Dehradun, May 13
The first credible signs indicating to the presence of snow leopard have been found in Uttarakhand.

A WWF-India survey entitled ‘Snow Leopard Conservation of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh’ that concluded recently has confirmed the presence of snow leopard in Uttarakhand on the basis of indirect evidence.

Listed as endangered on the IUCN-World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Species, the snow leopard has its habitat in the higher reaches of the state at a height of 3,000-4,500m, but has often been neglected when it comes to conservation efforts.

Rarely sighted, this beautiful snow cat remains elusive thus making its count an arduous job. The last Uttarakhand Wildlife Census failed to record any direct sighting of snow leopard and its presence could only be felt through its pug marks. But then, sightings of snow leopards in Uttarakhand have been very rare and even state wildlife officials hardly remember a direct sighting in the past few decades barring a claim made in 2007 by the then forest officials at the Gangotri National Park.

But a glimmer of hope was witnessed with the WWF-India’s first survey for the snow leopard in the entire snow leopard habitat of Uttarakhand and some areas of Himachal Pradesh. It has strengthened the hope for the possible existence of snow leopard in the Uttarakhand region. Interestingly, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh has failed to record any direct evidence of the beast.

At the initiative of Aishwarya Maheswari and Diwakar Sharma of the Species Conservation Programme of WWF-India, areas above 3,000m were selected for the survey in 10 protected areas of both states.

Status and distribution of snow leopard were assessed through indirect evidence found between 3,190 and 4,115m. On average, one indirect evidence of snow leopard was found for every 39 km walked in Uttarakhand.

About 39 per cent evidence was found on the hill slopes followed by the valley floor 30 per cent, cliff 15 per cent and 8 per cent from both stream bed and scree slope.

Threats to snow leopard and its habitat were also investigated through discussions with officials, staff in field, locals and through primary observations.

Of the area surveyed, the WWF-India team found that 68.1 per cent of snow leopard habitat was used for pastoral activities in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and 12.3 per cent area was affected by tourism, defence and developmental activities.

It was also found that developmental activities pose a medium-level threat while grazing, tourism and human-snow leopard conflicts pose low to medium levels of threat.

The report also took up the issue of remote areas of Uttarakhand suffering from inadequate field staff, lack of checkposts, lack of allowances and incentives for field staff and lack of management plans for most of the protected areas.

It recommended well-developed management plans, infrastructure and capacity building for field staff of protected areas in both states.

“The project has come up with baseline information such as status and distribution of snow leopard, snow leopard-human conflicts and the biotic pressure on snow leopard habitats.

“This will certainly go a long way towards the cause of snow leopard conservation,” said Aishwarya Maheswari, WWF-India official who led the survey.

The survey report has also strongly recommended the Gangotri National Park, Askot Wildlife Sanctuary and Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve as potential habitats for snow leopard.

Uttarakhand’s Govind Pashu Vihar, Askot Wildlife Sanctuary and Dung (Munsiyari) areas were also assessed for snow leopard-human conflicts in the survey.

Haridwar, May 13
The Bishanpur Kundi episode continues to simmer. Now, forest employees are demanding the arrest of the villagers who attacked them on May 9.

On that day, an elephant had trampled a youth. Irate villagers had attacked the foresters who came to the site of the incident leading to severe injuries to the District Forest Officer and five other employees.

The mob of villagers had also ransacked two jeeps - one of the forest department and the other of the police team.

The Pherupur police has registered an FIR on the criminal complaint of the DFO RD Pathak against 22 identified and 22 unidentified villagers. The fact that all of them have not been arrested is infuriating the forest employees.

The foresters have warned that they would begin an agitation if all suspects are not arrested by May 15.

Forest personnel, under the banner of the Sahayak Van Karamchari Sangthan (SVKS), have alleged that the district administration was not arresting the culprits due to political reasons.

SVKS secretary Mahesh Semwal said, “If all suspects are not put behind bars, we will be forced to launch an agitation. What happened in Bishanpur was unfortunate, but the administration by not arresting the suspects is lowering the morale of forest employees.”

A police official, denying any political pressure, said that all suspects would be arrested soon.

Even after the passage of five days since the trampling of a worker by an elephant and the subsequent violence between foresters and villagers, life at Bishanpur Kundi village has not returned to normalcy.

When The Tribune team visited the village, it bore a deserted look and the silence there spoke of the fateful day when Bishanpur shot into the news for all the wrong reasons.

