Dehradun July 9
The Institution of Engineering Uttrakhand organised a two-day seminar on the subject of hydro-power development and environment issues at the state centre auditorium to seek a mid way out.

Prakash Pant, minister of State for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs, was the chief guest, whereas RP Jamloki, Chairperson of The Institution of Engineering Uttrakhand, Vijay Talwar, Chairperson Uttrakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission, RST Sai, Chairman and Managing Director, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation also graced the occasion.

The most pertinent issue was raised by Vijay Talwar who urged the Central government to lift ban on undergoing MOU with other states on smaller projects. He said, “The Central government policy permits Power Corporation to purchase power from other states only through bidding process and has closed down the MOU route for smaller projects. Uttrakhand being a small state does not need power more than 200-300 MW, but we also do not get bidder for it.

Last year, only single bidder Adani came forward who was also not equipped with technical expertise in the field. The ban on MOU has tied our hands to move ahead with other states on PPP mode, because of which Kashifer, another company is not ready to give gas without undergoing MOU process. Therefore, the Central government policy which should spearhead the state projects is impeding growth in our case.”

Talwar warned if situation continued to remain grim, then state which had to go through power cut for 8 to 10 hours would have to face worse in winter.

Pant asked the panel to carry out research over drying up of water sources saying, “Out of 5,600 water sources, 142 have completely dried up. Find out whether the tunnels dug up in hills for hydro-projects are not the reason of this calamity. The Water Department too has roped in scientists to carry out research and prepare a draft in this regard which would be converted into law to increase the water level.”

He also asked the panelist to discuss the problem of silt which has been the main cause of damage to the big projects such as Tehri hydro-power projects.

To strike the balance between both environment protection and power generation, he said, “Our state which has power generation capacity of 25,000 MW is currently generating only 300 MW. Since it is the big projects which affect the purity of the Ganga, the state government lays stress on the small projects which cater to the need of the state without destroying the environment. Under this category, projects of 100 MW have been given to gram panchayats which will have the power to generate as well consume power themselves. Similarly, the projects of one to five MW are given to local people, 5-15 MW for open competition.”

Pant also confirmed of state’s move to establish a thermal plant in the state which will generate 400 to 500 MW power.

JP Talwar, former Executive Director and General Manger Power Transmission Corporation Of Uttarakhand Limited said the state lost 2,500 MW by losing all its big projects which could have solved its problems of power crisis for once and all, which included projects like Pala Maneri (440 MW), Lohari Nagpala, Tapovan Vishnu Ghat (550 MW), Vishnu Ghat Pipal Koti (440 MW).

“The way the consumption is increasing by 15 per cent every year due to rapid industrialisation, it is a matter of concern”, he said.

“The 10 per cent amount of Rs 100 crore project of Lohari Nag Pala Koteshwar line of 400 KV has been paid to Larson and Tubro Company but the matter stuck due to environmental concern raised by the Central government.

“For this, 400 KV sub-station has been established at Srinagar, and one more 400 KV line will be laid from Srinagar to Kashipur sub-station and then a sub-station at Dehradun will also be established. The laying of lines will cost Rs 140 crores.”

Dehradun, July 9
The heavy downpour of 42 mm in the beginning of the monsoon has been welcomed by farmers. A good beginning will pave the way to procuring a good yield, perceive agriculture experts. The water provided by monsoon compensates 75 per cent of the total water requirement of the whole year, says Director of Agriculture Madan Lal.

“The kharif such as paddy, millet, pulses and oilseeds, which are the main and traditional crops of hill and plain areas, need loads of water. People in the hills sow crops in March as the region of that area still has lot of moisture at that time and in the plains transplantation of sugar cane and paddy takes place in July. But as the monsoon got late by one week, so the pattern of sowing and harvesting too will get synchronised according to that. This pattern is being repeated for the past couple of years,” he says.

Lal says the change in the pattern may affect crops if the rainfall at the time of maturity is heavy.

According to Lal, rain is not always healthy, especially if it falls when trees or crops are at the flowering stage. Then its pollination gets severely affected, but once it has reached the fruit stage, the downpour of any level does not matter.

