform civil laws for all communities in the state. The assembly proceeding will begin at 11 am today. The UCC will provide a legal framework for uniform marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

    A committee appointed by the Uttarakhand government, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, has compiled a comprehensive four-volume report spanning 749 pages, offering a multitude of recommendations. The committee actively sought public input through 2.33 lakh written submissions online and conducted over 70 public forums. Through these forums, the panel members actively interacted with approximately 60,000 individuals, incorporating their perspectives and insights into the drafting process.

    Key Features Of The UCC

    Equal Property Rights

    The Uniform Civil Code proposes to provide equal rights in property for both sons and daughters. The property right will stand even if the girl marries in any other religion. A 2005 amendment in the Hindu Succession Act 1956 already provides for married daughters to have an equal share as a son in their father’s property. 

    Legitimate And Illegitimate Children

    The Uttarakhand UCC bill also aims to abolish the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children concerning property rights. The bill specifies that all children would be recognised as the biological offspring of the parents and would have equal rights. Also, the bill gives equal footing and rights to children who are adopted, born through surrogacy, or born through assisted reproductive technology. The adoption process will be the same for all religions under the law.

    Property Rights After Death

    In the aftermath of an individual’s passing, the legislation ensures equitable property rights for both the spouse and children. Notably, this inclusive provision also extends such rights to the deceased person’s parents. This represents a significant departure from prior legal frameworks, where exclusive property rights were granted solely to the mother in the event of the individual’s demise.

    Equal Divorce Rights, Maintenance

    The UCC bill also provides for an equal divorce process and rights to men and women of every religion in the state. The Muslim Women Act, 2019 brought by the Narendra Modi government has already made instant triple talaq illegal. The maintenance law after divorce will be the same for all religions. 

    Ban On Polygamy, Child Marriage

    The bill also makes marriage registration mandatory for all religions. It also bans polygamy and child marriage, a common marriageable age for girls across all faiths. The bill also makes it mandatory to declare live-in relationships.

    Ban On Halala And Iddat

    The UCC bill seeks to ban Islamic practices such as halala and iddat which are considered unfair for women. Halala and iddat are Islamic practices a woman must go through after a divorce or the death of her husband.

  • How Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana Is Empowering Rural Youth | Internet & Social Media News

    The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is designed to empower economically disadvantaged rural youth by imparting skills that enable them to secure regular monthly-wage jobs or positions paying above the minimum wage. This initiative is a key component of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, aimed at enhancing rural livelihoods. Aligned with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), also known as Aajeevika, this scheme endeavours to alleviate poverty by providing sustainable employment opportunities. The program is poised to positively impact over 55 million impoverished rural youth, ready to acquire skills and contribute meaningfully to the workforce.

    The Central government has been promoting the scheme, especially in the wake of the Make In India initiative that requires a skilled workforce. Now, recently, the Ministry of Rural Development has signed an agreement with CETPA Infotech for wider implementation of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY). The aim is to transform the opportunities of rural youth by providing skill development training and lucrative employment. This will help minimize the gap between rural talent and prospective employment opportunities. 
     
    Under this agreement, CETPA will work as a Principal Implementing Agency (PIA) of the DDUGKY scheme. It will provide the rural youth with 6-Months Training free of cost besides providing accommodations, meals, uniforms, and even tablets to students, all aided by the government. This holistic strategy guarantees that aspiring individuals from rural backgrounds gain a transformative experience that expands beyond just skill acquisition. 
     
    CETPA will provide skill training through its Noida (UP), Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab), and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) centres. In Uttar Pradesh, participants of the scheme are immersed in courses focused on Voice Processes and Front Desk Executives, while in Punjab the focus transitions to Warehouse Packers and Plumbers. This geographically diverse initiative will help the new workforce meet regional requirements. CETPA will also offer students with the 3-Month Placement Assistance program. This forward-thinking strategy guarantees that the newly acquired skills seamlessly transition into meaningful and financially rewarding employment opportunities, paving the path for a revolutionary journey for the rural youth involved. 
     
