Dehradun, September 7
Taking a strong exception to the proposed felling of trees along the Haridwar road to pave way for converting it into a four-lane highway, members of the Citizens For Green Doon (CFGD), a pro-environment group based in Dehradun, met the National Highway Authority of India here today.

Led by Dr Nitin Pandey, the members met MK Jain, Project Director, National Highway Authority of India, in Dehradun and submitted a memorandum. Jain on his part informed the CFGD members that already 97 hectares of land had been acquired at Kalsi to undertaken a compensatory afforestration.

The CFGD resentment comes in the wake of the fear that thousands of trees are to be axed to facilitate the construction of a four-lane road from Dehradun to Haridwar and thence to Muzaffarnagar. Sources reveal that nearly 23,000 trees are slated to be axed for the construction of this road in areas, including the highway passing through the environmentally vulnerable Rajaji National Park.

There has been so far no provision to compensate for the environmental loss that will result in mass felling of the trees. Reliable sources state that the authorities concerned with the broadening of the road are attempting to cut thousands of trees in batches of some hundreds to avoid attention.

The biggest causality in the process has been the trees that are along both sides of the roads, particularly from Rispana to Miyanwala to Lacchiwala and further.

To make a beginning, the Haridwar road has witnessed axing of as many as 600 huge trees in the past few years from stretches between the Rispana Bridge to the Mohkampur crossing as part the road-broadening project.

Dehradun, September 7
Governor Margaret Alva has called upon the society to lend a helping hand to those less endowed, as this is the greatest form of service to humanity.

Speaking at the Founders Day of Cheshire Home here today, Governor Alva said those who had the bounties of God should not hesitate to share these with the less privileged.

“We should come forward to lend a helping hand to the weak and the infirm,” said Alva. Cheshire Home for the Disabled completed 54 years today and functions from the Govind Bhawan, formerly a palace donated by Rajkumari Vimla Devi. In all, 50 children, 25 men and 25 women inmates reside at the home.

The Governor visited each and every room and held talks with all inmates. Impressed with the arrangement and care being taken by the staff of Cheshire Home, the Governor said a sensitive and caring staff could make all the difference.

She also expressed the need to strengthen the early intervention centre as early detection could arrest any kind of abnormality in the nascent stage itself.

On the occasion, the Governor donated a cheque of Rs 25,000 from the Governor’s Discretion Fund for the home and assured the staff full support in their future endeavours. She also released a pamphlet giving details about the activities of the home.

Later, inmates of Cheshire Home presented a scintillating programme showcasing their talent that was immensely appreciated by the guests.

Earlier, Chairman of Cheshire Home PC Agarwal briefly described the activities undertaken by Cheshire Home.

Dehradun, September 7
Leader of the Opposition of the Congress in the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), Ashok Verma and other Congress councillors expressed rage at the alleged failure of the DMC machinery to maintain sanitation and repair work in the city. While chanting slogans against DMC officials, they threw out chairs from the office of Executive Engineer Ravi Pandey and sat on the floor in his office.

Verma said Pandey neither listened to the councillors when they went to him regarding problems in their respective wards, nor attended to them on his phone.

Anup Kapoor, councillor, said a big heap of garbage was lying rotting in his Ward No. 39 for the past one month, which was highlighted in local dailies, but despite that nobody from the DMC ever came to remove it.

He also alleged that the workers who were supposed to carry out the repair work were engaged in high officials’ homes for their domestic tasks.

Rama Gaud, another councillor, said the DMC team seemed more interested in removing encroachments and extracting money from people than in plugging big pits on the roads or clogged drains.

The shortage of employees was merely an excuse, according to Ganesh Dangwal. The councillors rued the pathetic state of sanitation, streetlights and infrastructure after the rain.

Mayor Vinod Chamoli said it was difficult to manage the garbage work as it became heavier because it got soggy due to rains. For development work, he said he had already approved Rs 6 crore for the task and was going to clear the first tender in the next few days. It was the Opposition that wanted to create a scene despite being fully aware of the reality, he added.

Mussoorie, September 7
Residents and tourists alike were horrified after a black stray dog, infected with rabies, unleashed terror on the roads of Mussoorie by biting eight persons, including a woman, in a spate of one hour.

Terrified residents at the Landour Bazar and commuters had to run for shelter from the dog. The locals went after the dog, but it eluded them for several hours.

Nagar Palika officials were informed of the incident and traced the dog hiding in the MDDA parking and killed it with severe blows on the head.

