Dehradun, November 4
At least 200 members of the Christian community gathered at the local Gandhi Park and staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatama Gandhi in protest against the attack on a prayer hall at Cheyla Chanderbani village by members of the right-wing Hindu Vir Savarkar Sena yesterday.

Dissatisfied with the response of the police, the members decided to approach the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) regarding continued attack on Christians by Sangh Parivar activists.

Activists of the sena had ransacked the prayer hall and thrashed the pastor yesterday. They were accompanied by policemen.

The police swung into action only when sena workers threatened to burn the Bible and Christian literature at Clock Tower. Four sena workers were detained by the Kotwali police station.

Interestingly, Dehradun mayor and senior BJP leader Vinod Chamoli went to the police station and walked away with the detained activists. A police report was lodged later.

The protesting Christains alleged that it was the fourth attack on their religious and educational institutions in the past one year and the police had done nothing in any of the cases.

“ It is Sangh Parivar leaders who protect the perpetrators of such crimes,” Suryakant Dhasman, a senior Congress leader alleged.

In the evening, a delegation of Christians led Dhasman met Uttarakhand DGP Subhash Joshi and demanded action by the police. 

Dehradun, November 4
The stir by government doctors at Doon Hospital entered its fourth day today. The protesting doctors attended OPD for two hours bringing relief to patients who had been waiting patiently.

The doctors, under the aegis of Prantiya Chiktsa Evam Swasthaya Sewa, gathered at the main entrance of the hospital and raised slogans in support of their demands. They are demanding parity in Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) with central government doctors as per the recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission.

Dr DP Joshi, general secretary of Prantiya Chiktsa Evam Swasthya Sewa, said, “Despite favourable response from K D Raju, principal secretary health, the government is yet to take a stand on their demands.”

Earlier, the doctors had decided to soften their protest in public interest and decided against the complete boycott of the OPD.

Roorkee, November 4
The Uttarakhand Sanyukt Sanghrash Samiti (USSS) has announced that it would intensify its agitation in support of the demand for shifting the state capital from Dehradun to Gairsen and said that a statewide protest would be held on November 8.

USSS president Dhirender Pratap paid floral tributes to the martyrs of Uttarakhand agitation movement at the martyr's monument at Rampur-Tiraha in Muzafarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Later in Roorkee, he said that the BJP-led state government was playing with the sentiments of the people and if a decision was not taken soon, the government will have to face dire consequences. "The political will of the Chief Minister is on test and he should take a final decision on shifting the capital to Gairsen soon," said Pratap.

Pratap urged the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal to withdraw support from the government as the BJP had failed to fulfil its commitment regarding the issue.

"We will hold a day-long protest on November 8 across the state," said Pratap.

Dehradun, November 4
The Congress is unlikely to put up a candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Uttarakhand. The seat has fallen vacant following the retirement of Congress leader Harish Rawat. Already, a notification has been issued for holding of election for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat on November 29.

However, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having a majority in the state assembly and sure to win the seat, main opposition Congress is unlikely to put up a candidate. The BJP has 36 members in the assembly while the Congress has 20 members. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also has eight members.

Already, the Uttarakhand unit of the BJP has authorised its party high command to nominate the candidate for the seat. A decision in this regard was taken by the party unit at a meeting held on Monday.

Attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd), former Chief Minister Nityanand Swami and party unit chief Bacchi Singh Rawat, it was decided to authorise the party central leadership to decided the matter. However, it was requested that a leader from Uttarakhand be given preference for it.

Uttarakhand BJP chief and former union minister Bacchi Singh Rawat is a front-runner for the post from the state while several senior central BJP leaders are also supposedly eager to enter the upper House. According to party sources, senior leader Sushma Swaraj and RSS ideologue Tarun Vijay are also in contention.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition Harak Singh Rawat said, "We are not in a position to give a fight due to our numbers in the assembly. Unless an independent candidate is there, we will abstain from voting". The Congress and BSP legislators are not likely to vote for the same candidate due to the strained relations between the two parties at the national level.

Dehradun, November 4
Gearing up for the coming Lok Sabha elections, the BSP today made it clear that it would repeat its social engineering formula in Uttarakhand.

It was in this backdrop that the party today inducted more than 24 grassroots leaders of different social and religious organisations at a sammelan here today.

Even as talk of some prominent Congress leaders joining the party turned out to be a mere rumour, the BSP leadership seems to be working on strengthening its base here. “Once we have a strong base, leaders will automatically follow,” quipped a state leader not wishing to be identified.

The new entrants -- Brahmins, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs -- were welcomed into the party fold in the presence of UP minister and national general secretary Ram Achal Rajbahar. The BSP has eight MLAs in the state assembly, with six from the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.

As per the new delimitation orders, Dehradun district now has three assembly segments falling in the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency.

“ We are working on strengthening the party base with an all-inclusive approach. We have succeeded in bringing grassroots leaders to the party fold as a result of our door-to-door campaign,” said Rajbahar.

The BSP has already announced its candidates for Haridwar, Nainital and Almora constituencies. The names of the Tehri and Pauri Garhwal seats are expected soon. The BJP has renominated the sitting MP, TPS Rawat, from Pauri Garhwal while its candidates for other four seats are yet to be named.

The Congress has yet to announce its candidates.

Roorkee, November 4
In a bid to enhance the comfort level of inhabitants through energy conservation, scientists at the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) are working on a design for residential and industrial buildings intended for natural and artificial lighting, ventilation, acoustic and thermal comfort, besides utilising solar energy for heating and passive cooling system.

