Dehradun, May 14
The misuse of ‘hak hakook’ (traditional rights) has been detected in Uttarakhand forests. This irregularity was exposed through public interest litigations (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court by JP Dabral of the Himalayan Chipko Foundation. This highlighted the misuse of the hak hakook system in several villages in Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal and Rudraprayag districts of Uttarakhand.

The Himalayan Chipko Foundation in its PIL revealed the felling of trees in Uttarakhand by the timber mafia after obtaining the permission from forest officials on the pretext of the villagers’ traditional right to use wood.

While undertaking the felling exercise, the timber mafia, on behalf of villagers, felled many more trees than the sanctioned number. The trees sanctioned for cutting are far away from the villages making it unviable for the villagers to transport the wood to their villages.

“All the wood cut is in marketable sizes and is sold in the black market. The beneficiaries on whose name the sanctions for cutting trees are granted have no clue of what is happening in their names.

“Applications on their behalf are made by village pradhans to the forest officials. The pradhans get paid a paltry amount for this application. After sanctioning, the application is given to the timber mafia who cut the trees and sell the wood in the market,” revealed JP Dabral, President, Himalayan Chipko Foundation, who filed the PIL.

The Supreme Court subsequently ordered the state of Uttarakhand and Ministry of Environment and Forests to enquire into the complaints. Uttarakhand forest authorities got the inquiries conducted by the Rangers, Divisional Forest Officers, two Conservators of Forests and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.

Interestingly, all inquiries by state forest officials denied any illegal cutting of trees and accused the petitioner of maligning the officials in the Supreme Court.

But contrary to the report of the state forest authorities, the report submitted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests corroborated all facts of the petition. It even mentioned that cover-up operations of the officials of the Forest Department were made after the complaint was filed in the Supreme Court.

None of the officials of Uttarakhand visited the actual site of the tree felling. They only saw the area from the road whereas most of the felled trees were located at a distance away from the road.

To further substantiate that the timber mafia was misusing ‘hak hakook’, it was revealed that felling trees could not have been for the use of the villagers because it is unviable to transport the same to the villages, which are nearly 80 km away from the site of felling. The rules for transit and transportation of wood are very cumbersome and it is difficult for the poor and simple villagers to get the permission easily.

The Forest Department had initially filed affidavits denying the misuse of the traditional rights for the illegal felling of trees. However, after the submission of the report of the Ministry of Environment and Forests highlighting the corruption and misuse of the right, Uttarakhand forest authorities have filed another affidavit in which they have admitted that there has been misuse and issued guidelines made by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) to stop further misuse of the system.

On the other hand, Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr RBS Rawat acknowledged filing the additional affidavit and said that they were awaiting Central Empowered Committee (CEC) response to it.

When asked for the possible misuse of ‘hak hakook’, Dr Rawat admitted that the hand of insiders cannot be ruled out. Uttarakhand PCCF, however, added that as the per the state policy, the state Forest Department favours strengthening of the traditional rights. He said such rights have fast eroded over time and need to be strengthened.

Interestingly, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court, not satisfied with the new affidavit of the Uttarakhand Forest Department due to lack of transparency and accountability in the system, has now asked the petitioner to give his recommendation so that the lacunae in the guidelines made by the Uttarakhand Forest Department are overcome.

The CEC has also assured the petitioner (JP Dabral, Himalayan Chipko Foundation) that apart from making guidelines to prevent future misuse of the system, they shall also look into the issue of violation of forest laws and punishment of the officials.

Dehradun, May 14
Call it the result of the winds of change blowing or plan of the Government of India to address the health and psycho social needs of teenagers in the age-group between 10 and 19 years, teen clinics are expected to become the mainstay of government hospitals and health centres in the coming years.

A beginning has already been made at the Doon Hospital, where a teen clinic has begun functioning on Tuesday and is being served by the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) counsellor, psychologist and other doctors, who would be able to address the health problems of the teenagers and even counsel them during examinations.

The clinic, however, will keep off the explosive subject of sex education that continues to invite adverse reaction from one and sundry. “We will only be taking up health specific issues. Hormonal imbalances that teenagers undergo can now be discussed in the quiet company of a counsellor. Several teenagers come to us with their health problems at the OPD, but we have limited time out there,” said Dr KC Pant, senior consultant and nodal officer of the clinic.