Anand Sharma, Director, Meteorological Department, predicts a good rainfall this season and this is a good sign for a good harvest. He says, “Winds blowing from the Bay of Bengal have started pushing western disturbances, propelling a good rainfall to descend on July 11 onward”.

He appreciated the pattern of rain saying, “A lull of two to three days after a good downpour, which lasts more than two days is good, as plants require water and sunshine to make food through the photosynthesis process. This is what happening these days”.

A slow rainfall, 8-36 mm which continues for a longer period is more advantageous than a heavy one, as, he says, the rapid shower washes away in a shorter period whilst the slow rainfall continues to replenish vegetation for a longer spell.

Sharma says people in the hills will certainly benefit as their other staple crops such as finger millet, ginger and maize normally do not need much water and the water in the hills drains down quite quickly. He also favoured sowing of all kinds of crops in the monsoon.

His department is keeping a constant watch on the weather and passing out relevant information to the farmers. “We had sounded farmers not to sprinkle pesticide on plants before the rain so that the chemicals do not get wasted,” he says and urges farmers to store the precious rain water in their ponds, canals and reservoirs to be able to use it in lean time.

Dehradun July 9
Governor Margaret Alva, who is also Chancellor of the state universities, held a meeting of the Vice-Chancellors of various universities of the state to discuss different issues pertaining to higher education.

She thoroughly discussed the issues of fixing targets and making an action plan for the next 5-10 years for these universities and, the status of affiliation of various colleges under them, the expansion of their facilities, transparency in selection of faculty and admissions of students and examination systems.

After the meeting, it was decided that the director of higher education and finance secretary, who would be the member of a committee of Vice-Chancellors would submit its case before UGC within 30 days to take grants. For 176 posts lying vacant in state run colleges, the teachers would be appointed through a campaign.

To get affiliations with the universities, the colleges would have to abide by the parameters stringently. The universities would provide list of these colleges and related information on website and through other mediums. For the selection of subjects at higher education level, a cell would be constituted at government level.

Chancellor stressed on these universities to make sure that colleges under them should adhere to the benchmarking setup by UGC, AICTE, MCI, CCH and DCI. The meeting was attended by Vice-Chancellors of Gobind Vallabh Pant University, Uttrakahnd Open University, Kumaon University, Uttrakhand Sanskrit Univesity, Uttrakhand Technical university, and principal secretary Higher Education, secretary to Governor, Secy Agriculture and Assistant Seretary.

Haridwar, July 9
While the art of yoga is fast gaining worldwide acceptance, yet in this fast-paced life many feel doing yoga a little bit time-consuming. This in addition with many complicated asanas (postures) further complicates beginners’ enthusiasm. Now for them there is a solution.

Yes, now simple yoga is here to make you spiritually, physically and mentally refined as well as simplify your complicated lifestyle.

The simple yoga is being professed by Gurudev Rajendra Ji Maharaj, who unlike other yoga gurus, doesn’t instruct anyone towards any compulsion or rituals, but emphasises on taking this art in its simplistic form and adjust it according to one’s lifestyle.

The whole simplistic yoga process revolves around Lord Rama by chanting his name and practising yoga, as herein everything one does is believed to be having the blessings of the Lord. So everything we do can be enhanced by chanting the name of God.

Positive thinking is another aspect which simple yoga dwells on as the way one thinks has a deep impact on one’s capability and behaviour.

Informing about his style of yoga, Rajendra Maharaj said this modern, technological, advanced, hectic, tense, result-oriented busy lifestyle makes it imperative to do yoga in one’s schedule.

“So the effective way is to simplify the process by generating interest within and according it as per one’s life schedule. What is practically applicable should be taught and followed, not the ones that yoga gurus, specialists and practitioners teach masses which then complicate the whole process,” said Rajendra Maharaj.

Not naming any one, Rajendra Maharaj remarked that many yoga gurus preached tough asanas that in practical life are not easy to perform. Even yoga experts may not be practising these in their routine constantly.

