Dehradun/Pitthoragarh, April 24
Crossing geographical boundaries for the cause of landscape conservation, India, Nepal and China have launched a major cross-border project for the conservation and sustainable development of the Greater Mount Kailash region.

The project comes at the initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

The feasibility report for the project titled - Mount Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation Initiative: Developing a Trans-boundary Framework for Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Greater Mount Kailash Region of Nepal, India and China - is being prepared by the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development with active assistance from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and the Uttarakhand Forest Authorities.

“The project will take up the issue of illegal trafficking of wildlife in the region apart from exploring cultural linkages between inhabitants of this part of world in the three neighbourhood countries,” Dr GS Rawat of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. He is one of the scientists involved in the project.

It entails to engage regional, national, local partners and other stakeholders in India, China and Nepal towards establishing a trans-boundary cultural and biodiversity conservation landscape - the Mount Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL) which in its first phase will be for an 18-month period.

The ICIMOD had even organised a workshop at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED) in Almora a week earlier to facilitate the development of compatibility of approaches in information generation and analysis and use of standard protocols for the project.

Rawat admitted that if was for the first time that cross-border landscape conservation project involving India, Nepal and China had been launched and that too in the environmentally fragile Mount Kailash region.

The Kailash Sacred Landscape has been facing increasing pressure on its rich biodiversity that includes some rare medicinal plants.

“The project will endeavour for a long-term ecological, climatic, and biodiversity database within the KSL,” Rawat said.

As of China and Nepal, it is the Ministry of Forests, Nepal, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences that are acting as nodal departments for their respective countries.

A three-day workshop in this regard was held last week at the JB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment Development in Almora.

This seminar was initiated by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development based in Kathmandu.

Experts not only from premier forest and environment institutes of India, but from China and Nepal participated in the seminar.

“This seminar aimed at protection of trans-boundary biodiversity and environment of the Kailash Mansarovar area and sharing of information about it,” said Dr LNS Palni, Director of the host institute.

Dr Palni said the workshop was inaugurated by Hem Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, government of India, who expressed concern at the gradually degrading ecology of the Mansarovar area. He sought further cooperation from China and Nepal in this regard. “Taking into account the observations of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims over the past 25 years and after comparing these, we see that the ecology of that area has undergone deterioration. It is a cause for concern for the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan region,” said Dr Palni.

“Some of the herbs used by local people for centuries are on the verse of extinction. An accurate picture of the flora and fauna will be known only after a proper and scientific study is conducted. The three-nation project aims to do that,” said Dr Palni.

Recently, news items concerning less water flow in the Himalayan rivers appeared in some sections of the world press. “The Kailash Mansarovar region is the source of four great rivers - Indus, Brahmaputra, Karnali and Sutlej.

“The continuity and sufficient water flow in these rivers affects the economy of not only China and India, but also Pakistan and Bangladesh,” said Dr Palni adding that the Brahmaputra originates at the 60-km parallel to the Mansarovar lake while the Indus originates 100 km north of the lake.

If this trans-boundary initiative, which is helped by the United Nations Environmental Programme becomes successful, the south-western Tibetan autonomous region of China can be saved for the good of all surrounding nations.

“This transnational cooperation is the only way to save the ancient and sacred natural Mansarovar region which is not only sacred to the Hindus and Buddhist, but also to the Jains and Tibetan Bons,” said Dr Palni.

Nainital, April 24
Approximately 10,000 fingerlings of silver carp and mahsheer were released in the Naini Lake here today under the bio-manipulation programme of the Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.

This was done in association with the Uttarakhand state government, Lake Development Authority, district and divisional administration and the municipal committee of Nainital.

Started under the Sparsh Ganga Abhiyan, Pantnagar University had taken this initiative to improve the aquatic environment and natural water resources of Kumaon division. A university spokesperson said the initiative was getting a good response.

Present on the occasion were local legislator Kharag Singh Bohra; Commissioner Kumaon Division S Raju; Vice-Chancellor of Kumaon University Dr VPS Arora, Dean of College of Fisheries Science at Pantnagar Dr UP Singh, Chairman of Municipal Committee of Nainital Mukesh Joshi and several scientists.

While releasing the fingerlings, Dr BS Bisht, Vice-Chancellor of Pantnagar University, expressed satisfaction over the successful implementation of the project and said the programme had been completed with the help of fisheries scientists of Pantnagar University.

“As a result of this, the aquatic environment will improve and the lakes will be conserved,” said Dr Bisht while assuring continuous support from Pantnagar University in the endeavour.

Haridwar, April 24
The agitation by Gurukul Kangri University employees against the stripping of deemed status by the Human Resources Ministry today entered its 60th continuous day with university staff employees, students and non-contractual employees adamant to continue the strike till the deemed status is taken back.

With the agitation entering the second month, Vice-Chancellor Prof Swatantra Kumar said a certain section of the people were trying to malign the reputation of the university. He cited the century-old history of the university which had produced freedom fighters and morally strong students and burning the lamp of the ageold Indian education system in the times of westernised education system.

Chancellor Acharya Ved Prakash Shastri said now the university did not want a deemed status, but a Central university-accorded status as this would be befitting with the university’s stature. He said Gurukul Kangri University is a world renowned one for its morals-based education and even Mahatma Gandhi visited the university due to its unique education imparting system.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Pradeep Joshi said equating Gurukul University with money-oriented institutions was totally unfair as never had been Gurukul’s motive revolved around money. But other 40 odd deemed universities and institutes did not even have the requisite infrastructure, staff and other required conditions, which was not so with Gurukul.

