Pitthoragarh, May 18
After rain evaded the Kumaon region for more than a week, the water crisis in the region has deepened as traditional water sources that fulfil the maximum drinking water requirement of the region have gone dry.

“In dozens of villages of Tarikhet and Dwarahat blocks of Almora district, villagers have to wait for long hours at the traditional water sources only to obtain 20 to 30 litres of water,” said Pratap Singh Negi, a social worker in the Tarikhet block of Almora district.

According to Negi, villagers have now started water rationing in more than a dozen villages in Tarikhet and a same number of villages in Dwarahat block.

In the Someswar area of Almora district, villagers depend on drinking water schemes drawn from distant jungles where most original sources have dried up.

“Villagers in remote villages in the Someswar area are now rationing water from traditional sources,” said Puran Singh Adhikari, another social worker from the area.

According to information received from the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan, most water schemes drawn on gravity have dried. “The water level of these schemes has reached 15 LPM from 60 LPM during winter,” said PC Kargeti, an engineer with the sansthan.

In Pitthoragarh district, most traditional water sources, on which the Jal Sansthan water schemes depend, have dried resulting in increased dependence of villagers on traditional water sources.

“At our natural spring, people flock from 3 am to 11 pm,” said Mohan Singh Rawat, social worker in Pitthoragarh town, who is managing a natural water spring at Mahadev Colony.

Champawat and Lohaghat towns in the Kumaon region are also badly affected by the drying up of natural sources of drinking water as the population of these towns tends to depend on these because of the failure of Jal Sansthan schemes.

“Not only have the sources of these schemes dried up, but handpumps that the sansthan personnel use have also been in a non-working shape for years,” said Ram Singh, a resident of Lohaghat town.

In Champawat town and Gangolihat area of Pithoragarh district, mothers have now started sending their kids to collect water instead of sending them to school.

“This water crisis is snatching studies and childhood of kids in the town as children are seen waiting and fetching water during their study hours,” said Prema Pandey, chairperson of Champawat Zila Panchayat.

After the proposed tubewell programme failed in Pitthoragarh town, Jal Sansthan officers are now trying to meet drinking water requirement of the town by advising people to draw water from handpumps. But almost 200 handpumps out of 425 installed in the district have also dried, admitted DK Mishra, executive officer, Jal Sansthan, Pitthoragarh.

Pitthoragarh, May 18
In search of new tourist destinations, the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) has decided to develop Chiplakedar, a Himalayan meadow at a height of more than 13,000 feet which falls between Munsiyari and Dharchula sub-division of Pitthoragarh district, as a cultural trek route for tourists.

“Our board of directors, in a recently concluded meeting, has decided to develop Chiplakedar and Namik glacier as new tourist destinations for trekkers,” said Ashok Joshi, General Manager, Tourism, KMVN.

He said by next year, the nigam would be able to provide sufficient infrastructure for tourists there.

Recently, the KMVN had sent a team of its officers, led by DK Sharma, Regional Manager (Tourism), to survey the Chiplakedar trek route.

“This will be a 75 km up-down trek route for six nights and seven days. It will begin from the Jarajibli area of the Baram region on the Jauljivi-Munsiyari motor road,” said Sharma.

He added that tourists could stay in the night at Banni, Kedargupha, Kedarkund and Gwar on the up trek and could return from the Jumma and Ailagar area of Dharchula sub-division.

“Besides this route, there are eight other trek routes to reach Chiplakedar and is one of the easiest trek routes in the Uttarakhand region,” said Sharma.

According to Joshi, this trek route features nine water bodies and five meadows.

“The special aspect of this trek is the barefoot travel by local villagers, organised every three years to worship local goddess Kokiladevi and deity Chiplakedar,” said Joshi.

The KMVN team that recently visited the trek route was mesmerised by the beauty, serenity and rich flora and fauna there.

“When we reached near Kedarkund, we witnessed the presence of monal and pheasants in big numbers. There were numerous indications to the presence of the Himalayan musk deer and local Himalayan pheasants.

“There were thousands of Brahmkamal (Saussurea Obvallata) flowers, which is the state flower of Uttarakhand,” said Sharma.

He said rare Himalayan herbs were intact in these meadows. “The right season to visit this track is between May and October,” he said.

The KMVN will contact local persons to run this track and provide facilities to tourists as they could get employment as guides and shopkeepers. “The nigam will only market this route,” said Sharma.

“The Chipla Jaat organised every third year involves the worship of local deities from Johar, Chaudas, Khela, Baram and Kanar. This happens to be a spectacular occasion as scenes like these are not witnessed elsewhere in the Kumaon region,” said Sharma.

Dehradun, May 18
Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI) has zeroed in on the Lodhi Gardens for setting up a butterfly park in Delhi, first of its kind in the national Capital.