    DDUGKY, in its collaboration, shows a strong dedication to promoting equitable growth, as demonstrated by a thoughtfully planned reservation policy. Dedicating 45% reservation for SC candidates, 1% for ST, 33% for women, and 17% for minorities, this initiative aims to craft a level playing field for diverse sections of society. The deliberate distribution guarantees that the benefits gathered from skill development are expanded comprehensively, promoting a more equitable and empowered future. 
     
    Further, by addressing historical disparities and embracing the richness of diversity, DDUGKY contributes vitally to social harmony and economic equality. This commitment goes beyond individual skill advancement, becoming a revolutionary force in community development.

  • Uttarakhand floods: Death toll climbs to 70, property worth Rs 1000 crore damaged

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The floods that hit Uttarakhand this monsoon has caused damage worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore to roads, private buildings and agricultural land in the state.

    The devastating floods have so far claimed 70 lives while 37 people were injured and 19 were reported missing.

    State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) PRO Lalita Negi told The New Indian Express that most of the 250 pilgrims stranded on the Second Kedar Madmaheshwar pedestrian route have been rescued by the teams of SDRF and local police. The state government has arranged a helicopter to rescue the stranded pilgrims.

    On Wednesday, 103 people trapped following the collapse of a bridge in Madmaheshwar have been rescued by the SDRF team. The rescue operation lasted for several hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Many of the rescued passengers are also from Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Nepal.

    In the last 5 days, Khoh River and Behera Spring have caused havoc in Kotdwar and surrounding areas. As many as 19 buildings were damaged in Kashirampur Talla and Bahera rivulet due to the rains. Local residents could not even recover from the incident that on the night of August 13, both the rivers again swelled and 33 buildings were submerged in the river.

    DEHRADUN: The floods that hit Uttarakhand this monsoon has caused damage worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore to roads, private buildings and agricultural land in the state.

    The devastating floods have so far claimed 70 lives while 37 people were injured and 19 were reported missing.

    State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) PRO Lalita Negi told The New Indian Express that most of the 250 pilgrims stranded on the Second Kedar Madmaheshwar pedestrian route have been rescued by the teams of SDRF and local police. The state government has arranged a helicopter to rescue the stranded pilgrims.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    On Wednesday, 103 people trapped following the collapse of a bridge in Madmaheshwar have been rescued by the SDRF team. The rescue operation lasted for several hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Many of the rescued passengers are also from Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Nepal.

    In the last 5 days, Khoh River and Behera Spring have caused havoc in Kotdwar and surrounding areas. As many as 19 buildings were damaged in Kashirampur Talla and Bahera rivulet due to the rains. Local residents could not even recover from the incident that on the night of August 13, both the rivers again swelled and 33 buildings were submerged in the river.

  • Nine people killed in rain incidents over 24 hours in Uttarakhand

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Nine people have died in separate rain-related incidents over the past 24 hours across Uttarakhand as Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday took stock of the situation and directed all district magistrates to stay on the alert.

    One person is missing in the incidents which also left around half a dozen people injured.

    Two siblings were killed and a third got injured when the hut they were sleeping in was hit by a landslide in the early hours of Wednesday amid incessant rains in Gaurikund, the base camp of Kedarnath Yatra. This was the second landslide in Gaurikund in five days.

    The shack near the helipad in Gaurikund village was hit by a landslide from the top of the hill, burying four of a family in debris, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said.

    A woman named Janaki emerged unhurt out of the debris while her three children got buried under it, he said. On getting the information, rescue teams reached the spot, pulled out the children and took them to a local government hospital.

    #WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: One out of the two people who were stranded after a wall collapsed near Chaurasi Kutiya in the Laxman Jhula area, has been rescued by a team of SDRF. Search & rescue operation is underway: SDRF(Video Source: SDRF) pic.twitter.com/hCSv9xffUr
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 10, 2023
    Eight-year-old Sweety survived the incident and is being treated for injuries. Her younger sister Pinky, 5, and another small child, were declared dead at the hospital. The family living in the hut was from Nepal. The children’s father Satyaraj, a labourer, had gone to his village in Nepal.

    The spot in Gaurikund village is just half a kilometer away from the place where three persons were killed and 20 others went missing in a landslide that occurred on August 4.

