USIDC gets new lease of life
Khanduri asks Principal Secy to release funds for corp
Seema Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
The change in power at the top level in the state has brought in a new lease of life to the almost discarded Uttarakhand State Infrastructure Development Corporation (USIDC).

The corporation, which was one of the ambitious projects of BC Khanduri in his previous tenure as CM, was left isolated after Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank took over. But with the return of Khanduri now, the USIDC seemed all prepared to make a strong comeback.

Khanduri recently called a meeting of officials of the USIDC and gave directions to the Principal Secretary to give adequate projects and funds to the USIDC.

Bereft of an independent managing director for a long time, the corporation has raised a demand for it. The corporation has 10 vacant posts of Junior Engineer and five Assistant Engineer.

This corporation, which was floated to replace the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) to handle the mega construction projects up to Rs 800 crore, was reduced to insignificance with Nishank and it had to be satisfied with a funding of mere Rs 20 crore and petty projects.

The hopes revived again in April this year when Chairman PWD, Lalit Mohan, who is also holding additional charge as MD of the USIDC, briefed The Tribune that he had convinced Nishank to fund the USIDC with Rs 100 crore as capital amount and quicken the pace of fund release for fresh projects worth Rs 330 crore.

But his assurance soon began falling flat with the handing over of these projects to the UPRNN. Col Dinesh Chandra, General Manager, said, “Some 12 projects regarding building degree colleges and technical institutions and other projects such as sports stadia at Haldwani and Srinagar, Medical College at Almora, hospital in Nainital, Uttarakhand Bhawan in Mumbai etc were all given to the UPRNN. We were labeled inefficient.”

Corporate adviser HP Vyas said, “All big projects are given to the UPRNN, a working agency of UP which is getting richer by earning 12 per cent on each project, while the state’s own agency, the USIDC, has been devoid of any significant projects”.

The staff-strapped USIDC, which required 187 staffers, was jostling with a weaker strength of 57 employees. It was further shaken with the resignation of 11 officials in the month of May this year. Chandra said he hoped that with the employment of the senior staff and better funding and sufficient projects, the USIDC would be able to prove its effectiveness and competence.

Jan Sena burns effigy of state govt
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
Members of the Uttarakhand Jan Sena took out a march on the Rajpur road and burnt an effigy of the state government here today.

A large number of protesters from across the state gathered to express resentment against the state government. They raised slogans demanding the creation of more job avenues in the state.

They said: “It’s high time that the ruling BJP as well as the Opposition Congress should wake up and do some productive work for the welfare of the state. We demand job preferences for the state’s youth to stop migration of people to other states and for making Gairsain the capital of the state.”

Another rain-fed variety of barley developed
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, September 25
Agriculture scientists at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (Ranichauri Campus), near Chamba in Tehri Garhwal district, have developed another variety of rain-fed barley, locally called "Jau", that is suitable to the hilly region of the state.

The scientists have been successful in developing the new variety called PRB 701, which is capable of adapting to the climate change. This new breed will provide 20 to 25 per cent more yield than the previous varieties.

Around 5 quintals of seed has been provided to the Terai Beej Nigam so that they can pass it to the farmers of the state.

Due to the climate change resulting in low yield, the farmers of the state were desisting from growing barley in the state. The scientists, namely Dr BB Bandopadhyaya, in assistance with Dr VK Yadav from GB Pant Agriculture University (Ranichauri hill campus), after four years of long research were successful in developing this new variety that would be able to re-ignite the interest of farmers in barley cultivation which was otherwise dwindling.

The scientist also claimed that this variety could produce around 20 to 25 quintal per hectare barley in less irrigated land.

When contacted, Dr VK Yadav opined that this variety was much better in comparison to other such variety developed last year, as it was disease resistant and would help the farmers increase the barley yield.

Morcha opposes decision on land sale to outsiders
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
Uttarakhand Rakha Morcha has reacted strongly to the recent Nainital High Court’s decision allowing outsiders to buy more than 250 sq metres of agriculture land in the state.

Addressing a press conference after a morcha meeting in Dehradun, Uttarakhand Rakha Morcha President Lt Gen (retd) TPS Rawat said the state government must move to the Supreme Court and pursue the matter vigorously as the high court decision would put adverse impact on the people of the state. He also accused the state government of being hand-in-glove with real estate developers from outside and thus not pursuing the case properly.

Gen Rawat favoured more stringent laws in the state to check the sale and purchase of land to the outsiders, asserting that such laws were already functional in states like Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim.