The FRI team is to put before the Delhi government its road map for the butterfly park in its meeting to be held on June 5.

“We will be submitting a final road map for the park to the Delhi government on June 5,” said Dr SS Negi, Director of the FRI.

The park will house various species of the moth. The institute that has been entrusted with the task had already submitted a project report to the Delhi administration for the purpose some time back.

The project will be rendered the expertise of the FRI’s Forest Entomology Division team led by Dr Arun Pratap Singh. It will have the first major task at hand for the division in the form of the butterfly park.

The institute, however, has been into research work linked to butterflies across the country.

Interestingly, a well-known organisation in forestry, FRI officials were for the first time getting into construction of the park. There are very few butterfly parks in the country, which include the famous Bannargatta Park in Karnataka. North India so far is devoid of any major butterfly park.

Significantly, the FRI had some time back taken a lead towards opening a butterfly park at the Survey of India, Dehradun, which, however, could not materialise. The FRI officials are hoping to begin the work within two to three months time.

The butterfly park in Delhi can be a delight for researchers and will also put Delhi on the butterfly map of the country.

The FRI has been assisting the Delhi government for a long towards beautification of the national Capital as part of its preparations for the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.

Haridwar, May 18
A delegation of medical students of the BDS College of Narayan Swami Dental College met the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat and gave him a memorandum related with the non-affiliation of the third year of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery course.

The students demanded migration of their batch to any other affiliated and recognised college in Uttarakhand as their future in BDS College faced uncertainty because of the mismanagement of the college administration.

The students alleged that after qualifying the Uttaranchal Pre-Medical Test Government (UAPMT) in 2007 they, on the basis of counselling at Himalayan Medical College Jolly Grant, were allotted BDS seats in Narayan Swami Medical College situated in Premnagar which is recognised for the first year (2007).

Complaining to the minister, the students said now in the third year they came to know that the third-year session had not been recognised as the Dental Council of India (DCI) inspection had not been done till date. Students alleged that this was kept under the carpet by the college administration and had put their careers in the dark.

“This year will go down as zero session again as we in the first session were admitted late and as per DCI rules the session was termed zero session and we had lost one year. Now again if this year also goes down as zero session, two valuable years of our career will get wasted,” said Gaurav Kumar, representative of the delegation.

There are 97 students in the third year of the BDS course, while 37 in the second year and 12 in the first year of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

Assuring the students, Rawat said he would look into the matter and see that their final year didn’t goes down as zero session. He further said he would take the matter with the authorities.

Dehradun, May 18
With great fervour and enthusiasm, GRD Academy, Niranjanpur, celebrated its 10th annual day here today.

The function began with the lighting of the lamp amid Saraswati Vandana by chief guest Govind Singh Bisht, Minister of Secondary Education, Uttarakhand.

Then the students presented colourful cultural programmes.

The Principal of the school presented the annual report following which, chief guest Bisht gave away trophies as well certificates to meritorious students and those who had excelled in extra-curricular activities.

Sardar Raja Singh, Chairman of the GRD Educational Trust, also addressed the gathering and felicitated the chief guest by giving him a memento.

However, the annual day celebrations came to an end with the chief guest as well as other guests appreciating the efforts of the students and motivating them to work hard in the future also. The programme culminated with a vote of thanks followed by the National Anthem.

Also present at the occasion were Geeta Nautiyal, District Education Officer, RS Rawat, Deputy District Education Officer, OP Gupta, Director, GRD, Lata Gupta, Chief Manager, other staff members and parents of the students.

Mussoorie, May 18
Polio-afflicted Jagat Singh (35) hailing from Ghaziabad (UP) arrived in Mussoorie yesterday for his year-long India tour called Bharat Sankalp Yatra.

Shahid Bhagat Singh Viklang Sewa Samiti president Jagat Singh ‘Rashtravadi’ suffered a polio attack when he was a year old. But this did not deter him and he finished his schooling at the age of 15 and after that, he started his own garage.

Six years ago, he thought of doing something adventurous. He wanted to learn to drive a four-wheeler, but as one leg of his had been rendered useless due to polio, he could not operate the clutch.

He modified the clutch and brought it under the control of his hand. With the other leg, he operated the brake.

After many hours of perseverance, he learnt to drive a four-wheeler and bought an Ambassador car.

Jagat did not stop there. Driving his car, he went for long rides around Ghaziabad to create awareness about polio vaccination. He has also established a training school for similar unfortunate youths in his hometown.

He is now on India tour which will begin from Jammu and Kashmir and end at Kanyakumari. But before that, he wants to take the blessings of Lord Badrinath.

Jagat said his journey is to motivate people like him and create a sense of pride in them. He said that nothing was impossible for a determined person.

