Dehradun, October 29
Five volunteers of the IIT, Roorkee, under the core team of the Thomso 2010 annual cultural festival have been removed from the organising committee over the misconduct of an informal event. The second day of the Thomso 2010 started off in a cloud of controversy as a competition late yesterday evening stirred up dissension and condemnation from all quarters of the city and the IIT administration. Local news channels aired the controversial episode.

“The students have been identified and a five-member panel has been set up to enquire into the episode at the earliest and come out with their report,” said NK Goel, Dean, Students Welfare, IIT-Roorkee. He added: “Strict disciplinary action will be taken against the defaulters who have overstepped the well laid down standing orders and code of conduct for them”.

He stated he condemned this act of indecent behaviour in an informal event which brought disrepute to the IIT, Roorkee, and saud henceforth the institute would assure a smooth conduct of the remaining events. Dean NK Goel blamed the electronic media for sensitising the issue without speaking to the IIT, Roorkee, authorities or organisers of Thomso.

The IIT administration must learn a lesson from this and henceforth should have knowledge about all the events being conducted under all categories of the cultural festival. To some extent the institution is to be blamed for a lack of supervision and for giving a loose rope to the students.

The controversy broke out when in an informal event a boy was asked to hold a lipstick in between his teeth and apply it on lips of his girl partner. “We are not here to create a controversy and vulgarity was the last thing on our minds. We are here to participate. I was shocked when my mother called me up and mentioned that certain electronic channel are showcasing your event under the caption of vulgarity,” said Mamta (name changed) of the Bharat Institute of Technology, Meerut.

Mamta and her partner say they were asked to come and do the act which they both did sportingly as they took it as an fun game and were told that there was an amazing surprise gift but at the end they were shocked at the negative hype it generated. She added: “There were many such performers who had participated but we both have the unlucky ones who have been flashed on almost all national news channels”.

Speaking exclusively to The Tribune over the phone, the mother of the girl said: “I have full faith in my daughter but the electronic media has been unfair in showing the event as vulgar which also defames the world wide reputed of the IIT, Roorkee.

Members of the ABVP burned effigies of the Director and Dean of the IIT outside the main gate and condemned the act as a shameful and disrespectful to the rich cultural heritage of India.

Several political parties have also condemned the episode as a shameful act while the Shiv Sena has also asked the administration to intervene and initiate disciplinary action against the defaulters.

Kamlesh Singal, vice-president, State Women Commission, stated this particular incidents was an act of carelessness on the part of the IIT administration where the students were coming to grab knowledge not vulgarity. “The commission soon will be writing a letter to the MHRD for a strict action against Director SC Saxena, IIT, Roorke,” she said during an press conference this evening.

Dehradun, October 29
Even though succumbing under pressure from the BJP workers and traders, the city cops here agreed to carry its anti-encroachment drive in the Paltan Bazar only after Diwali even as the city’s main market continues to present a sorry picture.

The footpaths and the roads at the Paltan Bazar full of encroachment make the shoppers jostle others while walking here as very less space remains for moving due to the encroachments.

Whether its fadhiwalas, rehriwalas or shopkeepers all encroach the land to make umpteen profits to outdo their rival neighbours. Thus, the market and the roads present sorry state of affairs in the state capital’s main market.

Not only walking, but it also becomes dangerous for general public with security point of view. Besides, always being vulnerable to stampedes it is dangerous, particularly in the festive season considering huge rush of people as the police fails to effectively keep an eye on anti-social elements and keep checks on them.

Incidents of chain snatching and thefts have several times been reported from the part of the market. Most of the purse-missing incidents even go unreported to the police. All this factors have not drawn attention of the shopkeepers but only the profit earned.

The traders created ruckus at the market to protest against the police’s anti-encroachment drive here yesterday. They exchanged heated arguments and scuffles with the cops. The traders, along with the BJP workers, had stopped the car of acting SP (City), Ajay Joshi, and had demanded suspension of Kotwali Station House Officer Kailash Panwar under whose jurisdiction this market falls.

