Dehradun, August 24
A high-level meeting of the top brass of the state police and district administration was held today to review the preparations for President Pranab Mukherjee's one-day visit to Dehradun on August 26.

The President is coming to attend the convocation ceremony of the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Bidholi, Premnagar.

Three-layered security arrangement would be put in place for the President’s visit and almost 1,500 policemen would be on duty.

During the briefing meeting held at the police line here today, DIG (Garhwal) Amit Sinha directed the district police officials to leave no stone unturned in the security of the President and all possible measures must be taken to ensure smooth of events.

Policemen would be on duty at various strategic points of the state capital during his visit and policemen with binoculars will be stationed on rooftops around the venue for surveillance. The vehicles entering the city would have to undergo checking.

The DIG also directed the officials to perform anti-sabotage and anti-mining checks on the whole route of the President in advance.

The Dehradun police is going to receive extra force from the police range for the security arrangements. Three Additional Superintendent of Police ASP, seven inspectors, 50 sub-inspectors, eight lady sub-inspectors, 200 constables, six company of the PAC and bomb disposal squad team have been provided for security arrangements.

Barricading will be done at a few places while CCTVs will be used to monitor the traffic movement and activities at major intersections of the city. Traffic will also be diverted on few roads.

Vehicles coming from Harbartpur towards Dehradun will be diverted from Jajhara for the ISBT and those moving towards Vikasnagar will be diverted from the Shimla bypass road. Vehicles going towards Haridwar will be diverted through Dhudli, Mathurawala, for Doiwala. 

Dehradun, August 24
The Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) has decided to move the apex court in order to challenge the decision of the Nainital High Court to shift Dehradun trenching ground in three weeks. Despite furnishing its counter-response to high court’s decision to shift the trenching ground, high court has not given any relief to the DMC and stuck to its decision to shift the trenching ground. However, insiders reveal that DMC officials did not bother to be present on the judgment day on August 18.

Sidharth Jain, Director, Doon Valley Waste Management Project, too, admitted the callousness of DMC on this issue saying, “The DMC officials have been treating this important issue so lightly that they do not think it is necessary to be present in the high court on the verdict day. It is enough to expose their mindset. They think their job gets over by furnishing counter-affidavit in the court. Their attitude can further impede DVWM project in the city.”

Mayor Vinod Chamoli said the officials must prepare their case much in advance and argue it strongly to reinforce the viewpoint of the DMC.

However, it was found that the officials as well Project Implementation Unit consultant Dr Pankaj Bhatt could not satisfy all the queries of their advocate, a day before the hearing day on August 12. This was the reason, he had to seek another date on August 16.

Chamoli said, “With 600 metric ton garbage piling up for several years in the existing trenching ground, which is difficult to be relocated, in the absence of any alternative place and the pragmatic compulsions such as emissions of poisonous gases over digging up the deposit, the DMC had valid reasons to sway the court in its favour. However, it faltered badly in that. But he expressed hope that the DMC would be able to seek stay on the high court verdict as well as win over the matter in the apex court. 

Dehradun August 24
The sanitation condition in the city is not being streamlined at all. The vehicles are also not collecting garbage from several wards. The Congress councillors who had been keeping mum, contrary to the aggressive BJP councillors, are too feeling the heat.

However, the Mayor continues to protect the Doon Valley Waste Management (DVWM) company. While, Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) tightened noose around the DVWM by forming teams of officials to inspect the sanitation condition of each ward.

Congress councilor Meenu Sehgal said the riksha as well as vehicles of the DVWM were not coming to his ward, Dhamawala, to collect the garbage. Owing to this, the garbage kept spilling around the garbage bins.

Councillor Jagdish Dhiman too reiterated the same problems saying that there were acute shortage of sanitation workers in many wards, because of which the drains and roads within the localities were not being cleaned.

Mayor Vinod Chamoli, who had been quite soft with the DVWM team, spearheading the garbage collection in the city, had been protecting them by laying blame on the rainy season.

He said, "During the rainy season, the vehicles develop problems and become non-functional. This is the reason, the garbage is not being lifted from many wards for past few days."

Dehradun, August 24
A delegation of the CPI (ML) today met Uttarakhand Director General of Police Satyavrat Bansal and expressed their strong objection over the Nainital Police identifying social activist Bahadur Singh Jangi as Maoist.

The CPI (ML) alleged that the Nanital Police described Bahadur Singh Jangi as Maoist while using force against one Sushil Bhatt, who was protesting against inhuman treatment meted out to one of his ailing female relatives at Sushila Tiwari Memomorial Hospital,Haldwani. The Nainital Police warned Sushil Bhatt of serious consequences if he did not end his agitation and threatened him of branding him as colleague of Bahadur Singh Jangi, whom police described as Maoist. According to Indresh Maikhuri from the CPI (ML), who was part of the delegation, the state DGP has assured to take action.

