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ADB to fund tourism efforts: Pant
In the first phase, tourist circuits will be developed in Tehri, Pithoragarh, Chakarta in Dehradun and Dhumakot in Pauri — Parkash Pant Tourism minister
Khanduri, Koshiyari cease hostilities
Gangotri, Yamunotri shrines also closed
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Government unmoved by lawyers’ protest
Devotees throng Bulle Shah’s mazar
Alok Ulfat’s mission — social change
Cleaning Ganga: Admn salutes people’s efforts
Mother and Child Health
School holds Kavi Sammelan
Gurta ki Gaddi
Seven-day Brahmanad concludes
ONGC keep up winning ways
Shuttlers just can’t do without govt help
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ADB to fund tourism efforts: Pant
Dehradun, October 30 In an interview, minister for tourism Parkash Pant said the ADB had accepted their proposal and would be funding Rs 350 crore to develop tourist destinations. “In the first phase, tourist circuits will be developed in four districts - Tehri, Pithoragarh, Chakarta in Dehradun and Dhumakot in Pauri.” Pant said that Uttarakhand had several tourist destinations, including Ranikhet, Nainital and Mussoorie, all of which were developed by the British. “Now we intend to develop tourist places which are extremely good but have not been explored so far.” Giving details, Pant said a team of ADB officials visited Dehradun recently and a detailed project report (DPR) was ready. “We are hopeful of the launch of the project soon. Emphasis will be on spending funds to provide best physical infrastructure and amenities in hotels so that the tourist inflow increases,” said Pant. Furthermore, the Uttarakhand tourism department has taken the cudgels to ensure cleanliness at “Char Dhaam”. Pant said the department had already spent Rs 20 lakh on purchasing machinery for disposal of garbage collected at “Char Dhaam.” Pant said 130 tonnes of garbage was disposed off recently. “In the first phase, collected garbage is segregated. Thereafter, it is compressed and then disposed off. This initiative will go a long way in keeping the religious places clean,” Pant said his department has identified 45 points where toilets with modern facilities will be constructed. “Apart from this, Rs 3 crore to Rs 4 crore will be spent on setting up night shelters where people can get accomodation for just Rs 15-20.” To a query on poor condition of roads in the state, Pant said:“ Most roads come under the purview of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and, hence, the role of state government is limited. “Also, roads have to bear the brunt of landslides. But we are making efforts to ensure the roads are in good condition, especially those leading to tourist places.” |
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Khanduri, Koshiyari cease hostilities
Dehradun, October 30 For the first time after dissidence surfaced in the Uttarakhand BJP, both leaders participated in Diwali Puja at the party headquaters here. While, the Chief Minister will be a star campaigner for the party in all four states that go to the polls, the BJP wants Koshiyari to campaign for its candidates in the Delhi assembly. Since there are more than 1.5 million voters in Delhi hailing from Uttarakhand, the BJP high command is not taking any chances. A party team led by state party general secretary and former health minister Ajay Bhatt has already in Delhi for campaigning. The team will remain in the national Capital till the elections are over. The party believes senior leaders from Uttarakhand can influence the voters hailing from the state in a significant way. Last time, the BJP was able to exploit the sentiments of Uttarkhandis by giving representation to them in the distribution of tickets for various assembly segments. This has set alarm bells ringing in the Congress camp. Dhirendra Pratap, member of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), who stays in Delhi, has demanded that like the BJP, the Congress should also give more representation to candidates with origins in Uttarakhand. The BJP has also constituted teams to be sent to other states. Seniot leader Dhan Singh has already left for Chattisgarh with his team. “ Besides Chief Minister Khanduri who will be one of our star campaigners, other senior party leaders, including Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, will campaign for the party candidates,” said Vishwas Dabur, spokesperson for the Uttarakhand unit of the BJP. |
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Gangotri, Yamunotri shrines also closed
Dehradun, October 30 J.P. Namboori, deputy chief executive officer of the Kedarnath shrine, said the portals of the temple were closed at 8 am amid religious ceremonies. He said more than 3,68,000 pilgrims visited the holy shrine of Kedarnath this year.The Yamunotri shrine was closed at 11am amid chanting of hymns. |
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Government unmoved by lawyers’ protest
