Doon to have international cricket stadium
CM lays foundations of ground and mega sports complex at Maharana Pratap Sports College complex at Raipur
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
With the laying of foundation stones of Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and mega sports complex at Maharana Pratap Sports College complex at Raipur here today, Dehradun is all set to be on the international cricket map.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, speaking on the occasion, after laying the foundation stone, hoped that the stadium would bring Dehradun on the international cricket map and added that the shortage of money would not be a hurdle in the completion of the Rajiv Gandhi stadium and mega sports complex.

He said adventure sports activities would also be encouraged and spoke about the inauguration of the Adventure Sports Academy at Tehri lake which is being set up at a cost of Rs.20 crore.

He further said Uttarakhand had given many sportpersons to the country and his government would do everything to encourage and honour the deserving sportpersons. He said Unmukt Chand, Captain of the Indian Cricket (under-19) team would be given a cheque for Rs 11 lakh by the state government.

Bahuguna stated that Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and mega sports complex would be constructed as per international norms. The stadium and sports complex would be built in 23 acres. The Oil and Natural gas Coporation (ONGC) has already given Rs 50 crore for the purpose to the state government.

The Chief Minister hoped that the ONGC would further help the state government in its endeavour to encourage sports and sportpersons.

Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, who is also Commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was also present on the occasion.

He said the international-level cricket stadium would give a boost to sports as well as tourism in the state. He assured the state all help from the Union Government for the construction of the stadium and mega sports complex.

He also announced that international cricket test matches and IPL matches would be played once the stadium was complete.

Uttarakhand Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal, Revenue Minister and state Congress chief Yashpal Arya, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay, ONGC chief managing director (CMD) Sudhir Vasudeva, Rajkumar, Umesh Sharma, Subodh Uniyal, Kanwar Parnav Champion, all legislators, were also present on the occasion.

Rajeev Shukla expresses inability to give BCCI affiliation to state cricket association
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Chairman of Indian Premier League (IPL) Rajeev Shukla has yet again disappointed cricket enthusiasts of Uttarakhand by expressing his inability to resolve the long-drawn issue of providing affiliation to a cricket association in the state.

Shukla, who was in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun today to lay the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium, again put the blame for state cricket association affiliation delay on the association itself, asserting that there were several cricket associations seeking affiliation, which was the reason behind the delay, and it was wrong to put blame on BCCI for it.

"There is no delay on BCCI's part. If all the cricket associations in Uttarakhand, who are claiming affiliation with BCCI, come together and come up with one joint body, the affiliation issue will be solved at that very moment," Shukla said. He said the various cricket associations in Uttarakhand were themselves to blame for the delay.

Rajeev Shukla said he was nevertheless still hopeful of a solution and hoped for unity among various cricket associations of Uttarakhand. He, however, pointed out that cricket in Uttarakhand would not suffer due to this affiliation delay as talent in the state can for go for national trials, representing Uttar Pradesh as the region is still governed by the UP association.

Interestingly, despite passage of 12 years since the formation of Uttarakhand, a cricket association in the state is still to get a BCCI affiliation. The delay in affiliation has been adversely affecting the promotion of cricket in the state and more importantly hurting the chances of promising cricketers of Uttarakhand to go higher up in ladder to national-level cricket. Many of Uttarakhand cricket players presently have to go to other states for better prospects in the game of cricket.

Significantly, this is the third time in recent years that Rajeev Shukla has tried to maintain a distance from the issue of BCCI affiliation of a cricket association from Uttarakhand. He had recently come to Uttarakhand during election campaigning for the recent Assembly elections in the state, where, in one of the press conferences, he had again put the onus for delay in affiliation on various cricket associations calling for unity.

Few years back, he was also the chief guest at a cricket tournament at Rangers College ground, Dehradun. There, too, he had hoped for an early BCCI affiliation for a cricket association from Uttarakhand. But Senior BCCI official Rajeev Shukla so far has failed to show his sincerity towards the cause of cricket in Uttarakhand, and it seems that affiliation issue may linger on for years and the state government now needs to take up the matter at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Javed Butt, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Youth Twenty-20 Cricket Association, presented a memorandum to Rajeev Shukla, demanding affiliation to Uttarakhand in the BCCI in the interest of the young cricket players of the state. Javed Butt requested Rajeev Shukla to use the powers of BCCI to have an association of the state so that the pain of the cricket players who have felt cheated for the past 12 years could be addressed.

