Govt serious about welfare, security of women: Amrita
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 10
The Uttarakhand government is concerned and serious about the issues related with the welfare and security of womenfolk in the state. This was stated by Cabinet Minister for Women Empowerment, Tourism, Child Welfare, Culture and Alternative Energy Sources Amrita Rawat in Haridwar today.

Laying the foundation stone of the working women's hostel at Bahadrabad, Amrita Rawat termed this as one of the major steps being taken by the state government for womenfolk. The women's hostel has been named Indira Priyadarshini Working Women's Hostel, which will have 150 rooms. In each room two women will be put up.

For guests separate rest rooms will also be made with all the requisite facilities that a modern hostel these days requires.

Keeping in mind the durability of the building the hostel will be constructed as per anti-earthquake technology.

Thanking Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna for showing concern in construction of this hostel, Rawat said that the government was catering to varied sections of society and the “works being done by us are now getting visible.”

While Additional Secretary, Women's Empowerment, Nidhi Mani Tripathi, informed TNS that this is the second working women's hostel of the state, with the first being opened in interim capital Dehradun, while the third one is slated in Rudrapur.

Nidhi cited industrial estate of Sidcul in Dehradun,Haridwar and Rudrapur as vital aspect in constructing these hostels as thousands of women work in these firms, apart from government sector jobs.

The Minister also inaugurated three anganwadi centres at Akhoda Khurd, Danda Patti and Avdhipur villages of the district.

Amrita highlighted that the basic wage of anganwadi workers has been upped by Rs 1000 and Rs 500 of assistant anganwadi workers. The government order in this regard will be issued in the coming 10 days.

Jwalapur segment legislator Chandra Sekhar Bhattewala appreciated the step of the government in constructing working women's hostel as this will be safer and economical accommodation for women.

The minister also handed out nutritious food to pregnant women and children of 7 months to 3 years under Maa Raj Rajeshwaari Anupurak Poshahar Yojana. Ex-women's state commission chairperson Santosh Chauhan, Deep Jakhmola, Sushant Pal, Telu Ram Pradhan among others were present at the function.

Post-Delhi win, AAP eyeing victory at Haridwar
Dist workers claim bigwigs from Congress, BJP, SP and BSP keen to join party
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 10
Buoyed by its success in the Delhi Assembly elections, political outfit Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making speedy inroads into the Haridwar district politics.

Sources from the district unit of AAP revealed in coming days many bigwigs from the Congress, BJP, SP and BSP were keen to join the party that has an anti-corruption stance, making the parties presence stronger in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

With chances of the Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat not contesting from the Haridwar constituency increasing, AAP district committee members feel out of all the five parliamentary seats of Uttarakhand, they could register a win from Haridwar.

Post the Delhi win there has been a substantial rise in the membership drive with the district unit of AAP inducting more than 900 members in just a fortnight from Haridwar.

Before the Delhi polls 2,000 members from across the district had joined AAP, but post the win the numbers have increased on a daily basis.

Talking to The Tribune, the party’s district coordinator JP Baduni said many top politicians from other political parties such as the Congress, Bharatiya Janta Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, were keen to join AAP.

But, Baduni also added that they were in no hurry as the party supremo Arvind Kejriwal had directed them to make less but efficient and honest-credible activists instead of inept ones.

As per sources from AAP’s district committee, talks were on with former Bahujan Samaj Party heavyweight Dr Antriksh Saini, former legislator in the Uttar Pradesh government Ambrish Kumar and a number of former MP’s, block chiefs, village pradhan’s, ward councillors and student union leaders.

Prerna Purohit, a representative from the party’s women cell said the party could also field a women contender if they found a suitable candidate.

“We have a lot of options but we don’t want to disclose them yet. There is a definite selection and assessment pattern to join our party, particularly for those who are or were serving in any political party,” claimed Ajay Singh, district convener of the AAP.

Social activist Dr Veena Shastri, who had earlier contested the civic body chairperson election, was also a front runner to contest from the AAP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, the AAP trademark Gandhian cap is easily visible in the city and the rural areas. With Haridwar comprising a major portion of rural areas, AAP’s district unit is now focusing on strengthening and expanding its base in rural segements of Haridwar like Khanpur, Lakshar, Bhagwanpur.

With a sizeable minority community in segments of Piran Kaliyar and Jwalapur among others, AAP strategists are also trying to rake in Muslim representatives to lure the community towards their ideology.