He also favoured CBI enquiry into all the scams committed in the state by the present BJP government and the last Congress Government. He said both BJP and Congress in the state were trying to out do each other over the issue of corruption.

Raksha Morcha President said the morch was fast converting itself into a political party and aims to contest a maximum number of assembly seats in the state. He said the morcha wants to come up with a third alternative in the state. He denied having talks with any political groups for an alliance for the forthcoming Assembly Elections in the state.

Rawat denied any possibility of going back into saffron party with BC Khanduri coming to helm of affairs in the state.

Participants given training of screenplay
Tribune News Service

Nainital, September 25
Experts from the world of cinema introduced the participants at a workshop on Understanding Cinema to the streams of sound recording and screenplay writing on Sunday.

The participants were given hands-on training in the art of screenplay writing by Sudarshan Juyal, a passout from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) who has had a vast experience in the making of films.

In the second session, noted sound recordist Ashish Pandya talked about the importance of playing with the sound while making a movie.

In the first session, Juyal underlined that screenplay writing was an intensely clinical form of writing. It was an art wherein the works of literature were presented in the language of cinema.

He went on to explain that it was the aspect of clinical writing that had very often resulted in well-known writers not indulging in the screenplay writing.

The participants came up with a series of story ideas and were told how to convert these ideas into a screenplay. Juyal stated that screenplay scripts were always written in a cocoon and were means to an end which was making a film.

He explained that while writing a screenplay it had to be kept in mind what was the lowest common denominator in terms of viewing the end product. Divulging the techniques of film making, he pointed out that with the change in time and space in a script, the scene in a film also changed.

“A screenplay has a beginning, middle and an end but it does not always have to be in this order,” he said while substantiating his claim by explaining the screenplay of the Bollywood blockbuster “Sholay”.

In the post-lunch session, Pandya went on to explain the various dimensions of sound and its relevance in cinema making. He said, “You have to train your ear to the sounds. Sound is an individual perception.”

He related the difference between noise and sound to the participants and underlined, “One film’s noise can be another film’s sound and vice versa.”

He gave several examples of how sounds were perceived and used in film making. Pandya said the usage of sounds in movies was highly subjective and there was no clear cut well-defined rule for the same.

“You can break the rules but for breaking them you have to know them first,” he said. The participants later tried their hands at making a short film by shooting and editing it.

Cong woos minorities ahead of poll
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
Uttarakhand’s Opposition and senior Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat today said the sole achievement of the BJP government in the state had been the frequent change of Chief Ministers.

Rawat was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a Madarsa building at the Brahmanwala area of Dehradun. The Madarsa is to be constructed at a cost of Rs 9.77 lakh from the discretionary fund of Congress MLA Dinesh Agarwal.

Rawat said while the five years of earlier Congress rule in Uttarakhand saw just one Chief Minister ND Tiwari, the BJP in its six years of rule in the state gave five Chief Ministers. He said the Congress was committed to giving the second Rajbhasa status to Urdu in the state.

He said a recruitment drive to appoint Urdu teachers would be carried out if the Congress assumed power in the state.

Congress Lakshman Chowk MLA Dinesh Agarwal said the Congress had always worked for the betterment of minorities. He said the minorities dominated areas in Dehradun had completely been devoid of development under the BJP rule.

He said the Uttarakhand BJP government did not even spend funds sent by the Centre for the betterment of minorities in the state. He alleged that Muslims had been ignored completely under the BJP rule in the state.

Councillors Abdul Aziz, Allahauddin and Anup Kapoor were present on the occasion.

BJP workers pay tributes to Upadhyay
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, September 25
Rich tributes were paid to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay on his 96th birth anniversary at a function held at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park at Landour Bazar here today.

Mussoorie BJP president Roop Singh Kathait, MC President OP Uniyal, along with other ward members, also remembered the great leader and recalled his sacrifice for a modern and progressive India. The speakers were senior BJP leaders Madan Mohan Sharma, Kushal Singh Rana and Vijay Ramola.

Uniyal said he was a man of towering idealism. He was pragmatic and down to earth and visualised for India a decentralised polity and self-reliant economy with the village as their base. — OC

Punjabi sabha pays tributes to Partition victims
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 25
After 64 years of the Partition of India-Pakistan, a religious event was held today in Haridwar where tributes were paid on Ganga ghats to those killed during the Partition.

Ten lakh ‘joths’ were floated in the holy Ganga river for the peace of the departed souls.

This event was organised by the Uttaranchal Punjabi Mahasabha in which tens of thousands of people from the families of those killed in the Partition violence came from different parts of the country and even from the UK, the USA and Canada.