Numerous villagers have still not returned to their homes. Some did come, but seeing the heavy police presence and the tense atmosphere, they found it better to be away from the village for some more time.

Rajesh Rani, a villager, said they had only been staging a protest. He claimed that most of them had no hand in wounding forest employees, yet they were pulled out of their houses and brutally beaten up.

“We have lost faith in the police. Dozens of houses are empty as we still fear that the police may arrest us or take action against us,” said Rajesh.

After the police, it is the turn of politicians to pay visits to the village. Members of the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are visiting the affected village daily to listen to the woes of the villagers, criticising police action and demanding compensation for the wounded.

BJP leaders too are visiting Bishanpur Kundi and trying to minimise the damage done to the party’s image and election prospects due to the incident.

State Cabinet-ranked minister Baleshwar Pal, along with BJP district leaders, visited the affected village recently and gave an assurance that from then on, villagers would not be unnecessarily disturbed.

Not many believed Pal’s statement and he had to face resistance from villagers, specially women.

Former Samajwadi Party legislator Ambrish Kumar criticised the police action and has sought a high-level probe into the matter. The BSP too has criticised the police action on the villagers saying that innocent villagers were targeted because of the acts of some anti-social elements.

Shakil Ahmed, a district BSP leader, said villagers had resentment against the police administration as well as the state government.

Youth Congress activists too went to Bishanpur and condemned the lathicharge on women and girls. “The Uttarakhand police didn’t behave like a friendly police, but like a senseless police. We demand an investigation and action should be taken against the guilty. Otherwise people will lose faith in the administration,” remarked Rajeev Chaudhari, district president, Youth Congress.

Earlier, Union Minister of State and Haridwar parliamentarian Harish Rawat visited Bishanpur and sought the resignation of Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank over the incident. Rawat had also donated Rs 2 lakh from his MP fund for laying roads leading to the village.

Haridwar, May 13
A delegation of the agitating students of Rishikul Medical College, along with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders, met Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and apprised him of the whole scenario late last night. But, despite Dr Nishank urging the students to adjourn their agitation with the assurance of taking action within two days and forming a high-level investigation committee to probe the matter, students continued their agitation.

Meanwhile, keeping with the practice of devising newer ways of protest, the Pracharya Hatao Andolankari Samiti held a hawan at the main gate of the college with the dual purpose of sensitising the college management about the demands of the students and removal of negativities among management.

Students’ anger was fuelled with the college officials talking to parents of agitating girl students on the phone. Girl medicos alleged that the management by calling up their parents had cast doubts over their behaviour in college. Many girl students pointed out the officials had even told their parents that the girls were not serious about their studies and were indulging in merry making.

Talking to The Tribune on condition of anonymity, most of the girl students said they were shocked to hear their parents telling them about the phone calls made by the college management. “If the college Principal and the Ayush Director think that by this attempt they will succeed in breaking our morale then they are in an illusion. We are now more motivated to carry forward our agitation while this is nothing but a cheap attempt to curb our protest and will only back fire,” said the girl students.

Meanwhile, the ABVP, which is the main supporting student body in the agitation, in a statement has held the Principal responsible for the whole scenario and said due to a tyrant attitude of the Principal, students were on the agitational path.

“From May 25, examinations are to begin but the students are sitting in agitation round the clock,”said Shakti Tyagi, SMJN College Union’s president.

Today’s agitation was led by Garhwal coordinator of the ABVP Naveen Pant, unit coordinator Varun Baliyan, town vice-chief Satvinder and district organiser Nishchay Verma.

Nainital, May 13
Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva has called upon experts in the field of agriculture and social development to make agriculture a remunerative profession.

“We have to make Uttarakhand agricultural remunerative to enable people to sustain their family and bring change in the life of hill people,” said Alva while addressing a gathering of environmentalists, scientists, policy makers and administrators in the fields of agriculture and allied subjects in a two-day workshop on “Transformation of Agriculture in Uttarakhand”.

The workshop is being organised by the Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, at Raj Bhawan here at the initiative of the Governor.

The Governor underlined that Uttarakhand was known for its pilgrimage centres and beauty throughout India and abroad. “However, we still have miles to go and plan for its development, especially in agriculture and allied sectors, on a long-terms basis,” she asserted.

She said despite being an educational hub, the state had severe malnutrition problem amongst women and children coupled with a high infant mortality rate. This is besides other problems like low productivity of crops, small and scattered land holding of farmers, menace of large and small wild animals threatening farming, low adoption of technology, low investment etc.

