Dehradun, April 1
The foundation stone-laying ceremony of a new Muslim graveyard by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) was marred by an attempt to erect a temple on the allotted land by some local residents.

Tension gripped the area, but somehow, the ceremony on the 15 bighas for maintaining a graveyard at Lohiya Nagar was laid by the Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli here today.

The ceremony also witnessed a disruption by the residents of the locality who had affixed a board of a Sai temple on the allotted land, claiming it to be their property.

The population of the locality objected to a Muslim graveyard within their periphery.

The authorities were under stress since the morning due to the prevailing tension and sought legal assistance from the Dehradun Municipal Corporation.

After getting details of the problem that had aggravated after the erection of a temple overnight on the allotted land, Vinod Chamoli surveyed the area and tried to pacify both the parties.

He pacified the persons opposed to the graveyard by ordering a separate entrance to it from the Shimla Bypass.

Later, the MC officials removed the board of the temple and also demolished the temple structure.

Mohammad Ahmad Qasmi, Shahar Qazi Masjid, Paltan Bazar, expressed gratitude to the corporation for allotting land for the graveyard.

Addressing the media, Chamoli said, “It was the decision of the entire board of the Municipal Corporation to allot land for the graveyard. But the project has seen many hindrances since it began till its foundation stone-laying ceremony today.”

Chamoli announced a grant of Rs 40 lakh for constructing the boundary wall and beautification of the Muslim graveyard.

He also granted four bighas of land for a graveyard for children at Brahmanwala and made a grant of Rs 10 lakh each for the maintenance of crematoriums at Lakhibaagh, Nalapani and Chandrabani.

Dehradun, April 1
Two persons were injured in leopard attack at Clement Town on the outskirts of Dehradun. The injured leopard was hiding inside a big concrete pipe, when some villagers came across the beast.

The irritated leopard subsequently attacked local villager Puran Das and forest guards, who reached the site. Forest guard Faiz Ahmed was injured in the incident.

According to Sub-Divisional Forest Officer, Dehradun, Jagdish Singh Rawat, the injured leopard was hiding inside the concrete pipe near Dakota Pump House in Clement Town for past few days. He said the leopard who looked disturbed by cries of villagers attacked them injuring a villager in process and also a forest guard subsequently.

Dehradun, April 1
The Uttarakhand Government has retained Brijendra Singh as honorary Wildlife Warden of the tiger-famous Jim Corbett National Park.

The Uttarakhand Governor, exercising the special powers bestowed on it under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, 2006 amendment, has re-appointed Brijendra Singh honorary Wildlife Warden of the tiger reserve for one year.

A member of the National Wildlife Board, Brijendra Singh has successfully served the Corbett as its Honorary Wildlife Warden for the past many decades. He now shares the honour with Indian cricket team skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was appointed Honorary Wildlife Warden of the Corbett in September, 2010, by the Uttarakhand Government.

Haridwar, April 1
The holy city has found a sweet way to get into the mood for the World Cup cricket final tomorrow - with Sachin burfis and Bhajji laddoos. The Brijwasi sweet shop at the Chandracharya Chowk on the BHEL Road here has come up with these goodies along with Sachin-Dhoni bats made of pure desi ghee.

And the rush at the shop has to be seen to be believed. Some overenthusiastic fans have placed orders that need to be delivered before the mega final while more circumspect fans have decided to wait till the last ball is bowled to consume the tailor-made sweetmeats.

The Sachin-Dhoni bat made of ‘mawa’ has found its match in the cricket ball-shaped Bhajji laddoo.

Uday Ram Semwal of Brijwasi Sweets said that this was his way of adding to the World Cup frenzy.

“This is Sachin Tendulkar’s last World Cup. A burfi dedicated to the legendary batsmen, who was the highest scorer in 1996 and 2003 World Cups, is a fitting tribute to him. I pray that he gets to repeat the feat in this edition too,” said Semwal.

He also announced free distribution of desi ghee laddoos if India clinch the coveted title.

The workers at the shop are working night and day to complete the orders. The sales personnel have applied tricolour paint on their faces in keeping with the mood.

Cricket fan Neetu Singh, a bank employee, after tasting the sweets said, “Sachin’s name on this burfi has rendered it more sweet. I will be distributing it in the entire office if India win.”

