Dehradun, September 3
The police arrested Prantiya Rakshak Dal (PRD) jawans, who tried to stage a protest outside the Chief Minister’s house in support of their five-fold demands, here today. The police detained jawans after heated arguments. The protesters raised slogans against the state government over its indifferent attitude toward their demands and continuous false commitments.

The PRD jawans gathered from across the state in front of the Hindi Bhawan today morning. They were stopped by the police as they started their protest march. They had been agitating since May 13 at the Parade Ground.

Their demands includes regularisation of their services at par with state employees, raising the life insurance cover, setting up of a separate PRD company or battalion and providing government job to the kith and kin of the PRD personnel, who died on duty.

“We have got assurances a number of times during our talks with the government and the PRD association, but the government has never fulfilled its promises,” said Promod Kumar Mandrwal, state president, PRD association.

The PRD policemen have also threatened to go on fast unto death if the state government did not fulfil their demands.

Dehradun, September 3
Girls belonging to the Students Federation of India (SFI) and Vikas group protested in front of the District Magistrate’s office against irregularities in the election’s to the student union of the MKP PG College, held on August 30. They demanded scrapping of the poll results.

The protesters alleged that a few college teachers supported ABVP candidate and helped her to win the election. They said agents of other groups were not allowed to go near the counting tables, whereas the ABVP members were roaming freely in the counting hall.

The SFI members met the district magistrate and asked him to take action in the matter. They also called for a re-election in the college. The ABVP won all the 12 posts of the student union in the college.

The student delegation also met the college principal but their talks failed as the principal refused to entertain their demand of nullifying the election results. — TNS

Dehradun, September 3
The Dehradun police was in a tizzy following information that a few men travelling in an SUV kidnapped a person from the Patel Nagar fruit market this morning. He was reportedly selling domestic animals when he was forcibly taken away.

The police post on the Saharanpur border was alerted following information that the vehicle had moved on this route. The SUV was stopped at the police post and after inquiry it was learnt that a police team in mufti from Saharanpur had arrested a domestic animal thief.

The Saharanpur police on a tip-off reached the fruit market in the morning to look for the thief who had stolen 10 domestic animals and brought them to Dehradun to sell them.

The arrested person has been identified as Guddu, a resident of Fatehpur in Saharanpur. He is a history-sheeter and a number of cases are registered against him in Saharanpur.

Dehradun, September 3
Ghummakkad Narain, the Travelling Literature Festival, for the first time travelled to Haridwar to reach children who have never has a chance to attend reading sessions.

The festival was hosted in Whizzkid International School, Haridwar. DPS School, Haridwar, Parthsarthi Memorial School, Bhagirathi School and Angels Academy participated in the festival. More than 300 students attended various sessions as part of the festival from classes I to XII.

It was a first for students in Haridwar to be meeting writers in person. They were extremely enthusiastic about the sessions and participated actively.

Iris Feindt and Sherry Ashworth from Manchester got the students to write their own stories and gave them a flavour of their creative writing course. Emily shared her life story of how she became an author and illustrator. After reading from her work, she got 7-to-10-year-old kids to write their own story as she drew pictures for the words.

Madhu Gurung, who has retold Burmese folktales for the Scholastic, got the students to make their own folktales based in Haridwar. Atanu Roy, a renowned illustrator and artist, was amazed by the talent he saw in the students and was seen delightfully enhancing their artistic creativity. Ajit Narayan showed how geometric figures could be turned into cartoons and express feelings.

"We are delighted that we can expand to more cities in Uttarakhand. There is a huge need for such activities in schools and society and I hope the state government can help organise them on a regular basis. We are always ready to support,” said Prarthana Gahilote, Festival Director, Ghummakkad Narain.

“Kids all over the place are just the same. I realised this when I interacted with students in various cities with the festival - Delhi, Dehradun and now Haridwar. I am also particularly impressed with the students' grasp of the English language and fascinated that all Indian kids are all bilingual,” said Sherry Ashworth, author and fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Dehradun, September 3
Experts have welcomed the state government’s step to make chakbandi compulsory in the hills. They have called upon the government to hold discussions with various stake holders for making it a success in the state.

Ganesh Singh Garib, who has been at the forefront of voluntary chakbandi in the state, said the implementation of Chakbandi would help a farmer go back to his fields and earn a decent living. “But the government should prepare a proposal with active inputs from the stake holders,” he added.

Former chakbandi officer Kunwar Singh Bhandari said much would depend on the will and intention of the government. “Before implementing chakbandi, focus should be on the bandobast of land. Two villages falling under Uttarkashi did take up voluntary chakbandi, but the effort was wasted as it was not given legal recognition. To this day villagers have not been given ownership rights of land,” he said.

Chakbandi was introduced in 1952, when the hill state was still a part of Uttar Pradesh. With its introduction it was hoped that a separate arrangement would be made to consolidate scattered land. Several issues on chakbandi like how it would prevent migration and benefit farmers were also discussed.