MP ticket contender from BJP Madan Kaushik, a three time legislator, said it was too early to comment on the AAP’s political stature in the state at present. He said, “Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are a different ball game altogether. Local issues matter in Assembly segments, but national-international issues have a direct bearing on parliamentary elections. The contest will mainly be between BJP and the Congress while the rest will just fulfil numbers.”

UKD to fight all LS seats alone: Airy
Our correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 10
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Airy) will contest from all five Lok Sabha seats in the state alone and it has started preparations for the elections, party president Kashi Singh Airy told mediapersons at Haldwani today. “Before that we will organise a personal contact programme in every Lok Sabha constituency of the state,” said Airy.

The UKD president said the final decision on fighting the elections would be taken at the executive committee meeting to be held at Ramnagar on January 11 and 12. “Besides old issues of preservation of water, forest and land in Uttarakhand and giving preference to hill areas of the state in development, the UKD will fight elections on the issue of the failure of the state government to properly handle and execute rehabilitation works post-natural disaster of June last year,” said Airy.

He added the UKD would also organise a conference of party workers during the Uttarayani fair at Bageshwar on January 13 and 14 to highlight and discuss the basic issue of development in hill areas. “We have made it clear to the state and Central governments that until the budget for development works in the hill region is doubled, actual development cannot take place in the state,” said Airy.

He added green bonus recently recommended by a Planning Commission committee for Himalayan states was far less compared to the environment services rendered by these states to the nation. “We in Uttarakhand want a minimum of Rs 10,000 crore green bonus, which should be used in filling the gap between the development of infrastructure and backward areas in the hill areas of the state,” said Airy. 

Stakeholders irked over stalling of housing project for the poor
Demand immediate construction of remaining flats 
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 10
The housing project for the urban poor under the Integrated Housing and Slums Development Programme (IHSDP) being constructed in Mussoorie has fallen prey to the apathy and lack of coordination among various departments, leaving the stakeholders a dejected lot in Mussoorie.

The stakeholders, reacting to the news report titled “Proposal to build houses for poor faces rough weather” published on January 7 that highlighted the fact that only 40 flats instead of 96 as proposed earlier would be constructed for the urban poor, have demanded thorough investigation into the matter by the state government.

The stakeholders, Vikram Singh, Hardev Singh,Pratap Singh, Soban Singh in a letter written to the Chief Minister and District Magistrate, Dehradun, stated that around 96 families from the poor strata were identified for the housing project after a survey conducted in 2010, under Integrated Housing and Slums Development Programme (IHSDP) funded through Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), where it was decided that such 96 families would be provided affordable houses near Civil Hospital by 2012 in Mussoorie.

The stakeholders further said that they have learned through the media report that only 40 flats will be constructed instead of 96 flats as planned earlier due to refusal of UP Nirman Nigam to continue with the construction and abandoning the project only after constructing 24 flats, those, too, incomplete, thus depriving them of the basic right to affordable housing under the scheme run by Government of India.

They further said that the lack of coordination and insensitivity among the two departments assigned with the task of completion of the project has resulted in depriving the poor of the affordable houses, forcing them to live out in their shanty shelters.

The stakeholders demanded a thorough investigation into the matter to enquire the reasons why only 40 flats were being constructed instead of 96 flats as proposed earlier.

When contacted the MC executive officer PS Rawat informed the media that they had sent several notices to the Uttar Pradesh Nirman Nigam to complete the construction of the remaining flats but all pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

He also informed the media that a memorandum of understanding was reached with the Nigam in 2011 where it was decided that the work will be completed by the end of 2012 but the UP Nirman Nigam, after building only 24 flats, those,too, incomplete stopped the work without citing any satisfactory explanation.

When contacted the senior officials from Nirman Nigam said under anonymity that during the initial stages MC was to build the flats but due to its inability to take on the project, it was transferred to UP Nirman Nigam in haste. Furthermore, the detailed project report submitted by consultants from JNNURM during the inception of the project was of faulty nature and did take the escalating cost of construction material in consideration.

Apart from this the MC also failed to earmark the land on which the project was to be built, resulting in inordinate delays. The officials further said that under such circumstances they were left with no option but to start the project and exhausted the Rs 2 crore on constructing only 24 flats.

Scholars, engineers attend meet on energy
Minister’s appeal to develop substitute for oil
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
The Physics Department of University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) organised a conference on ''Advances in material science applications in energy sector” here today.

