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Five medical colleges to be built by 2015: Harak Rawat
Widespread rain in state, Gangotri highway blocked
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Landslide near Kolhukhet blocks Mussoorie-Doon road for 2 hours
Robbers burgle petrol station owner’s house
Nishank seeks CBI probe into illegal quarrying
Infighting may cost BJP dear in bypoll
State needs to protect its resources: Kunjwal
Upadhayay wants Cong office at Gairsain
Kanwar yatra begins, Shiva devotees fetch Ganga water
MAD volunteers distribute paper bags
Anti-polythene drive by U Turn Foundation
Sanitation workers stage demonstration
KV non-teaching staff celebrate foundation day
Bharat Vikas Parishad celebrates foundation day
Forest officers resent posting of non-cadre staff
Doctors’ queries on eye diseases addressed
Coming up: Village Nutrition Day
SSB jawans undergo training in rescue ops
Garg takes oath as new chief of Kankhal Rotary Club
Art of Living celebrates Guru Purnima
sports
Protest against water scarcity
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Five medical colleges to be built by 2015: Harak Rawat
Dehradun, July 13 Rawat, while addressing the maiden convention of the Uttarakhand Paramedical Workers’ Welfare Society here, said the state had one medical college at Haldwani and the other at Srinagar. He said the construction of Doon Medical College, Almora Medical College and Rudrapur Medical College was underway while land for other two colleges at Pithoragarh and Haridwar had been earmarked. Rawat said two government paramedical colleges, one at Haldwani and the other at Srinagar, would soon be established. At present, the state has 16 private paramedical colleges at present. The minister also talked about his efforts towards fulfilling the long-pending demand of paramedical students for setting up a paramedical council in the state. He said with the council in place, paramedical students could now register themselves with it and apply for government jobs across the country. Earlier, Suryakant Dhasmana, state Congress vice-president and patron of the Uttarakhand Paramedical Workers Welfare Society, expressed gratitude to Harak Singh Rawat for his efforts towards setting up the council. He appealed to paramedical students to serve the state with honesty and dedication. |
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Widespread rain in state, Gangotri highway blocked
Dehradun, July 13 While widespread moderate rain took place in Garhwal and Kumaon hills and plains of the state, Uttarkashi district of Tehri Garhwal received more than moderate rainfall, resulting in blockade of the Gangotri highway. Dr Anand Sharma, Director, Dehradun Meteorological Office, said light to moderate rain would continue in most parts of the state for next 24 hours while isolated places could witness heavy rain. He added isolated heavy rainfall could take place in southern parts of
Uttarakhand. Sharma said the rain in Dehradun that started last evening was good and gave a big respite to the people from heat. He, however, added that it was still a long way to go to make up for the rainfall deficit this monsoon. As per the estimates, Uttarakhand has experienced 53 per cent less rain from period July 1 to 12 compared to last year. On an average, 13.5 mm rain should take place from July 1 to 12 but only 6.3 mm rainfall have taken place during this period this year. Significantly, the Union Agriculture Ministry has started monitoring the situation arising out of a poor monsoon in as many as 107 districts of the country, including 10 districts of Uttarakhand, which are likely to face a drought-like situation if rains does not pick up in these regions. In Uttarakhand, Almora, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun, Champawat, Tehri Garhwal, Chamoli, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Rudraprayag districts have received scanty rain so far. The Union Agriculture Ministry is planning to come up with a contingency plan for
these districts. Meanwhile, the rain that started in Dehradun last evening continued throughout the day today, bring much-needed relief for Doonites, who had been reeling under a sultry weather for the past few days. After little rain in June, Doonites have been anxiously awaiting the monsoon this month. Though initial days of July did not went according to expectations, the rain that started yesterday raised hopes of a better monsoon ahead. According to the weather forecast for Dehradun for the next 24 hours, one or two spells of rain or thunderstorm would occur with maximum and minimum temperatures of around 29°C and 23°C, respectively. Rains in Dehradun are likely to continue till Tuesday. On the other hand, as part of the preparations for the monsoon, District Magistrate Chandresh Kumar Yadav inspected localities in close proximity to Bindal and
Rispana rivers. He directed his subordinate officials to complete the under-construction embankments at various places along these
two rivers.