    Five people were killed and as many injured in two separate road accidents in the past 24 hours in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, officials said.

    Four people, including a father-son duo, died when their car fell into a deep gorge on Tuesday night at Gumkhal, State Disaster Response Force official Praveen Rathi, who led the rescue operation, told PTI over the phone on Wednesday.

    SDRF personnel rushed to the spot after the accident and launched the rescue operation. The team initially brought out three bodies from the gorge to the main road with the help of rope stretchers, Rathi said. One more occupant of the car remained missing for hours after the accident. However, his body was recovered later, he said.

    The deceased were identified as Chandramohan Singh Bisht (62), his son Atul Bisht (35), and two others — Dinesh Singh (63) and Kamal Bisht (45), the SDRF official said.

    The four men were returning from Gumkhal market to their village Devdali located in Jaiharikhal area when the accident took place, he said.

    #WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: Severe waterlogging witnessed due to incessant rainfall in Dhalwala & Khara areas. SDRF launched a relief & rescue operation last night: SDRF(Visual source: SDRF) pic.twitter.com/XOD3x1QdLH
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 10, 2023
    In a similar accident near Mundaneshwar in Kaljikhal block of the district, one woman was killed and five others were injured when their car fell into an 80-metre deep gorge at 2 pm on Wednesday, the disaster control room in Pauri said.

    A woman travelling in a bus was killed and another injured when a rock fell over the vehicle on the Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway at around 8 am.

    The vehicle was coming from Jankichatti to Barkot.

    A man died in Gadarpur area of Udham Singh Nagar district on Tuesday when a tree fell over him.

    He has been identified as 25-year-old Akshay.

    Meanwhile, Dhami took an update on the excessive rains pounding the state and asked all DMs to remain in alert mode.

    He asked all departments to keep coordinating among themselves so that rapid action could be taken in case of a disaster.

    He spoke to the DMs of Rudraprayag, Pauri, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar on the phone and asked them to keep the administrative arrangements ready in advance to deal with any situation that might emerge in areas vulnerable to natural calamities.

    DEHRADUN: Nine people have died in separate rain-related incidents over the past 24 hours across Uttarakhand as Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday took stock of the situation and directed all district magistrates to stay on the alert.

    One person is missing in the incidents which also left around half a dozen people injured.

    Two siblings were killed and a third got injured when the hut they were sleeping in was hit by a landslide in the early hours of Wednesday amid incessant rains in Gaurikund, the base camp of Kedarnath Yatra. This was the second landslide in Gaurikund in five days.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The shack near the helipad in Gaurikund village was hit by a landslide from the top of the hill, burying four of a family in debris, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said.

    A woman named Janaki emerged unhurt out of the debris while her three children got buried under it, he said. On getting the information, rescue teams reached the spot, pulled out the children and took them to a local government hospital.

    #WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: One out of the two people who were stranded after a wall collapsed near Chaurasi Kutiya in the Laxman Jhula area, has been rescued by a team of SDRF. Search & rescue operation is underway: SDRF
    (Video Source: SDRF) pic.twitter.com/hCSv9xffUr
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 10, 2023
    Eight-year-old Sweety survived the incident and is being treated for injuries. Her younger sister Pinky, 5, and another small child, were declared dead at the hospital. The family living in the hut was from Nepal. The children’s father Satyaraj, a labourer, had gone to his village in Nepal.

    The spot in Gaurikund village is just half a kilometer away from the place where three persons were killed and 20 others went missing in a landslide that occurred on August 4.

    Five people were killed and as many injured in two separate road accidents in the past 24 hours in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, officials said.

    Four people, including a father-son duo, died when their car fell into a deep gorge on Tuesday night at Gumkhal, State Disaster Response Force official Praveen Rathi, who led the rescue operation, told PTI over the phone on Wednesday.

    SDRF personnel rushed to the spot after the accident and launched the rescue operation. The team initially brought out three bodies from the gorge to the main road with the help of rope stretchers, Rathi said. One more occupant of the car remained missing for hours after the accident. However, his body was recovered later, he said.

    The deceased were identified as Chandramohan Singh Bisht (62), his son Atul Bisht (35), and two others — Dinesh Singh (63) and Kamal Bisht (45), the SDRF official said.