Dehradun, October 30 Needless to say, litigants are the sufferers. As the Uttarakhand High Court is in Nainital, those from the hill districts of Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Tehri have to travel for almost a day to attend cases.This adds up to the litigation cost besides loss of time. Except in emergency cases, in which lawyers appear with prior permission of the DBA, adjournments are pronounced in almost all other cases. “We reiterate that our strike is continuing in the larger public interest. We wonder why the state government is not showing any concern to mitigate the hardships of the litigants,” said DBA secretary Prithviraj Chauhan. Notably, ministers and MLAs across the political spectrum are members of the DBA. Even as the DBA has submitted a representation to the Chief Justice of India for setting up a permanent Bench here in accordance with provisions of the law, it is primarily the duty of the state government to take the initiative in public interest. The DBA had suggested to Uttarakhand Chief Justice VK Gupta during his visit here last April to allow a circuit Bench as per the powers vested in him. The CJ can allow this anywhere in the state with the consent of the Governor. It is learnt that he was not averse to the idea but this cannot materialise without the involvement of the government, which has to provide infrastructure for the same. “We have given several representations to the state government in this regard but nothing has moved on the ground so far,” said Chauhan. It is argued that Dehradun is a fit case for such judicial facility for which the DBA has been waging a battle even before the creation of Uttarakhand. The DBA is the largest body of lawyers in the state with 1,900 members. Also, the number of cases here and neighbouring Hardiwar district is the maximum in the state. Most top lawyers are based here. Above all, it offers a location advantage to the litigants. |
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Devotees throng Bulle Shah’s mazar
Mussoorie, October 30 A qawali was performed by Sajjan Bhai Ghungroowale. The mazar attracts devotees from all religions who regularly offer prayers at the mazar. "I come here every year to celebrate Urs ," said Deepak Rawat. A. Rab, president of the management committee of the mazar, says “ the mazar is a symbol of national integration and brings together people from all religions and walks of life." |
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Alok Ulfat’s mission — social change
Dehradun, October 30 So deep is the desire to craft a new meaning that Alok even pushed his way just to make a point when the space for expression was denied. It was in Mumbai during the Social Forum meet that he along with his co-performers took centre stage and implored people not to lecture but to do something. Expression through acting comes easy to him. “I believe that theatre has way of saying things in the simplest possible language,” affirmed Alok Ulfat. He has conceptualised a theatre around freedom, aesthetics and responsibility. While working with theatre enthusiasts in Doon, he is quick to spot the restlessness and feels a proper platform needs to be given to them to learn and experiment before drawing conclusions about life. Selecting a bunch of 50 girls from the hills and making them act is no mean task but he makes it so simple, “All these girls are raw but had the potential. One has to simply convey that there is a hidden actor in each one of us and watch them being transformed,” added Alok. The play will deal with a woman who symbolises Mother Earth who is neglected and how even efforts by people offering help go in vain. The play to be performed at MKP PG College in November deals with anguish, hope and dreams interwoven with reflections on society - a trademark of Alok Ulfat. In between, Alok vents his spleen about the disappearing canals in the city, “Wouldn’t it have been nice if care was taken to lay separate drainage pipes so that it does not get mixed up with canal water now that they have been covered?” he reasons. His interaction with artistes from different parts of the world resulted in the creation of Chapati Circus, a brain child of Ivar Hecksher, director of Dance and Circus School, Sweden. Who could have thought that circus performers from abroad could come together and act with Indian artistes who had also enacted the Ramayan? “It is the coming together of theatre and circus that led to the creation of Chapati Circus that is still active,” he added. At present, setting up of Centre for Life, an archive for art lovers that he is building along with his film and television actor wife Shruti Ulfat, is the focal point of his life. “An environment friendly place complete with an ‘adda’ for the youth where they can lay bare their anxieties and be themselves is what we plan to create here,” revealed Ulfat. |
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Cleaning Ganga: Admn salutes people’s efforts
Haridwar, October 30 People from all walks of life participated in the cleaning mission. School students, Ganga Sabha members, BHEL and SIDCUL employees, Rotarians, Santikunj, Gurukul Kangdi, PAC, NCC , political parties and state departments, all contributed in one way or the other in the cleaning efforts. The district magistrate said if the people continued to support the cause, it would be possible to achieve the objective of cleaning the Ganga. He was addressing a meeting of members of the Ganga Sabha, religious organisations, political parties, social activists and local representatives. He said with senior district officials taking part in the drive, it sent the right signal to the people who responded in thousands. |
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Mother and Child Health
