Assan: Tourism vs conservation
The state faces a piquant situation as it struggles to strike a balance between conservation and tourism promotion at the Assan Conservation Reserve
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 31
Putting wildlife conservation into direct conflict with tourism, the state faces a piquant situation while striking a balance between conservation and tourism promotion at Assan Conservation Reserve, an important bird sanctuary and an equally important tourism destination of the country.

The only conservation reserve dedicated to migratory birds in Uttarakhand, Assan also suits tourism ideally due to its location on Dehradun-Chandigarh highway. While the Uttarakhand forest department is initiating efforts to ensure that it gets a place in the Wetland map of the country, the state tourism authorities are seeking adequate protection of its tourism interests in the plan details.

Already halfway into the preparation of the much- needed management plan, the forest authorities are pitted against the state tourism department that has asked for compulsory inclusion of the state’s tourism interests into the master plan, which it says is more conservation-oriented.

Faced with a piquant situation, the Wild Life Institute experts, which are entrusted with the job of preparing the Assan management plan by the Uttarakhand forest department, have been holding a series of meetings with all the stakeholders and trying to come out with a viable solution.

A team of Wild Life Institute scientists , admitted that wildlife was certainly a matter of priority for them as any unplanned tourism could spell doom for this important bird reserve. A key stakeholder, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, has been promoting water sports in Assan: an activity that has been an irritant for the migratory birds. Even unrestricted use of boats by tourists has been a cause for disturbance to these migratory birds.

Significantly, the corporation has other business interests in the region. It has already installed gravel screening plants in close proximity of Assan, another irritant for migratory birds. The forest department is already into litigation with the GMVN over the matter.

However, the tourism officials argue that it was wrong to look at Assan only from wildlife conservation point of view. They also stress on protecting the interests of other stakeholders like the tourism and irrigation department.

From the very beginning, the Uttarakhand forest authorities have been trying hard to ensure a ‘Ramsar status’ for Assan. It has undertaken a slew of measures in recent times to promote Assan. The arrival of migratory birds too has recorded a steady rise in terms of numerical strength and even species, which include some of rarert ones.

“Assan has emerged as a major destination for migratory birds and the forest department has been working hard to conserve this wildlife area of the country,” says B.P. Gupta, conservator of forests, Yamuna circle.

The silver vogue
Divya Semwal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 31
Beautiful exquisite silver jewellery in the forms of flowers, sun signs are now here in Doon. From time immemorial silver has always attracted women and men for their unique sheen as well as style. It won't be incorrect to find it synonymous with attires of journalists, social workers or young crowd.

Metro's like Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta has got variety of silver for their clients but, now Dehradun is also catching with the trend.

"We have got diverse collections in silver jewellery. We have chains, bangles, anklets, earnings, toe rings etc", informed Vipin Jain a jewellery shop owner at Raipur road. Gone are the days when Doonites had to run away to the nearby places to pick up their favourite jewellery. "I can't imagine living without silver. I just love to flaunt it and I am happy I am getting variety at much cheaper rates in my own city," expressed Richa, a student.

Interestingly, the silver market is expanding and offering varieties for men also. "Women generally associate with silver but, we do keep rings and chains for men too," said Jain. "With rise in demand for silver jewellery number of shops are also increasing. Earlier, Dehradun had very few silver makers but, today mostly every jeweller has something to offer", said Sateesh a jeweller.

From a normal college going girl to actress Shruti Ulfat, everyone swears by the class guaranteed by silver. "Starting from rupees 20 to 3000 one can choose anything that suits one's mood and pocket. We are in this business from past 40 years and till date I have done fairly good amount of business", said Jain.

Well now why to go to "Dariba Kala" at Chandi Chowk or "M" block in GK in Delhi, just step out at Raipur road and fulfill your utmost desire to indulge in some fine-looking pieces just made to revamp you.

It was a rather quiet Diwali
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 31
It was a quite Diwali in the city this year, either due to the prevailing recession in the market or the concept of eco-Diwali gaining preference among revelers.

