assembly in session
Lokayukta Amendment Bill passed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Legislative Assembly today passed the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Amendment Bill (2014) while the Opposition raised doubts about the intention of the government in curbing corruption in the state.

The government also tabled the second supplementary budget for 2014-2015 for which a provision of Rs 2121.42 crore has been made. Besides, it also tabled the Uttarakhand Ropeway Bill 2014 and the Uttarakhand Energy Cess Bill 2014.

While initiating a discussion on the Lokayukta Amendment Bill (2014), Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh said the government had brought amendments to the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act for substitution of subsection (3) of section 1 and subsection (3) of section 4 to end the 180 days’ limit for constituting the Lokayukta office in the state. “But we are committed to appointing a Lokayukta in the state. The government was forced to bring in amendments as the previous search committee had failed to select the Lokayukta within the stipulated time,” she said.

Ajay Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition, refused to buy the argument and accused the government of not being serious on action against corruption. “You brought your own Lokayukta Bill and then did not hold meetings of the search committee for selecting the Lokayukta and other office-bearers. As a result, since November 2013, no Lokayukta has been functioning in the state. At least you should have continued with the previous Lokayukta,” he said.

Supplementary budget

For the second supplementary budget of Rs 2,121.42 crore, a provision of Rs 1,217.69 crore has been made under the non-plan budget and a provision of Rs 903.73 crore under the plan budget. Further, Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for Chief Minister’s announcements.

The House led by Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal paid glowing tributes to former Tehri Garhwal MP and Union minister Brahma Dutt and former MLA from Tehri Lokender Datt Saklani, who passed away a few months ago.

Poor condition of trauma centres

The poor state of non-functional trauma centres in the state figured during the question hour.

Raising the issue, BJP MLA Chandan Ram Das said the trauma centre at Bageshwar has been lying idle for the past three years as the government had failed to fill in the vacancies.

“After being constructed three years back, the trauma centre building is lying idle, it will soon begin to crumble if the government does not appoint medical staff to run the centre,” he said.

MLA from Rishikesh Premchand Agarwal, in his supplementary question, raised the issue of non-functional trauma centre in Rishikesh which was now being used as an OPD for examining patients.

“Rishikesh is the approach gate to Garhwal and during the Char Dham Yatra season, several accidents take place. A functional trauma centre can save many lives,” he said.

In his reply, Health Minister Surinder Singh Negi said the government was facing shortage of doctors due to which adequate staff could not be appointed to run the trauma centres. “We require at least 13 medical personnel to keep the trauma centres running but the state is facing a shortage of 1,500 doctors. But, we are now hoping to address the problem through the world bank funded projects they have agreed to provide staff for running the centres,” he informed.

Verification of welfare schemes sought

Congress MLA Nav Prabhat today called upon the government to start a verification drive either through the District Magistrate or an independent agency so that genuine beneficiaries of the old age pension, handicap pension, widow pension could be verified.

The House was also apprised of the government’s decision to streamline the pension schemes by making e-payments.

Govt cornered on road projects
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Opposition and the treasury seem to be on the same page on the issue of delay in clearance of road projects in the hill parts of the state. BJP MLA Surinder Singh Jena raised the issue who wanted a discussion under Rule 310 but was asked by the Speaker to raise the issue under Rule 58 tomorrow.

The angry MLA staged a walkout and boycotted the House for a brief period, but was brought around by Chief Minister Harish Rawat and the Speaker.

Jena said the projects in his Salth (Almora) constituency were not being cleared as the Department of Forests was making one objection after another. “It will be better if officials of the Department of Revenue, PWD and Forests sit together and chalked out a common strategy,” he said.

He said he would be willing to support the state government, in case the Central Government’s role was not up to the mark.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Bhatt said some road projects were pending since 2004 due to technical problems that could be sorted out by the officials.

Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal said the tiresome formalities involved in clearing projects had delayed work in his constituency.

Intervening in the matter, the Chief Minister said after the end of the winter session, he would again meet the Union ministers and officials and apprise them of the problems.