But SSP Ganesh Singh Martolia had turned their demand of suspension of the SHO, but later agreed to stop the drive and carry it only after Diwali.

Refuting that the police stopped its drive due any pressure, the acting SP said, “We were told that they are given permission every year to extend their shop for some days ahead of Diwali. “Thus, we decided to discontinue our drive and decided to carry it after Diwali as this is the Municipal Corporation’s drive and our job is just to assist them” he added.

Nainital, October 29
The Second Nainital Film Festival opened here today amid flowing tributes to the two cultural icons Girish Tiwari, who is fondly remembered as Girda, and Nirmal Pandey, who spent a major span of their lives in the Lake City and were snatched by death this year.

While Pandey had gone on to make a name for himself in Bollywood giving acclaimed performances in movies like “The Bandit Queen”, “Is Raat ki Subah Nahin”, “Godmother” and “Daayra”, Girda had stuck to his roots trying to shake the common man out of stupor and fight for his rights till the day he was alive.

After the formal inauguration of the event, the screenings began with two small films made on the two local icons by Pradeep Pande. The first one was on Girda and has been duly named as “Mujhe Pehchanana Tum”. It talks about the multi-faceted personality that was Girda. It has excerpts of Girda rendering the poetry penned by him over the years. It also reflects what the poet had to say about the new state that was to be formed as Girda fought for it in the decade of the 90s.

The movie also has Girda’s viewpoints on issues like education and the policy that is required to take Uttarakhand forward. Girda had died a disillusioned man as his dreams of Uttarakhand being a people’s state with their welfare at its core lay shattered.

The second movie on Nirmal Pandey aptly named as “Kidhar Se Aaya Kahan Gaya Wo” is also directed by Pradeep Pandey. It talks about Nirmal’s journey from a schoolboy in the small town of Nainital to the fame that filmdom has to offer. The movie shows how Nirmal was attracted towards theatre amidst an upbringing in an ordinary middle class house hold and how he went on to struggle hard to get his due in Bollywood.

A few people are aware of the fact that he had chucked a government job to pursue his passion. There is another film on Girda that is scheduled to be screened during the festival. It is directed by Mohan Joshi and Pradeep Das. It revolves around the presence of Girda at the first film festival held here last year and carries his views on organising of such events and their relevance in the contemporary world that is high individualistic and market driven.

The opening session of the festival was marked by honouring of artists B Mohan Joshi and Prayag Joshi who hail from this region. While Negi has made a mark for himself in sketching, Joshi has excelled as a writer. A souvenir was also released on the occasion that mainly contains write-ups on Nirmal and Girda.

The highlight of the evening was the scheduled screening of Bela Negi’s film “Daayen ya Baayen”. Negi belongs to Nainital and this is her first feature film which has the life of Uttarakhand at its core. Most of the actors are from Uttarakhand. Incidentally the movie was released on Friday. Bela was also scheduled to give a talk later in the evening.

Haridwar, October 29
Though the state government while further derailing the scheduled zila panchayat elections in the district had stated that these panchyats official working would not get hampered with the appointment of the assistant development officers (ADO) as administrators for the 302 gram panchayats, the very village heads are not happy with the decision.

Terming it a sheer violation of the principles of the Panchayti Raj, the village heads coming under one banner have demanded of appointing of them as the panchayat administrators instead of the ADOs.

Citing example of the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, wherein the Mayawati government had appointed the village pradhans as the administrators for the meantime till election dates were declared, pradhans have lashed at the Uttarakhand government for not looking into the daily problems the villagers have to face due to the decision.

In this regard hundreds of village heads under the Pradhan Sangthan protested at Roshanabad-situated District Magistrate Office demanding of their appointment as administrator and warned of intense agitation if the state government doesn’t retract from it’s decision.

