When the PM marks the annual reopening of Kedarnath shrine on May 3, thousands of pilgrims wouldn’t perhaps know the men who brought it all back – from destruction of 2013 to reconstruction

SYMBOL OF FAITH: Nearly 3 lakh pilgrims visited the Kedarnath shrine in 2016, three years after the disastrous deluge in Uttarakhand. PTI

NATURAL disasters of the scale of 2013 Uttarkashi deluge are unforgiving, unforgettable: nearly 5,000 people were killed as dozens of small villages, bridges and narrow passages simply disappeared. In government records many people continue to remain untraceable, presumed dead. Nearly four years later, it all looks as if everything is back to normal: 3 lakh pilgrims visited Kedarnath in 2016. Or is there someone not letting the faith slip away?Ask Col. Ajay Kothiyal, Principal of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi), you’d know how a soldier can steel his will to achieve the impossible. Today, when pilgrims on Char Dham Yatra feel safe around the arduous, serpentine route to the Kedarnath shrine, they wouldn’t perhaps know who Col Kothiyal and his men are. Or, how in just three years, the same treacherous routes have turned safe, inviting no-worry smiles from those who pass. June 16-17, 2013, were most dreadful: rivers and streams were overflowing fast and furious, devouring everything that came their way. Thousands were stranded, many had already died. The Colonel acted on his instincts, gathered his men and helped in rescuing more than 6,000 pilgrims, including 46 foreigners, in one day, June 16. The 15-km original Rambara-Kedarnath pedestrian route had vanished. No agency was willing to undertake reconstruction of roads at those heights. Months later, the ace mountaineer from 4th Garhwal Regiment of the Army, Col Kothiyal, got his mission: rebuild the collapsed road infrastructure — at more than 11,000 feet — at Kedarnath. “I had a dozen-member team. We had to jump from our helicopter in March 2014 to access the ground reality at Kedarnath. We stayed there for two days and trekked down the damaged route. A couple of weeks later, we started the reconstruction work. We are still involved in the work in flood-hit Kedarnath valley,” says Col Kothiyal. This unleashed the massive reconstruction effort. Col Ajay Kothiyal organized around 1,200 Nepalese labourers who were provided with basic equipment and clothing to brave the snow which in March was over 10-ft deep. The officer then chalked out a new alignment on way to Kedarnath, starting from Rambara. They worked round-the-clock in rain, snow and sleet. The team managed to build a landing strip for IAF’s MI-26 helicopters to land. The Col and his team soon realized they needed heavy equipment. So, heavy earth-moving machinery were taken in parts by helicopters and reassembled at those heights. “More than 130-ton machinery was brought to Kedarnath by M1-26 helicopters in a span of a few days,” said the Colonel.Starting from Sonprayag, his team set up camps for labourers and storing equipment. They rebuilt the pedestrian path involving construction of washed away culverts and bridges. The work continued even in winters when the temperature dips several degrees below zero and snow accumulates up to 15-ft high. The Col. has stayed at Kedarnath for the past three years, removing debris at Kedarpuri and rebuilding 113 houses and guest houses of the “pandas” (the priest community). He and his team have already finished constructing 100 modern huts for pilgrims and a subsidized canteen for them. “We involve local residents and buy their vegetables and crops. This way we win their confidence,” says Col. Kothiyal, recipient of Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra and Vishisht Sewa Medal (VSM). “I am proud of my team and our accomplishment,” says the Colonel. 

Training the youth

Col. Ajay Kothiyal is also instrumental in training more than 4,000 youths for recruitment in the Army, paramilitary forces and the police — free of cost. “When we rescued the stranded pilgrims and tourists on way to Gangotri in 2013, we saw many unemployed youth requesting to be enrolled in the Army. I decided to train them,” he says. “I started off with 30 boys at Uttarkashi and trained them for written and physical tests. In the next Army recruitment, 28 of them were selected.”

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia

New Delhi, April 28

Taking a cue from Uttar Pradesh, the Delhi government has decided to cancel public holidays marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.

The Delhi government will cancel holidays on birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities. I have issued instruction to the chief secretary in this regard,” he tweeted.

Sisodia lauded the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for cancelling 15 public holidays on birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities.

“The Uttar Pradesh government has taken a good initiative in this matter. We should always be ready to learn from other states,” he said.

The UP Cabinet had on April 25 decided to cancel 15 public holidays in educational institutions.

“Instead, students in schools and colleges would now be taught about the great personalities on these days,” it had said. — PTI

NEW DELHI: India was at fifth place on the list of the world’s highest spenders on defence in 2016 as global military expenditure rose for a second consecutive year to $1,686 billion, according to a new report.

HINDUSTAN TIMESArmy tanks pass through the saluting base during the full dress rehearsal for Republic Day Parade at Rajpath.

New Delhi’s military expenditure grew by 8.5% last year to $55.9 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s annual report on defence spending.

The US remained at the top of the list, with its military spending growing by 1.7% between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion. Military expenditure by China, the second largest spender, increased by 5.4% to $215 billion, a “much lower rate of growth than in previous years”, the report said.