After CM’s assurance, BJP MLA ends dharna

JP MLA BS Chuphal on Tuesday held a protest dharna near the Vidhan Sabha Hall entrance in protest against the non-cooperative attitude of the state government and the local administration that had stalled work in his Didihaat constituency.

The MLA was lent support by other BJP MLAs who trooped into the House at 11.30 am, after participating in the sit-in.

Later, Chief Minister Harish Rawat intervened in the matter and gave him assurance, the MLA withdrew the dharna.

The MLA was demanding release of funds for the lift-pump plan for which funds had not been released for the last two and half years, release of funds for taxi stand construction, filling of vacant posts in hospitals, notification for declaring Devalthal and Kanalichina and construction of roads in his constituency.

Chuphal also listed 32 road projects that were awaiting clearance from the Department of Forest. These projects were pending for the last two to three years.

Dismissal of UPNL staff to be probed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Chief Minister Harish Rawat said there was no favouritism in disbursment of the Chief Minister’s Discretionary Fund. He conceded to the Opposition demand for initiating an inquiry into the dismissal of 111 employees of Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam Ltd (UPNL).

After Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal refused to accept the issue of sanction of disbarment of Chief Minister’s Discretionary Fund raised by BJP MLA Madan Kaushik under breach of privilege, the issue was debated under rule 58. The MLAs grouse was that as he was in the Opposition and the cases recommended by him for sanction of discretionary funds for the needy had never been approved.

Assuring the House, Harish Rawat said the funds were for the needy and cases brought by the Opposition members and the treasury benches were being sanctioned at equal pace. “However, as the number of applications have been increasing, we have asked for more funds through the supplementary budget,” he said.

He also dismissed the demand for fixing a quota in sanctioning of cases brought by the Opposition and the treasury.

The Chief Minister also assured BJP MLA Surinder Singh Jena and the House of initiating a inquiry into the dismissal of 111 UPNL employees and also setting up a transparent recruitment policy that factors into the issues raised by the House on Tuesday.

House assured of CBI probe into death of NSUI leader
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Chief Minister Harish Rawat today agreed for a CBI probe into self immolation by Rohit Pandey in Ramnagar on November 4. Rohit, a member of the National Student of India (NSUI), died at a hospital in New Delhi.

The Chief Minister told the House that the government would seek consent of Rohit’s family members for a CBI probe into the case. “The government has no problem in recommending a CBI inquiry but wishes of the family members would be sought. A senior government minister will hold talks with Rohit’s family members. Rohit’s father had a long association with the Congress and me. It is my misfortune that the incident took place during my tenure as Chief Minister,” said Harish Rawat while putting the government’s point of view on the issue on the second day of the winter session of the Legislative Assembly.

Ajay Bhatt, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, raised the issue under Rule 58 and accused the state government and the local administration of failing to take punitive measures against the guilty to prevent a repeat of such incidents in future.

“The government should initiate a high-level inquiry by a retired high court judge or the CBI and pay adequate compensation to the bereaved family members. It appears the local administration and the police remained mute spectators as Rohit set himself ablaze at Ramnagar,” he said.

Tempers flared as Bhatt asked the government to declare the names of the people mentioned by Rohit Pandey in his dying declaration. “The dying declaration is permissible as evidence in court. Pandey has named several individuals in his dying declaration. The government should reveal the names. Everybody knows that the entire incident took place at the behest of a senior Congress leader, who is holding a Cabinet rank,” Bhatt said.

However, the Chief Minister said the Crime Branch (CB)-CID was investigating the case. “We have nothing to hide. The incident will be probed threadbare. If there has been negligence, guilty officers will be punished. But the dying declaration is part of the evidence, the government nor the administration can interfere in the matter,” Rawat added.

Upadhyay seeks special industrial package for state
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay has urged the Union government to sanction a special industrial package to Uttarakhand to help it revive its economy that was shattered in the natural disaster last year.

Upadhyay submitted a memorandum of demands to Governor Aziz Qureshi to be forwarded to President Pranab Mukherjee here today. He said the Central government should immediately release funds for the clean Ganga project. He added that Rs 400 crore should be sanctioned for restoration and rehabilitation works in the disaster-affected areas of the state.