The participating scientists, research scholars, engineers , industry fellows and students in this two-day conference include eminent personalities from IITs, Raman Research Institute Bangalore, Banaras Hindu University, Delhi University, National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, and GB Pant University and others.

Speaking at the inaugural function, the chief guest, Dinesh Agarwal, Uttarakhand Minister for Planning, Information Technology & Sports laid stress on the importance and need of research in developing alternative materials to substitute the dependence of India on importing the conventional energy source, viz crude oil.

Elaborating this he said that because of the heavy allocation to import crude oil in the budget, the economy of this country often gets haywire and the government has to compromise with the public on other fronts, which makes the public at large a disgruntled lot. The minister applauded the role that UPES has played in the higher education spectrum in the state of Uttarakhand in its short span of existence and encouraged the university management to sustain its efforts in this direction.

The guest of honour, Bhattacharya, Director of Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, shared the vision of his institution in the fields of alternative construction materials, disaster mitigation, fire research and energy efficient buildings.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of UPES, Utpal Ghosh, in his address shared the need of high-end research to further develop materials by which the efficiency of converting solar energy for use of mankind could be improved from the current levels so that the per unit cost could come down, thus encouraging people to move away from the conventional energy resources.

This two-day conference will witness sharing of experiences, showcasing of contributions from various participating personalities. The key-note lecture was delivered by Dr Vinay Gupta from Delhi University, who is recipient of ‘MRSI medal’ of Material Research Society of India (MRSI) in 2012.

The plenary lecture was given by Prof R. Shivpuri, an associate of the team which discovered the famous ‘God Particle’ and also recipient of one of the highest civilian awards conferred by France called “Commander of Order of Academic Palms.”

Some of the prominent speakers for the invited talk included Prof G. N. Tewari from BHU, recipient of ‘Vigyan Ratna,’ conferred by the UP, Prof S. A. Ramakrishna, recipient of “INSA young scientist medal,” Prof Ramesh Chandra from National Physical Laboratory, Prof. R.P. Tandon from Delhi University and Dr J.C.Kapil from G.B. Pant University.

}Because of the heavy allocation to import crude oil in the budget, the economy of this country often goes haywire and the government has to compromise with the public on other fronts, which makes the public at large a disgruntled lot.
—Dinesh Agarwal, Uttarakhand Minister for Planning, Information Technology & Sports 

BJP protests against rising prices of fruits, vegetables
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Uttarakhand BJP workers staged a protest at Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti office in Dehradun yesterday resenting rising prices of fruits and vegetables.

Led by state BJP spokesman Prakash Suman Dhyani, BJP workers said it was a matter of concern that despite announcing withdrawal of mandi fee, the prices of fruits and vegetables still continue to increase alarmingly.

Dhyani said the price of fruits and vegetables increased by 13 per cent after coming out from mandi due to various charges levied on them by Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti. He said despite curtailing mandi fee, the Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti, Dehradun, had failed to check rising prices of fruits and vegetables. He said even farmers are suffering in the process.

Vishnu Sundriyal, Mukesh Rana, Munna Lal Verma, Surendra Sharma and Manoj Chaturvedi were prominent among the protesters.

Section 144 to be imposed during Assembly session
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
In view of the first state Legislative Assembly session of 2014, scheduled from January 13, the district administration has geared up and started making important arrangements.

BVRC Purushottam, District Magistrate Dehradun, said Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) would be imposed with in 500 meters around the Assembly complex.

He said things like baton, sword, hockey stick, knife and other weapons would not be allowed to carry near the Assembly.

He said five or more people would not be allowed to gather near the Assembly and nobody would be allowed to make inflammatory comments there during the session.

Champion alleges irregularities in UFDC
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Congress Khanpur MLA and former Chairman of Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation Kunwar Pranav Champion alleged large scale irregularities in the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation (UFDC).

In a letter written to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, Champion accused UFDC Managing Director of backing deals linked to the purchase of private land for setting up of timber depots.

He said there was no point in purchasing private land for timber depots when a forest land or a government land could have been searched and used for purpose.

He said the private land being bought for setting up of timber depots would cost Rs 100 crore to the exchequer, which was a sheer waste of money.

Champion said earlier the Chairman of UFDC had ensured that all the works of the corporation were done in a transparent and proper manner. “I feel sad when such a scam is taking place in the UFDC,” he added, seeking a high level probe in the matter from the Chief Minister.

