Dehradun, November 30
Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has pledged making Uttarakhand Open University of international fame.

In his interactions with Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Open University Prof Vinay Pathak here at the secretariat, Nishank said the university was of much importance for Uttarakhand, taking into account the inaccessibility factor linked to the hill state.

He said providing quality-based professional education should be the priority of the institution. Nishank told Professor Pathak, “You have an important responsibility to organise work at the university and getting things done in the right direction”.

He also asked the Vice-Chancellor for introduction of vocational courses in the university’s curriculum. He said courses like information technology, which was much in demand globally, should also be given proper attention. The Chief Minister also assured all assistance on the part of the government towards the betterment of the university.

In course of deliberations, Professor Pathak said the lack of infrastructure was proving to be a major impediment towards the smooth functioning of the Open University. Himself a computer engineer, Professor Pathak held that the university was also contemplating starting industry-based courses with courses on automobiles and food technology already in implementation process. “Such courses will help the youth get jobs in new industries being set up in the state,” said Professor Pathak.

The Vice-Chancellor held that it was also contemplating appointing counsellors at far-flung places to help the applications get a detailed knowledge of the courses and their syllabi. He said there were also plans to start a mobile education van.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the Principal Secretary (Higher Education) to ensure necessary action vis-à-vis the concerns of the Uttarakhand Open University. 

Dehradun, November 30
Lack of effective monitoring and evaluation of the Combined Targeted Intervention Programme underway in four districts among high-risk groups through NGOs under the AIDS control programme has become a meaningless exercise of fudging figures to get the extension of projects year after year that run in several crores.

As of now, 17 NGOs are undertaking the programme among the high-risk groups, especially commercial sex workers, but there is an increasing evidence that women with multiple sex partners are passed off as sex workers.

“In all these cities, there is no designated red light area, and so to select commercial sex worker is a tall order. Many NGOs have a habit of passing of women with multiple sex partners as commercial sex workers, thereby defeating the purpose of the programme that is specifically targeted at the prostitutes so that they practise safe sex,” said Lawrence Singh, patron of Horizon for Prosperity and Education (HOPE), an NGO works with AIDS patients and has set up a community care centre for them.

The programme was launched among high-risk groups - commercial sex workers, injecting drug users (IDU) and men having sex with men (MSM) - with a comprehensive package of preventive services. The State Aids Control Society (SACS) is expected to concentrate on this group before moving on to cover other groups.

Similarly, the MSM activity is not well described in the state, but an NGO, working with AIDS patients, believes to have fudged figures year after year, sometimes increasing them and other times deflating them. It continues to be the recipient of the largesse of the SACS.

It is believed that the majority of men with MSM behaviour are married, so the risk of spread among women and children is even more grave.

According to the SACS, the programme is underway in four districts of the state, namely Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Dehradun and Haridwar. Around 550 commercial workers, 60 MSM and 60 persons using IDU are beneficiaries of the programme.

Dehradun, November 30
Another political party, Garhwal Nirman Sena, has come into being today. According to office-bearers of the party, the state Election Commission has enlisted the party.

Kripal Singh has been selected as president, Nitin Bhatt as vice-president, Pradeep Chamoli as chief and Deepak Khanduri has been chosen as membership in charge. Rest of the members will gradually be included.

Addressing mediapersons, Kripal Singh said, “We all were raising our voice in different capacities against the discrepancies in the system. But now all of us have come together as a force and are determined to give justice to the statehood struggler who have not got their due till today”.

“Since we are adept at stirring demonstrations for our rights, we will keep agitating against wrong policies and corrupt practices of the government, if they did not pay any heed to our problems. This will make Uttarakhand a prosperous state,” he added.

Nainital, November 30
In the wake of the murder of seven-year-old Mahima in Ramnagar, the police authorities have approached schools in the district to start teaching crime awareness as a part of the school curriculum.

“I have approached Principals of a large number of schools in and around Ramnagar and I want this awareness drive to be extended to the entire district. I have told them to include at least one period related to awareness about crime and how to avoid being lured away by anti-social elements,” SSP MS Bangyal said while speaking to The Tribune.