Notably, a total of 302 gram panchayats fall under the Haridwar district are not happy with the current term of the panchayat’s ending on October 20, but Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank citing the delay in process of reservation of seats postponed the panchayat elections with the appointment of the administrative officials as administrators of the panchayats.

Speaking to The Tribune, state in charge of the sangthan Rao Affaq Ali said villagers were quite in problem owing to the state government’s decision.

“First they delayed the reservation process themselves with later citing the delay as the reason behind the postponement of the elections and now they have appointed administrative officials as administrators which is totally wrong. People had voted us and we better know the problems of our area and people, not those sitting in posh offices,” said Ali.

While state spokesman Mool Chand Sirshwal termed it a blow on the very ideals and principles that were kept in mind during the panchayat idea was conceptualised. Sirshwal cited various problems villagers are having due to the government’s decision in seeking issuance of certificates like residential, income, caste and character which village heads issue via the gram panchayat authority.

A memorandum has also been forwarded to Nishank in this regard.

Dehradun, October 29
Uttarakhand Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning Prakash Pant said today that even a simple scientific intervention, if explained to the people, could go a long way in reducing perplexity.

“The parents and teachers should develop scientific temper among the children so that they could think and perform better in life,” he mentioned, while inaugurating a four-days workshop on “Empowerment of Science Communicators, Writers, Journalists” today.

The workshop is being organised by the Lokhit Foundation in association with the Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad (RVPSP), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Calling upon the youth, for taking science communication in a big way to make the nation stronger, Pant said: “By telling small but important scientific things in a simple way reduces the confusion and drudgery amongst the deprived masses and women”.

Fortythree girls and boys from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra will be undergoing the training.

Dr Kamal Kant Dwivedi, Adviser and Head of the RVPSP, expected the trainees to make it a mission for communicating science and technology in layman’s language so as to stimulate scientific and technological temper.

“I want the science communicators and journalists to create excitement concerning advances in science and technology,” he said.

Dr Rajendra Dobhal, Director, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, felt that dissemination of scientific knowledge was the need of the hour to develop an informed manpower vital for a nation aspiring to be a global superpower in the near future.

Padma Shri recipient Avdhash Kaushal anticipated that such workshops are essential for resolving day-to-day local problems. “Scientific temperament and social debates play an important role in a disaster-prone state like Uttarakhand,” he mentioned.

Anand Sharma, Director, Meteorological Centre, Indian Meteorological Department Ministry of Earth Sciences, who is also one of the key speakers of the workshop, shared his views on how to involve community through interesting science writing and how to effectively communicate major scientific and environmental issues.

Pitthoragarh, October 29
Fifteen students from the folk singer community of Kumoan are getting training of classical in recital of folk musical instrument and singing under the “guru-shishya parampra” from noted folk singer Kabutari Devi in a camp organised by the Department of Culture that began on October 24.

“The programme started by the department to promote the folk arts, which are in the verge of defunct in the state, has been organised in six districts of the state at first stage which is likely to be extended in all belts of folk tradition if the first stage gets proper acceptance,” said DN Tiwari organiser of the programme and in charge of the state museum, Pitthoragarh.

According to the programme, each master has been appointed by the department for six months to provide training in concerning folk art to the new generation and will be given two assistants to play instruments under good honorarium.

“For Pitthoragarh district, Kabutari Devi, noted folk singer of yester years, has been selected to provide training in folk singing to the youths,” said Tiwari, adding that the programme had to be started from August 24 but due to the illness of Kabutari Devi it could actually started from October 24.

Nainital, October 29
The annual plan to the tune of Rs 35.10 crore for the next financial year for Nainital district has been approved.

The approval came at a meeting of the District Planning Committee at Haldwani chaired by Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik here yesterday. Out of the approved sum, Rs 7.23 crore has been earmarked for the Public Works Department, Rs 3 crore for the Jal Sansthan, Rs 5.56 crore for the Payjal Nigam, Rs 1.58 crore for health and Rs 2.40 crore for irrigation projects.

