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Vikram strike brings state to a halt
A slice of Gujarat at Haridwar
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Doonites go nuts over coconuts
Cheshire Home spreads rays of hope
Mahaseer attracts anglers by the dozen
Doon boy excels at Turkey karate c’hip
Carman sports day: Akshara gets best sportsperson award
Soon, women’s cricket tourney in Doon
Ramnagar are cricket champs
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Vikram strike brings state to a halt Dehradun, October 23 It is days like today that the role of ubiquitous Vikrams as the main mode of transportation and the citizens’ reliance on them becomes all the more evident. Vikrams are operational in many cities in the state like Roorkee, Haridwar, Haldwani, Ramnagar, Vikasnagar, Sahaspur, Luxar, Dakpathar, Rishikesh and Herbertpur. In a bid to control rising pollution levels in the city, the administration along with the State Transport Authority is contemplating replacing Vikrams (that are bigger versions of three wheelers) with Magic four-wheelers. This has a major bone of contention between the administration and the Vikram association office-bearers. Today, they held a protest march outside the office of the State Transport Authority, raising slogans against the administration. High pollution levels have been reported at Prince Chowk, Clock Tower, Gandhi Road and Saharanpur road, the most frequented routes on which the Vikrams ply. “We are willing to work on any technology that reduces pollution but the recent diktats by the government have come as a surprise. After all, we are replacing diesel vehicles with diesel ones,” said an angry Satish Sharma, president of the Dehradun Vikram and Tempo Chalak Association. A study by the Dehradun-based People's Science Institute (PSI), a non-governmental organisation, says, "The abnormally high levels of SPM in Dehradun are mainly due to natural dust and particulate-laden smoke from diesel-fuelled vehicles, especially Vikrams, trucks, buses and three-wheelers." The impact on public health has been telling. PSI functionaries say the prevalence of respiratory diseases has risen alarmingly over the past decade and most cases are linked to air pollution. Though the administration’s clean-up operation has come very late in the day, several studies undertaken by NGOs have held diesel as one of the major pollutants. “If at all, the government wants to replace diesel, CNG is a viable cost-effective option. The costs towards replacement will be very heavy and most of us will not be able to bear it. “The new Magic four-wheeler costs Rs 2.80 lakh and that is beyond the reach of most autowallahs. To top it, the insurance premium comes to Rs 11,000 per month. “We had discussed our apprehensions with the transport authority but the latest diktat has come as a shock. They are not holding direct talks with us,” charged Sharma. Even running the new vehicles will be costly affair. “On a 200-km route, the average expenditure on a diesel-run Vikram is between Rs 250-Rs 300 while it would come to Rs 500 on a Magic four-wheeler,” said Shailender Negi, who plies a Vikram on route No. 8. The blue-coloured Vikrams invaded Doon roads in the mid 80s. In the absence of a credible public road transportation system, the people had no choice but to use these quirky vehicles. “Since morning, I have been running helter-skelter making alternative arrangements
for my children and my wife who use them almost daily,” said Hari Bahuguna, a banker. There are close to 750 Vikrams running with permits but the number can be even more as many are also illegally plying in most places after paying a rudimentary ‘hafta’ to the police, linking Dehradun with adjoining towns of Doiwala, Rishikesh and Sahaspur. Meanwhile, the State Transport Authority officials maintained that the one-day strike was a unilateral decision taken by union leaders and they have no immediate plans to replace the Vikrams. “What we had suggested to Vikram owners was a plan to phase out Vikrams that were more than seven years old. The decision has been interpreted differently. “The Vikrams will be eventually phased out by CNG or other environment-friendly vehicles in the coming days, but we will ensure that all Vikram owners are informed about the decision and there is no such move to take the jobs of Vikram drivers,” said Vinod Sharma, Additional Secretary, Transport. Haridwar: Life in the holy city came to a halt with auto-rickshaws and Vikrams going on strike today citing the non-fulfilment of various long-pending demands. From early morning, locals were seen standing at auto stops but there were no autos to take them to their destinations. All sub-unions under the banner of the Auto-Rickshaw Vikram Association (ARVA) joined hands for the strike. Citing various demands including that of an uniform rate system in the city, uniformity in permit for Haridwar and Rishikesh autos, allotting of new permits in the district, issuing of green cards before the tourist season, especially the Char Dham season, among others were the reasons for