Notably since day one when the agitation commenced, every day five university employees sit on fast on the university premises after a holy yagna is conducted early in the morning. Today those who sat on fast were Professors PP Pathak, Shri Ram, Gourav Bhinder, Mahendra Singh and Devanand Singh.

Dehradun, April 24
The Asian School held its 8th Asian Challenge Inter School English Debate Competition here today. Students from Doon School, Dehradun, Mussoorie International School, Mussoorie, St Georges College, Mussoorie, St Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun, Sherwood College, Nainital, Welham Boys School, Dehradun, Rashtriya Indian Military Academy (RIMC), Dehradun, and the host Asian School participated in the debate. The participants cogently argued for and against the topic “The world would be a better place if women were to lead.”

The participants presented their perspectives while analysing each aspect of the topic. The debate was intelligibly rendered for an enlightened understanding of all who attended the annual event.

However, the host school did not contest for the overall trophy. The overall winner trophy and a cheque of Rs 5,000 were won by the RIMC, Dehradun, in addition to the running trophy.

Judges of the debate were Dr Anjali Nauriyal, UC Pandey and Ashima Chandana.

Winner in the best speaker category was Radhika Goyal, Mussoorie International School, the first runner-up was Abindu Dar, RIMC, second runner-up was Yash Pant, The Asian School, the best rebuttal (For) was Radhika Goyal, Mussoorie International School, the best rebuttal (Against) was Nirmarjit Singh, St George’s College. The overall winner team was The Asian School, Dehradun, while the runner-up team was the RIMC, Dehradun.

Kawaljeet Juneja was the chief guest on the occasion who inaugurated the debate by lighting the lamp. Other eminent people present on the occasion were Amarjeet Singh, president, The Asian School, Dehradun, AK Das, Principal, Tarunjyot Singh, Director (administration), The Asian School, Dehradun.

Dehradun, April 24
Bagging 13.5 points, RIMC, Dehradun, emerged winner in the Shri Ram Bansi Dhar Chess Tournament held at Doon School here today.

While there was a very close competition witnessed for the second position between the Doon School team B and the Doon School team A.

Team B got 11 points to win the second place and team A was just behind with 10.5 points.

La Martinere Boys got the fourth place in the tournament scoring 10.5 points. Selaqui World School could score 9.5 points to miss the fourth spot.

Meanwhile, during the concluding ceremony at Doon School the winning teams were awarded with trophies.

Four players from each school team took part in the competition.

Dehradun, April 24
A superb hat trick by Satya Prasad ensured an easy 4-0 win for Eleven Star over Khalanga Boys in a knockout match played today during the fourth RB Singh Memorial Football Tournament here on Pavilion Ground.

Eleven Star dominated the proceedings right from the word go. It drew first blood in the third minute of the game when Prasad netted the first goal. He, with excellent footwork and speed, didn’t take much time to score the next one. He hit the second goal in the 12th minute.

Down 2-0, Khalanga Boys hadn’t recovered from the early jolts that Prasad netted one more in the 25th minute.

With three back-to-back goals against Khalanga Boys, they started to play in an organised way and could manage to put a stop to the hurricane started by Prasad. The first half ended 3-0 in Eleven Star’s favour.

Khalanga Boys couldn’t save the blushes even in the second half and couldn’t score a single goal. Gopal of Eleven Star added another goal to his team’s kitty in the 59th minute.

Dehradun, April 24
The Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Inter Section Hockey Competition was held here today. A total of four matches were played.

Hockey at the RIMC is not just a tradition, it a legacy in itself and pursued relentlessly by cadets.

In the junior section, in a match played between Shivaji and Pratap, it was a draw with both teams scoring no goals.

In the middle section, in a match played between Pratap and Shivaji, it was a draw with both teams scoring one goal each.

Cadet Ravi Pathak scored from the Pratap side and cadet Avinash Chettry scored from the Shivaji side.

In the senior section, a match was played between Ranjit and Pratap, in which Ranjit won against Pratap with a score of 5-3.

Cadets Avinash (2), Vivek(2) and Arpit (1) scored for Ranjit section. Cadets Piyush (1), Utsav (1), Lalit (1) scored for Pratap.

In the same category, in a match played between Ranjit and Chandragupta, Ranjit won by 1-0. Cadet Rahul Kadian scored the goal for Ranjit.

Referees for the event were Sub Major Magdum, Hav SK Patil, Hav Pratap, Sub Major Kadam.

UP Dalvi and Birjesh Chauhan coordinated the event.

Rishikesh, April 24
To sensitise forest officials with wildlife at Rajaji National Park, a workshop was organised by the park administration to acquaint them with the flora and fauna in the park area spanning three districts of Pauri Garhwal, Haridwar and Dehradun.

The workshop was organised at Gohri Range office where Park Range officers took part and were apprised about geographical conditions, wild animals, flora, fauna to even the daily routine of the animals so that the officers are better equipped to execute their duty.

Addressing the range officers, Rajaji National Park director SS Rasailly emphasised on the need for conservation of wild animals and it assumes more importance as 
Rajaji National Park is a protected habitat.

“Wild animals are quite sensitive and this has to be specially taken care of and it is up to us that we take extra care in executing out duty,” said Rasailly.

Experts also dwelt on the habitat of wild animals and the natural surroundings they prefer to live in.

So from water resources to the types of plants the animals prefer and evade were dwelt upon. Deputy Director Rajaji National Park Krishan Kumar also gave a lecture during the workshop along with other officers.