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Protecting the faithful
Dehradun, December 6
Chief Minister Maj Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd) has categorically said that the constitution of “quick response force - a specialised squad” that could effectively deal with any terror attack is also under consideration. Special patrolling at
Char Dham
The security arrangements at the “Char Dham” - Yamnotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath - are reviewed time to time. After the Mumbai attacks, senior police officials have instructed the policemen deployed there to be “extra cautions” even during winters when they remained closed. Giving details of the security arrangements at Char Dham, IG Garhwal Ashok Kumar said, “As a result of the intense snow cover during winters, it is not possible to deploy forces at Yamnotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath.” “Hence what we have done is that cops will go on patrolling on weekly/fortnightly basis to maintain vigil. CCTV cameras have already been deployed at Char Dham. Any person going to Char Dham has to undergo a security check.” He added that one company of the PAC remains stationed in Badrinath as there is a hot spring there. The police officials further informed that as far as security of the Char Dham from the China side is concerned, Army and ITBPF would take care of it.
Kumbh Mela security
After repeated statements of Chief Minister Maj Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd) that during the Mahakumbh, slated to be held in 2010 in Haridwar, terrorists would try to disturb the peace, the state police administration has started the work of preparing a “blueprint” of the requirements with respect to the police force and equipment. “On an average, during the three-month long period, starting from January 14 to April 14, around one crore pilgrims would be visiting Haridwar. Hence, there is real security threat,” disclosed IG Garhwal Ashok Kumar. He added that a strength of around 10,000 cops would be required during the Kumbh Mela. “We plan to deploy 10,000 cops along the 35-km stretch starting from Haridwar
to Rishikesh.” Replying to a query that whether the state police has requisite force for the event, he said, “The matter is under consideration and if there would be any need for recruitment, necessary steps would be taken.” He further said that as many as 25 CCTVs have already been installed at various points in Haridwar, adding that a proposal to install 50 more CCTVs has also been sent to the authorities concerned. “Traffic management, crowd management and security are some of the challenges before us. In 1986 Kumbh at Haridwar, 50 people died in a stampede. Hence, crowd management is on our priority list.” “Maintaining constant vigil to ensure that no unscrupulous element enters the mela would
be another big challenge,” asserted Ashok. He also informed that besides the police force, intelligence network and surveillance teams would remain active in the entire region. Meanwhile, highly placed sources in the police department have disclosed that Uttarakhand government has also sent a proposal to the Union government asking for funds required for making advanced security arrangements for the mela.
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Security up for IMA POP
Dehradun, December 6 While stating that the police administration is in touch with IMA officials, IG Garhwal Ashok Kumar said, “I would not like to divulge the details of the special security arrangements being undertaken by the police administration for the POP but would like to assure that ‘extra care’ is being taken to ensure foolproof security at IMA.” Notably, IMA had been receiving threats from terrorists for the past several years. Some three years back, an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba member was arrested from Dehradun’s Premnagar area, situated near the IMA by a team of the Delhi Police. In 2005, interrogation of some militants had reportedly revealed that they were planning to attack the IMA. Besides, the police had also recovered map of IMA from terrorists killed in police encounters. “The security of the IMA is a matter of great concern. Hence, besides deployment of the police in the entire city, special thrust is being laid on the verification drive,” revealed the IG. Dehradun SSP Amit Kumar Sinha said that policemen are conducting verification drive on a daily basis of people residing in the areas adjoining the IMA. “Instructions had already been passed for the verification of civilians working in the IMA,” he added. The policemen also informed that the anti-bomb squad and fire brigade have also been asked to remain alert and special search operations are being conducted at different places across the city.