The Governor assured Upadhyay that he would apprise the Central government about the problems of Uttarakhand.

Chakrata Road shopkeepers burn effigy of government
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Members of the Chakrata Road Shopkeepers and Residents Welfare Society here today held a protest march and burnt an effigy of the state government against its indifferent attitude towards their demands.

It was the fourth day of the agitation of the society members who are demanding the implementation of the previous government order that gave freedom to shopkeepers to construct buildings after getting their plans approved.

Shashikant Goyal, president of the society, told The Tribune that the state government had published a public notice in newspapers for the eviction of shopkeepers and residents of the Chakrata Road and restarted the process to acquire land for the widening of the road.

“On October 31, the Special Land Acquisition Officer had invited us for a discussion on objections by shopkeepers and residents to razing of shops for the widening of the Chakrata Road. However, the meeting could not take place. Despite a number of requests, the officer did not give a date for a fresh meeting, following which the government started the process to acquire land,” he added.

It may be recalled that last year the Chakrata Road shopkeepers had filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the order of the Nainital High Court to the Uttarakhand Government to acquire land under Sections 4 and 17 of the Land Acquisition Act.

“We are awaiting the decision in the case. Once the Supreme Court decision is known, we will decide our future course of action. Till then, we will continue to hold protests,” said Goyal.

Shops on the Chakrata Road are to be demolished for the widening of the road as part of the redevelopment plan of the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA). A residential-cum-shopping complex is to be built at the site and the displaced shopkeepers are to be accommodated there.

Jauljibi bridge on Kali to be completed by July next year
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, November 25
The construction of a new suspension bridge on the Kali river at Jauljibi on the Nepal border in the district will be completed before July next year. The Nepal Government has allotted the construction work to a company based at Kathmandu, HC Semwal, District Magistrate, Pithoragarh, said.

Semwal said Nepal, which was to construct the bridge at Jauljibi under an agreement signed between two governments, had requested the Pithoragarh District Magistrate to provide private land that was coming under the span of the bridge to the Nepalese authorities for the construction work. “We have taken note of the issue and will provide land of Indian farmers to the Nepalese authorities for the bridge construction after paying compensation to the affected farmers,” said Semwal.

Residents of Jauljibi town on the Nepal border have been demanding urgent construction of the suspension bridge as the present temporary wooden bridge installed to facilitate the annual fair would not last more than seven months from now.

The century-old suspension bridge located at Jauljibi was washed away in the natural disaster last year. Of the five bridges on the Kali river, which forms border with Nepal, the one at Jauljibi in Pithoragarh district is to be constructed by the Nepal Government.

Suspicion about the construction of a permanent bridge on the Kali arouse after Nepalese officials failed to start construction work as promised immediately after the week-long annual fair. “We have raised the issue thrice with our Nepalese counterparts at the border coordination committee meetings but we are not sure when the construction of the bridge will actually begin,” said the District Magistrate.

“If the construction of the bridge is not completed before June 2015, the temporary low elevation bridge will not be able to sustain the overflowing Kali as after June glaciers at its basin starts melting due to increase in temperatures,” said Leela Bangwal, a resident of Jauljibi.

According to sources, if the bridge at Jauljibi is not constructed before the present wooden bridge collapses, Nepal residents will have to travel 10 km upwards in their territory to Baluakot to crossover to India to reach Jauljibi town.

Now, NOC mandatory for quarrying licence
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 25
The district administration has made it mandatory for persons interested in quarrying on the Ganga riverbed to get a no objection certificate from various authorities before applying for a licence for quarrying lots. Various orgainsations have been objecting to large scale illegal quarrying on the Ganga riverbed.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting between district administration officials and representatives of the legal quarrying license holders here today.

From now on, no quarrying lot will be opened for the tender process without environment clearance.

District Magistrate D Senthyl Pendiyan said on May 30 a notice was served on all licence holders to stop quarrying in the district in adherence of the state-level environment impact assessment authority rules and also in view of damage being done to irrigation safety embankments.