the strike. ARVA president Satya Narayan Sharma said that they had to take the strike route as the administration and Transport Department was not paying heed to their demands and shabby treatment was being meted out to them. The Transport Department had suggested a city rate list which is Rs 5.60 per km but it is not feasible in the city, specially for locals, as it is too costly. The association had suggested a rate list according to the important intersections, the availability of pilgrims and outsiders and the route which they want to be accepted. City magistrate Archana Grehawar, taking cognisance of the situation specially after the one-day strike today, has called a meeting of the departments concerned viz transport, traffic, police, auto unions and locals to sort out the issue on October 27. She said that the strike has affected normal life and to avoid it in the future, it is imperative that the meeting be attended by all concerned to resolve the issues raised. Also the Rishikesh RTO, traffic police and auto union representatives have been called to sort out the contentious issue of licence periphery of both cities. The Haridwar auto union has been pointing out that the current periphery is favourable to Rishikesh autos. Haridwar auto unions have long been complaining that while Rishikesh autos are allowed to enter city areas such as SIDCUL and Ranipur while their permit limit is only up to Shiv Moori near VIP ghat, their vehicles are stopped at Chandrabhagha bridge and Ram Jhula in Rishikesh. “This discrimination has been going on under the nose of the traffic police. The administration has been informed but to no avail. So, we had to opt for a day’s strike,” said Shiv Kumar of the Haridwar union. Tourists and pilgrims were at the receiving end of the strike as they were caught unawares. At the railway station, bus station and Tata Sumo-Max Jeep points, people were seen waiting for the autos for hours. With Haridwar having no inter-city and inter sub-urban bus structure, it added to the problems of the commuters. The only option left was that of cycle rickshaws but they too proved insufficient considering the city population in lakhs and the number of daily tourists, pilgrims and foreigners touching a figure anywhere between 50,000 to 1 lakh. Foreigners, due to language problem and no information about the strike, were seen roaming here and there asking people about the unavailability of autos and alternative transportation options available in the city. At the railway station and Har-ki-Pauri, foreigners were seen stranded. They were seen enquiring at information encounters of railways, roadways and police check points. Most had to hire private taxis. Most of them lashed out at the poor transport facility in the city. Seeing the commotion, Russians Swetlana Benitova and Dimitry opted to go to Rishikesh by taxi. “Now we understand why people of India are ranked as the most happy in the international index. The way life in India goes on and people still do not complain speaks of their being happy even in difficult times,” remarked Swetlana. Dimitry said, “City transport is essential for any city and Haridwar is an internationally renowned one. Learn something from Chinese cities and from New Delhi. The inter-city buses and metro rail there keeps the city moving.” DSP Traffic (Mela) Shweta Chaubey said that irregularities raised by the union will be checked and sorted out at the upcoming meeting.
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A slice of Gujarat at Haridwar Haridwar, October 23 This time, it is the Gujaratis who have thronged the holy city in large numbers. One can feel a slice of Bengali life at Har-ki-Pauri, Vishnu Ghat and Moti Bazar between Dusshera and Diwali. People from Gujarat start coming to the city just after Diwali and Bhaiya Dooj. They remain here till Kartik Poornima when they take a holy dip in the Ganga. Though the Ganga closure had disappointed visitors from Bengal and now Gujarat, the flavour of Gujarati life can be felt with people clad in traditional Gujarati attire and speaking in their mother tongue. Traders are a happy lot these days though they say that prolonging of the Ganga’s closure has largely affected their trade. “We have been affected during ‘the Bengali season’ and now the repercussions of no-water-flow at Har-ki-Pauri and adjacent ghats has affected business that was expected from people coming to Haridwar from other states. Yet all is not lost. Thousands are coming to the city daily,” said Sandeep Sharma, a garment-shop owner at Bada Bazar. Owing to the Ganga’s closure, a majority of visitors from Gujarat have been moving to the nearby Rishikesh town. One can find a major chunk of people from Gujarat at Har-ki-Pauri, Shiv Moorti, Lal Taura Bridge and in the Maya Devi area. All dharamshalas and asharams at Maya Devi are full to capacity and atmosphere in the city is like a Gujarati fair. Gujarat Bhawan at Maya Devi is bursting at the seams with pilgrims and tourists of Gujarat origin. At any time, around 150-odd buses carrying them can be seen parked at the bhawan ground.