Adding that these clinics would also be opened at each district and at each primary health centre. Haridwar was the first city to get a teen clinic established at the Himalayan Institute of Hospital Trust (HIHT).

After getting a thumbs down on introducing sex education in schools and at the same time being worried about poor health of teenagers, the issue then was thought best to be served through hospitals instead of schools.

In a country where need for counselling during puberty has never been given due importance, the step is expected to accord some respect to the growing up years and answer questions befuddling the minds of the young.

Significantly, the need for sexual and reproductive health services for young people has often been pushed under the table, with the erroneous belief that knowledge would only encourage teenagers to experiment. In addition, the AIDS pandemic has heightened awareness on the need for information and services that can help young people protect themselves.

“We are offering a broader cluster of support services. Surveys show that young people may feel a greater urgency about other issues, including emotional adjustment and dealing with peer pressure,” said Nidhi Kala, ICTC counsellor.

However, with over-stretched counsellors, the new responsibility would also mean additional burden. As per norms, a counsellor is entitled to 15 counselling sessions in a day and it remains to be seen how the hospital would manage with only a single counsellor at it’s disposal who handles ICTC counselling as well.

Haridwar, May 14
Apart from imparting professional education, the century-old Gurukul Kangri University is now home to ancient scriptures and statues too. Now, the university museum gallery has pieces of art from the Mauryan to Mughal era, most of which can be termed as unique and one of its kind in the state.

The collection is a combined and dedicated effort of Gurukul University’s Archaeological Department. Though the original ones have been kept in safer blocks owing to their vulnerability to temperature, dust and other aspects, the terracotta replica artifacts have been put up for the public display in the gallery section.

The gallery was inaugurated by a former Gurukul student and Assembly Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly Dr Yoganand Shastri. While speaking to The Tribune, Department Head Dr Prabhat Kumar Sengar said, “From Vedic era, Indus Valley Civilization, Maurya to Gupta clans, one can find statues of these eras with information at the gallery. Now, history is at one glance far and we are quite happy with the ecstatic response.”

Vice-Chancellor Prof Swatantra Kumar relates the gallery among various other steps that differentiate Gurukul from other education institutions. Kumar points that where does else one can find such gallery which brings people closer to history.

Nainital, May 14
A two-day workshop on "Transformation of Agriculture in Uttarakhand" organised by the Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, at Raj Bhawan here at the initiative of the Governor Margaret Alva ended here on Friday with the participants submitting a set of recommendations.

After the conclusion of the event, Alva stated, “I hope these recommendations will help in preparing short-term and a long-term plans for the state that will lead to improving the lot of the backward areas and the people living in the rural areas of the state.”

She said the recommendations given at a gathering of environmentalists, scientists, policy makers and administrators in the fields of agriculture and allied subjects would now be referred to an expert group led by eminent agriculture expert Dr MS Swaminathan who would frame a path for agricultural development in the state.

The report of this expert committee will then be handed over to the state government to make and implement a relevant policy.

The recommendations of this workshop will be published by the Pantnagar University under the title of Nainital Declaration on Hill Agriculture, 2010.

During the two-day deliberations that the Governor personally intervened in the discussions to raise the issue of malnutrition in the state and what can be done to improve the situation among women and children. She also took up the issue of high infant mortality rate in the state.

One of the main purposes of the workshop was to analyse and initiate the interventions in agriculture sectors in the remote areas of the state in order to check the emigration of the youth.

Experts in the field of agriculture and allied sectors once again underlined the need for a clear state level agriculture police. They also underlined the need for consolidation of holdings in the hill areas of the state. At the same 
time the issue of having horticulture policy was 
also taken up. The biggest challenge identified by experts was that of unbridled sale of agricultural land for industrial and other purposes.

Eminent social activist and historian Shekhar Pathak who was one of the participants in the workshop told The Tribune, “The sale of land needs to be checked. We must understand that traditionally also in rural areas dwellings were always made on a piece of land that was away from the farms and was not meant for agriculture.”

When questioned about the outcome of such exercises where the Governor herself takes an initiative and gets the best brains together to determine a path of growth with a view to improve the lot of the common people, he said, “There has to be a political will at the level of the government to do things.”

A common feeling aired on the sidelines of the workshop was that the initiatives that should be coming from the state government are instead coming from the level of the Governor which is commendable.