Pendiyan said till date no reply to the notice had been received. Manoj Chandran, Additional Secretary, Forests and Environment, said the licensed quarrying operators should file a reply to the notice served by the National Green Tribunal and the district administration, otherwise their licences would be cancelled. He said for less than five hectares, the state-level environment impact assessment authority would give the permission for quarrying.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests will give the permission for quarrying on more than five hectares and the National Board of Wildlife is authorised to give permission for quarrying lots that falls within 10 km range of the protected habitat of Rajaji National Park.

Director Quarrying Shridhar Babu, Additional District Magistrate Ravneet Chima, Joint Magistrate Lakshar Mangesh Ghilidyal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Veer Singh Budhiyal and representatives of suspended quarrying licence holders were present.

The Matra Sadan Ashram, the Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal Progressive and anti-quarrying activists have welcomed the decision of the district administration of making environment clearance and no objection certificate mandatory for quarrying operations in the state.

Villagers more aware of eco laws: SC lawyer
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Supreme Court advocate and environment activist Ritwick Dutta believes that people in rural areas are more aware of laws relating to environment compared to those in urban areas when it comes to conservation of the environment.

Dutta told The Tribune that it was interesting that villagers had a better understanding of the importance of environment issues that were directly linked to their livelihood.

“Small organisations and groups working in villages are more active today in raising environment issues as they understand the sensitivities attached to it. They are more active than big NGOs working in metropolitan cities,” Dutta said.

Dutta, who is a crusader against rampant construction of hydropower projects in the Himalayan region, said the recent Supreme Court order telling governments to rethink on 24 proposed hydropower projects in the region had come as a big boost for conservationists.

He said there was no point in going for rampant construction of hydropower projects in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region. Those propagating the cause of hydropower projects in the name of bettering livelihood of locals were only look at short-term benefits. He held that these resources were not the property of local residents.

Referring to sudden surge of rafting companies in the Ganga near Rishikesh, Dutta said there has to be some limit it. “Each and every beach on both banks of the Ganga and on the rafting stretch was occupied by rafting companies, which is bound to have adverse impact on region’s biodiversity,” Ritwick Dutta said. “There should be some carrying capacity for these beaches and moreover, usage of reserve forest areas is totally unacceptable,” he added.

Dutta blamed the governments in power both at the Centre and Uttarakhand of doing a little for the conservation of the Ganga. He said there had been continuous inaction on part of the governments who have only resorted to just lip service for the cause of the Ganga conservation.

Govt taking initiative in conserving biodiversity: CM
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Uttarakhand biodiversity board in Dehradun and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Nepal organised a three-day workshop on “Access and profit co-sharing to genetic resources in Hindukush Himalayan region” here today.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat inaugurated the workshop. He reiterated the commitment of his government to conserve biodiversity.

He said the state government was undertaking initiative towards conserving biodiversity in the state.

He said the state had always supported conservation movement and the Chipko Movement was an example of it.

He said as per the regulations set by the Biodiversity Act, efforts were being made to set up biodiversity arrangement committees in around 750 village panchayats in Uttarakhand.

Rawat said it was for the first time that such a workshop was being organised in the state with representatives from Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Mynamar participating in the workshop.

Rakesh Shah, chairman of the Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board, said the biodiversity arrangement committees were being empowered.

He said the main purpose of the workshop was to create awareness among the participants on biodiversity and to develop their capabilities.

National Biodiversity Authority’s Secretary T Ravikumar, Dr Rajan Kutru, GS Pandey and Dr SS Sharma were present on the occasion.

BJP Kisan Morcha activists protest
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Activists of the Bharatiya Janta Kisan Morcha took-out protest rally at the state Assembly and registered their protest against the Congress-led state government here today. The agitators said the government had not taken any effective steps to address grievances of farmers in the state.

The protesters came from Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar and gathered at Bannu School, Race Course, to participate in the rally.

The agitators passed through Dharampur, Araghar chowk, and Haridwar road. They had skirmishes with police personnel as they tried to cross barricades at Haridwar road.