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Doonites go nuts over coconuts Dehradun, October 23 Located along the roadside in the green and beautiful surroundings of Rajpur, coconut-water vendors are catering to the taste buds of many. Till a few years ago, not many roadside vendors were there at Rajpur to lure foodies. But now, a crowd gathers every evening to eat from a healthy fruit chaat to spicy aloo chat and momos. “Though I belong to Himachal Pradesh, but I have been selling coconut water here for the past two years. The response is good as people relish the ‘malai’ of the coconut along with the water,” said Anil, a coconut vendor. According to doctors, coconut water is an isotonic solution which replenishes the fluids
and minerals that the body loses during physical activity. For this reason, many athletes and persons who work out regularly are encouraged to drink coconut water to replace essential minerals and fluids. Moreover, killer diseases related to the intestine, diabetes and urinary infection can also be cured with its regular consumption. “I have been in the business of coconut water for 12 years. For the past few years, people have shown a preference for it for its medicinal properties. It is a healthy drink when compared to aerated drinks that are full of toxins,” said Aman Kurana, a coconut-water dealer. “I love the sweet taste
of coconut water and at times, end up eating its ‘malai’ too,” said
Alka, a resident. Trucks of coconuts are brought in all the way from Delhi Azad Mandi, Kolkata, Mumbai
and Kerala. Coconut water is present at the centre of unripe coconuts. As the coconuts ripen, the liquid hardens and become part of the kernel of the coconut that is used to make coconut milk. “An unripe coconut sells for Rs 25 - Rs 30 and the water can be had in summer and winter. The life of an unripe coconut is only a week. Many times, we have to throw the coconut away as they get ripen and are of no use to us,” said Raj Gupta, a coconut vendor.
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Cheshire Home spreads rays of hope Pitthoragarh, October 23 According to SK Das, organiser of the expedition, the aim is to study ‘mahaseer’, a cold-water fish that is gradually disappearing from Himalayan rivers. “More than 12 anglers from India and foreign countries are taking part in the competition which began on October 22 and will conclude on October 26,” said SK Das, who has been organising the competition for the past three years. The anglers taking part in the competition include C Oldmeid Wilson from Britain, D Gola from Chennai, SK Bose, KA Bhatnagar and V Suri from Delhi, KJ Vakil, AK Bhuwan Giri from Ahmedabad, KS Rawat and P Bisht from Almora and KD Singh from Imphal. Five years ago, the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) had introduced this sport for anglers with an aim to develop it as an international event. “We are constructing infrastructure around Saryu river in Pancheswar keeping our future activities of rafting and angling in mind,” said Ashok Joshi, general manager tourism, KMVN, Nainital. The anglers have also taken permission from the Forest Department to catch mahaseer and will let it go after measuring its length and weight. “The anglers have deposited Rs 26,100 as the fee for this activity in the Saryu. “We have installed some tents for their stay on the riverbank,” said AK Gupta, District Forest Officer, Champawat. “The KMVN, after studying many places alongside rivers in Kumaon, has selected the Pancheswar area because two big snow-fed rivers Saryu and Mahakali meet there making it a big treasure house of mahaseer fish which is highly sought by anglers the world over,” said Joshi.
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Mahaseer attracts anglers by the dozen According to SK Das, organiser of the expedition, the aim is to study ‘mahaseer’, a cold-water fish that is gradually disappearing from Himalayan rivers. “More than 12 anglers from India and foreign countries are taking part in the competition which began on October 22 and will conclude on October 26,” said SK Das, who has been organising the competition for the past three years. The anglers taking part in the competition include C Oldmeid Wilson from Britain, D Gola from Chennai, SK Bose, KA Bhatnagar and V Suri from Delhi, KJ Vakil, AK Bhuwan Giri from Ahmedabad, KS Rawat and P Bisht from Almora and KD Singh from Imphal. Five years ago, the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) had introduced this sport for anglers with an aim to develop it as an international event. “We are constructing infrastructure around Saryu river in Pancheswar keeping our future activities of rafting and angling in mind,” said Ashok Joshi, general manager tourism, KMVN, Nainital. The anglers have also taken permission from the Forest Department to catch mahaseer and will let it go after measuring its length and weight. “The anglers have deposited Rs 26,100 as the fee for this activity in the Saryu. “We have installed some tents for their stay on the riverbank,” said AK Gupta, District Forest Officer, Champawat. “The KMVN, after studying many places alongside rivers in Kumaon, has selected the Pancheswar area because two big snow-fed rivers Saryu and Mahakali meet there making it a big treasure house of mahaseer fish which is highly sought by anglers the world over,” said Joshi.