Dehradun, April 1
Campaign spearheaded by Vice-President, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), Raghunath Singh Negi against those managers/supervisors who are suspected to be minting money by diverting tourists to their own parallel tourist houses has shaken these office bearers from slumber.

The managers/supervisors association has expressed strong reservation, urging Negi to target only those whom he considered guilty and not drag those who had nothing to do with the issue.

Dehradun, April1
Under the aegis of the St Joseph’s Academy Alumnus Association, the Parents Association of St Joseph’s Academy expressed their views in the ongoing controversy surrounding the sale of books and dresses on the school premises here today.

Coordinator of the association Radhika Dawar said, “We are absolutely comfortable with the books and uniform stalls on the school premises as it is very convenient for us to seek textbooks, along with the notebooks, from one place. I save time and the books are neatly arranged”.

“We also do not want any involvement of organisations from outside, as we are capable of dealing with our problems ourselves,” she said.

Coordinator, SJA Alumnus, Rajeev Sachar said the school was not compelling parents to purchase stationery from the authorised bookstalls and uniform stores, but it was only for the convenience of the parents.

Dehradun, April1
Prof William Sax, renowned anthropologist from University of Heidelberg, Germany, has called for the preservation and documentation of the oral folk traditions of Uttarakhand.

Addressing students and faculty members at the Doon University here today, he said that efforts in this regard should be made by the government as well as NGOs.

“Universities should also play a role in preserving the culture of the state,” he said. “Folk artistes, who know epics by heart, are not being looked after. Their children have been losing interest in oral traditions. This poses a danger to the survival of these traditions.”

“If the government gives help and honour to these bards, their children will be encouraged to preserve the traditions,” he said. He was delivering a special lecture on the “Concept of Folk in Uttarakhand” at the university.

Prof Sax said the state government should introduce the study of the state’s folk culture at the school level. “Besides reading about Shivaji, students should also read about Malu Shahi and other ballads of the region,” he said.

He suggested that the Doon University could set up a centre which would coordinate research work on Uttarakhand’s folk culture. Sax said that the oral traditions of the region had a lot of linguistic diversity and gave insights into the ethos of Uttarakhand.

“They should also be studied for their aesthetic value. They take us into a different world,” he said. He said that thought should be given to endangered cultures and endangered languages besides endangered animal and plant species. Research on folklore should be done in an academic setting and should be inter-disciplinary.”

Sax said that the culture of Uttarakhand did not stop at political borders, but shared a lot with the cultures of its neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh. “It is difficult to limit the culture of Uttarakhand.”

He said that the culture of the Tons Valley in Uttarakhand was quite similar to neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. “But there are many differences between the cultures of Garhwal and Kumaon,” he added.

Prof Sax has worked in Garhwal for more than 30 years and his work has been mainly concerned with popular religious practices, music, dance and drama. He has worked extensively on the Nanda Devi Raj Jaat.

Doon University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Girijesh Pant said that students of every discipline should study the cultural construct of the state through their own subjects. “Your own subject should be the entry point to your study of your culture.”

Sax concluded that though many historians had written on Uttarakhand, enough work had not yet been done on the history and culture of the state. “A lot of the state’s treasure remains to be unearthed,” he said.

Dehradun, April 1
Doon Star and Balaji Boys today entered the final of the Vir Singh Memorial Football Tournament being played at OFD Grounds here.

In the first semifinal, Doon Star defeated Sunderwala Boys 2-0. Dhiru of Doon Star gave the lead to his team by scoring a goal in the 7th minute. Later, Gajender scored the second goal to seal the fate of the Sunderwala Boys.

In the second semifinal, Balaji Boys defeated Akranta by a solitary goal. In a fast-paced match, it was Sagar Bhandari of Balaji Boys who scored the winner in the 40th minute.

The third-place playoff will be held tomorrow and the final will be played on Sunday.

Dehradun, April 1
Security Red and Central Store today won their matches in the ONGC Inter-Departmental Football Tournament being played at the ONGC grounds here. In the first match, Security Red defeated Technical Services 3-0. PK Mamgain scored the first goal in the sixth minute while BS Raseela scored two goals - in the 15th and 38th minutes.

In the second match, Central Store beat Infocom Services A by a solitary goal. SS Bisht scored the winner in the 25th minute.

The third match between Evergreen and Infocom B ended as a goalless draw.

Players in action during a match in the ONGC Inter-Departmental Football Tournament in Dehradun on Friday. A Tribune photograph