Dehradun, November 15
The police today resorted to lathicharge on some students who created a ruckus at Natraj Cinema in protest against screening of the movie ‘Dostana’.

The group had forcibly closed the ticket-counter and the gates of the cinema hall, and it took the police close to an hour to restore normalcy.

Asserting that the movie was against Indian traditions and values, the protesters are demanding that it be immediately banned. The problem started in the morning when a group of students, led by DAV PG College general secretary Parag Bhatt (Aryan Group), gathered outside the Natraj Cinema and started a protest against screening of the movie.

The district president of National Students Union of India (NSUI), Sangram Pundir, along with his supporters also reached the place and joined the protesters. Besides raising slogans against the movie, the protesters also created a lot of ruckus in the theatre premises. In the meantime, the incharge of Kotwali police station J.P.Juyal, along with heavy police force, reached the spot and tried to convince the protesters. However, after heated arguments the cops had to finally resort to lathicharge.

Meanwhile, Pundir claimed that the protest was peaceful and the lathicharge was unnecessary. “The movie promotes gay relations and contains stuff that is not in sync with Indian culture, values and traditions. We are democratically putting forward our demand of a ban on the movie,” he said. The district president of National Students Union of India added that they had also submitted a memorandum in this regard to the district magistrate Amit Singh Negi.

J.P.Juyal said no arrests have been made so far, but as a precautionary measure cops have been deployed at the theatre. He added that the movie shows are on.

Dehradun, November 15
The Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand could not be opened today as forest guards took over the controls of all three major entry gates to the park.

Similarly, Rajaji National Park’s Chila range too remained closed for the day as adamant forest guards turned up at the Chila entry point and thwarted its scheduled opening for today.

Seeking prompt promotion and pay benefits, Uttarakhand forest guards as part of their proposed stir camped at all the three gates of the park - Amadanda, Khara and Dhanghari gates - to ensure its complete closure. The agitated forest guards also staged a dharna.

Terming the stir a major success, R.R. Painuily, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Forest Guards Association said: “Both the parks could not be opened today and none of the tourists was allowed to enter any of the two parks.”

Disclosing that they have also closed Lachchiwala Forest Resort in Dehradun, the association targeted the state government rather than the senior forest officials to address to their concerns.

The forest guards reached the Chila entry point of the Rajaji Park early this morning and locked the main gate. Meanwhile, Rajaji Park authorities asserted that they were trying to seek alternative arrangements to ensure the opening of the park. “We are trying to look for alternative arrangements and seeking additional reinforcements,” deputy director Surendra Mehra observed.

Significantly, Uttarakhand forest minister and the tourism minister were expected to be present at the opening of the Corbett Park, but had to change their plans due to the stir.

However, the authorities concerned maintained that they were looking into possibilities of ensuring that tourists faced no difficulties due to the stir. Meanwhile, the association members too pledged to go to any extent to continue with their stir till their demands were met.

“We will also stage a rally in Dehradun tomorrow followed by a demonstration outside the secretariat on Monday,” R.L. Badoni, office-bearer of the association, said.

However, later in the evening, the forest guards withdrew the stir and allowed entry of tourists through Dhangarhi gate. Vinod Singhal, director, Corbett National Park, said forest guards decided to end the stir at 3.30 pm taking into account the inconveniences caused to tourists.

Dehradun, November 15
Singing ‘Jagars’ is his forte, a soft voice that becomes sonorous with the thump of the ‘hudka’ or a ‘dhol’ (a traditional hill musical instrument) or the ‘thali’, is his forte. Meet Pritam Bhartwan, a popular Garwali folk singer, who performed at the Dehradun Press Club on Saturday. He is now on a mission to preserve various musical instruments.

“I have already set up Hem Lok Kala Kendra that is engaged in the conservation of our folk culture, you know our Dhol should be given the status of a state instrument, It finds mention in our Vedas and now has fallen on bad days, my singing would automatically wipe off, if the Dhol and Damoun are not preserved,” said Bhartwan.

He is also conducting workshops so that youngsters learn the finer points and get conversant with their culture and roots.

Hailing from a family of traditional Jagar singers, Preetam Bhartwan inherited the art form from his father Hem Bhartwan. “I started performing with my father at the age of seven years and it was the ‘thali’ that captivated me, as it produced a beautiful beat,” said Bhartwan.

Notably, Jagars are songs that are an intrinsic part of hill culture. These devotional songs convey the glory of goddesses. Others were composed in praise of the historical figures that ruled the Garhwal and Kumaon hills, called Bir Badh, while the popular ones glorify Madhu Singh and Kafu Chauhan and their heroic exploits. “The songs have remained unchanged and modernism has not touched them in that sense as they are secure and still being sung by singers who have quite a fan following in the hills,” added Bhartwan.

Speaking about his father and his rich repertoire of songs he said: “My father was called ‘aasu kavi’, simply because he could compose a poem on anybody. In the hills, while going from village to village as wandering poets did those days, if he came across a person who requested him to compose a poem on him, my father could sing an entire stanza within minutes,” said Bhartwan. 