Meanwhile, intellectuals have resented branding social activist Bahadur Singh Jangi as Maoist. In a joint statement issued today that had Garhwali Folk Singer Narendra Singh Negi, Padam Shri Shekhar Pathak, Samar Bhandari, Shamsher Singh Bisht and Rajiv Lochan Shah as prominent signatories termed Jangi as an agitationist who had dedicated his entire life for the cause of farmers and describing his as a Maoist was unacceptable. 

Dehradun, August 24
Help of environmentalists would be sought and all construction would also be done in consultation with geologists and taking help of latest technology in the disaster-hit Uttarakhand. A core group would also be formed to keep a check on environment issues.

These decisions were taken at a meeting held by the Uttarakhand Environment Index Development Committee headed by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi today.

The Chief Minister said a meeting of all departments concerned in the state would be held soon. They would provide suggestions on reconstruction work to be undertaken in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

He asked specialists to keep a constant watch on the state even after the work of redevelopment was over. He also held a detailed discussion on the alternate routes to Char Dham, use of tunnels in the landslide-prone zones and use of cable cars in the areas where roads cannot be constructed.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director General, TERI, Dr RK Pachauri, said priority would be given to the reconstruction of Char Dhams. He said 63 per cent of the state had forest cover and the Centre should play a vital role in rebuilding the state. He also apprised the committee of the conference planned in which representatives from the Himalayan states would participate. During the meeting, a strategy for the Himalayan region would be formulated. He also spoke about installing 1,000 solar street lights in the hilly villages of the state.

Suggestions were also given to introduce more topics related to disaster management and environment in the state school syllabus.

Environmentalist Dr Anil Joshi from Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation suggested that an environment- based development index should be introduced in the state. He said the state ought to adopt estimation of the Gross Environment Product (GEP) along with the Gross Domestic Product. He said it was noteworthy that Uttarakhand was the first state to announce the adoption of the GEP standards.

Present on the occasion were Chief Resident Commissioner Alok Kumar Jain, chairperson of the Revenue Board SK Matoo, Resident Commissioner SD Sharma, principal secretary, Forest and Environment, S Ramaswami, Director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Prof Anil Kumar Gupta, Director, FRI, Dr PP Bhojvaid, Dr PP Mishra from Central Water and Soil Conservation Research and Training Institute, member secretary, Pollution Control Board, Vinod Singhal, and other environmentalists. 

Dehradun, August 24
Waste Warriors activists in Dehradun have welcomed conferring of Rs 5 lakh award on their CEO Jodie Underhill by Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi for her contribution in relief and rescue works in the state.

Vice-president, Sujata Paul Maliah said the state government should utilise Waste Warriors in a Clean Uttarakhand campaign in order to become a model state in cleanliness.

Waste Warriors Board member ,Wing Cdr, Anupama Joshi,said Waste Warriors would continue to create clean zones in order to realise the dream of a clean Doon.

Waste Warriors has been doing yeoman service particularly in Doon towards ensuring proper cleanliness in the city. It has recently taken responsibility to create a model clean zone at Anekant Palace in downtown Dehradun.

For the last one month or so, workers and volunteers, including students of The Doon School have been striving hard to create a levelled parking area in the model, green and clean Anekant Palace.

Dehradun, August 24
Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) organised a tree plantation event on 25 bigha land on the Chuna Bhatt road in Kaulagarh recently.

RM Sundaram, vice-chairman of MDDA and MLA Harbans Kapoor also planted trees in the compound which had been transferred to Government Girls College.

Kapoor said, “It is important to plant trees because of imbalance in the environment. People should come forward to plant trees to safeguard the environment. It is the duty of the common man to maintain these trees. The school children can play a big role by contributing toward the noble cause.”

Sundaram said the globe has been affected by the pollution so much that it could only be tackled by planting more trees.

He called upon children to grow trees in their localities. "MDDA has planted around 3,000 trees in the rainy season and would continue to do so in various pockets of the city in future as well," Sundaram added. —TNS

Dehradun August 24
Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) officials have finally started to take harsh measures against illegal construction in the city.

They sealed 14 properties yesterday, which belonged to four persons.

A team comprising of executive engineers Anand Ram and Sunil Parashar, junior engineers PP Singh, Vineet Rastogi and Umapati Bhatt sealed 14 illegal buildings.

The team was accompanied by the police force.

Three illegal shops that were sealed were owned by Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Mothorowala road in Ajabpur Kalan. Four shops were owned by Afzal, who lives near Shiv Kunj Colony at Mothorowala road.

One house that was owned by Sharafat, a resident of Banjarawala Mafi and six shops were owned by Iqbal of Aazad Colony on Haridwar by-pass road.