“The aim is if children get to study such issues, they will talk about it amidst friends and members of their families. This will help generate awareness in society. We have already started circulating pamphlets on the issue,” he added.

The SSP said he had also issued directions to the schools in and around Ramnagar to hand over children to their parents only after their verification.

Meanwhile, the town continues to simmer even after 10 days of the discovery of Mahima’s body. The police has failed to nab the culprits in case till now.

“We hope to work out the case in a couple of days. We did get some positive clues,” said Bangyal.

The town has been witnessing protests and bandhs over the past 10 days. The agitated citizens held a mahapanchayat a couple of days ago to formulate a strategy for the agitation and they decided upon the stages of the protest.

According to the police, Mahima’s body had been recovered from a ditch in a house that was under construction after a week of her going missing. The face of the victim had been crushed and her clothes were blood stained. There were abrasions on her private parts and her rib cage had been broken. Her body was discovered by a labourer who went on to inform the police.

The girl was last seen at a marriage ceremony in Paith Padav where she had gone with her parents. It was from there that she had gone missing.

The police assumes that the girl had been abducted initially for the purpose of getting some ransom but as the news of her going missing spread, the assailants decided to kill her in panic.

People are agitated over the fact that for more than a year the police has failed to nab the actual culprits of Priti Sharma who had met a similar fate in Haldwani last year.

Dehradun, November 30
The common review mission team has found the disbursement of honorarium amounts to Auxiliary Nurses/Midwives (ANMS) and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers faulty and have called upon the Health Department to come up a with a fool-proof and timely method of disbursement.

The payment being made to Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives has often encountered glitches mainly due to reports of bounced cheques. After the visit, the Health Department is contemplating establishing the block level disbursement system, along with issuance of certificates for service.

There are 9,923 accredited auxiliary nurses and midwives in the state who are provided with a drug kit.

In fact, the unique arrangement was started last year and is first of its kind in the country.

The six-member central monitoring team that wrapped up its visit recently reviewed programmes underway under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Uttarakhand. The team members visited government health facilities at Tehri, Almora and Dehradun.

The team also had first-hand experience of the problems being encountered while retaining and deployment of health staff in the hills.

“They had first-hand experience of the paucity of service providers in the hills consisting of medical officers and pharmacists,” said Dr AP Mamgai, Director, National Programme and State TB officer.

However, the review mission expressed satisfaction at the immunisation programme being run and the role of ASHA workers for reduced rate of defaulters of tuberculosis patients.

It was also satisfied with the ambulance emergency services running in the state and the medical infrastructure up gradation development activities underway in the state.

Dehradun, November 30
A six-day protest of the Uttaranchal Swachkar Karamchari Sangh came to an end after Mayor Vinod Chamoli assured them of considering their demands at the next board meeting. Sitting in front of the office of the Mayor, people of the organisation have been demanding salary hike as per the Sixth Pay Commission.

President of the organisation Somu Sehlwan said, “Our organisation, comprising 648 permanent and 150 daily wagers, has demanded inclusion of the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission in our salaries, along with other emoluments, which includes increase in house rent and dearness allowance”.

“We are calling off our protest on the assurance of the Mayor today. If his assurance proves baseless, we will stir a state-wide agitation bringing the sanitation work and vehicles of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation to a halt.

Three other organisations, the Safai Union, Vahan Chalak Sangh and Nagar Vikas Karmachari Mahasangh, have promised to join us in our strike at that point of time,” he added.

Chamoli said the matter regarding the demands of the organisation would be put before the board meeting, scheduled to be held next week.

Haridwar, November 30
Though street-vending profession has been prevalent since times immemorial and a large number of people are associated with it, this lot continues to face the apathy of the administration.

Despite the formulation of a national policy on street vendors in 2004, still they are considered as illegal entities and suffer exploitation and harassment at the hands of the civic authorities.

Keeping this in mind, local street vendors and hawkers, under the banner of the Small Vendors Association, protested in the mela area and demanded a time-bound allotment of separate hawking zones in the city before the start of the Maha Kumbh.

Citing various geographical and religious conditions of Haridwar, Sanjay Chopra, head of the association, apprised the mela administration of the need for separate vending zones before the commencement of the Kumbh.