There was less of cracker burning and that was amply reflected in the reduced pollution levels recorded by Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board officials on the Diwali day.

“Prima facie both air and noise pollution levels have been quite less this year as compared to last year,” said P.K. Joshi, regional officer, Uttaranchal Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board.

In addition to the prevailing recession, the concept of eco-Diwali has gained a lot of ground this season. Voluntary organisations like Mission Biotechnology and People for Animals had also issued appeals to the Doonites to celebrate a cracker-less Diwali in the interest of both humans and animals. Organisations like SPECS (Society for Protection of Environment and Conservation studies) have also been in Dehradun sensitising people on the growing ill effects of rising pollution levels.

Meanwhile, with Diwali monitoring over, officials are now busy compiling the observations and would submit their findings to the Central Pollution Control Board soon. While air pollution levels were observed at three ambient air stations in Dehradun - Clock Tower, Nehru Colony and Raipur Road - the two mobile vans fixed with sound level meters recorded the noise levels within different locations of the city, including Nehru colony, as Residential area, Doon Hospital and Combined Medical Institute as silence zone, Clock Tower commercial area and Survey Chowk as commercial areas.

The Uttaranchal Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board teams, led by S.S. Chauhan and Sunil Dabral, worked round-the-clock to monitor air and noise pollution levels on Diwali day.

Solani aqueduct another engineering marvel
Part of the Ganges Canal, conceived in the 1840s by Colonel Sir Proby Thomas Cautley, the aqueduct is a structure of fifteen arches spanning a valley thousand feet wide
Vikas Vasudeva
Tribune News Service

Roorkee, October 31
It all started with the execution of an engineering feat in the shape of an aqueduct, which went on to make Roorkee earn the title of a ‘pilgrimage of civil engineering’.

Built by the British in 1846-47, Solani aqueduct is one of the engineering marvels here. Part of the Ganges Canal, conceived in the 1840s by Colonel Sir Proby Thomas Cautley, the aqueduct is a structure of fifteen arches spanning a valley thousand feet wide.

The river below, the Solani, is an intermittent stream whose broad valley is usually dry. The valley is so shallow that the ground is never more than 25 feet below the floor of the aqueduct.

From mile 17-7 to 18-6 the canal passes through the low-level area. At the 18th mile the most important and last cross drainage work is constructed over Solani river in the form of a 980 feet long aqueduct consisting of 15 spans of 50 feet each separated by 10 feet wide piers, the trough being 175 feet wide.

The Solani riverbed consists of sand of average diameter of 0.25 millimetres and carries maximum flood flow of 80,000 cusecs. 
The embankments here are 2 moles, 7 furlongs and 507 feet long, and are held on one side by masonry walls 55 feet high and supported on the walls.

These are provided on water face with a flight of steps up to 3 feet above the canal bed level. During re-modelling of the canal in 1956, the bed was lowered by six inches by replacing the old clay bed overlaid brick on edge by three inches cement concrete, which enabled passing of an increased discharge of 10,500 cusecs.

Records reveal that stones sunk nearly 20 feet under the bed of the river support the arches, and the work was done so well that upon removal of the ‘centerings’ - the wooden frameworks used in constructing the arches - the keystones sagged only an eighth of an inch.

Some 11 million cubic feet of masonry were used in the aqueduct. The frontispiece showed two elegant details, including decorative iron railings imported from England and pairs of large stone lions, made locally and placed at each end of the aqueduct.

Letters

Apropos the Dehradun Plus article on ‘Eco Divali’ (October 27), I have decided to take the plunge and not buy any crackers this time. Though persuading my son would be difficult, I will try to appease him with some toys.

It is really difficult to breathe on the night of Divali and the next morning. I hope my fellow citizens in Haridwar also go the eco-way.

The administration should also do its bit and ban high-decibel crackers and strictly punish the defaulters.

There should also be a time limit till when crackers could be burst. Many people start very late and disturb their neighbours who may have to go to work early next morning.

— Prabhakar, Haridwar