    The four men were returning from Gumkhal market to their village Devdali located in Jaiharikhal area when the accident took place, he said.

    #WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: Severe waterlogging witnessed due to incessant rainfall in Dhalwala & Khara areas. SDRF launched a relief & rescue operation last night: SDRF
    (Visual source: SDRF) pic.twitter.com/XOD3x1QdLH
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 10, 2023
    In a similar accident near Mundaneshwar in Kaljikhal block of the district, one woman was killed and five others were injured when their car fell into an 80-metre deep gorge at 2 pm on Wednesday, the disaster control room in Pauri said.

    A woman travelling in a bus was killed and another injured when a rock fell over the vehicle on the Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway at around 8 am.

    The vehicle was coming from Jankichatti to Barkot.

    A man died in Gadarpur area of Udham Singh Nagar district on Tuesday when a tree fell over him.

    He has been identified as 25-year-old Akshay.

    Meanwhile, Dhami took an update on the excessive rains pounding the state and asked all DMs to remain in alert mode.

    He asked all departments to keep coordinating among themselves so that rapid action could be taken in case of a disaster.

    He spoke to the DMs of Rudraprayag, Pauri, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar on the phone and asked them to keep the administrative arrangements ready in advance to deal with any situation that might emerge in areas vulnerable to natural calamities.

  • As many as 40 Uttarakhand students fall ill after taking iron-folic acid tablets

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Nearly 40 students of a school in Uttarakhand’s Pauri fell ill after taking iron folic acid tablets.

    The tablets were provided by the state health department workers at Government Inter College Kochiar in Nainidanda block of the Kumaon region. 

    Soon after consuming the IFA tablets, the students started complaining of abdominal pain andheadache. Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

    According to the information received, “The children were taken to hospitals in Dhumakot and Nainidanda through ambulance. In which the condition of 10 children has deteriorated and they have been admitted, out of which the condition of three is worse.”

    “The school was provided iron folic acid medicine for children in the last week of April and first week of May through the National Health Mission (NHM) of the health department, since then the medicine was being given to the children once a week on Saturdays as per the instructions of the health department,” said Afsar Hussain, The school Principal. 

     Nearly 140 students from classes 6 to 12 were given iron-folic acid tablets. Most children did not have any problem with the medicine but the health of 40 of them deteriorated.team was informed immediately

    Block Education Officer Abhishek Shukla said, “As the health of the children deteriorated, a team of health department was called to the school and they were brought to primary health centre Dhumakot and community health centre Nainidanda through ambulance.”  

    Four children have been admitted to Dhumakot and six to Nainidanda Hospital, who are under constant medical supervision.

    DEHRADUN: Nearly 40 students of a school in Uttarakhand’s Pauri fell ill after taking iron folic acid tablets.

    The tablets were provided by the state health department workers at Government Inter College Kochiar in Nainidanda block of the Kumaon region. 

    Soon after consuming the IFA tablets, the students started complaining of abdominal pain and
    headache. Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat has ordered an inquiry into the matter.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to the information received, “The children were taken to hospitals in Dhumakot and Nainidanda through ambulance. In which the condition of 10 children has deteriorated and they have been admitted, out of which the condition of three is worse.”

    “The school was provided iron folic acid medicine for children in the last week of April and first week of May through the National Health Mission (NHM) of the health department, since then the medicine was being given to the children once a week on Saturdays as per the instructions of the health department,” said Afsar Hussain, The school Principal. 

     Nearly 140 students from classes 6 to 12 were given iron-folic acid tablets. Most children did not have any problem with the medicine but the health of 40 of them deteriorated.team was informed immediately

    Block Education Officer Abhishek Shukla said, “As the health of the children deteriorated, a team of health department was called to the school and they were brought to primary health centre Dhumakot and community health centre Nainidanda through ambulance.”  

    Four children have been admitted to Dhumakot and six to Nainidanda Hospital, who are under constant medical supervision.