They sat on dharna at Haridwar road to register their protest. Expressing his views, BJP state chief Teerath Singh Rawat said the state government was yet to take steps to clear outstanding payment of sugarcane farmers in the state.

He expressed concern that the state government had not distributed monetary compensation to farmers who faced the brunt of natural calamities in 2013.

Rawat lamented that law and order situation had worsened in the state. He said the state government was yet to take concrete measures for reconstructing damaged infrastructure in disaster-hit areas of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, BJP state in-charge Shyam Jaju demanded that Congress-led state government should take steps to address grievances of disaster hit victims. He alleged that land and mining mafia were hand in glove with the state government.

The activists submitted a memorandum for Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The agitators were arrested by the city police as they shouted anti-government slogans, and had skirmishes with police personnel. Some of the activists and leaders who crossed the police barricades were detained by the police and later released.

MLAs Harbans Kapoor and Ganesh Joshi, former MLA TS Rawat, BJP Kisan Morcha state president Sushil Chauhan, BJP Mahanagar cell president Neelam Sehgal, Municipal Corporation of Dehradun Mayor, Vinod Chamoli, BJYM state president Saurabh Thapliyal, and many more were present.

53 units of blood collected at Gurukul varsity camp
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, November 25
A total of 53 blood units were collected at a voluntary blood donation camp organised by Gurukul Kangri University at the district blood bank in Haridwar today. Prof Surendra Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Gurukul Kangri University, said blood donation was a noble cause that saves lives of others.

He lauded the efforts of the students and those enrolled with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the National Service Scheme (NSS). NSS coordinator Dr Navneet said in the wake of Ardh Kumbh Fair in 2016, the NSS would organise more camps to ensure sufficient blood quantity was stored prior to the fair.

“People in the age group between 18 and 60 years should donate blood regularly,” said Prof Surendra.

Dr Rakesh Bhutyani, Dr RK Negi, Dr Vinit Bishnoi, Dr Kapil Goyal, Dr Prince Prashant, Dr Vinod Nautiyual, Bhalla Intermediate College Principal OP Guniyal, Vinita Kurla, Prof Dinesh Bhatt, Prof DK Maheshwari, Prof RC Dubey, Prof AK Chopra, Prof DS Malik, Dr Pradeep Joshi, Dr Rajeev, Umesh Saini, Harish Semwal, Abhay Prajapti, Raina Nayar, Rakhi Jitwan, Raj Mohan Arya, Joseph, Shalini Singh and Anupama Rai were present at the camp.

A programme was organised at the Shrimati Taravati Institute of Bio Technology in Roorkee under the National Pharmacy Week. Various events were also held on the occasion.

Vinay Sharma, Akash Kaushik, Vinay, Mamta, Shekhar, Arpit Sharma, Raghav Anand, Rahul, Chetan, Prabha, Megha and Surabhi were adjudged the winners of various competitions.

Kishan, Vedika, Pranvi get Spirit of Wynberg Allen award
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 25
Wynberg Allen School celebrated its annual day here today. Condon House was declared the overall champion and lifted the Cock House trophy. The Spirit of Wynberg Allen for boys was awarded to Kishan Khandelia and for the girls to Vedika Bansak and Pranvi Manglick.

Jayant Singh and Roli Singh, Deputy Directors at Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration in Moussoorie, were the chief guest on the occasion.

They inaugurated the event and distributed prizes to the students in field of academic and sports for 2014.

The function began with a prayer by Rev L Cornelius, followed by the Junior School Choir presentation: “It’s only by his grace.”

School Principal L Tindale read the annual report and highlighted the achievements of the school.

Following this, the senior school students presented a choir “Thank you lord”.

The CJ Singh Memorial trophy for the best athlete was awarded to Alan Alexander and Abhishek Sharma.

The Wallace Shah Cup for the best all-rounder was awarded to Abhishek Sharma.

Twinkle Sharma received the award for the Day Scholar of Outstanding Merit.

The David Inglis Trophy for the best swimmer was awarded to Abhishek Sharma.

The Carl A Phillips Prize for Creativity went to Pranvi Manglik and the TW Phillips Award for Integrity and Service was given to Pavni Aggarwal.