So in his yoga class, no one is asked to come in any specific attire as, according to the yoga guru, it’s now our way of living and if we force one to do specific rituals, we make yoga complicated.

To make people aware about his simple yoga, a three-day camp is being organised by the guru in Haridwar wherein free yoga training will be given.

Dehradun, July 9
On the occasion of the 61st foundation day of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the day was celebrated as National Student Day by party workers. The workers of the ABVP took out a Shobha yatra in the city and raised slogans. Workers in a large number participated in the rally on their respective jeeps and bikes.

The rally started from Lord Venktesh Hall and passed from Naini Chowk, Rajpur Road, Clock Tower, Darshan Lal Chowk, Doon Hospital, MK Chowk, Arhaghar Chowk, EC Road, Survey Chowk and culminated at DAV (PG) College.

They fervently raised slogans of “Bharat mata ki jay” during the rally and at DAV College.

Addressing the gathering at the College, Brijesh Bankoti, said the ABVP on the basis of its working had not only come as a biggest student organisation of India, but also of the world.

He added that lakhs of students are working in the development of the society. Whether it was a problem of the Maoists or terrorism the workers of the ABVP were giving their contribution, he said.

Haridwar, July 9
Students of Roorkee Public School presented a skit generating mass awareness about planting of saplings as well as conserving these at a programme at Divya Sewa Mission on the launch of Harit Bharat mission to make the world a greener one.

Notably, Divya Sewa Mission, situated in the Chandighat area, has been involved in social causes for the past 13 years with this green India programme, a mission to plant as much as trees as one can in entire country. Ashish Bhaiyya of the mission said from a paltry sum of Rs 5,000 the social organisation was set up and now had a school, medical hospital and several other social works being carried out in the district.

The mission had also got applaud from Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank who had granted Rs 11 lakh to the mission for its social service purposes, while BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, too, donated Rs 5 lakh to the mission founders from the party social cause society fund.

A large number of dignitaries, mission trustees, donors, eminent citizens and RSS members were present on the occasion.

Haridwar, July 9
The Haridwar unit of Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) has contributed in BHEL bagging the Institute of Cost and Works Accountant of India (ICWAI) national awards for excellence in cost management for 2009. The best cost management practices across the company enabled the BHEL to reduce the material cost by 2.8 per cent in 2009-10, which made its claim to the coveted prize stronger.

Notably, the BHEL, Navratna Engineering-Manufacturing Enterprise, has been conferred this award for fifth consecutive year achieving the maiden one in 2005. The prestigious selection among public sector and private companies came after an independent jury headed by former Chief Justice of India JS Verma selected the company in the public manufacturing large organisation category and in various other categories with Haridwar-situated Ranipur unit, along with Jhansi, Ranipet and Trichy units, playing a pivotal role in company achieving this feat.

The ICWAI instituted these awards with annual presentation to corporate entities in their pursuit towards excellence in cost management, quality and delivery.

The awards were given by Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Salman Khurshid to Chairman-cum-Managing Director, BHEL, BP Rao in New Delhi recently.

Informing about the company’s achievement, spokesperson for the BHEL said this fiscal year company had bagged highest ever orders worth Rs 1,440,000 million and since 1967, the BHEL had maintained its track record of earning profits uninterruptedly for over three decades without a break. He further added that the company is equipping itself for the future, by way of contemporary technology, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and skilled technical manpower to meet the country’s power forecast in the future. Till date, the company had established its capability to deliver 15,000 MW per annum and further augmentation to 20,000 MW per annum is underway.

Dehradun, July 8
A goal at the last minute of the match by Ashok enabled Garhwal Sporting beating Willis Youth 1-0 at the District Football league on the Police Lines ground here today. The last two minutes of the game changed the result of the match.

Both sides played a goalless first half and vied hard in the next half also to score a goal.

But the success could come at the end when a minute before the finishing of the stipulated time Ashok (69th) of Garhwal Sporting netted the crucial goal.

The goal sent shocked waves in the rival team as they saw their hard fought battle going into ditch a minute before the final whistle of the game blows.