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Doon boy excels at Turkey karate c’hip Dehradun, October 23 Speaking to The Tribune Ankit said, “It was completely a different experience, where hundreds of martial art expects congregated at one place. “ I do not know much about my opponent and their style of fighting, therefore I just went through my previous championship videos to get some information about how to approach the fight”. He said it was completely a different level of referring and fighting standard what he experienced at the national level. Disclosing about his fight experience he said, “My most easy fight was against New Zealand fighter, who came late to the ring and therefore I was given a walkover. “But my toughest fight was against South Africa, which I won by one point.” Ankit had frequent interactions with foreign players who disclosed that sportspersons of other countries were better placed than Indian players. “In the foreign countries, the government bears the expenditure of diet, gymnasium, power drinks and other things thereby giving their players a good support. But in India, the players find it tough to find the government help or sponsors.” Ankit has been working hard for the past two months for the championship under the guidance of Sanjeev Kumar Jangra and had missed school “I have been focusing on many stepping, punching and kicking during the training session. The most important part is the counter attacks which earns you most of the points in match, for which one need to have good reflexes”. Everyday Ankit undergoes four hours of rigorous practice. He has divided his practice session into two parts, two hour in the morning and two hours in the evening. Ankit has been continuously doing well at the national level and had won a gold in 75 kg category last year.
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Carman sports day: Akshara gets best sportsperson award Dehradun, October 23 The chief guest J.Man, the head of the school, principal I G Man and other prominent teachers were present on the occasion. Where in the girl’s 80m, first price was bagged by Ananya Todariya of Emmanuel House, second by Ayushi Kothari and third by Muskan Aggarwal. In the boys 80m run, first position was bagged by Mayank Singh, second by Sohan Panwar and third by Yash Bonthiyal. For the 4x200m relay race of boy’s first winner was bagged by Emmanuel House, second by Aubry, third by Ivy House and fourth Doris House. Giving a tough competition to the Houses in the 4x200m girl’s relay race first position was bagged by Ivy House, second by Aubry House, third by Emmanuel and fourth by Doris. However, depicting the strength of students in the tug of war first position was bagged by Ivy House and second by Emmanuel. And taking away the best sports person award of the year was Akshara Uniyal of Doris House.
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Soon, women’s cricket tourney in Doon Dehradun, October 23 It had earlier planned to hold the meet in March 2009 but not many teams registered for the event. So the tournament had to be postponed. The association had thought of organising a district-level meet and thereafter, an inter-district tournament in Dehradun for the promotion of cricket among girls. But their plans failed to materialise. There is already enough cricket tournaments for boys providing them enough opportunity to showcase their talent. But there are not many tournament for girls here. Therefore, to have a tournament at this time will prove to be a stepping-stone in the promotion of women’s cricket. For the past few months, the association has been working hard to arrange teams for the tournament. The tournament was scheduled to start in March. The association made efforts to contact teams from Uttar Pradesh to participate in the tournament. But the teams could not make it due to the Lok Sabha elections and school examinations. The tournament was rescheduled to be held after the All-India Gold Cup Tournament, but bad weather and failure to arrange a ground yet again forced the association to postpone the meet. Now that another cricket session is about to begin, the CAU is planning to organise the tournament again. Secretary of Cricket Association of Uttaranchal, PC Verma, said, “Our repeated efforts to promote the game among girls has been stuck in some tangle or the other. Now, we have decided to organise it in the next session. Our aim is to begin the tournament as soon as possible which will be give women a platform to perform.”
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Ramnagar are cricket champs Dehradun, October 23 The Ramnagar team decided to bat first after winning the toss and piled a score of 205 runs in their allotted 28 overs for the loss of eight wickets. Prakash was the highest scorer for the team with 52 runs, followed by Ashish Chnadra, who scored 50 runs. Ravinder made an important contribution in the middle order by scoring 41 runs. For the Tanakpur team, Amar Singh, Laksham and Sagar took two wickets each. Chasing a target of 206 runs, the Tanakpur team could only manage to score 150 runs in their allotted 28 overs. RC Sheetal was the highest scorer with 28 runs, whereas middle order batsmen Amar Singh and Vikram managed to score 18 runs each. For the Ramnagar team, Sunil and Rohit took three wickets, whereas Rashid took two wickets. Chief guest Kumaon University vice-chancellor BPS Arora presented the prizes to the winner and runner-up teams.
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Pitthoragarh, October 23
Dehradun, October 23
The diesel-run Vikrams along with trucks and canters that are also run on diesel have been natural suspects as far as pollution is concerned. The administration’s latest move to replace them with diesel-run Magic four-wheelers seems a useless exercise.
Pitthoragarh, October 23