Protest by Cong labour cell against poor civic amenities
Dehradun, December 22
The labour cell of the Uttarakhand Congress today held a demonstration at the office of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation against the pathetic civic amenities in the Kanwali road area in the city.

Haridwar, December 22
After several rounds of failed attempts from the administration side to break the 12-day-long hunger strike of Swami Poornanand Saraswati, the police finally arrested him on charge of attempt to suicide, citing deteriorating health conditions.

Matra Sadan head Swami Shivanand has warned of sitting on agitation if his disciple Swami Poornanand was forced to call off the agitation.

In the afternoon the police team led by CO, Kankhal, BL Arya, held talks with Matra Sadan saints, urging them to cooperate with the police. The police team arrested Poornanand Saraswati under the Indian Penal Code, Section 309, filing a case at Kankhal police station.

Later in the evening he was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate. He was given judicial remand. Swami Poornanand has made it clear that he will not take food unless he gets an assurance from the state government and administration on his demand.

Earlier, the Matra Sadan head sought assurance from the police team that it would conduct a medical examination of Swami Poornanand Saraswati only at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, citing the controversial medical treatment meted out to the late Swami Nigmanand.

Notably, Swami Nigmanand was on a 108-day record hunger strike against quarrying on the Ganga river bed, when he was forcefully hospitalised. Later Matra Sadan alleged conspiracy of deiberately giving him poison, first in the district hospital, Haridwar, and later at Jolly Grant Hospital, Rishikesh.

Matra Sadan Ashram followers are demanding a total ban on quarrying in the Kumbh Mela land and Ganga river bed, particularly in Haridwar, where quarrying mafia is carrying out a multi-crore business despite prohibitive orders by the High Court.

This indefinite agitation is being staged majorly on three points. One, to stop quarrying in the holy Ganga river bed in Uttarakhand; two, no new road construction along the Ganga river in the Kumbh land area; and three, giving the sole right of pruning and logging of trees to the Forest Department only for construction activities in Haridwar.

Mussoorie, December 22
After completing 46 weeks of rigorous training, 47 subordinate officers joined the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at a passing-out parade and the oath ceremony held on the ITBP campus here today.

IG (ITBP) Harbhajan Singh, who was the chief guest on the occasion, was given the ceremonial guard of honour. He also reviewed the parade.

Addressing the newly recruited officers, the IG said the responsibilities of the force had increased in the present scenario aggravated by threat perception. Congratulating the officers, he said they should perform their duty with honesty and integrity.

During the training, the officers underwent various military and administrative exercises like field craft, battle craft, conventional tactics, counter insurgency operation, field engineering, weapon, drill, map reading, law, human rights, man management etc.

The trainees were also awarded for their excellent performance in the course. SI/GD Ranjeet Singh Rawat won the overall best trainee, SI/GD Ajay Vir Singh the best indoor trainee, SI/GD Vimal Chand the best outdoor trainee, SI/GD Padam Nabh the best sportsperson trainee, Buddhi Lal the best endurance trainee and SI/GD Gaurav Jain the best conduct trainee. Twenty two female officers gave a martial art demonstration on the occasion.

Dehradun, December 22
In just one and half month of taking over as the SSP of Dehradun, Kewal Khurana has managed to achieve what appeared impossible all these years -- streamlining chaotic traffic in the capital city.

He began his tryst with the most-crowded and one of the busiest places from the very beginning of his stint here. He used his persuasive skills and stringent measures to browbeat traders as well as political groups which, otherwise, had always managed to thwart all such moves in the past to protect their vested interests. The public extended its overwhelming support to him.

The city, which had crumbled under the pressure of excessive vehicles on roads after it was made the provisional capital of the state, is gradually regaining its lost glory once again, thanks to Khurana. With traffic personnel visible all over the city, encroachment forcibly removed, unnecessary road cuts being blocked, parking regulations strictly imposed and offenders being penalised, things could have never got better here.

Khurana says, “Influential groups, which are unhappy at reform measures, can at the most get me transferred from Dehradun. But so long I am in the saddle I will continue working in the interest of the public and leave a benchmark for my successors to follow.”

