Bamboo fence for 45 danger zones on hill roads
Five-rowed hedge to prevent vehicles from falling into gorges, rivers
Dehradun, August 10
Bamboo fences, after being put to use to minimise man-elephant conflict in fringe forest areas of Uttarakhand, is now being used to check frequent road mishaps on serpentine hilly roads. Uttarakhand authorities have embarked on the task of putting bamboo fencing on roadsides that have been identified as danger zones and which have been vulnerable to road mishaps involving falls of vehicles into gorges or rivers.

NCTT withdraws recognition from 16 govt, private BEd colleges
Dehradun, August 10
The regional wing of the National Council for Teachers Training (NCTT) has given a thumbs-up for its affiliation to three BEd colleges of Uttarakhand, but has withdrawn recognition from other 16 government and private BEd colleges, leading them to approach its central committee. On the one hand, where clearance to recognition has rendered respite to the students there, on the other hand its withdrawal from several PG colleges has left the students in a quandary.

Dehradun, August 10
Paucity of land has put breaks on government’s plan to establish Ayush Grams in each district of the state and the plan has not progressed beyond Bhawali and Champawat.

While the government will soon be inking a pact with Emami Ltd to build Bhawali Ayush Gram under the public private partnership mode, the Health Department is still locked in intricate negotiations with the Forest Department over the issue of land procurement at Champawat.

After two years of relentless search and negotiations that even meant reducing the total requirement of land, the government is locked in a land battle with the Forest Department in Kolidak (Chamapawat district). A top official from the Health Department said: “The land issue has to be sorted out before inviting private players to run the centre. We cannot acquire land at will. A government order has to be issued and clearances sought for such areas. It is little difficult in the hills where the forest clearance has to be sought before embarking on the ambitious project”.

From the initial requirement of 15 acres, the state government was forced to cut down the land requirement by 3-5 acres depending on the availability. The project envisages establishing herbal garden on 6 acres and locating the Ayush Gram in the remaining 10-15 acres that would include a Panchkarma unit with 30 beds on 4 acres, pharmacy unit, wellness unit, tourist centre and a yoga centre, etc.

Besides a herbal garden has be set up that will also house a demonstration centre for farmers and the herbs to be grown will be utilised for making ayurvedic formulations involving local farmers. The grams will also offer ayurvedic, Unani, homoeopathy, yoga and naturopathy treatments.

The ambitious Chief Minister’s programme is part of total the health care programme that promises to provide health care through ayurveda. “The concept of Ayush Grams revolves around providing complete ayurvedic solutions under one roof, right from treatment, cultivation of herbs, and then linking it to health tourism by setting up Panchkarma units,” said Dr Pooja Bhardwaj, Director, Ayurvedic and Unani Services and nodal officer for the project.

Several players, including the Horticulture and the Forest Departments, are into the cultivation of herbs but it has been kept out of the purview of the Ayurveda Department. The Ayush Gram concept was to provide that vital link. “Farmers continue to grow herbs, but there are no experts from the Ayurveda field who can help the farmers in identifying the medicinal potential of herbs. We are not even in the picture,” said Dr Bhardwaj.

Mussoorie, August 10
The link road near Lakshman Puri in Landour Cantt Board that was constructed three months earlier caved in yesterday jeopardising the lives of schoolchildren and residents alike.

The damaged link road in Landour Cantt Board

According to residents of the area, the road construction began three months ago and they had raised the question of substandard material being used for the sidewalls.

The residents had warned the authorities about the non-durability of the sidewalls as very little concrete was used in their construction.

A housewife from the area said the material used was of low quality, but the authorities did not consider investigating the matter and as a result, the whole road had been damaged.

SDM Manoj Kumar inspected the site today to assess the damage. According to him, the incident has occurred due to incessant rains and a report has been sent to the Disaster Management Department for further action.

CP Baloni, Vice-President, Landour Cantt Board, accepted that the complaints were being received about the substandard material being used in the construction of 
the sidewalls.