Palika President OP Uniyal, taking the stock of situation, immediately called the animal activist organisation, Save Earth, and asked the activists to begin the work of an animal shelter on the land provided by the Palika soon.

The injured have been rushed to the hospital where treatment for rabies was on.

Incidents of dog bites are on the increase in the town. Last year, more than 600 persons were bitten by dogs in which three persons lost their lives. This year, the number has increased. In the past five months more than 226 persons have been affected by rabies. According to St Marys Hospital sources, 23 were affected in April, 31 in May, 36 in June, 47 in July and 89 in August.

Angry residents were of the view that due to the callous attitude of the Palika they were forced to live in fear of 2,000 stray dogs and 5,000 monkeys in the town.

Pitthoragarh, September 7
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national Vice-President and Rajya Sabha MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has appealed to his party workers to get ready for the 2012 election of the state Assembly.

Addressing party workers in Bageshwar, Berinag and Thal areas during his brief visit of Kumoan, the BJP national Vice-President said during the past three years the Uttarakhand government had done remarkable work to sort out the problems of people of the state.

“The government has best used its means to serve people of the state during the past three years,” said Koshiyari.

Koshiyari appealed to the workers to visit remote villages and tell people about the work done by the BJP government.

“The BJP government in the state has almost connected all villages of the state with motor roads which were waiting this facility from decades and small villages are being connected with this facility by ongoing schemes,” said Koshiyari.

Haridwar, September 7
With fast-paced lifestyle, hectic schedule, work tension, aided by unhealthy food, more and more people today are getting afflicted with cardiovascular diseases which will make India in the coming years as having the most number of heart patients.

To counter this problem, leading a stress-free life, well supplemented by healthy, vegetarian food and regular health checkups, is the key. This was stated by renowned heart specialist Dr Praveen Chandra, who heads the Division of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta Heart Institute in Gurgaon, while generating awareness about cardiovascular diseases in Uttarakhand.

Revealing that just a decade back heart disease was associated with urban area people, it has fast afflicted rural people too which is mostly due to the unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy food.

Informing that people with diabetes are prone to maximum risk of coronary heart diseases, Dr Chandra said physical exercises had taken a back seat with luxury lifestyle, coupled with fatty, oily, processed and packaged junk food, becoming a routine part of people’s daily life, which was indirectly inviting heart problems.

Pointing to smoking and alcohol usage as another vital reason, Dr Chandra said while in western countries people were quitting smoking on account of its having a negative effect on the heart, in India people, particularly the young generation and the working class, were seeing it as a lifestyle statement and a stress buster, which was totally wrong and just a myth.

“Heart-related studies, scientific analysis and medical reports confirm that smoking lessens one’s life tenure as well as propels heart diseases. Though the Central government has made it mandatory to affix picture and statutory warning on cigarette and tobacco products, yet until one realises the negative impact of such products, cardiovascular diseases will be on the rise,” warned Dr Chandra.

Informing about the latest medical heart therapies, he said replacing stem cells without operation change of valves to robotic by-pass surgery, Medanta Medicity offered all types of heart treatment having 400 doctors round the clock with air-evacuation facility for patients anywhere in the country. He said now people in hilly regions of Uttarakhand too could avail of the medical helicopter service with state-of-the-art treatment at Medanta.

Dr Chandra also termed the art of yoga as one of the best exercises having a positive effect on heart patients as well as making the practitioner immune to today’s lifestyle-generated diseases. So, it was better for one to say “yes” to yoga and “no” to smoking if one wanted to avoid cardiovascular diseases, he advised.

Nainital, September 7
Perturbed over the continuing cases of dengue being reported from across the district, the Nainital district administration has started setting up separate control rooms in areas from where maximum cases are being reported.

According to sources, these control rooms have been set up in Ramnagar, Haldwani and Lal Kuan towns since the maximum cases are being reported from these areas.

District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli has issued instructions to administrative officials and personnel of the Health Department to work in close coordination to deal with the emerging scenario.

Residents can call up these control rooms to report about water stagnation, improper drainage and supply of drinking water and also for fogging and spray of disinfectants.

A major complaint coming from the residents of these localities is regarding improper sanitation and piling up of heaps of dirt in the towns.

Things have come to such a pass that a couple of patients showing symptoms of dengue have been reported in Nainital also.

Till now, more than 375 cases of high fever have been reported at various health centres in Lal Kuan. Blood samples of those showing symptoms of dengue have been sent for tests and the patients are being treated at the Base and Sushila Tiwari Hospitals in Haldwani.