Mussoorie, September 3
The St Joseph's Academy team comprising Shubhangi Mittal and Aishwarya Sethi won the overall trophy in the Bro Aloysius memorial inter-school Hindi debate competition held at Nirmala Inter-College here today.

Students from over 10 schools participated in the debate on, "Uttarakhand tsunami is man-made or natural calamity".

Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary, Mussoorie, was declared the runner-up. Bharti Negi of Nirmala Inter-College, Mussoorie (NIC), and Mansi Gautam of St Mary's School, Vikas Nagar, were declared best speakers.

Mrigank Pandey (Doon School), who was the chief guest on the occasion, presented citations and awards to the winners. He appreciated the efforts of Nirmala Inter-College in organising the debate.

The competition is organised in the memory of Bro Aloysius, who was a visionary and had a special love and commitment towards Nirmala Inter-College.

In the end, Bro KJ Antony, Principal, Nirmala Inter-College, delivered a vote of thanks.

Dehradun, September 3
An Inter-House Hindi Extempore and Declamation Competition was organised at Asian School here today. While Simran Aggarwal won the declamation contest, Stuti Aggarwal and Arushi Nautiyal were the joint winners in the declamation competition.

The Group A consisting students from class IV to VIII took part in the extempore section while the Group B comprising students from class IX to XII participated in the declamation competition.

In the Group A, Simran Aggarwal of Tulip House was adjudged the winner of the extempore competition while Anjali Jaglan and Mannat Saharn, both belonging to Jasmine House, stood second and third, respectively.

In the Group B, Stuti Aggarwal of Daffodil House and Arushi Nautiyal of Jasmine House were adjudged the combined winners of the declamation competition while Anvesha Kedia of Jasmine House stood second. Mannat Maan of Orchid House secured the third position.

Jasmine House was the overall winner in both competitions.

Pithoragarh, September 3
Hundreds of residents of Garkha Patti village of Didihat sub division demonstrated in front of the District Magistrate’s office today. They were protesting against administration’s failure to check the increasing menace of wild animals in their area. Villagers said in the absence of proper protection from animals, their crop was damaged every year. This was compelling them to leave their profession of agriculture.

“Over 15,000 populace of the Garkha area depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Monkeys, baboons and wild boars are damaging crops every year. It has become difficult to continue with the profession,” said Mahiman Singh Samant, a villager, who also took part in the demonstration.

Villagers said wild animals especially monkeys attacked them. “Some of our children and women are bitten by these monkeys when they try to drive away these simians from their fields,” said Samant.

Such is the plight of these villagers that their children have stopped going to schools as they are bitten or attacked on their way. Villagers criticised the state government as it failed to fulfil its promise of making a cage to capture all simians. “On one side the government says it wants the villagers to remain in their villages, on other side it has proved wrong in giving protection against increasing menace of wild animals,” said Mahiman Singh Kanyal, a villager, who demonstrated in front of magistrate's office.

Villagers handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate after demonstration. They also threatened that all residents of Patti Garkha would block Tanakpur to Tawaghat highway at Ogla crossing if their problem was not be sorted out within a month.

Mussoorie, September 3
Twenty eight skaters were selected for the CBSE National Games after the culmination of the 44th Regional Skating Competition held in Mussoorie today. Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), Mussoorie, won around 51 medals to figure in the top during the competition.

Students who were selected for the nationals are Sandeep Negi, Ashish Bisht, Shubham Shah, Robin Singh, Shubham Negi, Shagun Gaud and Aarti Thapa, Sakshi, Meenakshi, Mahima Rawat, Sheetal and Akshita from KV Mussoorie. Anurag, Akshit, Mohd Farman, Rishu Chaudhry were selected from KV, Moradabad, Kolhapur, respectively, while Arpeet Kaur was selected from KV, Kashipur.

School principal Vipin Kumar Tyagi said participants selected here would be attending the national championship to be held in Chandigarh. Roop Chand, Rahul Gaud, Sangara Singh and coaches from other schools were present on the occasion.

Dehradun, September 3
In a one-sided encounter, Welham Boys demolished the defense of Marshall School in a 7-0 thumping victory in the ongoing RIMC Soccer Cup at RIMC Dehradun here today. Fahad remained the top scorer, hitting the net four times. Ali, Gauran and Abhimanyu chipped in with a goal each.

In the second match, Carmen School won its encounter comfortably by a 5-1 win over Pestle Weed College, with Amit scoring a hattrick and Rayan also finding net once. Tenzing scored the only goal for Pestle Weed College.

Doon Valley defeated SelaQui International School in an one-sided match by 4-1 score. Sumit, Chanora, Akash and Upesh shared the scoring for Doon Valley. Continuing the trend, Scholars Home defeated Summer Valley by 5-0. Vasant Valley defeated Cambrian Hall 3-0 to qualify for the Pre-Quarter Finals.

The match between St Joseph's Academy and La Martiniere, Kolkota remained a close match and went to the wire. In the end, St Joseph's Academy won the match by 3-2 score. The match between Doon International and Kasiga School also proved to be a close encounter, with Doon International coming back from 1-0 down to win by 2-1 in the end.