News Analysis India

Tag: Uttarakhand government

  • Uttarakhand to have new mining policy soon, say state officials

    By Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: A few state officials, on Saturday, said Uttarakhand is likely to formulate a new mining police soon.

    State Chief Secretary SS Sandhu said, “for the first time, suggestions have been invited from the stakeholders to formulate ‘User Friendly’ policy for mining”.

    He further added that the new policy is likely to increase the revenue of Rs 500-1000 crore.

    Meanwhile, environmentalists, activists have objected to this suggestions alleging indiscriminate mining already being practiced in the hill state. 

    Dushyant Mainali, a practising advocate who has been pursuing multiple petitions including public interest litigations said, “the negative impact of illegal sand mining far outweighs the economic benefits. The perception that sand and boulders are useless and rivers have a lot of sand is incorrect, because they are crucial for the sustained existence of the river and perform many functions. It remains to be seen what this policy holds for the state.”

    Incidents of landslides and loss of lives due to such incidents have increased exponentially in last few years in Uttarakhand.

    The data from Uttarakhand State Disaster Managment department reveals that landslide incidents registered whopping 2900 per cent increase from year 2015 to year 2020.

    Uttarakhand has lost about 50,000 hectares of its forests to ‘developmental activities’ in the past 20 years, revealed data by the state forest department last year. 

    Interestingly, the top six activities for which around 21,207 hectares of forest land in the state has been include mining, hydropower plants, road construction, power distribution lines, water pipelines and irrigation. 

    According to the data, the highest amount of forest cover has been lost to mining (8760 ha) followed by road construction (7539 ha), power distribution lines (2332 ha) and hydropower plant projects (2295 ha). 

    Uttarakhand’s forest cover is spread over around 38,000 sq km, which is 71 per cent of the state’s geographical area with flora of variety of species including atleast 112 species of trees, 73 species of shrubs and 94 species of herbs,. 

  • Uttarakhand govt allocates 28% of budget to disaster relief

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: With monsoon rains battering Uttrakhand, only 28% of the budget has been allocated to all 13 districts of the disaster-hit state. Out of the total Rs 937 crore allocated for the financial year 2020-21, only Rs 263.667 has been allocated to deal with natural disasters. 

    While hundreds of roads remain blocked, visuals of damaged rods, bridges are also emerging from across the state. 

    Dhan Singh Rawat, minister for the disaster management department commenting on the matter said, “Every effort is being put in for the mitigation of any disaster across the state. More than 400 heavy-duty JCB machines have been deployed to clear the roads. Alert has already been issued and we are working to minimize the possible threats due to rain-induced landslides.”

    Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami did an aerial survey of affected areas of the state with relevant authorities. 

    The meteorological department has already issued warning for next 24-36 hours for the districts of Nainital, Dehradun, Champawat, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh. 

    The officials of the MeT department also added that the rains will register some decline from August 30 to September 3, 2021. 

    The highest funds were allocated to Haridwar district with Rs 36 Crore followed by Chamoli (Rs 34 Crore), Dehradun (Rs 33 Cr), Tehri (Rs 19 Cr), Pauri (Rs 18 Cr), Udham Singh Nagar (Rs 18 Cr), Uttarkashi (Rs 17 Cr), Nainital (Rs 16 Cr), Pithoragarh (Rs 15.667 Cr), Almora (Rs 15 Cr), Rudraprayag (Rs 15 Cr), Champawat (Rs 14 Cr) and Bageshwar (Rs 13 Cr). 

    Data from the State Disaster Management Authority has revealed natural disasters including landslides, snow avalanches, cloud burst and others have registered whopping 1300% increase between year 2015 and 2020. In year 2015 total 200 such disasters were recorded which increased to 2659 in year 2020. 

    A series of photographs, videos have been surfacing from across Uttarakhand with visuals of damaged roads, destroyed bridges and boulders sprawled all over the roads including in the stretches of centre’s ambitious all-weather 900s Char Dham Pariyojana. 

  • Uttarakhand observes one-day state mourning on former Uttar Pradesh CM Kalyan Singh’s death

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government declared a one-day state mourning on Sunday, following the death of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh. Singh, who was ailing for some time, died at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) in Lucknow on Saturday night.