He claimed that the tender procedure was initiated at the level of Office Superintendent and Chief Estate Office, Landour Cantt without taking the other board members into confidence.

He alleged that the tender procedure should be initiated in front of all members of the board, but it was not happening due to ulterior motives.

Baloni also said tender notices published in the media were ambiguous as the language was either faulty and complete details were not furnished. As a result, the opening of tenders had to be postponed by couple of days.

Office Superintendent CB Lakhera, speaking to mediapersons, said the opening of tenders was postponed as the concerned authority was not present on the day. The Chief Estate Officer, Landour Cantt was not available for comment.

Dehradun, August 10
The regional wing of the National Council for Teachers Training (NCTT) has given a thumbs-up for its affiliation to three BEd colleges of Uttarakhand, but has withdrawn recognition from other 16 government and private BEd colleges, leading them to approach its central committee. On the one hand, where clearance to recognition has rendered respite to the students there, on the other hand its withdrawal from several PG colleges has left the students in a quandary.

According to sources, a year ago the NCTT withdrew affiliation from about 24 colleges on the complaint of violating the norms of admissions, but afterwards a probe was called. As a a result 16 colleges got de-recognised, three colleges got back their recognition, cases of three colleges are still pending, one college withdrew its case and one was called for re-inspection.

All students of non-affiliated BEd colleges that were earlier recognised from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna (HNB) Garhwal University are feeling cheated due to the negligence of the administration. They even feel that the institution as well as the university has gambled with their careers.

“Though our college has come out clear in the probe charged by the NCTT, dilemma always prevails in my mind whether my studies will remain of any significance later as any time such situations can creep into our academia and the entire system is so uncertain,” said Neha, BEd student of Pestle Weed College.

However, Kukraja Institute, Pestle Weed College and SGRR College hae been given a clear result of recognition from the court, but the final judgment for the colleges in Haridwar still remains uncertain. Allegations are levelled at the NCTT for withdrawing recognition from BEd on the grounds of infrastructure and other facilities.

While talking to The Tribune, Sunil Aggarwal, secretary of the Association of Self-Financed Institutes Uttarakhand, said, “It’s sad on the part of the NCTT that has withdrawn affiliation of 16 colleges. The decision is displayed on their website, but nothing in writing has been given to the colleges. The de-recognised colleges have filed a writ Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the court against the NCTT asking for thorough investigation into it”.

“The decision has just been passed by the regional wing of the council, leaving hope for degraded colleges to knock the doors of its central committee. The further strategies will be outlaid till the next verdict of the court is out,”said Aggarwal.

“It’s ironic that on the one hand Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal makes frequent promises and assurances for the welfare of the youth in public, but on the other hand such gambling with their future depicts the contrary side of the administration,” he asserted. 

Dehradun, August 10
Chandragupta section emerged victorious at the inter-section Hindi debate competition of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) here today at the Thimayya Hall.

Results: 1st - Chandragupta section-1,600 points; 2nd - Pratap (1549); 3rd - Ranjit (960); 4th - Shivaji (949).

The individual positions were: Juniors: 1st - Cadet Rishav Raj (Chandragupta); 2nd - Cdt Kshitij Katoch (Chandragupta); 3rd - Cdt Saurabh Shukla (Shivaji).

Seniors: 1st - Cdt Raushan Kumar (Chandragupta), Cdt Ankit Shukla (Chandragupta), Cdt Devashish Upadhyay (Chandragupta); 2nd - Cdt Rahul (Pratap), Cdt Lavanya Tomar (Pratap), Cdt Ankur Rawat (Pratap).

Commandants Special Prize: Cdt Supreet Singh Heera (Ranjit); Cdt Ankit Shukla (Chandragupta).

The debate for juniors was organised in the traditional format and that for the seniors was organised in the parliamentary style. The topics for the debate were disclosed two hours before the start.