Haridwar, November 15
The grand wedding of veteran film actor Suresh Oberoi’s daughter Meghna with Mumbai-based businessman Amit Bama concluded with much fanfare at Rishikesh town on Friday night.

The wedding took place alongside the holy Ganga at the Parmarth Niketan and it was an occasion when the general public rubbed shoulders with Bollywood actors. The wedding was solemnised as per Hindu customs.

The Oberoi family kept distance from the media and were busy welcoming the guests. The bride looked gorgeous in an outfit made by a Mumbai-based fashion designer. “We both know each other and marriage is very special for us. Also wedding near the Ganga ghats is a lifetime experience,” said Meghna.

Along with the wedding couple, filmstar Vivek Oberoi was also the centre of attraction. Every time he came on stage or moved outside the crowd got berserk. “I am following him for the past two days and today I got an autograph from him,” said Rajiv Kher, a Vivek fan who had come from Dehradun to have a glimpse of his favourite cine star.

Dehradun, November 15
Already under increasing pressure to safeguard its land from encroachers, the Dehradun municipal corporation (DMC) today decided to construct boundary walls around vacant land across the city. A decision to this effect was taken at the DMC board meeting.

The corporation also decided to approve scores of proposals for construction of accommodations for corporation departmental heads on its Dhoran Khas land. Duplexes would be built near Sai Baba Mandir, a guesthouse at Shastradhara road and other employee quarters at Vijay Park land.

In another major decision, the board meeting approved registration of cycles by introducing a nominal license fee annually. The councillors who supported the move said it was necessary taking into account security considerations. The corporation also decided to come up with a housing scheme in assistance with Mussoorie Dehra Development Authority.

The mayor Vinod Chamoli while pointing out that councillors would get a priority in these accommodations as well asserted that the corporation would not compromise on the ownership of these lands. Putting to rest the problem of cattle dung reported from several residential colonies, the Board unanimously approved setting up of a gobar gas plant in its 15 bighas of land at Selaqui in assistance with an external agency.It was also decided to make councillor’s permission mandatory for road-cutting by private parties.

On the rising concerns of encroachments by ‘kabadis’ across the city, the corporation decided to issue strict warning to such offenders.

It was also decided to allow Bureau Energy Efficiency to start its survey work for making Dehradun a solar city. Among other key decisions, an amount of Rs five lakh was provided to Ajabpur crematorium. The issue of allotment of land for freedom fighters also came up for discussion and it was unanimously decided to first undertake identification of freedom fighters before proceeding in the matter.

Dehradun, November 15
If seen in terms of boosting their sales, giving tips to school heads to improve their effectiveness at work by organising workshops is emerging as a sound marketing investment of the private publishers here.

Although the trend is still catching up, leading players like Ratna Sagar Private Limited, which organised one such workshop for principals of Dehradun schools today, are fully exploiting the business potential in this segment. The company sold books worth Rs 1.2 crore to private schools affiliated to CBSE and ICSE in Dehradun last year when it organised the first workshop of this kind.

“We organise such programmes for brand building in face of increasing competition. Since the motive is to maximize books sales, the strategy has definitely paid rich dividends,” said Amit Chatterjee, branch head of the company for Uttarakhand and western UP. The company has also organised five subject workshops in the region in which authors of books give tips on effective classroom teaching to teachers.

Although Chatterjee denied this, insiders said such workshops in which experts give tips in few hours on communication, effective listening, body language, attitude to workplace, teaching techniques and other motivational stuff is meant to position a particular brand in the minds of school heads. The subsequent change of books in terms of a new chapter, title or visuals almost every academic session keeps printing machines running and swell the sale of books.

“Personally, I am not in favour of changing books frequently but it happens in the case of one or two subjects every year,” said Sonal Verma, principal of Hill Foundation School, who attended the workshop today.

Given the huge sale potential in Dehradun due to presence of a large number of schools here, Ratna Sagar is proactively employing this strategy. Sensing this, the company set up its branch office here two years back. Other leading player, Oxford University Press, however, is not that active in this segment. Interestingly, other known publishers like S. Chand, which also has its office here, Kriti Prakashan and Goyal Brothers among others are involved in direct marketing. “Probably, they have different strategy perceptions,” added Chatterjee.

Dehradun, November 15
Even as the municipal authorities are trying to cope up with the growing problem of solid waste management, the Uttarakhand Valmiki Ekta Manch today announced that it would hold a series of protests from November 20 to highlight the genuine concerns of sanitary workers.

Bhagawat Prasad Makwana, convener of the manch, said the sanitary workers have been neglected for long and would not tolerate injustice any more.

The workers would also hold a massive rally in Dehradun on December 15. Strongly advocating separate reservation for the Valmiki community in the scheduled castes quota, Makwana alleged that the government in power in Uttarakhand has been insensitive towards the concerns of the community.