She said the state has considerable barren area which can be put to use by creating of opportunities in organic farming, dairy, fisheries and poultry farming.

State agriculture minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in said safeguarding the agricultural land while checking its use for non-agricultural purposes is the major challenge before the state.

He advocated diversification of agriculture and community farming. Rawat asked the group present to take a holistic view of agriculture and make a plan for future farming keeping in view the changes taking place with regards to the climate.

Before this the Vice-Chancellor of Pantnagar University Dr BS Bisht, presented an overview of agriculture in Uttarakhand and explained its strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Dr HS Gupta. Director of Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, talked at length about agriculture in Uttarakhand vis-à-vis Himachal Pradesh. Dr Suman Sahai, Head of Gene Campaign, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) told about the conservation of biodiversity and its gene pool. Vice-Chancellor of Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, HP, gave an idea of agriculture and allied sector in Himachal Pradesh. Dr Dharmeshwar Das, Joint Director, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, spoke about status of animal, poultry and fishery sector in Uttarakhand while Dr Shekhar Pathak who is an eminent social scientist and a senior fellow at the Centre for Contemporary Studies in New Delhi focused on the challenges before Uttarakhand with regards to agriculture.

In the afternoon session four sub-groups on Agriculture, Horticulture Animal Husbandry and Social Sector, Infrastructure, Biodiversity and Climate Change consisting of experts in these fields discussed intensively on these subjects and brought out recommendations to be further discussed collectively on Friday.

Pitthoragarh, May 13
The 10-day agriculture festival meant to disseminate technologies to farmers of the state at their doorstep is getting a good response and a large number of farmers are being attracted towards the Krishi Raths, claimed Uttarakhand Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

“We are organising this technology initiative for small and marginal farmers of the state from the past three years. During the first year, only 52,000 farmers came to these mobile Raths. Last year this number was 1.30 lakh and this year this is likely to reach 1.75 lakh up to May 16,” said the minister.

The minister said officers and scientist of the Agriculture Department were carrying advance seeds and technology of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and poultry to the doorstep of farmers.

“We are emphasising on water conservation, vegetable cultivation, bio agriculture and cultivation of aromatic plants which require less water,” said the minister.

The minister accepted that hilly areas of the state were far from self-sufficienct in foodgrains and said even when the monsoon was good in the hills, the farmer could grow only 30 per cent of his total food requirement. “Keeping this condition in mind, we are also emphasising on the Chakbandi of fragment and scattered fields of hilly farmers and advising them to grow cash crops of off-season importance in poly houses,” said the minister.

The agriculture minister said the aim of ongoing Krishi Mahotsavas in the state was to avail agriculture investments for the farmers at their doorstep. “During the first year of Krishi Mahotsava, only Rs 59,000 worth agriculture investment were purchased by the farmers. This amount was Rs 1.59 lakh before last year and Rs 5.60 lakh last year and this figure is likely to reach nearly Rs 8 lakh this year,” said the minister.

Nainital, May 13
Farmers who are planning to sow ginger in the ensuing season have been offered a price forecast by a team of economists working at the Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology at Pantnagar.

Dr Jagdish Kumar and Dr Anil Kumar of the Department of Agricultural Economics have projected a price range of ginger at Rs 2,400 to Rs 3,000 per quintal for the period September to December 2010.

Both scientists have projected this price in a study under the sub-project “Establishing and Networking of Market Intelligence Centres in India” which is in being carried out at the Pantnagar University under the National Agriculture Innovation Project of the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR).

One of the objectives of the project is to make price forecasts of selected agricultural commodities long before sowing and during harvesting.

Dr Jagdish Kumar and Dr Anil Kumar have conducted a market survey of the Haldwani-regulated market, a major market for ginger in Uttarkhand and analysed the wholesale price data prevalent in the past 20 years in this market.

The results of econometric analysis have shown that the wholesale prices of fresh ginger in Haldwani market this year will prevail in the range of Rs 2,400 to Rs 3,000 per quintal in September; Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per quintal in October and Rs 2,400 to Rs 2,800 per quintal in November and in December, the wholesale prices of fresh ginger are again expected to be around Rs 2,400 to Rs 3,000 per quintal.

However, traders at the market opined that the prices will be in the range of Rs 2,150 to Rs 2,500 per quintal during these months, which are slightly on the lower side than the results of the econometric analysis.