Dehradun, October 30 Due to dismal health facilities even in villages adjoining the capital, complete vaccinations of children are not carried out. Also effected are pregnant women who may require medical help initially to cope up with difficult pregnancies. “We will be involving ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) who will be collecting information on the number of pregnant women and children born in the state so that they receive necessary medical help, informed Anoop Nautiyal, COO of EMRI. “By tracking each child’s medical chart through our service, parents would be forced to take their children to the nearest health centre for vaccinations,” he added. The Government of India has selected Uttarakhand under its ‘Janani Suraksha Yojana’ as it falls among low-performing states in terms of health of mother and child. “Laggard states happen to accord the lowest priority to health needs of women and children,” informed Nautiyal. A coordinated response service at one number across the state has boosted health facilities in the state. Despite coming free, the promptness has come as a refreshing change to several people. According to the data provided by the Emergency Call Centre, so far 14,706 cases have been dealt with by the service, maximum number of cases (35 per cent) are related to injuries that may be self-inflicted or accidental and 27 per cent of the cases invariably have to do with pregnancy and developing complications. By the end of December, the emergency service will be plying 90 ambulances, 40 more than the present number. A single ambulance is equipped with two emergency medical technicians and a driver. As there is a shortage of doctors, 108 relies on para medics who are in the know of the ground realities prevailing in the state and immediately establish links with the patients. They are provided intensive training before being deputed. |
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School holds Kavi Sammelan
Dehradun, October 30 Principal Anurag Tripathi said that "the purpose of organising the event was to develop the creative and imaginative faculties of students." He said the students gained much confidence, reciting their poems amid renowned poets. Local MLA Jot Singh Gunsola was the chief guest while O.P. Uniyal, chairman of the Nagar Palika, presided. Vipin Bihari Suman, Dr Ram Vinay, Tanvir Chisti, Laxmi Bhatt and Roshan Lal were some of the distinguished poets who participated. |
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Gurta ki Gaddi
Dehradun, October 30 Bhai Harjit Singh Raagi recited shabad while gurdwara committee president Rajinder Singh exhorted the devotees to follow the path of Gurus. Langar was also served to
the devotees. Another religious programme was held at Gurdwara Govind Nagar, Race Course. The raagi jathas recited kirtan. The gurdwara committee president, secretary and vice- president Harbhajan Singh Anand, Phoola Singh and Balbir Singh, respectively, thanked the government for announcing a holiday on the occasion of Gurta ki Gaddi. |
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Seven-day Brahmanad concludes
Dehradun, October 30 He said that terrorism is spreading fast and is the biggest danger to humanity. “Though our country is on the path of progress but some vested forces are trying to destabilise the peace,” he asserted. Founder of VJJM Acharya Ashish said that peace and prosperity is needed in the whole world and for this very reason, Brahmanad was organised. |
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ONGC keep up winning ways
Dehradun, October 30 ONGC players were on the offensive from the very beginning. They did not allow their opponents to get an upper hand throughout the match. ONGC made some fast moves in the first five minutes of the match but failed to score. At half time, the score was 0-0. It was a better start by the Secretariat team in the second half. In the fifth minute of the second half, Satendra Negi of ONGC scored the solitary goal of the game. Secretariat failed to find the equaliser and the game ended at 1-0 in ONGC’s favour. ONGC has got a walkover against OFD for their match slated for November 3 as OFD has withdrawn from the tournament. Opto Electronics Factory will clash with Urja Nigam tomorrow. |
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Shuttlers just can’t do without govt help
Dehradun, October 30 Satish Bhatia, an internationally known player, also coached the national team. With every passing year the popularity of the sport seems to be increasing. This is self-evident from the fact that 400-odd youngsters registered their participation at the district-level competition. Despite this enormous flow of talent, the state badminton team has failed to bring home a medal at the national level. “ We have a large pool of talented players who need to be groomed. But due to lack of facilities, they can’t reach the top,” said secretary of the District Badminton Association Navneet Sethi. The state government has appointed one permanent coach for the whole state. Six of the 13 districts have coaches appointed on an ad hoc basis. The remaining districts have neither basic facilities like a badminton hall, nor any coach. The ad hoc coaches are paid between Rs 500 and Rs 1,200 per month. Due to lack of proper coaching facilities in the hill areas, good players come mainly from four places -- Dehradun, Almora, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar. As a result, a vast talent remains untapped. “ There are coaches waiting for years to get a permanent job. But there is no response from the government,” said Sethi. This is affecting the standard of the game in the state. Recently, at the Sub-Junior District Badminton Championship at Pauri Garhwal the entire schedule for the day was put off and had to be held the following day because of lack of proper lighting. The schools in the city seem least interested in promoting the game despite all facilities. Unless the government steps in, there is not much hope for badminton in the hills. |
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Dehradun, October 30
Dehradun, October 30
Dehradun, October 30