Russia hiked its spending by 5.9% to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender. Saudi Arabia was the third largest spender in 2015 but dropped to fourth position in 2016 as its spending fell by 30% to $63.7 billion despite its involvement in regional conflicts. Total global military expenditure in 2016 rose by 0.4% over 2015 in real terms, according to the new figures from SIPRI. In February, India hiked its allocation for defence in 2017-18 by 6% to ₹2.74 lakh crore, including ₹86,488 crore for modernisation.

However, experts said the modest increase could hurt the military’s modernisation plans, crucial to keeping up with China’s expanding might.

India’s military spending has averaged an annual increase of 10% during the past three years, much to the disappointment of the military.

The armed forces are currently negotiating several bigticket deals for Rafale fighter jets, Apache, Chinook and Kamov helicopters and the M-777 lightweight howitzers.

The SIPRI report also said military spending in North America saw its first annual increase since 2010, while spending in Western Europe grew for the second consecutive year.

File photo of Barak-8 missile.

New Delhi, April 23

A raft of mega defence deals, including procurement of an air defence system for the Indian Navy, are likely to be sealed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Israel which will be first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Jewish nation.

Ahead of the visit, which is likely to take place in July, Israeli envoy Daniel Carmon said it will be a “big” visit, reflecting the depth of cooperation between the two countries in a range of key areas.

The much-awaited deal for Barak-8 air defence missile systems for the Navy and procurement of Spike anti-tank missiles for the Indian Army are expected to be firmed up during Modi’s visit to Tel Aviv.

“India, Israel relations are big enough. The visit, when it takes place, will be a very very important visit. It will be one of the most important visits that Israel has witnessed in many many years,” Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon told PTI in an interview.

Modi’s visit coincides with the establishment of 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A number of other defence deals are also likely to be discussed.

Asked about specific defence deals, the envoy only said the relationship has gone beyond buying and selling and that the two countries are now focussing majorly on joint research and development.

“Israel has very good relations with India and the relationship has various facets including defence,” he said.

People familiar with defence relations say the two multi-billion dollar acquisition deals are likely to be finalised during the PM’s trip.

India is the largest buyer of Israel’s military hardware and the latter has been supplying various weapon systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles over the last few years but the transactions have largely remained behind the curtains.

In February, India had cleared a Rs 17,000 crore deal for jointly developing with Israel a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) for the army. A formal announcement on the deal is likely to take place during Modi’s maiden trip.

Carmon said ties between the two countries have expanded manifold in the last few years in diverse sectors and both countries are resolved to deepen the engagement further.

“We are really talking about things which are very, very deep. Much deeper than the deliverables,” he said. — PTI

Wing Commander SVR Moorty

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, April 16

An IAF officer was found dead on Sunday morning under mysterious circumstances. Wing Commander SVR Moorty, who was posted as a legal officer in the Advanced Headquarters of the Eastern Command at Fort William here, may have died last night.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) His body was found in front of the house where he used to stay alone in a second floor apartment.Moorty, a native of Hyderabad, had come to Kolkata around six months back. His family, including his wife, daughter (22) and son (15), are in Hyderabad.“Moorty died last night after falling from this house’s balcony on second floor. It is not known what time he fell since the body was discovered only in the morning at around five,” Wing Commander SS Birdi, Ministry of Defence spokesperson in Kolkata, said.“It does not appear to be a case of suicide but rather an accident,” Birdi added.Police are investigating the cause. Side by side the Air Force has also started a departmental inquiry into the death.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 7

In a bid to enhance the connect with people, the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps today joined social media platforms.The General Officer Commanding of the Chinar Corps, Lt Gen JS Sandhu, in his first tweet, wrote, “The presence of Chinar Corps on Twitter is a step to enhance our connect with the Awaam of #Kashmir Valley.” The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army, responsible for guarding the Line of Control in Kashmir and fighting militancy in the hinterland across the Valley, joined social media with an aim to pass on timely information of its activities.“The Chinar Corps launched its official Twitter handle, @iachinarcorps, and Facebook account, Chinarcorps_IA, with an aim to pass on timely information of the activities in Chinar Corps and to enhance our connect with the ‘awaam’,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Rajesh Kalia said.

The swiftness with which the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has presented a blueprint for waiving farmers’ debt has put pressure on the governments in Punjab, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to do something similarly dramatic. In the passionate bid for power politicians promise anything. Reality bites on gaining office. Capt Amarinder Singh has cleverly bought two months’ time by telling an expert group to study the issue. But the alacrity displayed by the Yogi, considered inexperienced in governance, will not allow the congress government in Punjab to prevaricate beyond a point.Like other states where farmer distress is glaring, Punjab had expected a Central bailout. With expectations belied, the Amarinder government is now struggling to come to terms with the enormity of the financial challenge, which includes unpaid bills amounting to Rs 17,000 crore, an off-budget spending of Rs 25,000 crore by the previous regime, the state debt shooting to 1.83 lakh crore and the pay commission report awaiting implementation in a not too distant future, apart from the litany of populist promises thoughtlessly made in the passion to win. Opposition and public pressure will mount once the honeymoon period is over.    None in the political class says the unpretty things that need to be said about the politics of loan waivers. The SBI chief has done it from the banks’ angle: “Today, the loans will come back as the government will pay for it but when we disburse loans again then the farmers will wait for the next election expecting another waiver.” Bank credit to farmers would not take long to dry up as good borrowers would stop paying back on time and farmers would once again be at the mercy of private lenders. The cycle of taking loans and seeking a waiver would kick in again, while the taxpayer would be asked to pay for the political largess. Money meant for education and healthcare will get diverted. Farmers need help but only in buying inputs cheaper and getting a higher price for their produce.