    ALSO READ| Kalyan Singh was face of Ram Temple movement, expanded BJP’s social base in UP

    He was 89. Uttarakhand will observe a one-day state mourning on Sunday on the death of the veteran BJP leader, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told reporters here. Dhami described his death as an “irreparable loss” for the political world.

  • Kumbh fake Covid testing case: SIT to get non-bailable warrants against accused

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is planning to procure non-bailable warrant (NBWs) against Sharat and Mallika Pant, two partners in Max Corporate Services and partner in Nalwa labs, the firm and the lab which has been accused of conducting fake Covid-19 tests during Mahakumbh 2021. 

    “At present, they both are underground and their phones are also switched off. We are planning to request issuance of non-bailable warrants from the court, said an official from the SIT. 

    Meanwhile, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has expanded the scope of its ongoing investigation in the matter to all 22 pathological laboratories in the hill state which have been conducting Covid-19 tests in the hill state.

    Earlier on Friday, the ED conducted raids in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in connection with the case. 

    The statement by the agency mentioning that it has seized Rs 30.9 lakh, property documents, laptops, mobile phones, bogus bill and ‘incriminating documents’ added that the labs used single mobile number or a false mobile number, single address for multiple persons for inflating the numbers of Covid-19 test reports without actually testing any samples.

    The agency has already registered a criminal case under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the accused companies and their directors.

    ALSO READ | Uttarakhand: First arrest made in Kumbh Mela fake Covid testing scam

    Last month, the SIT added Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc) in the already registered FIR against a firm and two pathology laboratories- Nalwa Laboratories Private Limited and Dr. Lal Chandani Labs Limited accused of irregularities in Covid 19 testing in Kumbh in Haridwar.

    Case was registered last month under sections of Epidemic Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005, IPC 420 (forgery), 468(forgery), 471(fraudulently using as genuine any document or electronic record), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 188 (punishment for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant),  269 and 270 (likely to spread infection).

    The partners in the two pathology labs have got stay from the Uttarakhand High Court on their arrests with a condition to cooperate in the ongoing investigation.

  • Uttarakhand: Kids orphaned by Covid to get Rs 3,000

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand on Monday launched ‘Vatsalya Yojana’ to support children who have lost a parent or guardian during the Covid pandemic.A total of 2,347 children between the age group of 0-21 years have been selected to be provided with various kinds of assistance.

    “We are committed to helping every child. Our vision is ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. We are working to provide assistance to everyone affected by the pandemic,” Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said. 

    In the initial phase, 1,032 children have been chosen by the state government for providing benefits. To ensure the rights of the children, including their share on ancestral properties, the district magistrates of all 13 districts were nominated as custodian-officer of these children.

    Under the initiative, the state government will provide financial help of Rs 3,000 per month till they are 21. It will also provide healthcare, education and other support to these children, including 5% horizontal reservation in government jobs. 

    The scheme was announced last month to support children rendered orphaned due to Covid-19. Later, the scheme was extended to children between 0-21 years of age who have lost one or both parents. Guardians will be covered under the scheme.

  • Uttarakhand High Court extends stay on Char Dham Yatra till August 18

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand HC on Wednesday extended the stay on Char Dham Yatra till August 18, 2021 until the matter pending in the Supreme Court is decided.

    The state government had moved the Supreme Court against the HC order last month. A special leave petition (SLP) has been filed by the state government against the stay order dated June 28, 2021. The order by division bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma dated July 28, 2021 stated, “Considering the concession made by Mr. S.N. Babulkar, the learned Advocate General for the State, this Court directs that the Stay Order dated 28.06.2021 shall continue till the Hon’ble Supreme Court pronounces its  judgment in the said SLP.”

    Remarking that the standard operating procedure about social distancing while visiting to the hill stations is a joke, the court directed the government to implement laws regarding littering and spitting strictly. The bench said, “For, no one can be permitted to violate the Covid Appropriate Behaviour to jeopardize the lives of the local population.”