The team had to face some opposition from the owners but that was mildly dealt by the police.

Musoorie, August 24
The festival of Janmashtami also referred to as Gokulashtami to commemorate the birthday of Lord Krishna, will be celebrated in Kempty village near Mussoorie with religious fervour and gaiety under the aegis of Krishna Seva Mandli on August 28.

According to Sardar Singh Panwar, Pooran Singh and Rajan Singh,the members of the Krishna Sewa Mandli Kempty grand celebrations are planned on Krishna Janamashtmi in which the Jalabhsihek of Lord Krishna will be performed at midnight to mark the occasion.

In addition the students from the area will perform several cultural programmes and the villagers through a slide projector will be shown a film based on the life of the Lord Krishna.Later prasad will also be served.

However, the annual Krishna doli procession in Mussoorie which is held on the first Sunday following the Krishna Janamasthmi will be organised with simplicity considering the disaster that struck the state two months ago.

Mussoorie, August 24
The students of CJM Hampton Court School dressed in traditional attire displayed their dancing talent in the Inter-class dance competition held in CJM Hampton Court School, here today.

The students danced to the tune based on the folk of Maharashtra, Garhwal ,Kumaon, Assam ,Punjabi, Goa and Kashmir.

The students mesmerised the audience with a song and dance item based on the life of Gaura Devi of Chipko Andolan fame who fought to save the environment by clinging to trees, in the hilly district of Uttarakhand several decades ago.

Classes I-B,II-A,III-A and IV-A were adjudged winners. The judges for the event were MS Tripathi, senior dance teacher Waverly School and Neha inaugurated the competition by lighting the ceremonial lamp. Sister Lucy D'Souza the Principal of the school distributed the prizes to the winners and the programme was coordinated by the teachers Tulika and Nita.

Dehradun, August 24
In the annual Brother ET Dunne Memorial Inter House Hindi and English debate competition held at St Joseph Academy here today, Karan Ahuja of Donovan house and Utsav Thapliyal of Duffy house won the best speaker award in the Hindi and English debate competition respectively.

In the Hindi debate competition, Aditi Singh of Donovan house was declared second runner up and first runner up was Shubhangi Mittal of Bergin house. Jahnavi Shrivastav of Dooley house was declared first runner up in the English debate competition.

In the Hindi category, Dr Pushpa Khanduri, Dr Sudha Gupta and Manju Tripathi were the judges, whereas, Divija Pandey, Sonia Singh and Dr Kirti Chabra judged the students who participated in the English category.

The Hindi debate, a prepared one, was held first, with the topic under ' Baccho ki anushasanhinata ka karan abhibhavako ki udarata hai'. The English debate,an extempore followed the Hindi debate, with the young speakers battling it all out on the topic 'the school is not responsible for the development of a child's character.’

The debates were held in the memory of Bro Eugene Timothy Dunne, the former Principal of the school, who introduced the house system.

The Chief Guest Brother Xavier complimented the teachers for organising the competition.

Dehradun, August 24
‘The CREADOR-2013’, an inter-house creativity competition, was organised at Summer Valley School here today. Students participated in events like rangoli making, mural painting, face painting, umbrella decoration, Ad Mad, creation out of waste, table layout, flower arrangement, T- shirt painting and photography.

Kanishka was adjudged winner and Ashok remained on the second position followed by Maurya. Maya Narula, Principal, Hopetown School was the chief guest. —TNS

Dehradun, August 24
DAV (PG) College, Dehradun, defeated the Dolphin Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences to win the Inter-College Basketball Tournament played on the premises of the Dolphin institute at Manduwala here today.

Besides the finalists, Doon Agriculture College, Dehradun, Pandit Lalit Mohan Sharma PG College, Rishikesh, DBS PG College, Dehradun, and SRTE College, Tehri, participated in the tournament.

District Sports Officer, Dehradun, NK Joshi, was the observer of the final game. After the match, the list of players, who would represent HNB Garhwal University in the north zone basketball competition, was also declared.

The selected players are Vikas Kumar, Abhishek, Sunil Kumar, Deepak Bhati, Saungu Thung, Rongenobe Solo Abijoi, Rahul Dhyani, Jube, Ketan Pandey, Devraj Negi and Neeraj. 

Dehradun, August 24
In a one-sided match played between the defending champion Sunderwala and Yamuna football club in the ongoing Drona College 70th Nemidas Memorial District Football League, Sunderwala defeated Yamuna football club by 5-0.

Sanjay scored a goal at 4th minute. Sunderwala dominated the first half with Surya scoring twice making the score 3-0 before half time. In the second half, Manoj and Anil Rawat scored the goal made the score 5-0. In the second match, JA Boys won the match with a 4-0 win over Indra Club. — TNS