The people get justice immediately whenever they come to him with their complaints. Directions are passed to fellow police officers to address the problems within the given time limit. Those found negligent in duty or indulging in corruption are suspended immediately. Till date, he had suspended about 60 police personnel. At the same time, he also rewards those who do good work. He organised an event recently and invited the IGP and a state minister to felicitate policemen for their good work and a young city girl, Kavita Yadav, for refusing to marry into a family which demanded dowry.

Khurana also impressed upon the state government to revoke a judicial inquiry against the police for using force on protesters, who could have breached the security during the Vidhan Sabha session. This, he felt, was important to uplift the sinking morale of the police after the incident.

The creation of special units like the Senior Citizen Cell and the Women Cyber Cell and also bringing the Women Helpline under his direct control, amply reflect that his efforts to provide a safe and healthy environment in the city are indeed many notches higher than regular policing.

This IPS officer of the 2004 batch, who was brought up in a small town of Badayun in Uttar Pradesh, considers his father his sole inspiration in his life. He beams while saying, “My father, a businessman, always taught me to follow my inner calling and do everything I undertake with full passion and devotion.” A known workaholic, Khurana says he works for 20 hours a day, something which he imbibed from his father.

Haridwar, December 22
In the finals of the 60th Senior Kabaddi Championship held at City Sports Stadium, Mayapur, Haryana girls won the coveted title, while in the men's section the credit went to the Jammu and Kashmir state. A total of 16 teams from eight states in both the categories took part in this championship that was held in Haridwar after a gap of five years.

Haryana girls won the title in a close-knitted contest against Himachal Pradesh state team, winning by a margin of 18-13 points. Jammu & Kashmir team won against Haryana state team with 24-16 scoreline, with both teams battling hard for every point.

Sports Minister Dinesh Aggarwal gave away the prizes to the winning teams and lauded the efforts put in by sportspersons. Aggarwal called on for more and more youths to follow kabaddi, which is fast acquiring the tag of a global game. More than 35 nations are playing kabaddi in a professional manner. Former legislator Ambrish Kumar as special guest wanted a boost to sporting infrastructure in rural, semi-urban areas, particularly in government schools.

Outside state teams appreciated the facilities provided by Haridwar Olympic Association during their three-day championship stay.

Dehradun, December 22
A five-day training programme on ‘Climate change, forest ecosystems and biodiversity: vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies’ for scientists and technologists working in the government sector concluded at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in Dehradun.

Twenty-two participants from various scientific organisations of the country took part in the programme organised by the Biodiversity Conservation Division under the Directorate of Extension, ICFRE. It was sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, under the National Programme for Training of Scientists and Technologists working in the government sector.

Dr VK Bahuguna, Director General, ICFRE, while chairing the valedictory session, elaborated upon the impact of climate change on forest ecosystems and biodiversity. He urged the participants to join hands to ensure biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation throughout the country. He also emphasised on the need for collaborative projects to be carried out in the related field.

Deputy Director General (Extension), ICFRE, Saibal Dasgupta and Director, Biodiversity Conservation, and Course Director of the programme Dr TP Singh also spoke on the occasion. Bahuguna gave away certificates to the participants.

Mussoorie, December 22
Inspector General, ITBP, Harbhajan Singh, while talking on the sidelines of the passing-out ceremony of subordinate officers of the ITBP here today, said it was a must for women to learn martial arts like judo and karate for self-defence.

He told the media that the ITBP was empowering women officers in the force by providing a three-month martial art training, so that they were able to serve the force and people effectively.

Reena, a karate instructor from the ITBP, demanded a tough punishment for rapists.

She said women force was now being assigned in the border areas too and that showed that they were no less than their male counterpart.

She further said with the knowledge of the martial arts, women could defend themselves in any adverse condition.

Dehradun, December 22
The semifinal matches were today played in the Indian Institute of Technology 48th All-India Football Tournament under way at the IIT, Roorkee.

In the first semifinal match, the IIT, Roorkee, beat the Bombay team 1-0. For the Roorkee team, Shivam Rawat scored the sole goal in the 5 minute of the match.

In the second semifinal, the Delhi team beat the Hyderabad team 1-0. Kamlesh scored the goal in the 11 minute.