He will also select candidates who will be trained in his institute at Ghaziabad free of cost. He also wants to bear the cost of marriage of polio-afflicted youth whom he encounters during his yatra.

Jagat will leave Mussoorie tomorrow for Badrinath and from there, he will go to Jammu and Kashmir to begin his journey. He will tread all 618 districts in the country spreading polio awareness.

An admirer of Shahid Bhagat Singh, he has taken up this task as a national mission and that too without any government support.

Anand Singh Tomar, Vijendar Singh Panwar, Jagat Singh Rawat, Sudhir Dhiman, Sardar Singh Panwar, Jot Singh Rawat, Rajendar Singh Panwar, Mahipal Singh Rana, Pritam Rangad, Dinesh Runchela, Mukesh Sajwan, Sardar Singh Mall and others were present on the occasion.

Dehradun, May 18
Artistes who had given their best and competed with each other during the 8th National Theatre and Folk Dance, today marched hand in hand participating in the Rang Yatra on the last day of the festival organised by the Doon Ghati Rang Manch in association with the Department of Culture.

Carrying placards, the artistes descended at the Gandhi Park where they shook a leg or two. Wearing the traditional mekhla dress and carrying jhapis and dhols, Assamese dancers created a perfect medley. Later, they greeted Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Pant by presenting the traditional jhapi.

An energetic ghumar by Rajasthani artistes too was the cynosure of all eyes. Those who had missed their performance at the Town Hall had a glimpse of it at the Gandhi Park.

While the Manch managed to bring in artistes from different states, there was a dearth of audience acutely felt by the artistes. “We are surprised at the lack of interest shown by the local audience. On the second day too, the audience was absent,” said GB Mohapatra, Director, Theatre Movement, Cuttack, who had participated in the festival last year too.

This year the organisation did not honour artistes with Natya Ratan and Doon Kirti Ratan.

In the evening a play “Jawab Do” by the Tanvi Sanskriti Sansthan was staged. “Maha Brahmin” by the Mayank Natya Sansthan, that was slotted for yesterday, but due to last-minute changes could not be shown, was staged today.

Dehradun, May 18
Strong contender the Education Department blanked the Uttarakhand Sports Power Group (USPG) 3-0 in a league match during the Institutional League Football Tournament played on Pavilion Ground here today.

The first half of the match went goalless with disappointment meeting both sides. But the second half completely turned the face of the game. The second half proved a boon for the Education as it struck three goals.

Shailender of the Education Department took the lead and struck the first goal of the match in the 36th minute of the game. Sushil Rawat also of the Education Department scored the next two field goals to drub its rival. He scored in the 50th and 60th minutes.

The USPG failed to retaliate to the attacks of its rival and suffered yet another loss in the tournament. Meanwhile, Secretariat will face OFD.

Dehradun, May 18
Madhya Pradesh (MP) registered a narrow six-run win over Lucknow in a T-20 match at the ongoing Kanta Devi Raghav Memorial National Cricket Tournament here today at Matawala Bagh.

MP opted to bat first after winning the toss. Boby (60 off 32) and Manni (26) were the principal scorers for MP. It scored 150 runs in 17.4 overs losing its entire wickets.

Nazim Saifi and Ashish took four and three wickets respectively for Lucknow.

In reply, Lucknow fought back nicely, but just fell short of seven runs from achieving the target.

Karan (43) and Manu (22) were the main contributors for the side. Monty was the most successful bowler for the winning side.

Lucknow also lost its second match by seven wickets played against Himalayan Cricket Academy (HCA). Batting first Lucknow scored paltry 88 runs in the stipulated 20 overs.

Meharbaan (23) was the topscorer for the team.

Manish, Varun and Vijay took two wickets each for the HCA.

Batting second, HCA achieved the target in 10.2 overs for three wickets.

In another match played on OFD Ground, HCA beat MP by 112 runs. 

Dehradun, May 18
The trials for u-19 cricket team of Dehradun were conducted here today on the Rangers College cricket ground during the Summer Cricket Festival being organised by the Uttarakhand Cricket Association.

According to Mahender Kaushal, organising secretary, 25 players in u-19 category appeared for the trials, out of whom 24 have been called tomorrow morning. The u-19 of Dehradun district will be announced tomorrow.

Also the trials for the u-16 age category will be conducted tomorrow. “We are expecting a good number of players in the u-16 category. Most of them had even come today but we asked them to come on Wednesday,” he said.

“The number of players appearing for the trials in the age group of u-19 was a bit less. The u-19 team will be announced tomorrow,” the organising secretary added.

The All-India Invitational DSL Alovera T-20 Cricket Tournament for u-19 will be played from May 20 to 24 on the Rangers College cricket ground and the Survey Ground. The u-16 cricket tournament will be held from May 27 to 31.