“The mela administration has stated that there will be no vendors on the stretch from the Har-ki-Pauri to the mela area. In the light of this ban, we should be provided separate vending and hawking zones during the mela when we can earn something as it comes once in 12 years. And if this is not done, our livelihood will severely suffer,” said Chopra.

With a master plan on the anvil in Uttarakhand, the association has demanded the induction of hawkers and street vendors in it so as there livelihood didn’t get affected.

The protesters also demanded a separate labour board for the street vendors and small-scale industries. “The constitution of a separate labour board for us is a permanent solution of all our problems,” remarked Tej Prakash Sahu, general secretary of the association.

ADM Chandrasekhar Bhatt assured the protesters that the mela administration will hold talks with the authorities concerned. The protesters marched from Subash Ghat and passed through major markets in the Har-ki-Pauri area and handed over a memorandum to the mela authorities.

Recently, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat had advocated the survival of street vendors and their importance in our society.

Among the agitators who addressed the gathering were Bhoopendra Rajput, Mahendra Saini, Vimal Varshney, Rajesh Verma, Tanik Rai, Khushi Ram, Ashok, Sudhir, Inder Saini, Dharam Pal, Taslim Ahmed, Ram Prasad Kashyap, Om Prakash Kaliyan, Vimla Rani, Nisha Bhatiya, Jyoti and Meena Devi.

Dehradun, November 30
Bollywood has many songs based on the doli which are also played at weddings, but these have a greater significance in the nuptial ceremony as often the newly-wedded bride dreams of it. But the age-old custom of bringing the Indian bride in a doli is gradually fading away from the present scenario. Still the doli (palanquin) is used in marriage ceremonies in the Uttarakhand hills.

The followers of different customs, cultures and traditions have made India a diversified country. Food, festivals and other cultural activities have resulted in one of the finest features of India, while the Indian wedding has distinctive colours to add on.

Today, when times are changing at a high pace, some customs are still the same as these were earlier, especially in hilly regions. Each place has its own style of life, marriages, delicacies and religious beliefs. The unique wedding traditions and customs like praying to various gods and goddesses, matching the horoscope, caste and status of the families are unmatched in the hills.

Garhwal is one of the beautiful regions of Uttarakhand that still uses the doli (also known as palki) to carry the bride after marriage. Not only the bride, but interestingly even the groom is also carried in a palki.

The palki is a wooden palanquin where the bride sits and is carried to the groom’s home. Two to the four palanquin-bearers are required to carry the doli. Basically, it is a humble means of transportation on the crooked and curvy roads of hilly areas, but is mainly used in marriages.

A Garhwali marriage has an intricate as well as fascinating procession. Their folk songs, dance, local cuisine, traditional dresses and jewelleries are other special attractions of a Garhwali wedding. Recently, Dharmender, a Doonite married a girl from Ponti, district Uttarkashi. While the marriage was a low profile event, doli grasped many eyes in the matrimonial ceremony. The wooden palanquin is decorated with flowers or streamers. They are also carved with silver works. People seek blessings for the doli along with the groom before baraat leaves. Red flags, threads and silver chhattars are also tied on the edges of the palanquins as in the form of blessings from gods and goddesses of the family. Rituals and pujas are performed for the doli also.

The doli is accompanied by the dhol, dalau, ransingha (indigenous musical instruments) and shehnai. According to the Garhwali tradition, the marriage procession is led with a white flag known as Nishan, which represents the bride, while the last man in the wedding carries a red flag, which represents the bride. After arriving at the bride’s home, another beautiful and pivotal ceremony of giving the “nath” (nose ring) is made.

There are other traditional ceremonies like any other Indian wedding, but the doli system is above all. After the “pheras”, laconically the departure ceremony is made. While returning with the bride, the baraatis are led with the red flag along with the red doli of the bride as well as of the bridegroom. Now, the last man of the marriage procession carries the white flag instead of the red flag.

Dehradun, November 30
As part of the Navy Day, on December 4, National Hydrographic Office, Dehradun, will be conducting a series of programmes in the city.

The celebrations will culminate on December 4 with “At Home” reception to be hosted by the Chief Hydrographer, Vice-Adm BR Rao.