"Investigations on the effect of neighbouring buildings on wind pressure distribution on low-rise buildings have been carried out on models in an open circuit-sucking boundary layer-wind tunnel.

The study will help design houses and buildings in townships with ventilation in focus," says senior CBRI official Dr Atul Agarwal.

"Nearly 200 houses at different locations and of different designs were surveyed for winter conditions. Observations were recorded in respect of thermal, lighting and ventilation parameters.

“The energy consumption data of these buildings have been collected for the development of energy consumption index," he says. Besides, studies have been carried out on thermal behaviour of materials.

"The automatic guarded hot-plate designed in the institute was modified for measurement of thermal conductivity of dry and moist samples of building and insulating materials," he explains.

"A detailed study of different conventional and non-conventional sound-absorbing materials for the fabrication of resonators and panel sound absorbers, showed that different types of resonators and panel sound absorbers can be fabricated for specific purposes to absorb sound at low frequencies," he added.

Dehradun, November 4
As part of diamond jubilee celebrations of the National Defence Academy (NDA), an air expedition team landed at Jolly Grant airport here last evening.The expedition is the last in a series of events to mark the year-long celebrations at the premier tri-service institute, which completes 60 years in January 2009.

A total of four air expeditions were flagged off at the NDA on November 1 by NDA Commandant Air Marshal T.S.Randhawa, VM to Indian academies of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

The fourth expedition was destined for SE Asian counties. The team which landed here comprised two combatants, an Air Force officer and a cadet from the NDA, Khadakwasla, Pune. The aircraft, Super Dimona, captained by Wg Cdr C.S.Raghuraman, along with Cadet Mohit Sharma flew to the IMA Dehradun, via Indore, Bhopal, Lucknow and Hindon.

Wg Cdr Raghuraman said the aim of the adventure was to strengthen cooperation among the training academies of the three services. Speaking on the planes used during the expedition, he said: "We are using the Austria-made Super Dimona TC80 plane. It is a modified glider, which has an engine installed for takeoff and landing.

“ Usually, at higher altitudes, the engines are switched off, but we will be flying the plane non-stop. For this, we have eight trainers of the NDA and our main aim is to give chosen cadets from all three service branches a first-hand opportunity."

Cadet Sharma, who is in the flying club of the NDA, described the experience as wonderful. "After one-and-a-half years, I will be coming to the IMA for training on completing NDA. But it is nice to be here as part of this air expedition."

Earlier in the day, the team interacted with the Gentlemen Cadets and officers of the IMA. Wg Cdr Raghuraman presented a memento to the IMA, which was received by Deputy Commandant Maj Gen TPS Bakhshi, SM. General Bakhshi also presented a memento to the former.

The Deputy Commandant congratulated the NDA Academy for completing 60 years of glorious service to the nation and to the armed forces.

Dehradun, November 4
A seminar on Tourist Police was organised in Police Lines here today. Besides, Uttarakhand DGP Subhash Joshi, senior police officers of Garhwal and tourist police personnel were present in the seminar. During the seminar, discussions were held regarding the achievements and work done by the tourist police.

The future strategy was also prepared after taking feedback and suggestions from the senior police officials.

DGP appreciated the efforts of the department and said that results shown by the tourist police in facilitating the crores of tourists in state has brought laurels for Uttarakhand in the entire country.

Cops also disclosed that a comprehensive plan would be chalked to further strengthen the tourist police besides its modernisation.

“We will be sending a team of the senior officers of the tourist police to study the working of their counterparts in Mumbai, Kerala”, disclosed Subhash Joshi, adding that after the study, decision would be taken regarding the equipments and other facilities to be provided to the department.

He further said that decision regarding the uniform of the tourist police will be taken in coming days.

Others present in the meeting included ADGP (CID) V.R.Pant, IG (Intelligence/Security) Anil K. Raturi, IG (Garhwal) Ashok Kumar and Ram Singh Meena (IG Provision and Modernization). 

Dehradun, November 4
Raksha Sutra Andolan, Jal Sankriti Manch and Nadi Bachao Andolan Uttarkashi yesterday jointly released a book entitled ‘Urja Pradesh Key Ujadtey Nadiya Ujadtey Log’.

At a joint press conference, Suresh Bhai of Raksha Sutra Andolan said that the hydro projects were adversely affecting the rivers and the people living in the villages in the hilly areas.

He said the government was only thinking of its business interests and was least concerned over the destruction of rivers and the problems being faced by the villagers due to these projects.

Atul Sharma of Jal Sanskriti Manch said the tradition sources of water were drying up due to explosions linked to power projects. He also asserted that the proprietors of the projects were only befooling the locals in the name of employment.

Sharma said the book was aimed to apprise the people about the adverse impact of these power projects on the villages.

Prema Badani, who had come all the way from Uttarkashi, alleged that the power projects were destroying both the rivers and the people. She alleged that the people were suffering at the hand of these projects and many among them were yet to get compensation for their land. Sumiti from Raksha Sutra Andolan asserted that the political parties, who espoused the cause of the cow and Ganga, were keeping quite over the issue of ill-effects of hydro projects.

Dehradun, November 4
For the fourth time in the past five years, the Uttarakhand branch of Special Olympics is organising a major sports event for mentally disabled children. The sports meet will be held on November 7-8 in Wehlam Girls sports ground.

The event is being supported by the Uttarakhand Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare and Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre which has been working for the welfare of mentally disabled persons for the past 50 years here.

Addressing a press conference, Vasant Koppikar, founder of the Uttarakahand branch said, "Around 175 students will participate from various parts of the state in different athletics and cycling events. They will be guided by 20-25 coaches.”