Former hockey Olympian Hardyal honoured
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
The Uttarakhand government today honoured former hockey Olympian Hardyal and presented him a cheque for Rs 5 lakh for lifetime achievement. Hardyal (81) was honoured during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the cricket stadium and the sports complex at Raipur here.

Hardayal was a member of the Indian Olympic hockey team of 1956 that won the gold medal in Melbourne. He had been the chief coach of the Indian junior and senior hockey teams in the past.

The Sports and Youth Welfare Department also presented a cheque for Rs 4.07 lakh to the Chief Minister towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on the occasion.

Mild tremor in Munisiyari
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
A tremor of measuring 3 on the Richter scale hit parts of Munisiyari in Pithoragarh district today. The tremor lasting a few seconds occurred at 12.16 am in the border areas of Munsiyari, Meteorology office Director Anand Sharma said. The epicentre of the earthquake was located 30.2 degree North and 80.1 degree east, Anand Sharma said.

Due to tectonic movements, slight intensity quakes were frequent in Uttarakhand, parts of which fell into seismic zones IV and V, he said. A 2.5 magnitude tremor had hit Uttarkashi district in the state recently.

Corbett, Rajaji parks opened for tourists
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
Tiger famous Corbett and elephant famous Rajaji National Parks in Uttarakhand were opened for tourists today after the rainy season. At Rajaji, opening was done at simple ceremonies held at Mothichoor and Chila gates of the park today. Ten tourist vehicles entered the park on the first day. All culverts and forest paths inside that were washed away during the rains have now been repaired.

Similarly, in the Corbett National Park in Kumaon, Dhikala zone of Corbett was opened for the tourists today. Corbett Park warden S Updhayaya said Corbett was now all set to welcome visitors. He said online booking facility for the day visitors had also been introduced in the park.

Govt thanked for raising pension
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
Uttarakhand Rajya Andolankari Congress has expressed gratitude to the state government for increasing the pension of state agitationists from Rs 3000 per month to Rs 5000 per month. However, the andolankari congress has also put forward other demands of the state agitationists and sought their immediate redressal from the state government.

Uttarakhand Rajya Andolankari Congress’s state president Jitendra Chauhan said the Chief Minister had certainly given honour to the agitationists by increasing their monthly pension. He, however, said the state government needed to do more for the agitationists.

Plan to develop Gairsain on lines of Chandigarh: MLA
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, November 15
The local MLA from Karnprayag of which Gairsain is part has claimed that the state government plans to construct the future capital town of Gairsain on the lines of Chandigarh and Assembly building on the pattern of those of in Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.

"The government has ordered officers to make the plan of the future city of Gairsain on the pattern of Chandigarh to make it a planned city of the state," said Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri, Congress MLA from the Karnprayag Assembly seat.

According to Maikhuri, the House will be a symbol of transitional Kumauni and Garhwali architecture and will be the blend of both cultures. "Weather the House will be large one or small, it is not known yet, but it is sure that it will possess hill architecture," said Maikhuri.

"The proposed plan for the town and the Assembly will be presented before the government soon and only after the real nature of the Assembly will be known," said the Congress MLA.

Meanwhile, the local people have demanded that Gairsain should be declared as district headquarters before getting the capital status. "We are afraid that in making the town as capital, long-standing local issues of Gairsain will be pushed back as we have been demanding the district status for the town, which has not been promised by the Chief Minister while making high claims of making the town as capital of the state," said Bishen Singh, a local businessman of a village.

378 state transport buses taken off road
Seema Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
The Transport Ministry has banned the operation of 378 old and worn-out buses of the department in the state. However, it has not announced any addition to the existing fleet of buses as the sudden reduction in their number is bound to affect transport services.