Situation still grim
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Landslide near Kolhukhet blocks Mussoorie-Doon road for 2 hours
Mussoorie, July 13 Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi reached the spot and called Public Works Department (PWD) workers to remove the debris. He also reprimanded officials for not reaching the spot on time. Joshi said the road was being widened by the PWD and there was no sidewall there. He demanded that sidewalls be constructed at all places where roads were being widened to prevent any road blocks in future. The PWD pressed into service JCB machines to clear the debris and the road was later opened to traffic. The MLA said due to lack of coordination among various departments, the government was yet to restore normalcy in the disaster-affected regions of the state. He demanded a white paper on the amount received by the state for rehabilitation works and the works carried out with these funds. |
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Robbers burgle petrol station owner’s house
Mussoorie, July 13 According to eyewitnesses, four armed robbers reached the house of the petrol pump owner Neeraj Agarwal near Wynberg Allen School around 9.15 pm yesterday. One of the robbers, who was wearing a mask, rang the doorbell. He told Neeraj’s wife Renu Agarwal that her husband, who was at the petrol pump, had sent him to deliver medicines for his ailing mother. As soon as Renu Agarwal opened the door, the robbers entered the house. They held her and her mother-in-law at gunpoint and demanded Rs 50 lakh. They then gagged and tied the two women and locked them in the bathroom. The robbers searched the house for around 20 minutes and fled with Rs 25,000, two rings, three silver sets, a gold chain and jewellery worth several lakhs of rupees. They threatened the two women of dire consequences if they reported the matter to the police or raised the alarm. After the robbers left, Renu somehow opened the bathroom window and alerted passersby, who informed the police. Mussoorie Circle Officer Jaya Baloni reached the house along with police personnel and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officials. They lifted fingerprints from the house but no clear evidence was forthcoming. The police again visited the Agarwal’s house today. Meanwhile, the Traders Association, worried at the worsening law and order situation in Mussoorie, has demanded that the police should apprehend the culprits as soon as possible. Rajat Agarwal, president of the Mussoorie Traders’ Association, told the Tribune that another petrol station owner was robbed in a similar fashion a few years ago but the police was yet to solve the case. He also sought identification of workers, who are serving in various business houses and hail from other parts of the country, as a preventive measure. Police station in charge Jaimal Singh Negi said after speaking to the eyewitnesses the police were working on the angle that the number of the robbers could have been more. Meanwhile, the Mussoorie police today released the sketch of two persons allegedly involved in the armed robbery. |
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Nishank seeks CBI probe into illegal quarrying
Dehradun, July 13 Nishank, while addressing a press conference at the state BJP office here today, said quarrying in Himalayan rivers was prohibited due to environmental concerns. The state government must give an explanation in this regard, he said. Nishank predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in the upcoming byelections to three Assembly seats in the state. He said the BJP was sure of retaining the Doiwala and Someshwar seats and winning the Dharchula seat as well. He said Chief Minister Harish Rawat was now writing to MPs about railway and other projects. However, he made no efforts in this regard when the UPA government was at the Centre. On other hand, media in charge for the state Congress affairs Surendra Kumar termed the BJP’s allegation baseless. |
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Infighting may cost BJP dear in bypoll