The Chairman’s Art and Best Scholar Prize were given to Shivika Garg and Kritika Goyal, respectively.

School students throng book fair
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 25
A book fair was organised under the Rastriya Madhyamik Sikshya Abhiyan (RMSA) at the municipal council grounds here today. The objective of the fair was to attract students towards books.

Students from schools in and around Mussoorie attended the fair. Various publishers exhibited books on history, science, literature, biography of great personalities and sold them at a discount.

Shailendar Singh Negi, director, RMSA, said the objective of the fair was to bring books closer to the students in the age of digitisation and Internet. “Around Rs 50,000 has been provided to government schools under the RMSA, of which Rs 25,000 is for promoting science and around Rs 10,000 for buying books. Rs 15,000 has been provided to schools for upgrading computer software,” he said.

Salt area residents seek road
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Residents of the Salt Assembly constituency in Almora district took out a candlelight march demanding construction of road in their area today. The residents had come all the way from Almora district seeking road for their area.

The residents under the banner of the Ramganga Sadak Andolan gathered at Gandhi Park here today and took out a candlelight march in support of their demand. The march commenced at Gandhi Park and passed through Clock Tower and culminated at Gandhi Park.

The residents said the road between Marchulla and Bhakiyasain was sanctioned in 2003, but the Public Works Department was yet to take steps to construct a road in the constituency.

The agitators expressed concern that villagers were the major sufferers in the absence of infrastructure in the Salt Assembly constituency.

Action will be taken against encroachers: Mayor
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Mayor Vinod Chamoli today visited the Pacific Hills Apartments construction site for taking the stock of the situation, involving the alleged encroachment on the land belonging to the Dehradun Municipal Corporation.

Addressing the mediapersons, Chamoli said they would take stringent action against those who had illegally encroached upon the DMC land.

“Despite conducting a joint survey of the land, the district administration has not given a copy to the DMC regarding the measurements taken. The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority should reveal the names of those people who sanctioned for the building plans,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DMC has completed the construction of the five-feet high demarcation wall on the land encroached by the builders.

AAP activists hold candle march
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Activists of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took out a candle march here today against the state government. They demanded the government should take steps to rebuild damaged infrastructure in disaster-hit areas of the state.

They gathered at Gandhi Park, passed through Clock Tower and culminated their march at Gandhi Park.

The activists lamented that condition of basic infrastructure which includes roads, potable water pipelines, health centres, schools was worst.

The activists urged residents to join party in order to push state further on path of development.

Among others, Kamla Pant, Anoop Nautiyal, Ranveer Chowdhury and Sanjay Bhatt were present.

Dhasmana instructs officials to expedite development works
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana instructed the Public Works Department (PWD) officials to expedite in development works in the city. He said the department should take effective steps to complete all the pending development works in the given time frame in order to avoid inconvenience to residents.

He instructed the officials to complete the construction of roads at Kaulagarh, Neeraj Thapa Marg and Charkhi gate within one month.

During an inspection of the area, residents expressed concern that the department had not completed the sewage line work in the locality.

They said the condition of roads at Kaulagarh and the adjoining areas was worst.

The Executive Engineer of the PWD assured Dhasmana that the construction of roads would be completed within the stipulated time.

Dinesh Kaushal, Ghanshyam Verma, Anil, Sanjay Thapa, Suraj and Nitin Joshi were also present.

Bamboo crafts mela begins
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
National Bamboo Crafts Mela began at the Forest Research Institute here today. Nirmala Sharma, wife of Ashwani Kumar, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, inaugurated the mela.

Craftsmen at the mela explained to the visitors about the products made by them.

Craftsmen from various NGO, Bagwan Gramodyog Samiti, Shayampur, Dehradun, Patanjali, Specs, Saharanpur, Kashipur, Tehri Garhwal, Chamoli Garhwal, Bageshwar, Bareilly and Rampur are taking part in the mela.

A Bamboo workshop was also organised to mark the occasion. Speakers discussed about enhancing the use of bamboo resources available in the country.