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Stress taking its toll on Doonites
Dehradun, December 6 This was revealed in a study undertaken by Anthropological Survey of India, Dehradun. The study titled “Genealogy of Heart Patients in Dehradun” by anthropologist Anand Saran revealed interesting facts. The data of 100 patients was taken up for different physical, social, psychological aspects leading to heart ailments. With most of Dehradun city’s population migrating from other areas, they were found to have a stressful life due to varied reasons. The city has more of nuclear families than the joint family system and, as a result, the individual shares the entire burden of the family. This is leading to more stress and making people more vulnerable to cardiac ailments. As far as the family structure of heart patients of Dehradun is concerned, 83 per cent of total interviewed persons maintained nuclear families, 14 per cent extended and only 3 per cent live in a joint family. Out of them 36 per cent have three children, 29 per cent two children and 7 per cent five children and 4 per cent more than five children. After the formation of Uttarakhand, the influx of migrants has increased to a great extent for new jobs, trades, settlement, tourism, administrative assistance, thus imposing a social, cultural and economic pressure on the city and its inhabitants. Out of 100 heart patients, maximum 31 came from Uttar Pradesh, Tehri Garhwal 19, Pauri Garhwal 17, Punjab 10, Kumaon, Pakistan and West Bengal 4 each, Haryana, and Dehradun local 3 each, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh 2, Mussoorie and Rajasthan 1 each. Similarly, state government officials were found to be more stressed than central government employees. The working atmosphere in state government offices was not found to be that conducive. Bossism was more prevalent and thus state government employees were subject to more stress and thus prone to heart ailments. With city life already into transformation, daily hassles or chronic stress affect the individual more. Among the daily hassles are included problems with one’s spouse, father, brother, neighbour, office, colleagues and the office environment. Daughter’s marriage, son’s employment, self-employment were included in the total study. 51 per cent of respondent admitted to family tension, 21 per cent for daughter’s marriage, 25 per cent for son’s employment, 23 per cent for money matters and all 91 per cent accepted in a tense situation, the disease aggravates. Out of 100 respondents, 68 per cent were non-vegetarian and 32 per cent vegetarian. Though the frequency of consuming meat was not significantly higher as only 48 per cent consumed it once a week. Interestingly, almost all patients (95 per cent) changed their routine after illness and started walking and performing yoga. Out of 100 patients, there were 47 smokers and 53 non-smokers. The highest percentage of heart patients lie in the category who smoke 1 to 10 bidi or cigarettes (22 pc). The study, which was conducted with the assistance of Dr K B Joshi, cardiologist, took a year with anthropologists manning different hospitals of Dehradun.
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Plans afoot to tackle monkey menace
Dehradun, December 6 The move is aimed to confine monkeys in and around the temples that would ensure food to monkeys and also add to the earnings of the temples. The wild life authorities send its team to trap monkeys after getting complaints from a locality. But the problem doesn’t solve here, monkeys manage to return to the area they were captured from and this tends to be biggest headache for the authorities and public. Doonites in particular have been suffering the most with many localities in the city already reeling under monkey menace. The problem aggravates further as these monkeys often attack children. The state wild life authorities are in a fix as they are getting a permanent solution to the problem. “As monkeys are also linked to religious sentiments, finding a way out for from simians menace is certainly a tough task at hand,” admits Srikant Chandola, Uttarakhand chief wild life warden. The wild life department has come up some rehabilitation plans for monkeys which includes demarcating an area in the close vicinity of their area, in order to check them moving to other areas and causing nuisance. “Further, there are plans to put these monkeys with other animals in the proposed animal rescue centers in the state,” chief wild life warden observed. Now, the state wild life authorities are putting up monkey rehabilitation proposal before the State Wild Life board meeting that is to be held on December 8.
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First Person The number of ONGCians on 1 May, 2006 was a massive 36,000, employed in their numerous work centres throughout the country. However, like most organisations, ONGC too made a small beginning. On April 1, 1956, 50 years before, there were barely 60 employees on the payroll of ONG Directorate in the stately Patiala House. Within a year, by April 1, 1957, there was more than a seven-fold increase; the total strength then stood at 440. Many among those employees had come from Calcutta, specifically recruited by Geological Survey of India (GSI), for the Oil & Gas Division / Directorate. B Guha Roy, Amar Nath Sen, Jyoti Bhushan Choudhary, Prabhat Ranjan Aich and JJ Bhattasali were appointed on December 14, 1955. Soon thereafter, Amar Nath Sen and Bhattasali were sent to Dehra Dun. Sen was in the general administration and, among other things; he assisted in the purchase of Patiala House. Bhattasali, a selection grade stenographer, became private secretary to AMN Ghosh. Further recruitment was made; eight more arrived in Dehradun on August 16, 1956, two days after the birth of ONGC. Among them was ONGC’s first woman employee Abha Ball, an head assistant. Earlier, three more of Calcutta recruits, PK Ganguly (photographer) and two senior assistants, HN Mazumdar and NK Natta had arrived in Dehradun to take up their assignments. Bengali became the second most spoken language, next to Hindi. ONGC’s permanent home
The scene soon shifted from Chowringhee Road in Calcutta to Patiala House in Dehra Dun. Malaviya points man MBR Rao had earlier been sent post haste to Dehradun to identify a suitable premises for housing the headquarters of Oil & Natual Gas directorate. A message was sent to the Surveyor General of India, Brig. RH Wilson to help Rao in his search. The two inspected several buildings but finally their choice zeroed in on Patiala House, the stately mansion at 6, Young Road. It was promptly hired; the monthly rent was only Rs 2,500. Patiala House, had been purchased by Rajamata Bakhtawar Kaur, wife of His Highness Maharaja Bhupender Singh. The Rajmata later gave the palatial Patiala House as a gift to her daughter Maharani Yadunandan Kumari, nicknamed Honey by the family. Honey married Col. Raja Surender Singh of Nalagarh state, and became Rani of
Nalagarh. Captain Amarinder Singh, the present chief minister of the Punjab, is the grandson of Maharaja Bhupender Singh. Thus Rani Yadunandan Kumari was the owner when she sold the Patiala House on April 2, 1957 to the President of India. Those acquainted with the Constitution of India would know that all acts by the government of India are carried out in the name of and at the pleasure of the President of India. That is how the President of India happened to become its purchaser. However, the official who signed the sale deed on behalf of the President was one P.D. Chawla, executive engineer, Central Public Works Department. The sprawling property, earlier known as Firland House, comprised the main Patiala House and several cottages built over a vast land area of 28 acres (nearly 133,299 square yards). There were over over 700 litchi and mango trees.
