Dehradun, January 7
The India-Pakistan impasse has taken a toll on the South Asian Federation (SAF) Winter Games. The games scheduled to be held in Dehradun and Auli during February-March have been postponed and will now be held in December.

Though officials cite other reasons for the postponement, highly placed sources say participation of Pakistan in the games was doubtful, hence the decision to postpone the games.

Addressing a press conference here today, secretary general of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Raja Randhir Singh said before the Winter Games, they wanted a trial run of the newly created infrastructure, including the ice skating rink in Dehradun and the ski slopes in Auli.

“We have decided to organise the International Snow Carnival in Auli in March and the International Ice Carnival in Dehradun in May 2009. Both will serve as trial run of the new infrastructure,” said Raja Randhir, adding that now the SAF Winter Games would be held from December 25 to 30.

Inquiries by The Tribune reveal that the main reason for the postponement of the games is the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan.

In the wake of the India-Pakistan standoff after the Mumbai attacks and the Indian cricket team’s decision to call off their visit, Pakistan’s participation in the games was highly unlikely.

Reliable sources say from among the participating nations- Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Bhutan-Pakistan alone has competitive players and without its participation, the games would have been of little interest.

Funds amounting to Rs 102 crore are being spent on setting up sports infrastructure for the games. While a new slope for skiing, snow gun and a lake are being set up in Auli, an ice skating rink and a swimming pool of international standards are coming up in Dehradun. About 80-85 per cent of the work is complete and the entire infrastructure will be ready in coming few months.

Raja Randhir Singh said they intended to develop world-class facilities for the Winter Games.“The state government is extending its cooperation to the IOA. Infrastructure is ready for holding the games and it is time to show it to the world. We can develop Uttarakhand as one of the best centres for the Winter Games,” he claimed.

He announced that the IOA would bid for holding the Asian Winter Games in 2015 in Uttarakhand. “We are committed to hosting the Asian Winter Games - 2015 in India”, he said. He said they had decided to make the Nanda Devi International Snow Carnival at Auli an annual feature.

“The first such carnival will be held this year from March 6 to 8. Likewise, the Doon Valley International Ice Carnival will now be an annual feature in Dehradun.The first ice carnival will be held in Dehradun from May 1 to 6 this year,” he announced.

Such annual carnivals, he said, would not only provide a platform to players but also promote tourism. The Winter Games Federation of India would be holding the Asian Junior Ice Skating Championship in Uttarakhand in November 2009, he said. It would also organise Asian Junior Ski Championship in Auli in February 2010, he added. 

Dehradun, January 7
Despite the government announcement to promote ayurveda as part of health policy, today ayurveda and its practioners continue to be accorded a step-motherly treatment. Even the concept of herbal state stands lost in political semantics.

There is a stark difference between the pay scales of allopathic and ayurveda doctors. Also, ayurveda doctors working in remote areas do not get allowances when working in remote areas like allopathic doctors.They do not get non-practice allowance (NPA) either.

Under the National Rural Health Mission, the states have been instructed to appoint ayurveda doctors at district primary and community health centres. But the plan ran into trouble right at the start as allopathic doctors declined to allocate them space at these centres run by them.

So much so that medicines allocated to dispensaries under the programme remain unused in stores. Since allopathic doctors duck postings in the hills, ayurveda doctors were brought into the picture. Their number now stands at 200. However, they face much discrimination.

“We are not entitled to remote hill allowance. The selection grades in comparison to allopathic doctors are hopelessly flawed. Our doctors become eligible for the grades after eight years in service and the next after a gap of 14 years, that too with riders,” said Dr RN Sharma, deputy director, Ayurveda and Unani Services.

“The niggardly salary package will certainly not kindle the youth’s interest in ayurveda as a career choice. And this even when the state faces shortage of doctors. The government needs to pay the ayurveda doctors well so that interest is generated among the students to opt for ayurveda as a discipline.

“The ayurveda degree (BAMS) is not the first choice. Most students join it after being denied a seat in allopathic colleges.This tendency will go unchecked if the ayurveda doctors are not paid as well as the allopathic doctors,” opined Dr YS Malik, District Ayurveda Officer, Dehradun.

Ayurvedic dispensaries have been set up by central and state governments.There are 538 ayurvedic dispensaries and five Unani in the state.

Then 23 Ayush wings have been set up at 23 community health centres and 116 primary health centres of the state. Besides, 26 Ayush wings have also been established at each district hospital.The National Rural Health Mission endeavours to revitalise indigenous health systems by integrating these with allopathy and bringing them under one roof for patients.

Haridwar, January 7
They break twigs, peel bark, and twist stems and branches. They are wasteful feeders, says a study on elephants at Rajaji National Park.

Elephants habitating the world-famous park consume 74% of tree species, 14% grasses and 8 % shrubs.Their feeding habits vary with seasons, availability of natural water and traditional movement.

Elephants of Rajaji are well-adapted to feed on seasonal fodder species grown on the park’s hilly track. The elephant diet constitutes mainly 50 plant species, available in the park area.