    The court further issued a number of directions including availability of paediatric ventilators and paediatric wards in the government hospitals, the steps taken, if any, for filling up the vacancies of staff nurses, lab technicians, female health workers (ANMs) and the present status of the selection process, the presence, or the discovery of the Delta Plus variant in the state, the 300 samples which were sent to the NCDC lab at Noida, and whether any case of Delta Plus variant has been discovered in those 300 samples, or not among others. 

    The court also directed the state government to take a decision with regard to the increase in the stipend of the intern Doctors as expeditiously as possible, and preferably before the next date of this case. 

    The bench further directed the government to enforce the Uttarakhand Anti-Littering and Anti-Spitting Act, 2016, and to issue the necessary directions for the implementation of the same for the benefit of the competent authorities under the Act, to initiate a campaign for removing any superstition, suspicion, or misinformation that people may have with regard to vaccination for COVID-19, to increase the number of vaccinations being carried out throughout the state, to instruct all the district magistrates (DMs) to discover the number of physically challenged persons within their jurisdiction, who may be unable to come to the “Near to Home Vaccination Centres”. 

    The court keeping in mind the special needs of the ‘Divyang’ population of the state said, “As and when such persons are discovered by the District Magistrates, it shall be the duty of the concerned District Magistrate to ensure that those physically challenged persons, who cannot possibly leave their homes, are inoculated by the medical staff at their homes.”

    The court further added that the DMs must ensure that in case any camps were to be held for the benefit of the physically challenged persons, the date, the time, and the place is informed well in advance to the community at large by the use of print and electronic media along with the necessary arrangements.

    The court further directed the government to reconsider its decision of withdrawing the 25% reservation of beds in the private hospitals for the weaker sections of the society, to consider the audit report vis-à-vis the condition, the capacity, and the lack of infrastructure of the ambulances, which are attached with the district hospitals, to inform this Court with regard to the steps taken for filling up the lacunae pointed out in the audit report by the next date.

  • Uttarakhand government increases stipend of MBBS interns to Rs 17000 per month

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has approved the increment of monthly stipend of 330 MBBS medical interns in the state from Rs 7500 per month to Rs 17000 per month. 

    After the decision, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Our medical and paramedical staff have worked hard to save lives in these pandemic times. We can’t thank them for their service as their contribution is invaluable.”

    On July 8, 2021 the HC also took notice of the issue of medical interns in the state being paid the lowest monthly stipend in the country. The court directed the state government to consider the possibility of increasing the stipend being paid to intern doctors. 

    “According to state health secretary Amit Negi, one one hand, it is difficult to attract doctors to the State, and yet, on the other hand, the stipend being paid to the intern doctors is too low as compared to other States. Therefore, the state government should consider the possibility of increasing the stipend of intern doctors,” the court observed in the order dated July 8. 

    Dr Astha Gupta, an intern in Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Govt. Institute of Medical Science & Research, Srinagar said, “I thank the honourable Chief Minister Sir for this. I am also thankful to everyone who supported our intern groups throughout the state. This is a huge token of respect and encouragement for us.”

    Before this, the stipend was revised was in 2011 when it was increased from Rs 2500 to Rs 7500. The medical students who complete their MBBS course have to do 12 months mandatory internship according to the norms of Medical Council of India.

    Earlier, their monthly stipend was lowest in the country. The interns have been demanding this for months now and were on indefinite strike. 

    As of today, there are 330 interns are working in three government medical colleges of the state- 194 in Doon Medical College, 97 in Srinagar and 99 in Dr Susheela Tiwari Government Medical College and Hospital, Haldwani. 

    The medical interns used to get paid only Rs 7500 per month which means just Rs 250 per day as stipend which is lowest in India. They have also not been paid since last one-and-a-half month.

    In Uttar Pradesh, medical interns get Rs 12500/month while in Tamil Nadu and Telangana it is Rs 20000. Haryana and Himachal pay Rs 17000 to medical interns, while in AIIMS-Delhi, the stipend is fixed at 28000 per month.

    Many had raised objections of paltry sum calling the stipend of Rs 250 per day too less and meagre. A candle march was also organized by the interns in all across the state in June this year as a sign of protest. 