Emphatic wins for Woodstock, Welham Girls’ in basketball
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
Woodstock School beat St Mary’s School 17-8 in the girls section of the ongoing District U-15 Basketball Championship for boys and girls being organised by the District Basketball Association at Doon International School.

In a well-contested match, Woodstock School took lead in all four quarters of the match.

The highest scorer was Deasyl for St Mary’s School and Vanshika scored highest points.

In the second match of the girls section, Welham Girls’ School defeated Doon International School 51-16.

The results of the four quarters were 20-5, 8-6, 6-2 and 17-03. Highest scorers were Antima for Doon International School and Sharda for Welham Girls’ School.

Continuing with their winning spree, Doon International School beat DAV Public School 45-8 in the boys’ section.

The highest scorers were Srishab from Doon International School and Ankit from DAV Public School.

In other matches of the boys’ section, Woodstock School beat Hilton’s School 42-16 while St Mary’s School got the better of Summer Valley School 48-21.

Rising Star pip Royal Club by 7 wickets
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25
The Rising Stars team beat Royal Club by 7 wickets in a match in the Champion Cup Cricket Tournament played at the Rangers College Ground here today. Chasing the total of 118 runs, Rising Stars reached the target of 119 by losing just 3 wickets in 12.5 overs.

Royal Club choose to bat first after winning the toss and scored 118 runs and were all out in 24.3 overs.

Shubham Pal of the Royal Club scored 50 runs for his team. From the Rising Stars, Vishal took 4 wickets and Nitin took 2 wickets.

Chasing the total, batsman of the Rising Stars played well and reached the target in just 12.5 overs, losing only three wickets.

Sagar and Satish of the Rising Stars contributed 47 and 36 runs, respectively for the victory of their team.

U-14 cricket team selected for state-level tourney

Haridwar: Fourteen players were shortlisted in the two-day cricket trials for the under-14 Haridwar district cricket team that concluded at BHEL here today.

Inder Mohan Barthwal, secretary of the Cricket Association of Haridwar, said Kamal Chamoli, Kuldeep Aswal, Manoj Kumar and Mayank Sharma were the members of the selection committee. The 14 selected players are Kunal Singh, Shivansh Gautam, Sonu Kumar, Vinod Kumar Airy, Pradeep Kashyap, Tanishk Uniyal, Ravi Yadav, Prashant Pandey, Aditya Dhyani, Rohit Kumar, Rishabh Kumar, Aditya Thakur, Mahesh Kumar and Anant Chauhan.

Barthwal said Mohit Chandra, Bhanu Pratap Singh, Rishabh Sharma and Kushagr Singh have been named as reserve players for the state-level event.

“It is a matter of pride that the team will represent Haridwar in the state championship. We are working hard, focusing on basics, stamina and technique. Besides, we also watch television footages of legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Anil Kumble and MS Dhoni to hone our skills better,” said promising player Kunal Singh.

Students advised to take part in sports

Haridwar, November 25
A two-day annual cultural festival concluded at Kanya Gurukul, Jwalapur, here today. Girl students took part in various activities ranging from athletics, fun events, mehndi decoration, rangoli decoration, vocal song, instrumental presentation and dance.

Sangeeta Vidhyalankar, coordinator of the college, advised students to take part in cultural and sports activities as it enhanced academic and normal life of students. She said girls were achieving success in every field be it academics, sports, fine arts, politics, film-making, modelling, fashion, astronomy, space science, engineering, medical, humanities, banking, commerce, police, Army or media.

Deepa Gupta, professor, cited example of women achievers such as Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale Sarojini Naidu, Aruna Asaf Ali, Rani of Jhansi, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Sucheta Kriplani, Indira Gandhi, among others, who have shown the world that women are in no way less than their male counterparts. — TNS

Body of missing 7-yr-old girl found

Pithoragarh, November 24
The Haldwani police today recovered the body of a seven-year-old girl, Kashish, who was missing from the last four days from Haldwani. “The body was recovered from the Shishmahal forest area and was noticed by horse owners who go to the Gaula area to collect sand from there,” said GS Martolia, DIG, Kumaon.