People throng markets for Diwali shopping
Dehradun, October 29
With just four days left for Diwali the atmosphere in various markets across Dehradun is filled with festive colours. Various decorative items like small clay lamps, earthen pots, flower garlands of all sizes and decorative lights have flooded the markets.

Education Officer caught taking bribe in Haridwar
Dehradun, October 29
A Block Education Officer was caught red-handed by a vigilance team while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 in Haridwar district today.

Pithoragarh, October 29
Though the visit of Ambika Soni, in-charge of Congress affairs in Uttarakhand drew a large number of party workers, it could not narrow down the differences between the two factions active in the Pithoragarh constituency.

Soni held a marathon meeting with the Congress workers on October 27. However, both warring factions are back to their usual ways and have quickly forgotten Soni’s advice for unity in the party.

“The two factions of the Congress active in the constituency as well as in the state can never unite as one of them does not recognise Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna as the leader of the party,” said Mahendra Singh Lunthi, Pithoragarh district Congress chief.

Lunthi said the other faction owing allegiance to Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat showed no signs of unity during the meeting with Soni.

“While some MLAs and party functionaries did not attend the meeting citing various reasons, some workers met Ambika Soni separately,” said a senior party functionary in Champawat district.

A Harish Rawat supporter in Bageshwar district said Soni’s meeting with the party workers was a mere formality in the name of resolving problems of the grass-roots workers. He added he could not understand what exactly she wanted to know from the party workers.

“She would have held separate meetings with senior party functionaries and taken their views on the party matters,” he said.

Some party workers used the occasion to demand the status and the facility of red beacon atop their vehicles from the Chief Minister, who looked relaxed on the day.

A Congress worker from the Kanalichina area arrived at the meeting venue in a procession to meet Soni. He demanded the status and the facility of red beacon on the ground that it would help the party in the coming elections in his area, which is dominated by former BJP chief Bishan Singh Chufal for the last 15 years.

On the other hand, the group owing allegiance to Bahuguna praised the meeting. He said such meetings would boost the confidence of the common party workers and improve the party’s performance in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

“For the first time, the in-charge of Congress affairs in any state has taken such an initiative to understand the problems of the grass-roots workers and solicit their views on party matters. Such meetings will boost the confidence of the party workers,” said party spokesman Mathura Datt Joshi. 

Dehradun, October 29
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna called on Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal at his residence in Delhi today.

After the meeting, Kapil Sibal addressed the media and said both Uttarakhand and the Union Government were committed to a strong Lokpal and Lokayukta bills. He said he had a detailed meeting on the issue of the Lokayukta with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

He said he would not follow the footsteps of any other political party but would instead follow a path of trasparency.

Sibal congratulated Bahuguna for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation work being done after the state was hit by natural disaster. He said it was commendable on the part of the Uttarakhand Government, which extended help and relief to the affected people despite challenges.

Vijay Bahuguna said the people of the state had already rejected the Lokayukta Act brought by the previous government. He said the government would establish an effective, transparent and strong Lokayukta. The Acts of all the other states were being studied for the same.

“On November 7, the party MLAs, ministers and Members of Parliament along with the members of the supporting parties, would discuss about the matter and take a decision thereafter,” Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna added. 

Dehradun, October 29
A Block Education Officer was caught red-handed by a vigilance team while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 in Haridwar district today.

Block Education Officer OP Verma was arrested on a complaint by Deshraj, who is the principal of a state primary school at Zabardastpur in the Narsan block of Haridwar district.

Deshraj complained to the Vigilance Department that Rs 2.91 lakh was sanctioned under the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan for the construction of a room and a girl's toilet in the school, which were duly constructed. After the completion of the work, he was to get the utilisation certificate signed by the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan Officer and the Block Education Officer.

Verma reportedly demanded 5 per cent share of the total sanctioned money, which comes to Rs 15000, from Deshraj for signing on the utilisation certificate. Deshraj complained to the Vigilance Department against Verma.

A team led by Inspector Harish Mehra laid a trap and arrested Verma while taking Rs 10,000 as bribe from Deshraj.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, Manikant Mishra announced Rs 2,500 as reward to the team, which arrested Verma. Later, Director, Vigilance, SK Bhagat also announced a reward of Rs 5,000 to the team.

Dehradun, October 29
It was a sight to behold as city residents were able to get a quick look of how artists expressed themselves at the national painters’ camp in the ongoing Virasat-2013. As many as 16 artists participated in the camp. Jagdish Bage Chithara, a kalamkari artist from Ahmedabad, uses natural colours on the canvas. “These paintings were earlier made on cloth and mud, but I have now brought them alive on my canvas,” said Jagdish.

Nankusiya Shyam, who hails from Pattangarh in Madhya Pradesh, has perfected the art started by her forefathers. “The Gond tribal artists of Madhya Pradesh are known for their stylised and elaborate art on walls. These are now very popular on canvas and highly valued,” said Shyam.

Vijay Moni Thulung hails from southern part of Sikkim. His medium is mixed form of painting. He learnt painting from his mother and has never looked back since then. “The history, culture and tradition of Sikkim inspires me. It has always been my wish to travel to different places and exhibit my art,” said Thulung.

Manash Ranjan Jena’s works’ enduring theme is highs and lows faced by a woman, who has to face a male dominated society. “No matter where she is, a woman has to undergo subjugation at various levels,” he said.

