IEP DEHRADUN

Uttarakhand Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid the foundation stone of the 110 metre span double lane road bridge on Kali river at Malla Charchum area of Dharchula in Pithoragarh district on Monday. The Rs 32.98 crore bridge would connect India with Nepal. Speaking on the occasion, Dhami said that the bridge would ease the flow of traffic between India and Nepal and would give an impetus to trade between the two neighbours. The bridge would also help in generating employment in the area. 

The CM said that the construction of the bridge would be completed within a year and directed the officers of the Public Works Department (PWD) which is the executing agency, to complete the work within the stipulated time while making no compromise with the quality of construction. Expressing happiness, the CM said that he is especially happy to approve of the bridge since he was born and grew up in the area near the Kali river. He opined that once completed the bridge would further strengthen the centuries old relations between India and Nepal. Dhami said that many welfare schemes are being operated in Uttarakhand under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said work is going on for development of the border areas of the State. The CM said that work on road and internet connectivity is going on at a fast pace in Uttarakhand. 

Expressing confidence that the ongoing decade would belong to Uttarakhand, Dhami said that the State government is standing with the people as a collaborator in development. 

He said that every possible effort would be made for rehabilitation of the disaster affected people. The road bridge in Charchum area of Pithoragarh district would be the second such bridge between India and Nepal after Tanakpur across the Kali river. The Dharchula MLA Harish Dhami, block Pramukh Dhan Singh Dhami, district magistrate of Pithoragarh Ashish Chauhan, superintendent of police Lokeshwar Singh, PWD superintending engineer SK Kandpal and others were present on the occasion.

IEP DEHRADUN/HARIDWAR

Yoga guru Swami Ramdev has expressed concern stating that the manner in which religious conversions are taking place in Uttarakhand is a matter of concern. 

He also blamed Pakistan for the spread of lumpy skin disease in cattle in India. 

Ramdev expressed these views on the sidelines of a religious event he attended at Bhupatwala here on Monday. Ramdev appreciated chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decision regarding a survey of Madarsas in the State. He said that Islam did not have a major presence in Uttarakhand about 30 years ago but now activities like religious conversions have affected Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. 

He said that the managers of Madarsas imparting good teaching and knowledge of Islam have nothing to worry about but if any such institution is teaching religious fundamentalism then strong action should be taken against such a Madarsa. Blaming Pakistan for the spread of lumpy skin disease among cattle in India, Ramdev said that an investigation should be conducted to ascertain whether the virus is manmade and if it has been spread as part of some conspiracy. 

He said that application of a mixture of aloe vera, turmeric and Multani Mitti is very useful in lumpy virus disease. Regarding the spread of dengue amidst changing weather, he said that Patanjali has conducted research on this subject and found that Giloy, aloe vera, Veda grass, pomegranate and papaya are useful in treating this disease.

IEP DEHRADUN SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

The State’s Health minister Dhan Singh Rawat virtually inaugurated the pulse polio campaign in Pauri district during the national pulse polio training programme on Sunday. As part of the campaign, 62,506 children in the 0-5 years age group will be administered polio drops in the district.

 The authorities have set up a total of 800 polio booths across the district so as to ensure that no child in the target age group is left without being administered the polio drops. The Health minister has appealed to all people in the district to come forward and cooperate to ensure the success of this special campaign in Pauri. At his official residence, the Health minister virtually inaugurated the pulse polio campaign in the sub district hospital at Shrinagar in the Pauri district.

He said that the Pauri district had been selected as part of the national pulse polio training programme. He said that Health department medical teams and Asha workers will administer polio drops to children in the 800 polio booths set up across the district. Rawat said that this special pulse polio campaign will be undertaken for three days in the mountainous regions of Pauri district while in Dugadda and Kotdwar it will be undertaken for a week.

 The children who are left without the dose will be administered polio drops by Asha workers who will make home visits. He further said that earlier, as part of NID on February 27, a total of 13.48,250 children had been administered polio drops while under SNID on June 19 a total of 10,00,074 children were administered polio drops across the State.

The minister pointed out that at present there is not a single case of polio in Uttarakhand where the last case was recorded during 2009 in the Udham Singh Nagar district. With the joint efforts of UNICEF, World Health Organisation, the Government of India and State governments the nation has become polio-free. However, the polio virus is still present in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan which presents the risk of this virus spreading in India. This is why the Government of India has been conducting polio campaigns in the State, he said. The minister also issued necessary instructions to the departmental officials for ensuring the success of the special pulse polio campaign launched in Pauri district.