On the other hand, Srikant Chandola, Managing Director of UFDC, said the decision to purchase private land for setting up of timber depots had been done by the governing body of the corporation. He said the land was still to be purchased.

Students’ lesson in philanthropy
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 10
You would think that class XII students would be busy preparing for their board examinations at this time of the year, but this bunch of children has another issue on their mind.

With the increasing chill in the air when you would prefer to snuggle under your blankets, an underprivileged section of society prepares for yet another night under the open skies. This is where a bunch of students led by their tutor come to the aid of these underprivileged people by donating warm clothes, mufflers, caps and blankets

Led by academician and social activist Prachi Garg, who also runs an educational institute at Shivalik Nagar, this group of school students have formed a group -Tulip Welfare Centre - for such social causes.

At present these children collect used sweaters, jackets, caps and mini blankets, which are then distributed among poor people, rag pickers and saints, who live along the city roads or at shelter homes.

Taking out time from their hectic study schedule, these students associated with the centre collect these clothes and other items from their homes and the neighbourhood, requesting people to donate items for the underprivileged people.

Talking to The Tribune, Prachi Garg said the idea came to her after seeing the deplorable condition of the poor people living along the road and the open areas without any proper clothing.

Prachi said, “We feel cold despite wearing layers of branded warm clothes, but forget about those who cannot afford a bare minimum. This is when my students decided to contribute for these people. Our families happily agreed to support us in this cause.”

Nikita Reddy, a student of class XII from Doon Cambridge School, who is also a part of the group, feels satisfied when she sees a smile on the faces of poor children after they receive these donated clothes.

Echoing similar sentiments Akanskha Bhatia a student of St Mary’s School, said many of her classmates volunteered in their endeavour.

Now, these students are collecting ration for these poor people, after completing their studies every evening.

These students also plan to utilise social media such as Facebook, but with the board examinations around and gruelling study schedules they plan utilise this medium after their examinations.

Revenue Dept staff strike hits admn working
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, January 10
The strike by Revenue Department employees for the past one week has badly affected the working of the district administration much to the annoyance of the general public.

The revenue employees are opposing the recent state government order of giving 10 per cent promotions as naib tehsildars in the department to ministerial employees.

“Unemployed village youths are not getting their caste, income and permanent residence certificates and losing the opportunity to get jobs in establishments where these are a must,” said Lalit Mohan Bhatt, president of the Unemployed Youths’ Association, Pithoragarh district.

The district associations of revenue sub-inspectors in Pithoragarh, Champawat and Bageshwar said if their 12-point demands were not fulfilled they would intensify their agitation. “People are facing difficulties. We request the government to accept our demands soon so that the people are not inconvenienced any further, said Rajendra Singh Mehta, district president of the Patwaris’ Association in Champawat.

In view of the strike by Patwaris, the ministerial employees today threatened that if the government did not implement its recent order on promotion quota, they would start boycotting work from January 16. “Besides the quota in promotion for revenue sub-inspectors, we want six other demands, including relaxation in promotion for these employees at every cadre level, and travel facilities on the lines of the Central Government employees,” said BS Karki, district president of the Ministerial Employees’ Federation.

Meanwhile, PWD employees also boycotted work today and threatened that if the government did not agree to their four-point demands they would go on strike from January 27. “We want our department be restructured and promotion avenues be opened for old employee in new divisions being created every year,” said Prem Singh, spokesman for the federation.

Besides the revenue and ministerial employees, gram praharis or village chawkidars are also on strike for the last 15 days demanding increase in wages. 

Boycott by nurses continues

Dehradun, January 10
After the talks between the staff nurses and Director General, Medical, Health and Family Welfare, Dr JS Pangti, failed to arrive at a consensus, the nurses will continue with the boycott of two shifts.

The Uttarakhand Health Minister had claimed that the nurses would resume normal duties but the nurses did not join their duties. In the evening Dr JS Pangti held talks with the nurses but the office bearers persisted with their demands.

''The Uttarakhand Minister for Health and Family Welfare is not in town,'' said the exasperated Dr Pangti. Meanwhile, to press for their demands, the fourth class state employees manning the medical and health services in the state will start an agitation tomorrow in support of their demands.

''As part of our agitation tomorrow, we will not abstain from duties but all the fourth class employees will wear black bands,” said Manvar Singh Negi, president of Fourth Class State Employees Association. — TNS 

FRI to organise Kisan Mela
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun will organise a Kisan Mela at GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar on January 13, 2014.