In a study carried out for a period of eight years, Dr Ritesh Joshi, forest scientist, Govind Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment And Development, Srinagar, Garhwal, has observed that elephants at the park emerge mostly during the evening between 3pm-7pm and feed in the morning and just before sunset. In winters, they feed mid-noon.

But their feeding habits have changed due to human settlement in and around the park area, that has doubled during the past one decade. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation has resulted in the loss of forestlands to townships, resulting in the killing of elephants.

The elephants at Rajaji feed on mixed vegetation including trees, grasses and shrubs. Ranipur, Ravli and Chirak forest belts of the Haridwar range have been abundant in bamboo. But since the past few years, the regeneration potential of the bamboo has decreased.

Forest fire restricts the regeneration of bamboo in this area. Also, villagers uproot the entire plant body to meet energy requirements which has affected the bamboo growth.The most preferred food items of elephants apart from the bamboo are rohine and amla(embelica offiicinalis). But elephant’s use other food resources too.

“During this month of January, the elephants feed more on maljhan (bauhinia malabarica.), doob grass, chamror (ehretia laevis) and amla (embelica offiicinalis),” says Dr Joshi in his study, the first documented study with a developed data base on fodder plant species for the Asian elephants in North West India.

On the elephants being seen and moving out of forest area and intruding into residential areas, Dr Joshi says since November- January is the breeding season, their movement spreads outside the “normal periphery”.

Dr Joshi found 50 plants species as favourite among the elephants at Rajaji, khair,semal and sagaun-teak to name a few.

The study reveals that total amount of plant matter removed by the elephants is not fully consumed and thus utilised by the other herbivores.

Roorkee, January 7
"Roorkee lacks a good auditorium. The government must construct a top-class auditorium here," said Narendra Ahuja, founder of Natraj Arts Group.

For the past 23 years, the group has staged 26 plays and over a dozen 'nukkad nataks' besides being involved in social work. Ahuja has acted in the TV serial 'Saturday Suspense' and in many Hindi documentaries.

Having 25 members, the group, founded on November 14, 1985, by Narendra Ahuja, is striving hard to keep art afloat in Roorkee for the past two decades. "We also aim to unearth new talent here," he said.

Despite facing many difficulties, the group has made it a point to stage good plays on social problems from time to time.

Among the famous plays staged by the group are 'Gadhe ki Baarat' and 'Khamosh! Adalat zari hai' written by Vijay Tendulkar. The others which were appreciated by the audience were 'Singhasan Khaali Hai', Saiyaan Bhaye Kotwaal' and Kaal Kothri'.

There have been numerous individuals from the Queen of Hills who have brought pride and honour to their hometown by making it big. Ashok Pal Singh and Beena Singh did a lot, and are still doing, to fetch fame to their beloved Mussoorie.

The duo have been keen roller-skaters since childhood and the heartthrob of the Mussoorie skating rink, the oldest (1892) and the largest (till 1972) skating rink in Asia.

It was in the late sixties when the gramophone records of the Beatles, Abbas, Boney M and the likes would be perfectly synchronised with the roaring sound of the roller wheels on the wooden floor. Bell- bottoms, long-collar perfumed shirts and youthful vigour made the rink the most happening evening hangout in Mussoorie.

There used to be love on the floor. “Having spent most of my lifetime in the hill stations of India, I can say with confidence that Mussoorie has pioneered the sport of roller-skating in the country. There have been notable skating carnivals in other hill stations, but nowhere is the enthusiasm greater, the competition keener and the facilities better,” quoted Padamshree Ruskin Bond in the April 11, 1970 issue of the Junior Statesman magazine which was published from Calcutta.

Ashok won the title of “Mr Skater of India” in the year 1969 while Beena won “Miss Skater of India” the same year. Later, Ashok was chosen “Mr Doon on Skates”.

Ashok took his team (which included ex-IGP Anil Raturi, a resident of Mussoorie) to Masterton New Zealand in 1980, to the Roller Hockey Championship in Cairo, Egypt, in 1983 and to Asia Roller Hockey Championship, Song Jeong, South Korea, in 1987. Nand Kishore Bamboo of Mussoorie has the honour of being the roller hockey referee during the Barcelona Olympics.

Ashok has been promoting roller skating in and from Mussoorie on his own with no help from anywhere. He missed a few overseas championships as he could not afford the trips then. The passion for skating championships, due to lack of patronage, has diminished among the youth and the elegant ballets on roller-skates have been taken over by dangerously speeding motor bikes.

Nevertheless, Ashok continues glorifying Mussoorie, on another track though. Today, he is principal of the Gandhi Memorial International School in Jakarta, Indonesia, and goes attending seminars all over the world as the school follows an International baccalaureate (IB) pattern.

His sister Beena has been an education officer in Nigeria, Thailand and the Philippines. Beena is the wife of historian Gopal Bhardwaj who was an active skater. She is principal at the Vidya Global (IB) School, Meerut.

Ashok is a true son of Mussoorie and has employed one-fourth of the faculty at the Gandhi Memorial School in Jakarta from Uttarakhand as he has faith in the sincerity of the people of the region.

The brother sister-duo has been continuously contributing, from roller-skating to education, with dedication. Recently, Ashok was felicitated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

The people of Mussoorie salute Ashok and Beena.