ONGC finds a gold mine
The total sale consideration was Rs 6,20,000 (rupees six hundred and twenty thousand). The cost per square yard of the land alone came to approximately four rupees and 10 annas. The current land rate in the vicinity of Tel Bhavan is between
Rs. 10,000-15.
Connaught place in Doon
Soon enough, the Bengali bhadralok found their bearings in Dehradun that already boasted a fair sprinkling of their community. Much before the nationalisation of life and general insurance, Bharat Insurance Company had built a three-storey residential complex on the left side of Chakrata Road as one walked down from the Clock Tower; it contained over 100 three-room flats. It was named Connaught Place; the insurance company fancied that its complex would some day rival New Delhi’s famed namesake.
The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) inherited the complex after the insurance business in India was
nationalised. Across the road, the fabulously rich Rana brothers from Nepal, had earlier built an equally majestic complex, identical in design and façade, with two cinema houses as additional attractions. The Calcuttans took up lodgings in some of the flats; there were more ‘vacancies’ than ‘occupations’ in those two residential buildings. The monthly rent of Rs 40 seemed high at the time. Three of the married employees rented independent flats while the bachelors shared the digs. The Ranas had also built shops which, in due course, grew into a popular shopping centre. There were two photographers, Mela Ram and Narottam Chawla; Bata opened a retail outlet and Kesar Das Pahwa launched the town’s first modern dry cleaning shop named Mercury.
The Vanguard, then a weekly, set up its printing press there; I was its partner and editor. But of greater relevance, in the context of ONGC’s history, was an eatery called Bengali Sweet Shop, on the ground floor of what was then called Connaught Hotel.
Bengali Sweet Shop
Ganguly’s flat was in close proximity to the Bengali Sweet Shop. Most of the bachelors would take their breakfast and dinner at Badoni’s eatery. Badoni introduced fish dishes to cater to his increasing Bengali clientele. AMN Ghosh was a regular customer. On Sundays, Ganguly and a couple of others would go down to Saharanpur and buy fish. That was to be their special feast and picnic. Abha Mall lived in the Bharat Insurance building. Her house became a ‘communal’ kitchen. Bhattasali was one such bachelor. Abha was to later marry Bhattasali. The two served ONGC with distinction, and retired as joint directors several years ago. Ganguly’s flat meanwhile, had become a ‘transit’ accommodation of sorts; at one time or another, ‘all geologists of the 1956 batch’ stayed there until they found their regular accommodation. When Ganguly found that the water pipes in his flat leaked, the building’s ‘manager’ told him to shift to another flat; if the second flat too had some defective wiring, Ganguly was given the keys to a third flat. There were flats aplenty waiting to be rented out. Oil and Natural Gas Division was set up as an appendage to the Geological Survey of India.
A few months later, it was upgraded to a directorate. AMN Ghosh, MBR Rao, AK Dey were then senior geoscientists in GSI; they made use of their offices, as also freely availed of the services of their staff for work relating to the formation of
ONGC. As the ONGC-centric activities grew and some administrative staff was specifically recruited, a separate accommodation was allocated for the directorate in GSI’s Chowringhee Road premises. A decision had already been taken to make Dehradun the headquarters of ONGC which was in an embryonic state.
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