IEP DEHRADUN SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

As part of the Sewa Pakhwada to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a cleanliness programme at the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar district.

 The chief minister swept the roadside and picked up litter to send the message of sanitation. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that the nation is moving forward as a strong and prosperous nation under the leadership of PM Modi. The prestige and respect of the nation has grown in the international arena, he said. The PM’s birthday is being celebrated as Sewa Pakhwada.

As part of this fortnight, various activities including those related to sanitation, blood donation, seminars and other works are being undertaken across the State. MLA Shiv Arora, former MLA Rajesh Shukla, mayor Rampal Singh, deputy inspector general Nilesh Anand Bharne, district magistrate Yugal Kishore Pant and GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology director Ashish Bhatgain were also among those present on the occasion.

IEP Dehradun, September 19, 2022

Uttarakhand Virasat event will be organised on November 5 and 6 in Dehradun this year at Pavillion Ground with performances of several folk singers and artistes playing traditional musical instruments of the State.

The organiser of the event and managing director of Chardham Hospital, Dr KP Joshi informed that Uttarakhand Virasat is being organised to promote the culture of the State and to bring forward the art of playing local musical instruments like Dhol Damau which appears to be disappearing in today’s world. He said that various kinds of handicrafts items made at the village level will also be displayed at the event along with the description and distribution of their products as part of presenting Uttarakhand’s heritage.

He said that their purpose is to provide a platform to the talents of remote villages and small towns of the State and present them in front of a big audience in Dehradun so that they can get employment opportunities through their talent.

Folk singers like Narendra Singh Negi, Pritam Bharatwan, Meena Rana and Sangeet Dhondiyal among others will perform at the event too. They will also be honoured there for their contribution to the State’s art and culture. Joshi said that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has given his permission to organise this event and would also be the chief guest there. Five MLAs including Vinod Chamoli and Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ along with cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi have been invited as special guests too, added Joshi.

IEP Dehradun September 17

The birthday of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was celebrated as ‘Sankalp Diwas’ in Uttarakhand on Friday. The CM participated in many programmes organised on the day and accepted the greetings of the people. He flagged off a ‘Sankalp Run’ organised in the morning from the Clock Tower. Speaking on the occasion, he said that his government is committed to the wholesome development of Uttarakhand as per the aspirations of the people of the State. He said that the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is giving full support to the State government in its endeavour for development. Expressing gratitude to the people of the State for the birthday wishes, Dhami said that his government is committed to make Uttarakhand one of the leading states of the country by the year 2025. The Dehradun mayor Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’, MLA Khajan Das and others were present on the occasion. Earlier in the day the CM offered prayers at the Tapkeshwar temple. Dhami also participated in a programme organised by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at Seema Dwar on Friday. Here he celebrated his birthday with the Jawans and children by cutting a cake. Speaking at the occasion, he said that the programmes of Jawans and children always fill him with new energy. He said that the lives of the soldiers and their families are full of hardships and the history of our armed forces is full of valour and sacrifices. Dhami said that recently the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was celebrated in the country and we now have entered into the Amrit Kal where the pride of the country has been exalted. MLA Suresh Gadia, ITBP inspector general Neelabh Kishore and others were present on the occasion. Dhami also took time out of his hectic schedule to celebrate his birthday with the differently abled children at National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD). He donated a sum of Rs 25 lakh to the institute. Addressing a gathering there he said that will power and resolve are two such forces by which we can achieve everything. Dhami said that both the union and the State governments are providing every possible help to the Divyangjans. Cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi, NIEPVD director Higmanshu Das and others were present on the occasion. The CM also took part in a programme organised at Shiv temple Barighat Canal Road on Friday. Here he said that the State government has fulfilled its promise of providing three cooking gas cylinders free of cost per year to the poor families. Cabinet ministers Prem Chand Agarwal, Ganesh Joshi and others were present on the occasion.