Dehradun, July 13 The byelections for Someshwar and Doiwala were necessitated following the victory of Ajay Tamta and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who represented these segments in the Lok Sabha elections from Almora and Hairdwar, respectively. The third seat of Dharchula was vacated by Congress legislator Harish Dhami for Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The byelections are crucial for the Congress-led government as well as it is dependent on the support of a seven-member legislative group, Progressive Democratic Front (PDF). The PDF comprises three BSP legislators, three Independents and one UKD legislator. The Congress is hopeful of doing well this time as its Chief Minister Harish Rawat is fighting from the Dharchula Assembly segment in Pithoragarh. Any positive result would give further stability to the Congress-led state government. The Congress has 33 legislators in a 70-member House. The BJP, which was on a strong wicket before the Lok Sabha elections, seems lost during these bypoll. Lack of coordination, delay in choosing the candidates and infighting among top leaders of the state has probably demoralised its cadres. The alleged failure of the Central Government to check inflation as promised during campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls and nothing much for the state in the Railway and General Budgets has further disillusioned party workers. The state unit of the BJP was confident of toppling the state government before the Lok Sabha elections and the defection of senior Congress leader Satpal Maharaj to the BJP gave further boost to its claims. Satpal Maharaj had a sizeable following among Congress legislators and his wife Amrita Rawat was a minister in the state government. The Congress lost badly in the elections. The BJP and Satpal Maharaj, however, failed to capitalise on the opportunity. Chief Minister Harish Rawat, although completely beleaguered, acted wisely by winning over Satpal Maharaj confidants and then sacking his wife Amrita Rawat from the ministry. On the other hand, BJP leaders, after a sweeping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, kept lobbying for a berth in the Union Council of Ministry. The BJP also could not put up a strong candidate against Harish Rawat from Dharchula and had to choose a Congress rebel as its candidate. In Someshwar, the party lost Rekha Arya to the Congress as it dithered in announcing her candidature. Even in Doiwala, there was an intense struggle among senior leaders BS Koshiyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and BC Khanduri to get party ticket for their favourite candidates. However, the party fielded Trivendra Singh
Rawat.
Crucial byelections
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State needs to protect its resources: Kunjwal
Pithoragarh, July 13 Speaking as chief guest at a conference organised by Zila Adhivakta Sanstha, a lawyers’ body, the speaker said the state conceived by the statehood agitators was one not based on borrowed economy but dependent on its own economy based on natural sources of land, water and forests. “Until we resolve to protect these natural assets of ours, we would lose all natural assets that symbolise the separate state of Uttarakhand,” said the Speaker. Former Nainital MP Dr Mahendra Pal, speaking as a special guest, said the state has several layers of laws formed from time to time which need to be unified keeping the needs of the state in mind. “We have Gorkha laws, British laws and laws formed by UP, but some of these laws are not in keeping with the state’’s needs. These need to be changed so that the very nature of the separate state of Uttarakhand could be kept intact,” said
Dr Mahendra Pal. |
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Upadhayay wants Cong office at Gairsain
Dehradun, July 13 In a letter to Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Upadhayaya while welcoming the holding of the recent Assembly session in Gairsain asserted that it was important that the Congress opened its state party office at Garisain. He said the region was fit for being earmarked as permanent capital of the state. He asked the Chief Minister to allot land
for the purpose. Upadhyay has also appealed to the local MLAs Anushya Prasad Maikhuri and Lalit Faraswan to help the Congress in searching appropriate land at Gairsain for construction the party’s state office.