A team of Health Department officials and personnel of Sushila Tewari Hospital have been conducting surveys in residential colonies of Lal Kuan and collecting blood samples of those suffering from fever. The teams of the Health Department are generating awareness regarding maintenance of proper sanitation and are also distributing free medicines.

Bagauli has also instructed that personnel of the Health Department, who are posted in the field, must report for duty in the areas assigned to them failing which stringent action would be taken.

Ramnagar is another area that has been reporting high incidence of fever and a large number of patients are showing symptoms of dengue.

According to media reports, 14 patients are being treated in Ramnagar and six have been referred to Haldwani for treatment.

As a preventive measure, authorities have asked the management of schools to tell their students not to wear half-pants and skirts.

In a survey conducted in Khatadi area, Health Department officials found more than 700 persons suffering from fever. Out of these, samples of 15 persons have reportedly been taken for tests as they showed symptoms of dengue.

Dehradun, September 7
Uttarakhand Food and Civil Supplies Minister Diwakar Bhatt has announced a hike in commission of fair price shops linked to the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Addressing mediapersons at his office in the Vidhan Sabha here yesterday, Bhatt said his ministry had decided to hike the commission for fair price shops and constituted a high-level committee headed by the Regional Food Controller to decide on the level of the hike. “The existing 8 per cent commission provided to the fair price shop owners is quite less as no hike in their commissions has taken place in the past many decades. The steering committee will now decide on the percentage of the hike apart from other modalities linked to it,” said Bhatt.

He also said in another major decision, fair price shops would now be allowed to keep other grocery items apart from the PDS grains.

As of the mid-day meal scheme, Bhatt said from now on the Education Department had been asked to pick up their grains from fair price shops. Proprietors of these shops could not afford to go to the schools with grains as it proved to expensive for them.

On gas agencies, the minister categorically held that gas agencies could not force a consumer to buy a burner and threatened action against the agencies. “With 78 more gas agencies to come up in the state in near future, we are now determined to go stern against existing agencies which keep an autocratic style of functioning,” he said.

“The state government is committed to improve the PDS in the state,” he added.

Nainital, September 7
A colourful cultural extravaganza will be one of the main highlights of his year’s Nanda Devi Mahotsava that starts here on September 12. The 107-year-old fair is one of the biggest events of Uttarakhand.

Talking to mediapersons here at the Ram Sevak Sabha, which is the organiser of the event, Mukesh Joshi, who is also the chairperson of the Nainital Nagar Palika, said that besides the Chholia dancers from across Kumaon, cultural troupes from Lucknow. Moradabad and Delhi would be performing during the fair.

Some of these troupes are being sent by the Song and Drama Division of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The Chholia dancers, who would be performing here, will come from Almora, Jageshwar, Daniya, Okhalkanda and Harishtal areas.

Joshi said that despite continuing rains, elaborate arrangements have been made for the fair. This year, the traditional banana tree for the pooja would be brought from Aam Padav.

At the start of the fair, a souvenir and a website will be launched. On September 13, a shobha yatra of the tree will be taken out.

Joshi said that the fair would be telecast up to Haldwani and Lal Kuan. He said that all markets of Nainital would be decorated for the occasion and work is being done to level the roads and places where there is mud.

Ten close circuit cameras will be installed for security purposes across the town and the stalls will be auctioned on September 14 only to persons having proper identity proof.

Women organisations are being roped in to spread awareness regarding jewellery worn by women visitors to prevent instances of theft and chain snatching.

A pahari song-singing competition for schoolchildren will be another attraction at this year’s event.

The district administration has already geared up for the forthcoming event and District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli has already issued instructions to maintain proper sanitation in the town during the event.

Parking arrangements during the event will be made in the Hotel Metropole compound that was recently acquired by the administration on the orders of the office of the Custodian of Enemy Properties after it was declared an enemy property.

Scouts and Guides from various institutions will help the local administration in maintaining order during the event.

Bagauli has already instructed the officials of the Jal Sansthan to ensure proper supply of drinking water and cleanliness in all public toilets in the town.

Palika officials have been told to lay emphasis on the maintenance of street lights. There will be uninterrupted power supply across the town during the event.

Pitthoragarh, September 7
ITBP personnel and revenue officers from the tehsil have started relief and rescue operations in Qurie and Jimiya villages of the Munsiyari sub-division after heavy rain demolished eight houses killing 14 cattle yesterday.

“Residents have been shifted to a primary school at Jimiya village as there is still a possibility of landslides there,” said CS Bisht, Tehsildar of Munsiyari.