IEP Dehradun September 17

A section of Teerth Purohits have strongly objected to the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) fixing gold plating on a portion of the wall in the Garbh Grah (sanctum sanctorum) in Kedarnath temple. Alleging that this is against religious beliefs and amounts to tampering with ancient traditions, they have threatened to undertake an agitation if the gold plating is fixed on the walls of the sanctum sanctorum. On the other hand, the BKTC has stated that talk of the sanctum sanctorum being tampered with are part of the opposition’s propaganda. He said that traditions and religious beliefs are being honoured while fixing the gold plating donated by a devotee. For this purpose, the silver plating that was fixed in 2017 has been removed from portions of the wall. The Teerth Purohits in Kedarnath have objected to gold being coated on a portion of the walls, four pillars and other items inside the shrine. President of Kedarnath Teerth Purohit Samaj Vinod Prasad Shukla said that Kedarnath temple dates back to the Mahabharat era but its traditional aspects are being tampered with now. He said that there is no need to decorate the temple with gold as this shrine is a place for salvation and not opulence. Teerth Purohit Santosh Trivedi said that god is also believed to reside in the four pillars inside the temple, However, powered drills are being used to bore holes inside the sanctum sanctorum. “Kedarnath is Mokshdham and Kaliyug is known to be present in gold so placing gold inside the shrine places Kaliyug in the sanctum sanctorum. Such actions will not be allowed in the shrine,” he said. Meanwhile, BKTC chairman Ajendra Ajay said that the advice of archaeological experts, religious beliefs and traditions are being followed in the work of gold plating in the Garbh Grah of the temple. On the proposal of a devotee from Maharashtra, the BKTC got permission from the State government for gold plating inside the shrine. The silver plating installed earlier has been removed and only minimal additional work will be required to fix the gold plating. Terming objections to this step as baseless, he said that religious beliefs and traditions are not being tampered with for this. He said that Hindu temples have been a symbol of grandeur since ancient times. “Those objecting to the gold plating being fixed in the Garbh Grah in Kedarnath are citing the scriptures to spread some misleading facts on social media. Necessary changes in religious sites are natural with time. Till some decades ago, the roof of Kedarnath was made from grass and straw called Khadu in local language. Some fields were also allocated for growing khadu for the temple’s roof. With time the thatched roof was replaced by stone slabs which were replaced by tin shed which in turn was replaced by copper sheets,” said Ajay.

IEP Dehradun September 1 7

Taking up a resolve to end corruption from the governance in Uttarakhand, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that corruption should be uprooted from the State. Interacting with the media-persons at his camp office on his birthday on Friday, Dhami said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a call to end corruption from the ramparts of the Red Fort and the State government is acting on his resolve. He said that the State government is strengthening the Vigilance department and its reorganisation would be soon done to make it more effective. Dhami who turned 47 on Friday said that the government has released ‘1064’ help line number for registering complaints against corrupt officers and a sum of Rs two crore has been released for the Vigilance department. He added that the trap money which used to get released after years in a trap set up by the Vigilance department is now being returned within 15 days. Emphasising on the need to increase the income of the State, Dhami said that the government has decided to hold a three day brainstorming session on the issue. He said that PM Modi has set an example by giving a new work culture for the country and the Uttarakhand government is trying to implement it in the State. He added that concerted efforts are being made by his government to make Uttarakhand one of the leading states of the country by the year 2025 as per the dream of PM Modi. The CM said that his government has moved ahead in the direction of implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the State. The committee set up for the purpose of preparing a draft of UCC has started meeting stakeholders and it has also launched a portal to take views of the public. The CM also reiterated the commitment of his government to make a Drug free Uttarakhand by the year 2025 and informed that the State has constituted an Anti Narcotics Task Force for the purpose. Dhami said that tourism, horticulture and hydropower are the three sunshine sectors for the State and every effort is being made to tap the potential in these fields. He said that many hydropower projects of the State are entangled in legal hassles. The CM said that the State government is trying to remove these hurdles from the way of these projects. Dhami accepted that the menace of monkeys is a major hindrance in the path of agricultural activities in the mountainous parts of the State and added that the government is working on an effective work plan for this. The CM evaded the question on Lokayukta by stating that a decision would be taken as per the place, time and situation (Desh, Kal, Paristhiti). On the question of possible cabinet expansion and the possibility of reconstitution of his team of ministers, the CM said that everything occurs in a time bound phase in the BJP and at present the party organisation is being reorganised.

IEP Dehradun, September 17

The former director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, K K Talwar said that the research should be integrated with the indigenous medicinal practices. He said that AYUSH is now an important part in the medical institutes of national importance. He was speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised on the occasion of annual research day at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh on Friday. Speaking on the occasion the officiating director of AIIMS Rishikesh Dr Meenu Singh said that the institute is dedicated for triumvirate of patient care, educational talent and research. The director general of Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) Durgesh Pant said that the research has induced a key change in medical science and the world is moving towards digital health.