According to a university spokesperson, “Based on above results, the wholesale price of fresh ginger is expected to lie between Rs 2,400 and 3,000 per quintal from September to December this year which is the main harvesting season of fresh ginger.

“Farmers who wish to take to ginger cultivation in the coming season may consider these forecast prices as well as other conditions to decide the acreage under ginger crop.”

In Uttarakhand, ginger is produced mainly in the mid-hills. Almora, Dehradun, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar are the four major ginger-producing districts of the state accounting for about 55 per cent of the total ginger production of the state during 2008-09.

Traders at Haldwani market also indicated to the economists that September and October are the major arrival months for fresh ginger.

According to traders, the production of fresh ginger is expected to be higher in the coming season.

The spokesperson added, “India ranks first in the production of ginger followed by China and Indonesia. The area under ginger cultivation in India during 2008 was 10,590 hectares with a production of 0.37 million tonnes. The major ginger producing states in India are Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh.”

Dehradun, May 13
The Central Planning Commission has now planned to provide more space to all basic and other primary educational institutions in Uttarakhand by approving the proposed annual budget on education. In fact, the Centre has enhanced the annual budget of the state Education Board by Rs 71 crore for 2010-11.

Eventually, this time the commission has been lenient and compassionate while projecting the annual financial plan for the basic and primary education in the state. The proposed package of the educational fiscal from Rs 420 crore has been increased to Rs 491 crore. Also the commission has given thumbs up for the annual funds of Rs 202.48 crore for basic education while Rs 218.49 crore for the primary education.

According to official of the state Education Directorate, the proposal of the annual plan was put forth by the state planning committee in front of the Vice-President and the Secretary of the Central Education Board during a meeting held at Delhi. He also said a meeting to finalise the budget was yet to take place where Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank would also be present to keep his viewpoint on the decision.

On the condition of anonymity, a senior official of the directorate said: “The budget proposed is just an outlay of the annual plan by the state educational planning committee. If compared to the budget passed in the past five years, then the approved funds by the planning commission this year would certainly be the best and much satisfying. But, its implementation is a long row to get over. The final meeting is yet to be scheduled and further planning for its appropriate utilisation would be the major criteria in the entire process”.

“The annual plan approved by the Centre is Sarv Siksha Abhiyaan and mid-day meal-centric that has received a budget of Rs 70 crore. Other expenses on the maintenance of the school, providing stationeries and books to students also has its share in the proposed plan,” he added.

Perhaps, the Centre has nothing for other government-aided junior high schools in its kitty. But, the institutes being run under the Sarv Siksha Abhiyaan, Model School, Rashtriya Saksharta Mission and Kasturba Girls Hostel would make the utmost profit out of it.

Haridwar, May 13
Global warming and shrinking green cover have had a severe impact on environment and students gave the message of saving the environment by planting more saplings.

At a programme organised by the Eco Club at DAV Public Centenary School here, children came clad in green dresses. Even the lunch boxes were filled with green vegetables and students were told about the healthy effects of having green vegetables and ill effects of fast food. A chain was formed by the students while students of class I and II took pledge to rid earth of pollution.

One sapling each was planted by students of the school. School Principal PC Purohit said if students were made aware of the good effects of a green environment, then they would not do things which threatened the nature.

Meanwhile, Bhalla Inter College, in collaboration with National Environment Pollution Security Committee, organised a tree-plantation programme where students and social activists took pledge to work in the direction of saving environment. School staff, students and committee members planted saplings on the college compound yesterday.

Speaking at the occasion, Rekha Valmiki said despite spending lakhs of rupees on environment conservation, desired results were minimal. She stressed on taking steps to lessen the impact of pollution on our environment.

Prominent persons present there were Ambrish Kumar, Vishwanat Paliwa, Sunil Megharaj, OP Guniyal, Mukesh Kumar, Anil Sharma, Vinita Kaur, Shiv Dutt Joshi and Umakant Sharma.

Dehradun, May 13
On the occasion of the 54th birthday of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, members of the Art of Living and followers of the spiritual leader, a grand celebration of music, meditation and knowledge was held at The Park here today.

Thousands of people gathered to celebrate the spiritual guru’s birthday by singing and chanting serenity to their mind and the surroundings.

Young and talented singers from all over the country enchanted the entire environment with their bhajans.

The occasion was the culmination of a weeklong birthday celebration of the Sri Ravi Shankar, which included of mass meditation for the world peace at the Gandhi Park.

Haridwar, May 13
Tomorrow’s bhandara (mass lunch) at the Chamunda Devi temple situated in the Rajaji National Park could become a occasion for confrontation between Park officials and devotees.