Yogi’s farm loan waiver puts Capt under strain

ribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5

After Yogi Adityanath-led UP Government waived Rs 36,359-crore loans to farmers, all major political parties and farm unions have begin mounting pressure on Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh to fulfil the similar promise he had made to the state’s farmers before the Assembly elections in February.Saying the CM was deviating from the vital promise and trying to pass the buck to the Centre, senior AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira said, “It appears that instead of taking the responsibility to waive the farmers’ loans himself, he recently led a delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter. By doing so, the CM is trying to skirt the issue and run away from his election promise.”“Now that the UP CM has waived the farm loans, Capt Amarinder Singh must follow him and take the decision in the next Cabinet meeting. The least that he can do immediately is to write off the loans of small and marginal farmers pending with the cooperative banks and societies of Punjab. This is a decision that he can independently take and does not have to approach any nationalised bank or any other authority,” Khaira added.On the other hand, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal urged Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to direct Amarinder to waive all farm loans immediately.“Rahul has applauded the loan waiver decision of the UP Government and called for its replication in the other states. Rahul should lead by example and ask all Congress-ruled states, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, to waive farm loans,” Sukhbir said.Sukhbir said Rahul was morally bound to intervene as the state Congress had promised to implement a one-time complete farm loan waiver scheme in its manifesto that bears his stamp.“The Punjab Congress distributed lakhs of forms to farmers who duly filled them and submitted them to the party. Now these farmers are waiting for the much-needed relief,” Sukhbir added.Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “Our opinion is that the government should be given 60 days it sought to devise the mechanism of the loan waiver. If Amarinder’s government fails to fulfil its promise, then we will launch an agitation from July.”

Will fulfil promise’

• A government’s spokesperson on Wednesday said, “We are committed to waive debt of the farmers. A committee is being constituted to look into the entire issue and suggest measures. The members of the committee will be notified in a day or two. A budgetary provision for the debt waiver would be made.”

MoS Kiren Rijiju with CRPF CO Chetan Cheetah at AIIMS. PTI

New Delhi, April 5

Almost two months after CRPF Commander Chetan Cheetah, 45, went into coma with nine bullet wounds suffered during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, the officer today walked out of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after making a “miraculous” recovery.Cheetah, who belongs to Rajasthan, was wheeled in on February 14 at the trauma centre after being airlifted from Srinagar. Doctors said he had shown a steely resolve to respond to their intensive medical care.Subodh Kumar, Professor of Trauma Surgery at AIIMS, while announcing his recovery, said it was “nothing short of a miracle”.“Cheetah was in coma for 16 days and spent a month in the intensive care unit,” Amit Gupta, Additional Medical Superintendent at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, said.Gupta said the Commanding Officer (CO) of CRPF’s 45th Battalion in the Kashmir Valley had suffered bullet injuries to the head, upper limbs, waist, pelvic region, hands and right eye.Doctors said the chances of vision returning to the right eye were “bleak” although his left eye, which had splinter injuries, had been restored.Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Twitter hailed the courage of the officer. “Fortune favours the brave. Extremely happy to know that Cheetah has made a miraculous recovery. I thank the team of doctors who have helped Chetan Cheetah in his recovery. Hope to see Cheetah back in action soon.” His deputy Kiren Rijiju visited the officer at the hospital and said he was “proud” of him.Cheetah said he felt proud when Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Rijiju visited him and recognised his contribution.The team of medical experts described the treatment provided to him over 45 days. “Within 24 hours of admission, surgery was conducted to remove a portion of the skull which had suffered the bullet injury to reduce intra-cranial pressure. After that, he underwent multiple surgeries.“Cheetah also developed signs of sepsis due to his wounds, which was managed by critical care specialists in the ICU. His wounds were regularly debrided,” Subodh said. Doctors say Cheetah will be left with some amount of disability but with proper rehabilitation and physiotherapy will improve over the time.His wife Uma Singh, who has been besides her husband since the near-fatal encounter, was anxious to take him home after being discharged today and said “normalcy in our lives will come back once he wears the uniform and goes to office”. — TNS/PTI

Comatose for 16 days after encounter in J&K

• On February 14, CRPF commander Chetan Cheetah suffered nine bullet wounds during an encounter with terrorists inBandipora’s Hajjan area of J&K
• He was initially treated at the Army Base Hospital, Srinagar, before being airlifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he underwent brain surgery
• He remained in coma for 16 days and spent a month in the ICU. He had bullet injuries in the head, upper limbs, waist, pelvic region, hands and right eye

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