According to FRI Director Dr PP Bhojvaid, the main attraction of the Kisan mela would be a day long workshop that will be participated by both the agriculture experts and farmers.

Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr RBS Rawat would inaugurate the workshop. He would also lay stress on the agro forestry.

Representatives from plywood industry will also attend the mela. They will be informing the farmers about wood requirements of the plywood industry and how the farmers could cater to the needs of the industry and earn well.

Rally of Bharat Scouts, Guides begins at MKP College
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Bharat Scouts and Guides Uttarakhand’s three-day rally started at MKP College, Dehradun, today.

Inaugurating the rally, Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi said the very aim of scouting is to divert the energy of youth in a positive direction. He said youths were the backbone of the country and can play a significant role in the betterment of society. He said scouts have always worked for unity of the country.

Qureshi appreciated Bharat Scouts and Guides of Uttarakhand in the relief works in the recent rain disaster in the state. He on the occasion released “Ullas,” a souvenir of Bharat Scouts and Guides.

Uttarakhand Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani exhorted scouts and guides to work towards eradication social evils. Principal Secretary S Raju, Director, School Education, CS Gwal, and Uttarakhand State Headquarters Commission Chairman Rajeev Sharma were prominent among those present on the occasion. 

BJP to form booth-level teams

Dehradun, January 10
In view of the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha and panchayat elections in the state, the Uttarakhand BJP has started an exercise to strengthen the party at the booth level in all parliamentary constituencies.

President of the Uttarakhand BJP Teerath Singh Rawat today chaired a meeting and asked the party office-bearers to constitute booth-level committees by January 18 and 19. “We have tasked the office-bearers to constitute booth-level committees during this time," he said. — TNS

Locals must be prepared in face of natural calamity: Guv

Dehradun, January 10
While presiding over the general meeting of the Uttarakhand chapter of Indian Red Cross Committee, Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi discussed topics such as the medical facilities available in remote areas, training for disaster management and arrangements for medicines in these areas .Several decisions on these issues were also taken at the meeting.

Red Cross members and officials from various districts along with Uttarakhand Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi were present at the meeting.

The Governor said due to the disastrous effects of last year’s natural calamity it was necessary for locals, volunteers, retired army personnel and junior Red Cross members to undergo training to face the challenges posed by natural disasters in the state so that the victims could be rescued and be administered first aid.

The Health Minister assured the Governor that the health services would be strengthened and doctors and pharmacists would be made available in far off places. — TNS

Proposal to make traffic police financially independent
May get to keep challan money in its treasury
Gaurav Talwar
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Traffic police might be the most burdened wing of the police department but it suffers from severe financial crunch. However, keeping in view the financial scarcity, the state police headquarters are now ready with a proposal to make traffic police across the state financially independent.

According to the proposal, which is being worked upon at police headquarters, all the money raised through challans and fines across the state must go back to the traffic police of the 13 districts to buy equipments and other traffic management related gadgets, which would help traffic cops in streamlining the traffic movement in much effective manner.

The Tribune has learned that as per the proposal, 75 per cent of the total money raised through issuance of challan/fines would be used for buying equipments, while the rest 25 per cent will be used for the welfare of traffic cops who work under high stress environment.

At present, all the money collected through challans goes back to the state treasury and state cops, who collect that money from the traffic rule violators, do not get even a penny out of it. Though the money would still be deposited into the treasury, if the proposal is approved, but would be routed back to the police department later.

When contacted, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Law and Order, Sanjay Gunjyal, accepted that such proposal is being prepared at police headquarters. “Apart from regulating the traffic movement, traffic cops are supposed to create awareness about traffic rules, road safety and other traffic-related issues but at present they could not do so in the wake of lack of funds. I am sure traffic police in the districts will be able to perform much effectively once they will have sufficient budget.”

Notably, on an average over Rs 1 crore is collected through traffic challans annually across the state, out of which the major chunk comes from Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar district. For example, Dehradun traffic police are raising approximately Rs 21 lakh through challans annually.

According to Pradeep Rai, SP, Traffic, Dehradun, “It will be a welcome step, as the traffic police would be able to do lots of other traffic awareness related activities in the city, which we are not able to do at present due to lack of money.''