Asked about the status of worn-out buses and any plan to purchase new vehicles, Transport Minister Surender Rakesh said, “I banned the operation of 378 old buses recently. Of these, 176 buses were plying in hill areas. These had plied for at least six lakh kilometres over the last 15 years. Similarly, 202 buses, which had covered eight lakh kilometres and had also operated for almost 15 years in the plains, had also been banned. These buses were in a bad shape and incurring losses on account regular defects. They usually remained parked in workshops for repairs for long durations.”

The minister admitted that with 378 of the total 1,173 buses taken off the road, the transport services would be severely affected. He said to minimise the effect of the move only 170 buses had been taken off the road in the beginning and the rest of the identified buses would be discontinued after the department buys 160 new ones. The proposal was placed before the Cabinet and the state government had sanctioned Rs 25 crore for the purpose. As and when the department gets funds, the process of purchasing new buses will start, he added.

Rakesh said, “The state government has set up a committee to evaluate reasons for the losses incurred by the Transport Department and suggest concrete steps to turn it into a profitable entity. However, only one meeting of the committee was convened three months ago. The Tehri Lok Sabha byelection consumed our time. I hope sincere efforts will be made in this direction.”

It is due to the poor condition of the buses and unsatisfactory services of the Transport Department that private bus operators are making profits. They are even resorting to overloading in hill areas and paying less tax to the government. Besides, there are other private transport operators who ferry passengers to various places across the state. They must be doing it illegally at main locations like the ISBT, railway stations, Parade Ground, Rispana Pul and Niranjanpur Sabzi Mandi. The connivance of the traffic police with private transporters cannot be ruled out. Most of these transporters operate their vehicles to Saharanpur, Mussoorie, Tehri, Pauri and Uttarkashi. 

Kedarnath, Yamunotri shrines close for winter
Tribune News Service

Yamunotri Temple in Uttarkashi district.

Dehradun, November 15
The revered shrines of Kedarnath and Yamunotri in Uttarakhand were closed for the winter today. The portals of the Kedarnath shrine were closed amid vedic rituals around 8.30 am. The head priest and other purohits conducted the necessary rituals for the closing ceremony. The doli of Kedarnath was later taken to Ukhimath.

Located at a height of 3,581 metres, Kedarnath is the most important of the Dwadash Jyotirlingas, which can be reached after a 14-km trek from Gaurikund, where the road ends.

Similarly, the Yamunotri shrine in Uttarakashi district was also closed at 1.45 pm. As the Gangotri shrine was closed yesterday, three of the four Char Dham shrines of Uttarakhand were shut for the winter. The Badrinath shrine would close on November 18. 

Six-day football course from Nov 18
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
The Dehradun Football Academy is organising a 6-day course for aspiring footballers from Uttarakhand beginning November 18. Disclosing this at a press conference in Dehradun today, Virendra Singh Rawat, Secretary, Dehradun Football Academy, said a professional training course, first of its kind, would start at Maharana Pratap Sports College, Raipur, Dehradun, from November 18 to 23.

He said a fee of Rs 1,000 per participant had been kept for the course while food, accommodation, dress, track, suit and medal would lead to additional charge of Rs 5,000.

Famous Brazilian football coach Durate would impart coaching that would include theoretical sessions, planning, sports safety, audio and video sessions and rules of the game session.

He said Sparton Sports Company would be the main sponsor for the course and be providing ground equipment.

Rawat said so far, no initiative had been taken in Uttarakhand to provide the best of football coaching. He said 22 players had already registered themselves for the course. Rawat also said the Doon Football Academy was also planning to organise a national level football tournament in 2013.

Dehradun Football Academy president Arvind Dangwal was also present at the news conference.

Leopard kills woman in Almora
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 15
A woman was killed by a leopard in the Lamgara area of Almora district on Divali night despite claims of the Forest Department of freeing the area of man eaters. Kamal Devi of Dhankhoi village in the Lamgara block was killed by a leopard on Divali night when she had gone to collect fodder for her cattle in a nearby forest, said MK Bahukhandi, a forest officer of Almora district.

The officer added that after the incident the department had sought permission from the higher authorities to declare the leopard as man eater so that it could be eliminated.

It is the fourth killing by a leopard in the Lamgara area of the Almora district in a month and second after the area was declared safe from man eaters, said Devendra Singh, former pramukh of the Lamgara block.