The effects of the long spell of rain can still be seen in the border tehsil of Dharchula and Munsiyari.

“In the Garvadhar area of Dharchula, a labourer named Dinesh Singh died after debris fell on him while one Dilip Ram was swept away by the strong current of the Kali river when he was working near the river,” said PS Milkani, thana in charge of Dharchula.

The recent rain has damaged roads between Ganai and Bankot, Bankot and Devrari, Bansbagar and Dhami Gaon and Didihat and Adichora.

“The price of essential goods has gone up in Munsiyari area as trucks have not able to reach Munsiyari due to the blockage on the main link road for the past 15 days,” said Trilok Singh Koranga, a social worker from Munsiyari.

Dehradun, September 7
Social activist Bharat Dogra today said the media and voluntary organisations could work together in engaging society on building consensus on socially relevant issues.

Instead of working at cross purposes, the voluntary organisations and the media can work together and sensitise society on issues that generally do not get due attention.

“Despite their perceived differences, both the media and the voluntary organisations are committed to the welfare of society and both can gain from each other by working together,” emphasised Dogra.

He was speaking today at a seminar on Cooperation between Voluntary Organisations and Media, organised at a local hotel by Disha, a non-government organisation (NGO).

Members, mostly from voluntary organisations, also lamented at the lack of focus in the media on issues affecting the poor and the disappearance of the village from the common discourse, simply because newspapers do not report anything unless there is a drought or some calamity.

Dr Ravi Chopra of People’s Science Institute (PSI) lamented at the shrinking space in the media on societal issues. “Decentralisation and capitalism have hit the media industry hard. Instead of an overview of the entire state, we have to be content with news about our cities only. Such news is restrictive and limiting,” said Dr Chopra. He called upon the NGOs to focus on small newspapers for getting their message across.

Dr Renu Thakur of Arpan a social organisation working in Pithoragarh called for greater sensitivity while reporting on issues concerning women and weaker sections of the society, “Instead of augmenting the pain of a woman undergoing suffering at the hands of society, by repeatedly calling her ‘peedit’, why can’t we call her a fighter,” said Dr Thakur.

Speaking on behalf of the media Alka Arya a freelance journalist from Lucknow called for a greater understanding about the functioning of media and said media has played a sterling role in highlighting issues such as infanticide, domestic violence and dowry.

Dehradun, September 7
The Real Estate Management will no longer be a male bastion sector as real estate education is about to dispel this myth. In order to make women professionals and students aware about the career prospects in the real estate sector, the International Institute of Real Estate Investment and Finance (IIREIF) organised a seminar yesterday at the Mahadevi Institute of Technology, a unit of the MKP College Society in the state capital. The seminar gave a low down to the participants about the career opportunities available in this sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Director, IIREIF, Honey Juneja said real estate sector in India was worth $ 15 billion (US), presently. Education in this sector was significant and relevant, as the sector had of late witnessed a spurt in the demand of industry professionals in this sector.

The aim of IIREIF was therefore to impart practical as well as technical skills to the students to prepare them for this booming sector through a variety of courses customised to the needs of the students and the demands of the industry.

“Apart from this, we aim to promote and enhance the role and reputation of women in the areas of real estate,” he added.

Neha Khatana, Centre Head, IIREIF, informed that education in real estate would cater to professionals like Property Managers, HR Managers, Interior Designers, Financial and Legal advisors, Vastu Experts, Event Managers and Facility Managers.

Real estate sector has witnessed a phenomenal growth in recent years all over the world. It is stated to be the second largest sector in India with 250 industries dependent on it. IIREIF is the only institute in Uttarakhand that is catering to professionals by giving them training and development in this sector.

Dehradun, September 7
For animation aspirants in Dehradun, the Zee Institute of Creative Arts (ZICA) has launched its first franchise in the city here today. The institute aims at facilitating full-fledged Classical and Digital Animation programme. The institute aims at providing students with high-end workstations, e-courseware, well-stocked library, state-of-the-art labs with projection system etc for the benefit of the students.

While addressing media, Atul Sharma, Regional Marketing Manager, Youth, Zee Learn North and East said, “We at Zee Network have already realised North-India as a key market for us due to its strong demographics- a population of over 50 crore and will continue to focus on North-India with more ZICA centres launching for people looking to develop their careers in the creative field”.

“The institute will help in providing practical training in pre-production\visualisation, production and post-production while focusing on the art and design of classical\computer-based animation principles and visual effects,” he added.