IIT to head NW-1 navigation channel development
Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, signed an MoU with Inland Waterway Authority of India (IWAI), to carry out a project on stabilisation of navigational channel at 17 locations along the Ganga from Varanasi to Sahibganj. Under the project, the IIT will carry out channel stabilisation (river training) works for development and capacity augmentation of the National Waterway-1 following eco-friendly techniques. The work would help prevent shifting of deeper channel, siltation in formation of secondary channels, erosion of banks, etc affecting the depth of flow in the main navigable channel.
RTI reveals unutilised MPLAD fund runs into crores
With imposition of moral code of conduct less than a month away in Uttarakhand, an RTI reply revealed that MPs from the hill state have not been able to utilise a major chunk of their MPLAD funds till September this year. The five Lok Sabha MPs and two Rajya Sabha MPs in question have total of Rs 35.34 crore in unutilised funds. This is the situation when allocation of MPLAD funds were cancelled for financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to Covid pandemic. MPLAD funds, worth `5 crore per year paid in two installments, can be utilised anywhere in the constituency of an elected MP. The hill state has total eight MPs in the lower house and three in the upper house of the Parliament. Interestingly, former Uttarakhand CM and MP from Pauri, Tirath Singh Rawat, is yet to spent 82 per cent of his MPLAD allocation.
Government decision on land law likely soon
After announcement to repeal Char Dham law, Uttarakhand state government is soon likely to take a decision on land law. The state government is already studying aspects of land law of Himachal Pradesh to make a land law to prevent indiscriminate buying and selling in Uttarakhand. A three-member committee has already been constituted by the state government which will submit its report based on which the government will decide further on the matter. This comes after netizens and youth of the state have started a movement asking for restrictions on land purchase in the hill state for outsiders.
Letterhead misuse: CM’s PRO removed
An official of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has been dismissed for allegedly writing to the district police chief of Bageshwar asking him to release four trucks seized for carrying illegal mining material. The action against Nandan Singh Bisht, PR officer for the chief minister came after the letter written by him on the official letterhead went viral on social media platforms. The police had seized four trucks filled with soapstone on suspicion that the material was extracted from illegal mining. Following this, the official wrote to the Bageshwar SP, asking him to release the seized trucks.
vineet upadhyay
Our correspondent in Dehradun vineet.upadhyay@newindianexpress.com