Specialist doctors unhappy with cadre merger
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
Failing to grasp the problem faced by the government doctors, the cadre merger exercise worked out by the Uttarakhand government may not after all help in bridging the financial and promotional disparity existing between the specialist service and the general service government doctors.

The alternative arrangement approved by the Cabinet recently has left the specialists dissatisfied. “Our qualification has become a curse. Since 2000 none of us were promoted (batch 91-94) and now this proposal will only give notional promotions to 40 specialist doctors who would be promoted from the post of senior medical officer to the post of joint doctor. These belong to the '91 batch. What about the 66 doctors who hail from other batches? They will have to wait till the time the posts of joint director will fall vacant. It will be long time in the coming,” rued Dr RS Chauhan, senior ENT specialist, Doon Hospital.

The disparity between the general and specialist service cadre arose to such an extent that the government doctors in the general cadre belonging to 2000 batch of the rank of senior medical officer (SMO) managed to get promoted as joint director, while at the same time the government doctors of the specialist cadre and belonging from the '91 batch onwards have not got a single promotion.

“Several doctors in the general service who were my junior have now become seniors,” said Dr SD Joshi, senior physician.

City to host short film festival from Jan 12
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
A short film festival would be organised in Dehradun for the first time on January 12, 2014, with an aim to encourage and promote local short filmmakers of the state.

The UFD short film festival would be inaugurated at the Jugmander auditorium of Municipal Corporation. The short films of budding young directors would be screened during the film festival. The only criterion, which has been set for an entry, is that the film should not exceed 15 minutes duration. The organisers have already received nominations from the directors of six different states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Apart from Hindi, films in other languages would also be screened during the festival.

Awards would also be given in six categories, which would be decided by a jury of experienced members.

The categories includes best story, best cinematography, best director, best film, second best film and the film which will stand at third place. 

Second accused held in Baiju murder case
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
The Dehradun police arrested the second accused in the Baiju Shah murder case here today within 24 hours of arresting the main accused, Rajesh Mehto.

The police reportedly arrested Sonu, who along with Rajesh Mehto had killed Baiju by strangulating him in the cantonment police station area in May last year. Both had been evading arrest since then.

The police arrested Rajesh yesterday. According to the police, Rajesh, Sonu and Baiju were partners in the money lending business.

Rajesh and Sonu called Baiju to bring Rs 1 lakh and had liquor together. Rajesh and Sonu then entered into an argument with Baiju and killed him in a fit of rage and also took away the money.

Love for volleyball in India pleases Afghan body chief
Gaurav Talwar
Tribune News Service

Mohamed Yonus Popalzay

Dehradun, January 10
The president of the Afghanistan Volleyball Federation, Mohamed Yonus Popalzay, is thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm and love for volleyball in India. Yonus was the special guest at the inaugural ceremony of the 40th Junior National Volleyball Championship that started here yesterday.

“I am delighted to see such a large number of players and teams participating in a junior-level volleyball tournament, which reflects the popularity of the sport in India," he told The Tribune. He was particularly upbeat to see a large number of girls taking part in the tournament.

Asked about the condition of volleyball in Afghanistan, Yonus said, “Volleyball is one of the top three sports in Afghanistan in terms of the number of people playing it. We have opened six gymnasiums in Kabul in the last couple of years and a state of the art indoor volleyball stadium is coming at a cost of $ 2.5 million.”

He said, “We have successfully established a structure in our country and with the starting of regional volleyball tournaments and leagues, which are very popular there and attracting lots of participation from the locals, things are changing drastically.”

He added the Afghanistan volleyball team was training round the clock these days for the forthcoming South Asian Games in Sri Lanka. “We are planning to invite teams from neighbouring countries to play in volleyball tournaments in Afghanistan to give greater exposure to the Afghan players.”

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Volleyball Federation is planning to tie up with international universities for training volleyball players in its country.

UPCL win kabbadi title
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 10
As part of the Uttarakhand Power Sports Group initiative, Kabbadi and tug of war competitions were held on the ground of Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited today.

In the kabbadi competition, Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) beat Uttarakhand Jal Vidhyut Nigam Limited 46-21 in the final, clinching the gold medal. However, in tug of war, Power Transmission Corporation Limited emerged the winner beating the UPCL in the final.

Managing Director, UPCL, Sumer Singh Yadav has greeted the UPCL sportsmen for their achievement. Sports coordinator, UPCL, Pushkar Singh Rawat has expressed satisfaction over the team’s performance in the games.