Lighted ‘joths’ were floated at the Brahamkund, Har-Ki-Pauri. The function began at 4 am with the Sukhmani Sahib recitation being followed by the Ganga Aarti at Har-Ki-Pauri.

Simultaneously, 108 hawan kunds were made where yajna were performed amid chanting of vedic mantras praying for the peace of the 1947 Partition victims.

Following this, an ardaas was performed which was attended in a large number by people and then “pind daan” rites were held.

Dr Sunil Kumar Batra of the Punjabi Mahasabha informed The Tribune that people, particularly hailing from the Punjabi community, participated making it a Punjabi Mahakumbh.

The mass participation by family members of those killed highlighted the fact that still the affected families and the nation hasn’t forgotten the martyrs, Subash Kohli, chief of the Mahasabha, added.

Revered religious guru Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Hansvedacharya Maharaj and Swami Harichetanand was at the helm of affairs in today’s event and also lighted ‘Shahidi joth’.

Ticket sought for Punjabis in election
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
A delegation of Punjabi Sangathan met Congress leader Panchual Madan in the city today and urged for tickets to Punjabi candidates in the coming Assembly Election.

Vijay Bagga, city president, Punjabi Sangathan, said the Punjabi community in the city comprised of 30 to 35 per cent of the total population and deserved to get fair representation. In the last election, he said, they had helped him in registering a victory.

Madan assured them of discussing the issue with the Congress High Command and appealed to them to give full mandate to the Congress.

The members in the delegation included Shaili Kapoor, Dr Manmohan Singh, Devender Sethi, Jitender Taneja and Devender Kaur.

Sankalp society starts nursery for kids
Tribune News Service

Dehradun September 25
Sankalp Educational and Welfare Society started a free plant nursery for children in Sunderwala village today. The state agriculture minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, inaugurated the nursery.

Rawat said: ”Establishment of such a nursery will generate love towards plants and trees in children which will be beneficial for conservation of environment.”

On this occasion, eminent social worker and president of Sankalp, Ravi Singh Negi, said the purpose of the nursery is to educate children about different variety of plants and trees and their utility in the life of human beings. He explained to children about the growing of plants in small spaces. He also elaborated on how waste tea glasses and other small pots thrown could be utilised in plantation.

The General Secretary of Sankalp, Anita Negi said: “Our society has provided free of cost space to establish the nursery. We provide training to the children to look after the plants under a trainer, once a week.”Ashok Vardhan and Chetan Singh Negi conducted the programme.

Mohan Singh Chauhan, Matbar Singh Bisht, Devender Pundir, Mahesh Rauthan, Dineshwari Negi, Sheela Kumari, Yashpal Shrama, Prem Singh Panwar, Babita and Kapil Borah were present on the occasion.

Eye camp concludes

Dehradun, September 25
The Doon Sikh Welfare Society concluded its five day Free Eye Relief Camp at Guru Nanak Niwas in the city today.

Out of 965 patients, 98 were operated at the Singh High Clinic by Dr RN Singh and Dr Amit Singh and 750 specs were distributed.

JS Jassal, secretary, said the organisation had been holding these camps annually for the last 30 years.

An awareness camp was also held at various places so that the patients with related problems could get treatment.

The awareness camp for this year was held at Doiwala on September 18. Dr S Farooq, social worker, and Rajinder Singh Ji Rajan, president, Gurudwara Shri Singh Sabha,were present on the occasion. — TNS

Contractor found murdered
Four youths taken into custody
Tribune News Service

Nainital, September 25
The town of Haldwani has been rocked by yet another murder. This time the victim has been a youth working as a contractor. His body was found on Saturday lying on a railway track.

The deceased has been identified as 28-year-old Imran Khan.

His body was dumped on the railway track by his assailants to present the murder as an accident or an attempted suicide. He had been shot on Friday night. Despite the Ranikhet Express having run over the body, there was no damage to the corpse as it lay right between the two tracks.

It is learnt that Imran was working as a contractor on the licence that had been issued years ago in the name of his grandfather. A resident of the Vanbhoolpura locality, he was also into the business of quarrying in the Gaula riverbed. Ironically, his father Middu Khan, who is learnt to have been a history-sheeter, had also been shot dead 14 years ago.

Imran had gone for a gathering on Friday night and had come back from the mosque saying that he was going home to sleep. His body was discovered on Saturday by his neighbours Shadab and Salman.

Sources say he had been shot at close range from behind on his back. An iron rod was found near the body. The last phone call received by the deceased had been on late Friday night from a friend.