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Kanwar yatra begins, Shiva devotees fetch Ganga water
Haridwar, July 13 The Kanwariyas have come to the pilgrim city to fetch the Ganga water from the sanctum sanctorum of Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri and other ghats in the state. Chanting of ‘Bum Bum Bholey’, ‘Har Har Mahadev’ can be heard across the entire Kanwar stretch as well as at the mela zone at Har-ki-Pauri and other Ganga ghats. The administration claims to have made arrangements of basic facilities at the Kanwar Patri. Nodal officer for the Kanwar Mela Jeevan Singh Nangiyal said, “Owing to various procedures and government departments involved in the Kanwar fair preparations, final touches are still being given with levelling of Kanwar Patri nearly over.” Giving details about the security arrangements, SP Surjeet Singh Pawar said additional mela force from other districts has been deployed at the Kanwar stretch as well as other vital sensitive points and squares in the district. He said police personnel were diverting Kanwariyas towards the Kanwar stretch to curtail their movement on the national highway to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Local traders are happy with the onset of the Kanwar season. As many as 2 crore Kanwariyas are expected to visit Uttarakhand in 15 days. Arun Ohri, a businessman, said besides the Char Dham pilgrimage, Haridwar traders depend on Kanwariyas for a good business during their stay. Uday Ram Semwal, a sweet trader based at Chandra Charya Square at Ranipur, said, “Traders at old city markets or those along the Kanwar Patri benefit the most. Markets like Ranipur also witness a rise in daily sales as Kanwariyas flock to various parts of the city.” |
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MAD volunteers distribute paper bags
Dehradun, July 13 “We made more than 1,600 papers bags at our homes over the last three days and nights. A group of volunteers conducted a recce of the prime market areas in the city where polythene bags are still used extensively despite a ban,” said Shaurav Upadhyay, a member of the coordination team of MAD. As many as 50 group volunteers zeroed in on Paltan Bazaar’s 72 shops in the first phase of the campaign today. They tried to persuade retailers and shoppers to use paper bags instead polythene. During the two-hour drive, the volunteers made the shopkeepers and the people, who visited the market for shopping, aware regarding the negative impact of the polythene bags on the environment. |
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Anti-polythene drive by U Turn Foundation
Dehradun, July 13 The shoppers and the shopkeepers were told about the hazards of the use of polythene bags by members of Green Force. The foundation volunteers had a meeting with the City Magistrate and the SMO of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation on the implementation of the ban on the use of polythene bags. However, despite assurances of support to the anti-polythene bag drive, nothing much has been done on the ground. “Dehradun residents are using their own bags for shopping and if an anti-polythene bag drive is run with willpower to eradicate this menace, people will come forward to support it,” said Jaya. L. Kumar, vice-president of the foundation. Green Force members Anchal, Deepanjli Sharma, Tanshi, Arpan, Shrishti and Rakesh Pandey coordinated the meet. — TNS |
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Sanitation workers stage demonstration
Dehradun, July 13 Led by sangh president Madan Valmiki, they submitted a memorandum to Harak Singh Rawat highlighting the plight of workers in wake of measly salary being paid to them. “Workers are being a monthly salary of Rs 3,000. Earlier, too, the workers had demanded an increase in the salaries but nothing has been done so far. In case the demands are not met they threaten to boycott sanitation work in the city,” said the president. Those who were part of the demonstration include Mohan Kala, Kishen Pal, Shyam, Kumar, Arvind Ghangri, Koli Saroj and several others. |
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KV non-teaching staff celebrate foundation day
Dehradun, July 13 General secretary of the association Sandeep Kanta Biswas said that the association is always of the view that the best place “to settle our grievances is to maintain cordial relationship with all of the officers and our association has been successful in maintaining a very good rapport with the authorities.” The speakers and office-bearers of the association said that the body had been able to coordinate all its activities with the support of all members through the regional and central office-bearers of the association. |
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Bharat Vikas Parishad celebrates foundation day
Dehradun, July 13 Speaking about Dr Suraj Prakash, founder of the Bharat Vikas Parishad, SS Kothiyal, a former Inspector General of Police, said, “Dr Suraj Prakash was a great patriot and social worker. He always worked for the betterment of society.” — TNS |