This is schedule to be graced by the Uttarakhand Governor, the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy.

The office held exhibition and quiz competitions for schoolchildren on November 27.

The office has also been visiting various schools in the city apprising these of the prospects and avenues in the Indian Navy. The National Hydrographic Office has a staff of about 100 uniformed personnel and 112 civilian staff.

This premier naval establishment assists in exercising the professional control of the Indian Naval survey ships and providing hydrographic inputs to the Chief of Naval Staff in addition of the publication of maritime safety documents. Indian Navy commemorates the successful Naval Operations of the Karachi harbour during the Indo-Pak conflict in 1971 by celebrating Navy Day.

Navy takes it as an opportunity to showcase Indian Naval prowess by organising events like exhibitions, air shows, band concerts and other programmes. 

Dehradun, November 30
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has cleared the ground for implementing the Whistle Blower Policy, another major voluntary initiative to promote transparency and ethics in personal conduct and decision-making process.

Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement with Stock Exchanges provides for certain mandatory and non-mandatory requirements. The Whistle Blower Policy is one of the non-mandatory requirements under this clause, which very few companies have embraced so far.

In it, the objective of further empowering its employees and bringing more transparency and ethics in operational practices, the ONGC has voluntarily adopted this policy.

Within the framework of this policy, while the ONGC has provided ample opportunities to encourage the employees to become whistle blowers (employees who voluntarily and confidentially want to bring unethical practices, actual or suspected fraudulent transactions in the organisation to the notice of the competent authority for the greater interest of the organisation and the nation), it has also ensured a very robust mechanism within the same framework to protect them (whistle blowers) from any kind of harm.

“Continual improvement in ethical practices and corporate governance is one task that is never over in the ONGC.

“We were the first Indian PSU to adopt the Integrity Pact way back in 2005.

“Besides, we have a very elaborate structured mechanism that supports the RTI Act. We also have a very easy accessible mechanism for employees’ grievance redressal. Now with the implementation of the Whistle Blower Policy, we are voluntarily going even one more step forward to underline our commitment to transparency and ethical practices in our operations,” said Chief Managing Director (CMD) of the ONGC RS Sharma.

“Our efforts have been earning well-merited recognitions. The ONGC has received ‘nil’ comments from C&AG for the past three years in a row.

“We have also been the proud recipient of the latest (November ’08) Gold Trophy for SCOPE Meritorious Award for Good Governance.” 

Nainital, November 30
Ashok Kumar bid adieu as Kumaon Range IG (Police) today. He is going to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on deputation and will be succeeded by JC Pandey, who will be taking charge as the new IG (Police) tomorrow.

Expressing satisfaction over his performance in the region, he said, “There are several things which I was able to achieve while being here. These include construction of a new official building. In addition to this, we have got sanction to the tune of Rs 40 lakh for the new construction in the Police Lines that will ensure the construction of staff quarters, along with a parallel lane that will facilitate the parking of vehicles and access to the residential area. Above all, I was able to write my book here”.

While he listed his achievements, his tenure was also marked by the infamous Kaladhungi episode in August this year in which a police personnel was burnt to death by an irate mob and the fallout of the incident had a dampening effect on the morale of the force. Another major incident was the recent murder of seven-year-old Mahima in Ramnagar which is yet to be solved.

“I hope this case will be worked out in a couple of days. We have some positive leads and with good luck we should be able to work it out,” he said.

He was given a formal farewell at the Police Lines here today.

Dehradun, November 30
A two-and-a-half-month-old baby in Dehradun, a 30-year-old man of Pitthoragarh and a private doctor of Haridwar are among the seven patients who have been tested positive for influenza A.

A total of nine reports of the samples were received from the NICD today.

“The District Hospital CMO has asked us to make arrangements for a patient from Pitthoragarh who has been tested positive. He will be admitted to the Doon Hospital as we have ventilator facilities,” said Dr Pankaj Jain, Nodal Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

With the latest reports, in all there are 91 positive cases in the state, Dehradun has the maximum number of cases at 67, Haridwar 20, Pitthoragarh one, Nainital one, Udham Singh Nagar one and Tehri Garhwal one.