The police is learnt to have taken four youngsters into custody for questioning. It is being assumed that the person responsible for his murder was well known to him. The police is also not ruling out the possible involvement of a woman in the incident.

Imran was known as a lively person in his locality. He had a passion for kite flying and was amongst the best in the art in Haldwani. The police is confident of working out the case soon.

Woman, ‘lover’ arrested for husband’s murder
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, September 25
The revenue police of Pithoragarh district today arrested a woman with her alleged lover in connection with the murder of her husband four days ago. The body of her husband was recovered today at Toli village in Pithoragarh.

“The murder which took place four days ago but came to light following the recovery of the body of Shamsher Singh (30) in a decomposed condition from forest near the village,” said Naresh Durgapal, tehsildar of the subdivision. The arrests took place following an FIR lodged by Ishwari Devi, sister of the deceased, said the tehsildar.

According to revenue police officials, Virendra Singh (26) had an illicit relation with Hema Devi (24) wife of Shamsher Singh. When Shamsher Singh objected to the relationship, the duo decided to kill him.

On the fateful night of September 20, when Shamsher Singh was fast asleep, he was done to death with sharp-edged weapons. His body was thrown in a nearby forest.

The revenue police, which recovered the body from the forest, sent it for post-mortem examination. The body was later handed over to the relatives of the deceased.

“We could take action only when the sister of the deceased came forward to lodge the FIR today,” said the tehsildar.

One more held for blast in jailer’s car
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
Uttarakhand police today claimed nabbing the third accused involved in the attempt of planting a bomb in the car of deceased Narinder Singh Thapa, Deputy Jailer, Roorkee, who was subsequently shot dead on September 12 by some miscreants.

The alleged accused, Sonu, was arrested from the local taxi stand.

Haridwar district police sources revealed that Sonu has confessed to his crime of keeping a bomb under the car of the victim along with Anubhav and Mohit in which the victim had, however, escaped unhurt.

In his statement to police the accused Sonu said that he, along with Anubhav and Vashisht, had visited Roorkee on August 30 and the two met Mohit outside the premises of prison where they planted a country made bomb under the car of the deputy jailer.

Meanwhile, the police, after making several arrests, is now searching for Yogesh and others who are involved in the murder subsequently, but were still absconding.

Stadium Club win
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
The district level baseball championship being organised by the district sports office commenced here today at the Parade ground.

In men’s open category, Stadium Club got the better of Tiger Club 4-2 while Dehradun Club defeated VV Club 9-2 in under-19 boys event.

Swedish coach hones skills of Indian TT players
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
Ahead of the Indian Junior and Cadet Open - International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Premium Junior Circuit, the Indian junior and cadet players today began a three-day practice camp at the ice-skating rink here.

The players are training under the watchful eyes of an experienced Swedish coach, Eric Lindh. The panel coach of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is training the players under a development programme of the federation.

Lindh, a three-time world TT champion, said the players must practise with full concentration. He instructed the players to consider every ball during practice as the last ball of the final game to become a winner.

Lindh, who has also to his credit a bronze medal in Olympics and eight titles of different European championships, has been the coach of the senior national Sweden team five times. The major breakthrough in his life was in 1989 when the Swedish team under him for the first time beat China who had been the number one side for many years.

“That win instilled confidence not only in the Swedish players but also the players of the other countries that China can be beaten in table tennis,” the coach said while talking to The Tribune at the rink.

About the Indian players, whom he will train for three days, he said: “I have not got much time to interact with the players of the Indian team since it is just the first day. I have certain things in my mind and will focus on strengthening their skills,” he added.

The players are attending the camp for the World Ranking Tournament, which will be held in two different categories (under-18) and (under-15) for boys and girls in singles and doubles from September 28 to October 2, 2011, here.

Dhanraj Chaudhary, Secretary-General, TTFI, said the teams of at least 15 countries are expected to participate in the event.

The event will be preceded by a training camp for the participants from all the countries. The camp, to be held from September 25 to 27, will be conducted by Polish coach Leszek Kucharski.

IPSC squash tourney starts today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 25
The annual Indian Public School Council (IPSC) Squash Championship will start at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) here from September 26. The three-day event will feature the nine best teams from all over the country. The event will culminate with the finals on September 28.

The participating teams are as follows: Mayo Boys’ School, Ajmer, The Doon School, Dehradun, Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun, Scindia Boys’ School, Gwalior, Lawrence School, Sanawar, Sainik School, Tilaiya, Lovedale School, Ooty, RIMC, Dehradun, and Yadvindra Public School, Patiala.