Alva had earlier stated that this initiative was a part of the ongoing Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Pantnagar University and she had hosted the workshop in the capacity of being both the Governor and the Chancellor.

Mussoorie, May 14
The five-day yoga camp organised by the Patanjali Yoga and Bharat Swabhiman Nyas, Mussoorie, began today. The camp began at Radhakrishan Temple, Kulri, at 5.30 am and ended at 7.00 am.

The camp attracted participants of all ages. Students of Mussoorie Girls and Boys school were instructed about various asans. Acharya Shubash Chawla highlighted the importance of yoga in daily life.

“We have to make yoga a daily habit. If we are healthy, the nation will be healthy,” he added. Students were imparted training of anulom-vilom, vastrika, pranayam, kapal bhati, bahaiya pranayam and Agni sat kriya and other forms of yoga.

The acharya also advised the gathering not to consume cold drinks and fast food like burgers and pizzas during the five-day course.

RS Mishra, in charge, Patanjali Yog Samiti, welcoming the acharyas said that it was a great opportunity for the people of the town to seek valuable lessons of yoga free of cost.

He also said that such camps would also be conducted at the Government Inter-College, Kempty, Mussoorie Public School, Sanatan Dharm Inter-College and Ghati School, Jaunpur.

Anuradha Singhal, a homemaker from Mussoorie, attending the camp at Radhakrishan mandir, said, “Yoga has helped heal my chronic problem related to the nervous system.”

Convener Narendar Kumar Sahni, Women Incharge Mamta Bhatia and tutors from Dehradun Madan Mohan Maindola, Col RS Bisht, Prakash Chawla, Mussoorie Girls and Boys Principal Madhumalti Simon and others were present on the occasion.

Haridwar, May 14
There is good news for the Haridwar education sector as International Institute of Financial Markets (IIFM), Delhi, through its institutional cell has entered into a consultative and training agreement with Ramanand Institute of Pharmacy and Management (RIPM) College, Haridwar, to provide skill-based financial education.

The tie-up assumes significance as it will be benefiting 360 professional students directly and will bode well for the higher education sector in the city.

Notably, this is first of its kind agreement between the institutions to impart quality training to students who are already pursuing professional courses like MBA and BBA. Both institutions in this way are seeking to garner excellence and provide the best resources to the students who plan to undertake professional courses at the RIPM.

The benefiting students would be able to focus on the financial sales as well as the trading profession and would also be able to utilise the trading labs that the IIFM has set up across the country.

Informing about the tie-up, Pranav Chaturvedi, IIFM Director, told The Tribune that both the organisations would jointly undertake the course in the RIPM campus and students would be able to utilise the academic skills of the IIFM faculty.

“The credit goes to the RIPM and its chairman Shri Mahant Ramanand Puri for sharing our vision in bridging the skill gap which is so evident in the financial industry. The RIPM and the IIFM plan to develop this new college as a high on the industry interface institution. Another milestone has been achieved for both the organisation,” said Chaturvedi.

While Dr Deepak Kumar Rao, RIPM Director, emphasised on the need of career-oriented professional education.

“Our vision is to create a comprehensive professional model of education, which is career oriented and it bode well for both the institutions as well as the students,” said Rao.

Initially, the IIFM and the RIPM would run this course for 360 students at the campus, who would have to go through an entrance test followed by a panel interview comprising top-industry professionals.

The RIPM will be providing a sprawling campus spread in 26 acres for providence of high-quality education in the pilgrim city.

Dehradun, May 14
An all-round performance by Man of the Match Keshav Kumar (71 runs and two wickets) led the Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) into the final surpassing Star Cricket and Youth Club (SCYC), Jaipur, by five wickets in the first semifinal played at the 28th All-India Uttarakhand Gold Cup Cricket tournament on the Ranger’s College cricket ground here today.

After losing first four wickets early , JCA’s Keshav (71* off 69) and skipper Saurabh Tiwary (80 off 80) stitched a crucial partnership to put their team to a good score. With good right and left combination, they became headache for the bowlers of SCYC.

They batted sensibly and concentrated more on singles and doubles but left no opportunity to hit boundaries and sixes on loose deliveries.

Captain Tiwary smashed three fours and three sixes while Keshav hit seven boundaries. This important partnership broke when the skipper was sent back to pavilion through a direct hit from a fielder when the two batsmen were running for a double.