Every year, a Bhagwat Katha (recitation of Bhagwat Purana) and bhandara is organised at the temple. Thousands of devotees enter the Rajaji Park area to reach the temple. Park authorities object to this citing danger to flora and fauna.

For past two years, Park authorities and devotees have been at loggerheads with the foresters stopping them with barricades and force.

This time, the Mata Chamunda Devi Andolanakari Samiti has warned of a huge movement if they are stopped from conducting rituals at the temple.

For the lunch tomorrow, Park authorities have made elaborate arrangements as thousands of people will reach the temple that lies inside the Park boundary.

Sunil Sharma of the organising committee has reiterated that they would not backtrack and their movement would only stop after the Chamunda temple is free from the shackles of the Park authorities.

According to the Forest Department, a large number of devotees and saints are expected to attend the function tomorrow. Last time, the police had stopped the devotees outside the Park range.

Ranger Vikram Singh Tomar said that if any devotee forcefully enters the area, they would be strictly dealt with. They will have to face the provisions of the law if they violate forest rules. The administration is holding talks with the agitators to evolve a compromise formula.

Dehradun, May 13
Air India knocked out the LDA Lucknow by 62 runs in the quarterfinal to get the semifinals ticket of the 28th All-India Uttarakhand Gold Cup Cricket Tournament on the Ranger’s College cricket ground here today.

The Jharkhand Cricket Association also entered the semifinals beating the Jain Irrigation System, Mumbai, by 92 runs at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy here.

In this 35-over quarterfinal, Air India rode on the innings of opening batsman Hemant Singh (67) and Deepak Joon (53*) after being invited to bat first. It set a target of 206 runs at the loss of eight wickets.

Muddasar captured four wickets to restrict the batsmen of Air India. Jai Narayan, Karan Sharma and Amit Mehra took a wicket each for LDA.

Batting second, the LDA’s all-rounder and opener Muddasar shone with the bat too. He played a sensible innings of 55 runs in 51 balls and hit eight fours.

Arun Sharma (32) also contributed for the batting side however lack of support from other batsmen cost the team dear. It got all out in 143 runs in 26.5 overs.

Atif returned with impressive figures. His five-wicket haul stunned the LDA team. Ajit Chandel took two wickets, RP Singh and Kuldeep pocketed a wicket each.

Dehradun, May 13
Girls of Doon International School (DIS) drubbed St Joseph’s Academy by 27-4 during the ongoing District Sub-Junior (U-14) Basketball Championship underway at Welham Girls’ School, here today. Sonal of the winning team scored eight points.

St Mary’s Convent School (SMS) outplayed Doon Girls School (DGS) 26-6.

Shagun of SMS scored 13 points and Saijal chipped with four points for the DGS.

In boys matches at St Joseph’s Academy, Aryan School beat The Asian School 15-8 and Hilton School defeated SGC 12-8.

Nihal emerged as the top scorer for Hilton School in this tough encounter.

Dehradun, May 13
Anil Chetri of Opto Electronics Factory (OLF) stole the show scoring all three goals of a league match guiding his team post a facile win over Uttarakhand Sports Power Group (USPG) in the second Institutional League Football Tournament, here today.

Chetri struck the first field goal in the eighth match. He kept up the good work and the second success came for him in the 13th minute.

Down with two goals, pressure on USPG started mounting. But it couldn’t stop the havoc created by Chetri. Before the first half could get over, he stuck another field goal in the 33rd minute.

The first half ended on 3-0 in the favour of OLF. The defenders of the USPG got its act together and didn’t let the OLF’s strikers, particularity Chetri, score a goal in the second half.

But all efforts went in vain as USPG’s strikers failed to score even in the second half.

Dehradun, May 13
Rajendra Sports beat Knight Riders by three wickets during the ongoing Second Babu Farid Ahmed Memorial Cricket Tournament held at OFD Ground, here today.

Batting first, Knight Riders set a target of 135 runs for eight in 20 overs. Uday (50) top scored for the batting side. Manish, Sachin and Ashu all took two wickets for Rajendra Sports.

Chasing the target, Rajendra Sports rode on the undefeated knock of Kapul (51*). The team achieved the target in 19 overs at the loss of eight wickets.

Varun, Prakash and Neeraj were the main wicket takers for Knight Riders with two wickets each. The DRCA posted seven-wicket victory over the Helax Club in another match played today.