Mobile liquor
At last good news for tipplers in Uttarakhand. Tipplers’ have been exasperated by the growing movement to close down liquor shops in the state by women. But now, the government has introduced mobile vans to sell liquor in the state bringing relief to tipplers. The first such van has been introduced in Ranibagh area of Haldwani for selling foreign liquor. According to the government, the decision was taken to improve finances of the state. However, the women are peeved by this decision. Prema Garwal, a local of Haldwani said, "Alcoholism has been a great evil here and it has spoiled many homes. After it became an acute malady, the women of Uttarakhand started opposing it. The government decision is really unfortunate." For the time being, the pick up van is stationed at one place in Ranibagh but will soon start moving. It may be recalled that after Supreme Court’s ruling to shift liquor shops 500 metres away from the national highways, over 400 shops were shifted in the entire state.
ODF tag for Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand has recently earned the distinction of becoming the fourth ODF (Open Defecation Free) state in India. This was announced by Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar at a function in Dehradun recently. Other three states are Kerala, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. Exhorting the gathering, he further said making Uttarakhand an ODF state is easy, but sustaining for the long run would be certainly difficult task. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat hailed this achievement and said all rural areas in the entire state have become ODF. Tomar, too, hailed this move and said that PM's Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan had become a people's movement in the state. A door to door garbage collection programme will be introduced in the state soon.
Government opposes living status for Ganga and Yamuna
Uttarakhand government is not in favour of granting living status to rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The government moved the apex court challenging the verdict of the Uttarakhand High Court. It may be recalled that about a month back, Uttarakhand High Court, in its verdict, ruled that Ganga and Yamuna were living entities and enjoyed same legal rights as enjoyed by living human beings. The government, while opposing, High Court verdict said the court transgressed its jurisdiction in giving the verdict and no case was pleaded before it to declare these rivers as living entities. It further said the court had heard the issue of encroachment removal from Shakti canal on Yamuna river in Dehradun. The government argued that declaring these rivers as living entities will have complicated legal repercussions.
High Court pulls up government
The Uttarakhand High Court has pulled up government for not complying with its order of regulating basic facilities in schools in the state. An annoyed court has passed an order prohibiting purchase of car, air conditioners and other luxury items by the government offices. The court has also asked finance and education secretary to appear before the court on Friday. The court ruled that the government had completely failed to provide basic amenities in government run schools of the state. The court made the initial ruling based on a petition by Deepak Rana, a resident of Dehradun, on November 19, 2016. It had given directives to the government which the government did not comply with.