While another match which was to be played between Cantt Blue and Sports Hostel had to be postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.

Tomorrow, the Uttarakhand Police will meet the Gypsy team, while the Eleven Star will lock horns with the Yankies boys.

Dehradun, July 9
In an interesting encounter, Sarvodaya Club edged past Bajrang Boys 4-3 during Lala Nemi Dass District Football league being played on Pavilion Ground here today. Both contesting teams had a neck-and-neck competition throughout the match and it was a real treat for the spectators.

Tenzing (13th), Madhav (31st), Rajesh Ram (40th) and Ankur (48th) scored for the winning side.

While for Bajrang Boys, Siddarth (2nd) and Mandiya (53rd and 54th) reduced the target but lost by a narrow margin.

In an another match played today, Sunderwala Boys blanked Doon Challenger 2-0.

Shubham (13th) and Himanshu (52nd) netted a goal each in the win whereas its rival failed to retaliate throughout the match. The losing also had less ball possession and even most of the goal attempts were made by Doon Challenger.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Tigers and Roshni Club are scheduled to play first match tomorrow, whereas Gorkha United will face Uttarakhand Boys in the next encounter.

Dehradun, July 9
Sixteen football clubs of the region fervently participated in the trials for the selection of the Uttarakhand team that will take part in the 64th national football championship for Santosh Trophy to be held in Kolkata from July 15 to August 8.

The Uttarakhand team will play its first match on July 22. The trials were conducted by the old District Football Association (DFA) on Pavilion Ground.

The two-day trials will finish tomorrow and thereafter the probables for the state team will be selected. The players were today tested on various aspects, including speed, fitness, playing position and stamina.

The officials of the association said 25 players from 16 clubs took part in the trials and the name of the probables would be announced at the end of the trials, tomorrow.

The probables will undergo about a 10-day practice camp and out of which the final state team will be named for the prestigious Santosh Trophy.

Dehradun July 9
A number of small hydro-power projects such as Kotli Bel, Kisau which have already been approved would need the displacement of people for the construction of these projects.

The Tehri hydro electric project of 1,000 MW which settled the 50,000 displaced people and incurred the cost of Rs 1,400 crore on their payment in the year 2006 has set a perfect example for public and private companies to learn from while establishing such projects.

RST Sai, Chairman and Managing Director of Tehri Hydro Development Corporation who came to attend the seminar on the subject of Hydro Power Development and Environment Issues in town said, “The biggest lesson to be learnt in such cases is the focus on good governance and good administration. The matter pertaining to payment and acquisition of land should be settled once and all and, then to move on with the project. We have shown rehabilitation is manageable for big projects. It is not the engineering or building of such projects which is difficult but handling the social dimension of it is more challenging.”

It was in September last year, land from 118 families of 40 villages were acquired once again after settling down the issue in year 2006. “It was the error of survey, because of which we left out this area. Now, when we found it out, the process of acquiring the land and shifting them started once again. And people happily gave away their land as they got much pricey land in Dehradun and Haridwar in lieu of their agriculture land- A phenomenon no longer possible in today’s times.”

He informed that 5,600 hectare land was given in exchange of the land acquired from people for Tehri dam project as lot of forest land was available at that time. “But now the forest land has become quite expensive, so it is no longer possible to compensate with land. The only solution is to identify the land left abandoned or unused by villagers who moved to cities, or the owners themselves making the deal with others.

“It is the monetary compensation, which is the only solution for such cases, but even in such cases, it should also be seen for which purpose the money is being used,” he added.

As people who lived on agriculture means lost their livelihood, he said, those people thus displaced had to be employed in government and private sector, and also imparted training in various vocational courses. “The state government gave Central government jobs to 860 people and gave vocational training to hundreds of them. So along with compensation, the displaced have to be rehabilitated with employment also.”

On the question of numerous people who felt that they did not get justice in land allocation and compensation approached the Supreme Court, he said, “For a project at such a massive scale, these are minor anomalies, but by and large, the Tehri hydro-project dam has been a runaway success.”