But this didn’t affect the batting side much as next down batsman SP Gautam (28*), who joined Keshav on the pitch, returned to pavilion after winning the match. JCA achieved the target of 227 in 37.1 overs for the loss of five wickets.

While for the bowling side, Shailendra Gehlot took two wickets, Mohd Arif and Ajay Devenda got one wicket each.

Earlier while batting first, SCYC got all-out for 226 runs in 42 overs. Vaibhav Deshpande (60) and Paritosh Parashar (32) and Arjit Gupta (28) were the principal scorers.

Bowlers of JCA bowled economically. Shahbaaz Nadeem took three wickets giving away just 30 runs in nine overs. Keshav Kumar and Kuldeep Sharma captured two wickets each.

The SCYC team got reward of Rs 15,000 and Keshav Kumar got the trophy of man of the match. Meanwhile, the second semifinals will be played between Services, New Delhi, and Air India here tomorrow. The final will be held on Sunday with JCA. 

Dehradun, May 14
Rajendra Sports had a cakewalk today in the final of the Second Babu Farid Ahmed Memorial Cricket Tournament held on the OFD Ground.

It outplayed Dinesh Rawat Cricket Academy (DRCA) by eight wickets to win the championship.

The DRCA set a target of 146 in stipulated 20 overs.

Vipin (58) and Virender (38) mainly contributed in accumulating the total. Shekhar of Rajendra Sports took two wickets.

In reply, Rajendra Sports achieved the target in 13 overs only losing its two wickets only.

Babu with 69 runs and Vijay with 58 were the mainstays of the batting side to register win.

Dehradun, May 14
Under a campaign to motivate and build the confidence of its budding professionals, Sai Institute organised a special meet with star cricketer Saurabh Tiwary who was accompanied by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association team (JSCAT) here today.

Tiwary is considered a real find at this year’s IPL. His outstanding performances have caught the selectors’ eye. He was the winner of the 2010 Citi U-23 Success of League trophy.

He was accompanied by Amit Kumar Dubey, alumni of the Physiotherapy Department of the institute and manager of JSCT.

While elaborating about the motive behind organising this meet, Harish Arora, the chairman of institute, said country had immense talent in its womb but lack of information and unavailability of platform, they die the hidden death.

“I hope this meet will encourage sports-loving students to take a leap by clearing all their doubts regarding job security and other relevant aspects.” He has also elucidated the good job opportunities for students of physiotherapy in this field by quoting another example of Suresh Rathore, present physiotherapist of the Himachal State Cricket team, another alumni of Sai Institute.

Rani Arora, vice-chairperson of the institute, said, “I am overwhelmed by my students’ enthusiasm and their frequent active participation in extra-curricular activities. They are not only confined to formal education, but also trying their hands in all spheres. Moreover, they have learnt to maintain equilibrium between their studies and extra activities and keep on securing good marks in the exams also.

Sharing her views about the meet, she said, “There is no dearth of talent but due to lack of information it slowly get vanished. By organising such activities we are just trying to push students to take initiatives in the field they are interested to make their career.”

Dr Aparna Singh, Registrar of the institute, expressed her concern over parental attitude, who in general do not give importance to physical activities specially to girl child.

Dehradun, May 14
Welham Girls’ School surpassed the Doon International School 40-22 in a quarterfinal of the District Sub-Junior (U-14) Basketball Championship held at Welham Girls’ School, here today.

It won all the four quarters easily. Palak Sharma of the winning side top scored with eight points. In a low-scoring quarterfinal, Summer Valley School beat Jaswant Model School 10-3. Sagrika Joshi of Summer Valley scored four points.

The Carman School also defeated St Mary’s Convent School (SMS) 16-5 with Priyanka helping with eight points for Carman.

Hope Town School was no match for Convent School that drubbed it 22-5. Aastha scored eight points in the win.

In boys’ section, Pestle Wood School defeated Aryan School 34-15. Hamid of the winning side scored with 12 points. The RIMC beat DIS 18-14 and Summer Valley School got past KS 30-16.

Dehradun, May 14
The policemen, who won medals in the Junior Asian Powerlifting Championship held in Mangolia recently, met Director General of Police (DGP) Subhash Joshi.