Sangeeta Murthy, a Lalit Kala Akademi awardee, is working on series of paintings dedicated to tortoise, which inhabits the surreal world motivating the people to lead a healthy life.

Another section of the exhibition comprising of miniature paintings titled 'Ragalamla' is also being held at Inderlok Hotel.

Artists who took part in the camp: Alok Sharma, Govind Jogi, Hiramn Urveti, Jagdish bage Chithara, K.G Babu, KK Gandhi, Manash Ranjan Jena, Medha Prabhakar, Monimala Chitrakar, Mohan Singh Shyam, Nankusiya Shyam, Praveen Kumar, Subash Bhil, Sangeeta Murthy,Tejubhen Jogi, and Vijaymoni Thulung. 

Dehradun, October 29
A 10-day workshop on Education, Leadership and Management is being conducted at Hotel Drona. Nearly 75 principals of government schools and master trainers of the District Institute of Education Training (DIET) of the state are being imparted training.

The workshop had been organised by the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT). The training was provided by resource persons of the SCERT as well as Azim Premji Foundation.

The latter had tied up with the state government in the field of education. Their target was to impart training to the participating 75 principals and that they would further train 2,000 master trainers in the DIET and fellow teachers in the schools.

Shalin Mishra, resource person, Azim Prem Ji Foundation, said the workshop was not aimed at providing content, but on motivating and changing the attitude of principals in government schools.

The issues of principals who reached to the position by dint of regular promotions too were being tackled in the workshop.

He said the government schools had the largest infrastructure and manpower in terms of school education. If that was well taken care of, then the basic education system could undergo a massive change in the state.

According to Mishra, the drop out rates in government schools had fallen from 23 per cent to 6 per cent after the first workshop that held last year.

He said the children studying in government schools lack the enthusiasm to study well because of their upbringing and home atmosphere.

“The teachers need to have higher motivation level to encourage the students for studies,” he added.

The concept of workshop was to improve teaching in government schools, which began last year when the Department of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) organised it.

Dr KM Bijawan, coordinator, SSA, said they were guiding the principals and other master trainers to learn to analyse and assess their problem.

The SSA had been holding such workshops since 2001 for teachers, and now the need was felt for the newly recruited principals.

“Since they were facing problems in the realm of finance management, so we have dedicated one complete schedule on that topic,” said Bijawan.

He said the aim was to make them understand about their role with regard to the academic aspect as well as community participation involving teachers, students and parents.

He said the principals and the trainers of the last workshop, trained 3,000 master trainers.

“We do not pump in theoretical details in the workshop, but show videos, hold guest lectures and facilitate interaction and question and answer sessions. The organisers maintain coordination with principals and master trainers even after the workshop,” he added. 

Dehradun, October 29
Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) is all set to monitor pollution levels in Dehradun during Diwali celebrations.

According to UEPPCB sources, the three-day round-the-clock monitoring has begun at the board’s three ambient air quality monitoring stations.

A UEPPCB team will check air pollution levels apart from registering the rising sound decibels. Air quality would be judged by the levels of sulpur-dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter.

Two mobile vans will also be deployed. These will record noise levels in different localities of the Dehradun city.

Dehradun has been witnessing spurt in pollution levels in recent years. The rising population of Dehradun city has also led to rising pollution levels that goes to extremes during the festival of lights.

Dehradun October 29
The Aryan School celebrated its 13th Founders’ Day amidst festivity and excitement here today. David Hilton, principal, Hilton School, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Various cultural and academic programmes were organised to mark the occasion.

David Hilton gave the academic awards and cocurricular trophies to the winners and the proud achievers.

He addressed the audience and urged the students to live up to the expectations of the great founders, who gave so much to ensure not only a good education, but also a secure future to many young pupil of the wonderful nation.

Merit certificates were awarded for academic achievements along with Inter-house cultural activities trophies. The students who performed exceptionally well in the sports tournament were also awarded. The winners of the Inter-house sports tournament winner were also given trophies on the occasion. 

Dehradun October 29
A three-day work experience workshop for students of Nalanda College of Education began on the college premises here today. The main aim of the workshop is personality development of the students.

The students participating in the workshop were given training in various subjects like rangoli making, mehndi application, pot painting, decoration and jewellery designing.

A rangoli competition was also organised as part of the workshop. The students participated in the workshop with enthusiasm. The director of the college, Savita Rawat, inspected the works of the students.

Dehradun, October 29
The Wills Youth Football Club trounced the Exodus Football Club 2-0 in the ongoing 3rd Jaideep Bhandari Memorial Football Tournament being played here today. Shyam and Mohit scored the goals in the 11th and 16th minutes, respectively.

In the second match of the day, Garhwal Sporting defeated Khukri Eleven in a tiebreaker. The match during the normal duration ended in goalless draw. In the tiebreaker, Garhwal Sporting won the match 3-0 with Sumit, Abhishek and Balan scoring the goals.

Dehradun, October 29
Matches were played once again in the Drona College 70th Nemidas Memorial District Football League after a gap of four days today.

The Akranta Football Club defeated Garhwal Boys 1-0 in the first match. Sushil Rawat scored the only goal of the match in the 56th minute.

The second match between the CTN Football Club and Doon Challenger ended in a 2-2 draw.

For Doon Challenger, Imran and Azhar scored the goals. Tsrink and Jigma scored the goals for CTN in the 22nd and 58th minutes, respectively.