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Forest officers resent posting of non-cadre staff
Dehradun, July 13 At a meeting of the Uttarakhand Indian Forest Service officers Association here yesterday, members resented the deployment of non-Indian Forest Service officers on cadre posts. They said this was a matter of grave injustice and they would now take the matter to court. The association sought immediate deployment of Indian Forest Service officers on posts that do not fall in the ambit of Civil Services Board. They accused the state administration of doing little efforts to fill up vacant senior posts of Indian Forest Service in the state. The association expressed concern over continuous harassment of senior Indian Forest Service Officer, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Srikant Chandola. They held that despite completion of an inquiry linked to him, Srikant Chandola has not being given any posting. General secretary of the association, Surendra Mehra, told The Tribune that Indian Forest Service officers were finding themselves sidelined in the state. He said they were even being deprived of posts and positions. He said Indian Forest Service officers will continue to raise their concern till justice is done to them. The association decided to observe Indian Forest Service week during August. President of Uttarakhand Indian Forest Service Officers Association Vinod Singhal, vice president Dhanjaya Mohan, joint secretary PK Patro, treasurer Amit Verma and other officers were present at the meeting. |
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Pharmacists discuss industry trends
Dehradun, July 13 Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a life member of Uttarakhand IPA, delivered an introductory note apart from highlighting the importance of the Uttarakhand IPA theme ‘Pharmaceutical Industry Future Avenues’. The focus was on industrial vision for future trends while the contribution of participants to the pharmaceutical industry was discussed in detail. President, Uttarakhand IPA, Dr NV Satheesh Madhav, talked about IPA, completion of 75 years since it came up and its future endeavours. He said the IPA is celebrating its platinum jubilee this year with the theme – Excellence in Quality: Applying Learning to Practices. He spoke on the genesis of Uttarakhand IPA state branch in 2012 and highlighted its achievements and initiatives. Later, addressing a press meet, industry experts talked about the vision of the pharmaceutical industry in the forthcoming years and their quality pharma graduates' requirement. Himanshu Chopra delivered a vote of thanks to all invitees from the industry and Uttarakhand IPA members. |
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Doctors’ queries on eye diseases addressed
Dehradun, July 13 As many as 48 eye doctors from Dehradun attended this programme in which an interactive session was conducted. Prof Amod Gupta, a noted eye surgeon, addressed queries of local doctors on various issues. Dr (Prof) Sanjeev Mittal, president, Dehradun Ophthalmological Society and Head of Department, SGRR Medical College and Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital and Dr Kapil Rishi Aggarwal, secretary, Dehradun Ophthalmological Society, thanked Prof Amod Gupta for his visit and for interacting with young doctors.
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Coming up: Village Nutrition Day
Haridwar, July 13 Cooperation of industrial firms has been sought in this regard to successfully implement the project, under which, there would be routine check-up of pregnant women and formation of mobile ambulance health teams in rural areas. This was stated by Chief Development Officer Vishnu Singh Dhanik at a health check-up camp at Intermediate College at Lal Dhang yesterday. At this camp, medical tests of 680 children were done by government medical doctors. |
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SSB jawans undergo training in rescue ops
Pithoragarh, July 13 According to SSB sources in Ranikhet, two companies meant for disaster rescue and relief in the state were at present undergoing training at Lucknow and Guwahati. “Jawans will be given the final training to tackle disasters in tough terrains of the state at Gwaldam in Chamoli district as soon as they complete their training at the two centres,” said Shyam Singh, IG of border headquarters at Ranikhet in Kumaon region. The IG said these specially trained personnel would be deputed from Udham Singh Nagar to the upper Himalayan reaches of the state to begin quick relief action at the time of natural disasters. “We have deputed 22 motorboats in Khatima town of Udham Singh Nagar, keeping imminent rains in mind,” he said. |
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Garg takes oath as new chief of Kankhal Rotary Club