According to Forest Department sources, this was the fourth killing by a leopard in the Lamgara block alone. Earlier, women were killed by leopards in Huna, Chaunai and Silkhora villages, said the forest officer.

The Forest Department has devised a strategy of camouflaging shooters as women cutting grass as the leopard is attacking women only. “We have now charted a special plan under which the Forest Department hunters will be posted at sensitive places in the attire of women. We are awaiting permission from the higher forest authorities to declare the leopard as man eater,” said the forest officer. 

Workshop on ‘Mind mapping’ in Unison school
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
Pamela Wilkinson, deputy headmistress, St. Francis College, United Kingdom, conducted a workshop for the staff of Unison World School on 'Mind mapping,' here today.

Pamela Wilkinson, deputy headmistress of St. Francis College, United Kingdom, addresses a workshop on ‘Mind Mapping’ for the staff of Unison World School in Dehradun on Thursday.

She informed the staff that a mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information. A mind map is often created around a single word or text, placed in the centre, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added. Major categories radiate from a central node, and lesser categories are sub-branches of larger branches. Categories can represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items related to a central key word or idea.

This was followed by a group activity in which teachers were divided into groups.Various topics were given to each group and a mind map was to be presented on the topic chosen. This provided a wonderful opportunity to all the staff members to understand the details and complexities of mind mapping.

The staff was intrigued to know the benefits of mind mapping in the field of education and were quite enthusiastic to implement it in their teaching methodology.

Unison World School always encourages its staff and provides ample opportunities to enrich and enhance their teaching methodologies which would benefit the students.

DM visits ailing children in hospital
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 15
District Magistrate BVRC Purushottam visited ailing children and other patients in Doon Hospital on Children's Day yesterday. He also enquired about the availability of medicines for the patients and exchanged Divali greetings.

He met 25 children in the children’s ward and enquired from their parents about the availability of medicines. Child specialists informed him that most of the medicines were available in the hospital and those which were not, were arranged from chemists authorised by the hospital authority for which the hospital was paying. The DM enquired about the capacity of the blood bank. He talked to patients of the Orthopaedic Department and checked the billing section. Chief Medical Superintendent BC Pathak accompanied him on his visit to the ICU. Purushottam expressed satisfaction over the sanitary condition of the hospital. 

Mussoorie remembers Nehru; Cong leaders pay tributes
Our Correspondent

Mussoorie, November 15
Mussoorie remembered country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his 123rd birth anniversary yesterday by paying homage to him and garlanding his statue at the Jawahar Aquarium.

On the occasion of Children’s Day, senior Congress leaders, including Manmohan Singh Mall, Jasvir Kaur, Bimol Sharma and others, paid floral tributes to the great leader at the Fish Aquarium situated on Mall Road that is named after him. Tricolour balloons were released in the air to mark the occasion.

The leaders shed light on Nehru’s life and said he was born to Motilal Nehru and Swaroop Rani on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and his birth anniversary is celebrated as Children’s Day in India as he was fond of kids.

The Congress leaders said one should try to emulate the life of Chacha Nehru, who is considered one of the greatest statesmen of the country.

A painting competition for children could not take place as many students failed to attend it due to half-yearly exams.

Rag-pickers given schoolbags

Dehradun: The Ankit Social Welfare Society, an NGO, distributed schoolbags among rag-pickers on the occasion of Children’s Day on its premises at Karanpur here yesterday. Chief General Manager of the society Anil Joshi, councillor Vinay Kohil, chairperson Anu Dooseja were also present.

Dooseja advised children to come to the premises of the organisation everyday to study. Sweets were distributed among the children on the occasion.

Villagers’ stir

Dehradun, November 15
Seeking benefits under the Forest Rights Act, Kunao villagers in Rishikesh continued with their stir for the 12th day on Thursday. Chandramohan Singh Negi, convener of the protest, said Kunao villagers at the dharna in Rishikesh today pledged to continue their agitation till their demand for benefits under the Forest Rights Act was met.

Negi said the agitators had even held a protest on Divali. Draupadi Devi, Krishna Rawat, Kamala Devi and Prashant Badoni were among those who participated in today’s dharna.