  • Death toll in Gaurikund cloudburst and landslide in Uttarakhand likely to cross 30

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The death toll in the Gaurikund cloudburst and landslide disaster is expected to rise to over 30. State government sources have released a list of 10 more people missing and confirmed a total of 23 missing, while more than 10 members of the Nepali-origin community are also reported missing, apart from the government figures. Locals are calling it a disaster reminiscent of the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013.

    Following the landslide disaster on Thursday, senior officials, including State Disaster Management Secretary Dr Ranjit Singh as special representative of the Chief Minister, visited the affected area of Gaurikund on Saturday. After taking stock of the situation, a high-level team directed the local administration to remove the temporary kiosks and stalls built there, after which 30 shops in the vicinity of the spot, including restaurants and small grocery stores, were removed.

    Gora Bahadur, an eyewitness to the horrific night of the Gaurikund tragedy, whose younger brother Amar and seven of his family members were swept away in the disaster, told The New Indian Express over telephone from Gaurikund: “We know that my brother and his family are not alive. Our only demand to the administration and the government is to help us find their bodies so that they can be duly cremated. A total of 30 people are missing since this disaster, in which there is no hope of any survival.”

    District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told The New Indian Express, “The number of missing/dead after the landslide has increased to 23, including 17 people of Nepali origin, two from Rudraprayag and two from other states.” Relief teams have recovered the bodies of three people on Friday, although their names were not on the missing list. The three are of Nepali origin, identified as Devi Bahadur, Tek Bahadur and Prakash Tamta.

    Mayaram Goswami, 63, an 11th generation member of Durgadutt Semwal’s family, which has been carrying out religious work in the Gaurikund area for the past 900 years, told The New Indian Express, “20 years ago, there used to be 6 feet of snow in this area, which has now come down to 6 inches. Due to increasing human intervention in the Himalayan region, the mountains are becoming unbalanced.”

    Expressing deep concern over the current outbreak of nature, environmentalist Dev Raghavendra told The New Indian Express, “A decade after the Kedarnath tragedy, nature is again in terrible form, which is a clear warning to humans that we should seriously rethink our past mistakes.  Moreover, if humans and the elected government are not able to properly ‘communicate’ with nature, we should try to learn and understand from its changed behaviour.”

    According to the SDRF spokesperson, “116 people have died in landslides and flood disasters in the state since June this year and 980 people have been rescued by relief teams”.

    DEHRADUN: The death toll in the Gaurikund cloudburst and landslide disaster is expected to rise to over 30. State government sources have released a list of 10 more people missing and confirmed a total of 23 missing, while more than 10 members of the Nepali-origin community are also reported missing, apart from the government figures. Locals are calling it a disaster reminiscent of the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013.

    Following the landslide disaster on Thursday, senior officials, including State Disaster Management Secretary Dr Ranjit Singh as special representative of the Chief Minister, visited the affected area of Gaurikund on Saturday. After taking stock of the situation, a high-level team directed the local administration to remove the temporary kiosks and stalls built there, after which 30 shops in the vicinity of the spot, including restaurants and small grocery stores, were removed.

    Gora Bahadur, an eyewitness to the horrific night of the Gaurikund tragedy, whose younger brother Amar and seven of his family members were swept away in the disaster, told The New Indian Express over telephone from Gaurikund: “We know that my brother and his family are not alive. Our only demand to the administration and the government is to help us find their bodies so that they can be duly cremated. A total of 30 people are missing since this disaster, in which there is no hope of any survival.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told The New Indian Express, “The number of missing/dead after the landslide has increased to 23, including 17 people of Nepali origin, two from Rudraprayag and two from other states.” Relief teams have recovered the bodies of three people on Friday, although their names were not on the missing list. The three are of Nepali origin, identified as Devi Bahadur, Tek Bahadur and Prakash Tamta.

    Mayaram Goswami, 63, an 11th generation member of Durgadutt Semwal’s family, which has been carrying out religious work in the Gaurikund area for the past 900 years, told The New Indian Express, “20 years ago, there used to be 6 feet of snow in this area, which has now come down to 6 inches. Due to increasing human intervention in the Himalayan region, the mountains are becoming unbalanced.”