Haridwar, July 13 David Hilton, district governor of the Rotary Club, said the organisation had played a commendable role in the anti-polio campaign as per the guidelines of International Rotary Club. He said it was now working towards providing free education to poor children across India. Hilton stressed the need to appoint more members in the club. Sanjay Verma, Lalit Sachdeva, Duleep Pradhan, SK Aggarwal, Sonal Garg, Vinay Kumar, Gulshan Adhlakha, Vivek Garg, Pradeep Tomar, Anil Keshwani, Lalit Batra, Rakesh Aggarwal, Lalit Chugha, Ashok Sapra, Praveen Aggarwal, Deepak Arora, Dr Mahendra Ahuja and RK Saxena were present on the occasion. |
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Art of Living celebrates Guru Purnima
Dehradun, July 13 Mass meditation for world peace was also held on the occasion. People from all walks of life, including youngsters, elderly, professionals and homemakers, participated in meditation. The Dehradun branch of Art of Living launched year-long ‘Environment protection drive’ on the occasion in which various projects would undertaken. The first project to be initiated under the drive is tree plantation and nurturing. Trees will be planted across Dehradun particularly in schools and around houses of volunteers. The focus will be not only on plantation, but also on nurturing and caring for plants so that they grow properly. Saplings were also distributed among the devotees. Guru Purnima is the day when devotees’ expresses gratitude to all spiritual masters from whom the spiritual knowledge has come on earth. “We pay our gratitude to our guru, his holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar through satsang and meditation,” said 65-year-old Rajkumar Khurana, one of the devotees. |
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sports
Dehradun, July 13 Both teams failed to score any goal in the allotted time. In the tiebreaker, Anil Rawat, Anurag, Vikas, Vijaypal and Gaurav scored for Adhoiwala while Sandeep, Abhay, Adhit and Ayush scored for Dehra Young. Gaurav from Adhoiwala Football Club was adjudged the player
of the tournament whereas Aashhit of Dehra Eleven won the best defence award. |
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Uttarakhand Police team win 8-0
Dehradun, July 13 Himanshu, Saurab, Amit, Sishir, Veer Singh, Danveer, Manoj and Shalender scored goals for Uttarakhand Police. In another one-sided match played out on the day, Khalanga Boys defeated Garhwal Boys 4-0 with Aman Thapa scoring twice in the 15th and 50th minute, respectively, while Rajbeer and Praveen scored one goal each in the 45th and 55th minute, respectively. |
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Protest against water scarcity
Dehradun, July 13 One of the protesters, Ghanshyam, said the residents of Kaulagarh have been facing acute drinking water crisis for long but the Jal Sansthan has failed to redress their concern.
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Harak Singh Rawat, Medical Education Minister, said today that the state would have five more medical colleges by 2015, raising the total number to seven.
Mussoorie, July 13
The annual Kanwar pilgrimage started today with the commencement of the ‘Shravan Mass or Sawan’ as per the Hindu calendar. A large number of devotees of Lord Shiva, also known as Kanwariyas, hailing from far off states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, started arriving in Haridwar.
Volunteers of Making a Difference by Being the Difference (MAD), in the first phase of the “Pack up polythene’ campaign, distributed paper bags among shopkeepers at Paltan Bazaar here today to dissuade them from using polythene bags.
The U Turn Foundation, an NGO, organised an anti-polythene bag drive at the Nehru Gram vegetable market here yesterday. The aim of the campaign was to sensitise shoppers in the vegetable market not to use polythene bags.
The shoppers and the shopkeepers were told about the hazards of the use of polythene bags by members of Green Force.
Demanding a hike in salary, sanitation workers under the banner of Uttaranchal Swachkar Karamchari Sangh staged a protest demonstration and submitted a memorandum to Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Harak Singh Rawat and met Mayor Vinod
Chamoli.
The Dehradun zone of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Non-Teaching Staff Association held its annual meeting and celebrated its foundation day here yesterday. Issues such as grievance redressal and welfare of the non-teaching staff of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan was discussed during
the meeting.
A large number of city residents participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations on Saturday evening. The highlights of the occasion were rendition of spiritual music, meditation and knowledge camps. The evening started with the recital of guru
vandana.
The BJP after a stupendous victory on all five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand recently faces another crucial political test this month. The byelections to three Assembly seats in the state will be held on July 21. However, there seems to be lack of enthusiasm and coordination among party workers.