Upon asking the officials to derive benefits out of the government schemes for the last person, Kaushik said more than 70 per cent of the funds allocated for the plan for the current financial year had been utilised which was an achievement.

“Keeping in mind the recent disaster that has hit the region, the officials need to work with greater commitment and dedication,” Kaushik added.

Transport Minister Bansidhar Bhagat said priority would be given to those schemes, after due consultation with public representatives, which had the potential to benefit the masses.

Almora, October 29
District Magistrate Subardhan has asked the authorities managing the 108 Emergency Response Service in the district to ensure that the patients referred to bigger hospitals in Haldwani and further are transported there. He said no prior sanction was required to transport such patients whose life was at stake.

He was addressing officials of the Health Department in connection with the management of the 108 Service in Almora district.

He gave similar orders to the employees of the Health Department also. Subardhan suggested to the 108 Service authorities that they must inform the doctor concerned in the hospital about the condition of the patient that they were transporting so that the hospital staff was ready to handle the case and there was no loss of time. He asked the District Health Officer to ensure that important telephone numbers were pasted on all 108 Service ambulances across the district. He also called for submission of proposals for a 108 Ambulance for Bhatraujkhan, Manila, Bhanauli and Dhauladevi.

Dehradun, October 29
Ramon Magsaysay recipient and Padam Vibhushan Chandi Prasad Bhatt has sought a multi-disciplinary body for carrying out studies of the Himalayan glaciers even as he called for inclusion of all levels of glacial bodies and their extensions into such studies.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, eminent environmentalist Bhatt said the Union Environment and Forest Minister had decided to come up with a glaciology centre in Dehradun, thus it was all important that such a centre should be multi-disciplinary that looked into all aspects of glaciers and other factors linked to it.

He also referred to eco development commission pointing out that the Union Planning Commission in 1982 had constituted a task force headed by Dr MS Swaminathan had recommended for the constitution of eco development commission under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

“But the eco development commission still looks to be a far cry and needed to be constituted urgently for the environment-centric development and policy formulation,” Bhatt argued.

The proper dissemination of information emanating from the glaciology centre was also emphaisised upon by Bhatt, who said a need for a separate cell in the centre that would be ensured that inferences from the centre reach the masses.

Bhatt yet again expressed the concern over receding glaciers asserting that falling volume of the Himalayan rivers followed by a change in course of rivers, all attributed to recession being experienced by the Himalayan glaciers.

Bhatt was awarded Ramon Magsaysay prize in 1982 for leading the movement on tree conservation in the Himalayas. He has also been bestowed with coveted Padam Shri followed by Padam Vibhushan by the union government.

Mussoorie, October 29
Sufi mystic Baba Bulle Shah was fondly remembered by devotees of all faiths at the symbolic tomb situated at the Tehri Bypass in Mussoorie on the occasion of Urs or death anniversary of the much-revered saint of all times.

The ceremony began with the offering of a “chaddar” at his tomb as a mark of gratitude and to seek blessings. Qawwals enthralled the audience with their melodious voice and sang favourite verses of Baba Bulle Shah communicating the message of unity and spiritual oneness, the basis of Sufi teaching.

A langar contributed by residents of town was distributed during the Urs festival. Many dignitaries from the political field like Mussoorie MLA Jot Singh Gunsola, Palika President OP Uniyal, former Palika President Manmohan Singh Mall and others were present on the occasion.

According to committee vice-president Harbhajan Thakral, Baba Bulle Shah was born around 1689 in a small village of Uch Bahawalpur, Punjab, now in Pakistan, and his ancestors had migrated from Bukhara, now in Uzbekistan. He died in 1758 and his tomb is located in Kasur, Pakistan.

Bulle Shah’s poetry and philosophy strongly criticised Islamic religious orthodoxy of his day. He maintained that violence was not the answer to violence. Thakral further said preachings of the great seer were much needed in the society today.

Baba Bulle Shah’s tomb plays an important role in preserving the secular fabric and peace in the town.