    Expressing deep concern over the current outbreak of nature, environmentalist Dev Raghavendra told The New Indian Express, “A decade after the Kedarnath tragedy, nature is again in terrible form, which is a clear warning to humans that we should seriously rethink our past mistakes.  Moreover, if humans and the elected government are not able to properly ‘communicate’ with nature, we should try to learn and understand from its changed behaviour.”

    According to the SDRF spokesperson, “116 people have died in landslides and flood disasters in the state since June this year and 980 people have been rescued by relief teams”.

  •  Uttarakhand rains: IMD predicts heavy rainfall; three labourers washed away as bridge collapses

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: At least 50 houses were damaged in a cloudburst in Okhladunga area of Uttarakhand’s Nainital district. The administration has shifted the affected families to safer places.

    Nainital District Disaster Management Officer Shailesh Kumar told The New Indian Express, “Due to heavy rains, debris and water have entered the fields and houses of the villagers, fortunately there has been no loss of life and property”.

    The villagers who have been temporarily shifted to relief camps have been provided with food and all the necessary facilities by the administration.

    Taking cognizance of the cloudburst incident in Okhaldhunga, district in-charge and Cabinet minister Rekha Arya immediately directed District Magistrate Nainital Vandana to take necessary action. Minister Arya also directed the DM to provide assistance along with disaster relief and rescue work at the earliest.

    In another incident, one of the eight occupants of an SUV was killed and seven others were rescued by police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after they were swept away in a drain at Dhikuli in Ramnagar area.

    According to police sources, “Due to the strong flow of water from the Corbett forest area, a rivulet in Dhikuli overflowed and a SUV coming from Delhi was washed away. Around 2.30 am, the family of local resident Yogesh Chimwal, along with people from the vicinity, somehow managed to pull out the occupants of the SUV vehicle.

    During this time two people were swept away with the vehicle. Later, fire brigade personnel reached the spot and pulled both of them out of the vehicle. All of them were admitted to the government hospital in Ramnagar, where a young man named Prakash Chandra Phulara was referred to the Higher Center as his condition was serious, who died on the way.

    In Chamoli district, two labourers were washed away in the Alaknanda river after the structure of the bridge collapsed at Badrinath Dham during the construction of an alternative bridge under the master plan. One worker was rescued, but the other worker is missing.SDRF team has reached the spot.

    Chamoli Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal told this newspaper, “The search for the missing laborer is going on. The bridge construction work was being carried out under the master plan by the PIU Public Works Department near Brahma Kapal when the accident took place”.

    State Meteorological Centre Director Dr Bikram Singh told this newspaper, “The weather pattern in the state will remain the same till August 5, in view of which a yellow alert of rain has been issued again in the state”.

    DEHRADUN: At least 50 houses were damaged in a cloudburst in Okhladunga area of Uttarakhand’s Nainital district. The administration has shifted the affected families to safer places.

    Nainital District Disaster Management Officer Shailesh Kumar told The New Indian Express, “Due to heavy rains, debris and water have entered the fields and houses of the villagers, fortunately there has been no loss of life and property”.

    The villagers who have been temporarily shifted to relief camps have been provided with food and all the necessary facilities by the administration.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Taking cognizance of the cloudburst incident in Okhaldhunga, district in-charge and Cabinet minister Rekha Arya immediately directed District Magistrate Nainital Vandana to take necessary action. Minister Arya also directed the DM to provide assistance along with disaster relief and rescue work at the earliest.

    In another incident, one of the eight occupants of an SUV was killed and seven others were rescued by police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after they were swept away in a drain at Dhikuli in Ramnagar area.

    According to police sources, “Due to the strong flow of water from the Corbett forest area, a rivulet in Dhikuli overflowed and a SUV coming from Delhi was washed away. Around 2.30 am, the family of local resident Yogesh Chimwal, along with people from the vicinity, somehow managed to pull out the occupants of the SUV vehicle.

    During this time two people were swept away with the vehicle. Later, fire brigade personnel reached the spot and pulled both of them out of the vehicle. All of them were admitted to the government hospital in Ramnagar, where a young man named Prakash Chandra Phulara was referred to the Higher Center as his condition was serious, who died on the way.