  • Uttarakhand government mulls reducing VAT on fuel prices soon

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government is mulling to cut the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 2 and Re 1 respectively.  Officials from the state government told The New Indian Express that the prices will be cut by reducing value added tax (VAT) adding that the reduction to be announced soon. 

    “The government is planning this. An announcement may come soon. This is keeping in with next year’s election. There are talks of Uttar Pradesh thinking of doing the same,” said a highly placed official in the state government. 

    Uttarakhand government at present imposes Rs 19 per litre VAT on petrol and Rs 10 per litre of the same on diesel. Petrol in Dehradun costs Rs 97.81 per litre while diesel costs Rs 90.54.

    In many towns of Uttarakhand, prices of petrol are more than the capital city. In Johsimath of Chamoli district, petrol costs Rs 100.38 while in Srinagar ‘Xtra Power’ petrol costs Rs 102.13, in Gopeshwar price sir petrol have reached Rs 99.90. 

    In last 6-and-a-half months, prices of petrol have been increased by Rs 14 and diesel by Rs 16. Increase in petroleum products in the state and countrywide has been a issue which opposition parties jave been raising prominently. 

  • Uttarakhand postal circle gears up for doorstep delivery of Gangajal

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN:  As the Kanwar Yatra stands cancelled for the second consecutive year due to Covid-19 pandemic, Uttarakhand postal circle is all geared up to deliver the holy ‘Gangajal’ to the doorsteps of thousands of devotees across the country. 

    “We are equipped to supply and deliver the ‘Gangajal’ anywhere in the country at the doorstep of the devotees. We have the resources, the means and a very robust mechanism as we have been doing this for years now,” Sunil Kumar Rai, director of postal services, Uttarakhand told this newspaper.  Earlier, this week Uttarakhand CM announced the cancellation of the yatra citing Covid-19.  In such a situation, the services of the postal circle will assume more importance than ever. 

    From April 2021 to June 2021, the circle has supplied total 45,648 bottles of Gangajal across the country. In the year 2020, from April-June, a total of 42,228 bottles or 10,572 liters of Gangajal was delivered across India. In the year 2019, it delivered a total of 42,960 bottles of Gangajal between April and June. Meanwhile, the state government has promised to deliver the holy water at devotees’ doorstep through tankers. 

    The district administration of Haridwar is planning to transport Gangajal in tankers to the neighboring UP from where a large number of pilgrims had registered for the yatra.  “The plans are afoot to supply Gangajal in tankers and we are in talks with neighbouring states to avoid large number of gathering in Haridwar,” said C Ravishankar, district magistrate, Haridwar. 

    The department’s ‘Ganga Prahris’ collect the water from Gangotri. The water then undergoes purification through the process of sedimentation before it’s bottled. The holy water is then supplied to around 3,000 post offices across 22 postal cricles of the country. More than 30 people work over 12 hours daily to ensure that the holy water is delivered to the door step. 

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand police is gearing up to ensure that no Kanwar Yatri enters the Haridwar. State police officials said forces will be deployed on border with Uttar Pardesh to ensure that pilgrims don’t enter from the state.

  • District magistrates will be held responsible for Covid management: Uttarakhand govt

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand government has now stated that district magistrates will be held responsible if Covid-19 situation worsens in their area.

    According to an official order issued by the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand SS Sandhu, if the situation worsens in the tourist places of Uttarakhand, the district magistrate will be held responsible. 

    This comes after more than 35,000 tourists were allowed in Nainital while over 32,000 were allowed in Mussoorie last weekend. 

    Though officials added that more than 8,000 vehicles were returned from Nainital as well as Mussoorie last weekend. 

    Nilesh Anand Bharney, inspector-general of police, Uttarakhand said, “We are checking every vehicle and no one is allowed without requisite documents and abiding by the rules. Every step is taken to check unruly entries of the vehicles in the hill stations.”

    On Monday, the state government released a Standard operating procedure extending the Covid Curfew till July 20.

    The SOP also empowered the district magistrates of all 13 districts in the state to take decision to check the injudicious flow of tourists to hills contributing to the Covid-19 spread.