The masters of the ceremony were cdt Ramkrishan Sharma and cdt Ankit Malik. The judges were Dr Arvindnabh Shukla, Julie Bahuguna and Prabha Nawani. The chief guest was Col Pankaj K Kumaria, Commandant, RIMC.

The special guest was Ajit Singh, a senior Rimcollian, who gave away the prizes. Col PK Kumaria gave college souvenirs to the judges.

Addressing the audience, chief guest Col Pankaj K Kumaria thanked the judges. He also praise the standard of the debate and congratulated the cadets for their commendable performance. The coordinators of the debate were Lt Col Rajesh Nathawat, Maj SR Sahu, CS Vishwakarma, Khushi Ram and cdt Abhishek Dash.

Mussoorie, August 10
A plantation drive was organised by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Mussoorie, yesterday. Chief guest on the occasion Palika President OP Uniyal inaugurated the drive by planting a sapling near the Jhoola Ghar.

Addressing the ABVP members, he commended the efforts of the parishad and said planting trees was essential to enhance the beauty of the hill town of Mussoorie.

ABVP town secretary Shubash Nautiyal said on the occasion that the ABVP would plant more than a 100 trees in the monsoon in near future.

Mussoorie BJP Vice-President S Petwal, Anil Godiyal, Ashish Nautiyal, Dinesh Panwar and others were present on the occasion.

Dehradun, August 10
A two-day seminar on renewable energy organised by Graphic Era University and the Ministry of Renewable Energy came to an end today. The seminar was conducted to promote the technique for the consumption and utilisation of the energies for the development of the state as well as opening avenues of the employment.

Graphic Era University held a national seminar on renewable energy and its significance on humanity, where delegates and experts from various walks of life had participated. The experts have rendered information on the Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) hydrogen hybrid technology and the schemes for the utilisation of solar, wind and renewable energies, which can attain success in a developing state like Uttarakhand.

State Renewable Energy Minister Rajender Singh Bhandari was the chief guest at the seminar, who enlightened the students about the avenues of development of far-flung rural areas through renewable energies. He said the students and teachers could play a vital role in supplying energy to the deprived part of rural areas, which could lead to prosperity and opulence.

Vijender Pal, Chief Secretary, state Renewable Energy, chaired the seminar, while students of the electrical and electronic trade of the university, along with the Head of the Department, Col Prof Nand Kishore Nautiyal (retd), attended the seminar. The equipments and gadgets of solar energy were also kept for display.

Prof Kamal Ghanshala, Chairman of the university, Prof KP Nautiyal, President of the university, Prof DP Giridhar, Vice-Chancellor, Dr BS Negi, Prof of IIT, Roorkee, RP Jamloki, Chairman of the Uttrakhand Pollution Control Board, were also present at the seminar.

Dehradun, August 10
More than 50,000 people are getting employment through films, music albums and songs, etc, which are being made in Garhwali and Kumaoni languages, still the artistes who are taking the medium to the masses are being neglected by the state government. Now, the artistes all over the state are prepared to fight for their right.

“Our government is not ready to take action until one is ready to raise voice,” Pradeep Bhandari, president of the Hilliwood Film Association, Uttarakhand, told The Tribune.

He was speaking with the media after the association submitted the memorandum, comprising their four demands, addressed to Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to his secretary at the Secretariat here today. They have demanded the finalisation of a film policy, an artiste welfare fund so that the artistes could be helped out in case of any crisis, and inclusion of the Kamaoni as well as Garhwali languages in the school syllabus and to revive the Uttarakhand Religious Film Development Board.

“Even after a lapse of 10 years, when the new state was formed, the folk culture and artistes are being neglected,” Bhandari said, adding “all artistes are struggling hard to save folk languages, knowledge and folk culture, but the government is not ready to support us.”

“We want that the government should make a policy for all those who are associated with the association so that they can work according to that,” he affirmed.

Bhandari claimed that earlier they had a department where they could take up their matters, but now it had become difficult for them to deal with the problems artistes were facing as the department that started way back in 2006 was shut down in 2007.