    In Chamoli district, two labourers were washed away in the Alaknanda river after the structure of the bridge collapsed at Badrinath Dham during the construction of an alternative bridge under the master plan. One worker was rescued, but the other worker is missing.SDRF team has reached the spot.

    Chamoli Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal told this newspaper, “The search for the missing laborer is going on. The bridge construction work was being carried out under the master plan by the PIU Public Works Department near Brahma Kapal when the accident took place”.

    State Meteorological Centre Director Dr Bikram Singh told this newspaper, “The weather pattern in the state will remain the same till August 5, in view of which a yellow alert of rain has been issued again in the state”.

  • Low tiger count in Uttarakhand due to ‘poor photos’, claim state officials

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN:  On World Tiger Day on July 29, Uttarakahnd’s position slipped to third in the countrywide count of the big cat, contrary to expectations that the state would stand second, sources said.

    State government officials after analysing the data released on the occasion realised that around 15 tigers could not be included in the final count. “Otherwise the results would have been different,” said an official, adding that it was clearly the negligence of the forest department staff.

    Sources in the Forest Department said: “In the Status of Tigers Predator and Prey India-2022 report, 15 tigers in three forest divisions of Uttarakhand were not included in the count due to lack of “adequate number of camera traps and some poor photographs.”

    “This is the reason that the number of tigers in the state remained at 560, forcing the state at number three in the tiger counter across the country.” Speaking to this newspaper, Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Sameer Sinha said: “There is no such misconception about tiger count. I have also spoken to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) officials who have justified the tiger census as per standards.”

    He said there would be a review meeting soon. “Whatever changes (in the counting method) are expected will be made,” Sinha said. The state forest department has realised its “mistake” and, according to the data released on World Tiger Day, Uttarakhand, which was ranked third with a count of 560, should technically have been in second place as the count of 15 tigers could not be included in the final count.

    Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka with 563 tigers. “Among the pieces of evidence, camera traps are used to assess tigers’ presence,” said a senior forest department official. 

    “Once the picture of the camera trap arrives, it is captured in the same location again. After this, the number of tigers is estimated by analyzing and studying all the captured photographs in depth,” said a senior forest department official.

    “The camera traps installed in Champawat, Almora and Dehradun forest divisions of the state were antiquated. At the same time, the forest personnel did not show enough interest, due to which the pictures of tigers were not clear,” an official said. The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 per cent, according to the latest government data released on International Tiger Day.  India has become home to approximately 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population, the government said.

    DEHRADUN:  On World Tiger Day on July 29, Uttarakahnd’s position slipped to third in the countrywide count of the big cat, contrary to expectations that the state would stand second, sources said.

    State government officials after analysing the data released on the occasion realised that around 15 tigers could not be included in the final count. “Otherwise the results would have been different,” said an official, adding that it was clearly the negligence of the forest department staff.

    Sources in the Forest Department said: “In the Status of Tigers Predator and Prey India-2022 report, 15 tigers in three forest divisions of Uttarakhand were not included in the count due to lack of “adequate number of camera traps and some poor photographs.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “This is the reason that the number of tigers in the state remained at 560, forcing the state at number three in the tiger counter across the country.” Speaking to this newspaper, Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Sameer Sinha said: “There is no such misconception about tiger count. I have also spoken to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) officials who have justified the tiger census as per standards.”

    He said there would be a review meeting soon. “Whatever changes (in the counting method) are expected will be made,” Sinha said. The state forest department has realised its “mistake” and, according to the data released on World Tiger Day, Uttarakhand, which was ranked third with a count of 560, should technically have been in second place as the count of 15 tigers could not be included in the final count.

    Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka with 563 tigers. “Among the pieces of evidence, camera traps are used to assess tigers’ presence,” said a senior forest department official. 

    “Once the picture of the camera trap arrives, it is captured in the same location again. After this, the number of tigers is estimated by analyzing and studying all the captured photographs in depth,” said a senior forest department official.

    “The camera traps installed in Champawat, Almora and Dehradun forest divisions of the state were antiquated. At the same time, the forest personnel did not show enough interest, due to which the pictures of tigers were not clear,” an official said. The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 per cent, according to the latest government data released on International Tiger Day.  India has become home to approximately 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population, the government said.