“Earlier, we used to take our problems to the Religious Film Development Board, but it was shut down when the government changed. We used to send our problems to the Chief Minister as the department comes under him, but now we are confused as to where to take our problems,” he alleged.

“If the artiste welfare fund came into existence, it would be of great help to the artistes in one way or the other,” Bhandari reiterated.

Regarding the addition of the languages in school syllabus, he said: “If the subject becomes compulsory in schools, it would help the language grow as more and more students are going away from their regional language”.

The other demands included busting of piracy networks in the state. “No doubt we get more publicity due to the piracy as every person is able to watch any movie or song at their home but this has put the industry into trouble as the producers are running away from financing the films or music albums,” Bhandari added. “The government should ban cable operators for showing the new movies that are just released at least for a few months as this would help us. Otherwise, people hardly prefer visiting cinema halls as it is easily available to them while resting at home and without paying anything,” he stressed.

“All artistes who are associated with the association are planning to go for a fast if our demands are not fulfilled,” he signed off.

Haridwar, August 10
The Saawan festival of Teej is being celebrated with fervour and enthusiasm in the district. Various functions are being organised to mark the occasion.

According to Hindu mythology, Teej is celebrated during July-August symbolising the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati after the goddess spent years worshipping Shiva.

Married and unmarried women seek the blessings of Parvati, in the form of Teej Mata, for a happy marital life.

At BHEL Sector-1-situated Arya Samaj Mandir, this festival of greenery and happiness was celebrated under the aegis of the Uttarakhand Vaisya Mahila Club with married women showcasing their varied cultural talents. Chief guest of the programme was former member, State Consumer Conservation Commission, Laxmi Rana.

Various programmes were organised like fancy dress show, cultural evening and mehendi competition. Rashmi Gupta, president of the club, said that women from varied communities were coming forward in various spheres of life. This is a good sign for women as a whole, she said.

“Today, women are coming out of the confines of their homes and working on a par with men. They are opposing malpractices prevalent in society like dowry and harassment, which augurs well for the country,” said Rashmi, who is also member of the Judicial District Consumer Forum.

Saroj Sahu, spokesperson of the Congress committee, said in India, many festivals, like Teej, were related with one way or the other to the change in weather.

“Haryali Teej is part of that tradition set by our forefathers as this comes after the scorching summer and at the advent of the monsoon, providing relief, happiness and greenery,” said Saroj.

Among those who participated in the programme included Beena Aggarwal, Rekha Gupta, Bala Aggarwal, Bindu Gupta, Renu Aggarwal, Neena Gupta, Sangeeta Aggarwal, while a number of localites too attended the proceedings.

Dehradun, August 10
Doon International School blanked Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy 4-0 in a pre-quarterfinal during the ongoing 26th Carvery Memorial Sub-junior Football tournament.

Tushar scored a brace in the win of DIS while Depender and Aditya netted a goal each. In another pre-quarterfinals Wynberg Allen School scored a facile win over Carman School, Dalanwala. Bharat scored two back-to-back goals to help their side.

He scored in the 24th and 25th minutes of the game. While Ashwani and Jatin scored a goal each in the second half. Kasiga also registered quarterfinals berth beating St Thomas 3-0. Sambhditw Tibetan School drubbed Pestle Weed 3-0. Naghwan netted two goals and Tenzing scored one in the win.

Dehradun, August 10
A lone goal by Anand led Col Brown to a 1-0 win over SGRR here today at the under-16 district-level football tournament that was played on Pavilion Ground. He struck in the 58th minute to bring cheer to his team.

After the two sides played a goalless first half, full efforts were made to score at least a goal in the next half. But Anand was the only one to attain success.

Earlier, in the first match, Welham Boys defeated DMK Gurjada 2-1. Tusar (7th) drew first blood for Welhams. However, the opposing team’s Akash equalised in the 19th minute.

At halftime, both sides were locked at 1-1. In the second half, Santavya (54th) of Welham netted the winner.