Nainital, August 27
Although the rains have stopped lashing the Kumaon region after continuing for nine days, the miseries of the people who have faced the brunt of heavy precipitation are far from over.

The region continues to suffer on account of damaged roads, large scale water logging and above all shortage of essential items like petrol and diesel in the higher reaches. In addition to this is the continuing erratic power and water supply.

According to the information available, close to 700 people in the Shakti Farm area of Udham Singh Nagar continue to be lodged in camps.

They cannot return to their homes as the water collected in the premises is yet to recede or the house have been badly damaged while their possessions were lost.

Sources say that with the embankments of the rivers in the district being breached at several places, efforts are now being made to divert the flow of water bodies with the help of heavy machinery that has been deployed in the worst affected parts. If the effort to channelise the flow of water is successful, the works for reconstruction of embankments can be started.

Meanwhile, the regions located in the mountainous terrain are grappling with the problem of scarcity of essential items like petrol and diesel. The heavy damage done to the highways and the link roads to smaller settlements has led to delay in supply of the essential items causing the shortage.

Similar is the case of the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) across the region. Over the last one week, people have been facing an acute shortage of gas cylinders while the distributors have been indulging in malpractices at certain places.

The traders in the region have also been badly hit on account of the incessant rains. For example, the supply of fruits and vegetables from Haldwani wholesale market to parts of the hill districts of Pithoragarh, Almora, Champawat and Bageshwar has suffered badly and almost 75 per cent of the supplies have either been delayed or completely stopped. The supply of these commodities on daily basis amounts to about Rs 10 crore. The amount of commodities which are eventually reaching the destination being supplied at a loss as the vehicles carrying them are going through alternate routes and the carriage cost is high.

Meanwhile, the district administrations at various places have undertaken a special drive to check malpractices being reported in supply of LPG. In Rudrapur, surprise raids are being conducted at the LPG godowns.

On the other hand, the flood affected people in the Terai, particularly those around Sitarganj, who have lost their houses are demanding that they be given new houses under the Indira Awas Yojana.

The demand has been aired under the leadership of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Premanand Mahajan.

A special drive has also been undertaken in Udham Singh Nagar district to vaccinate the cattle heads to prevent a spread of diseases amongst them.

Pitthoragarh, August 27
In order to prepare disaster mitigation workers to face eventualities in the cases of landslides and motor accidents, the Pitthoragarh police today organised a combined mock drill to rescue injured from 400-feet-deep gorge. “This mock drill was attended by personnel from the Uttarakhand police, local Army units, ITBP and the SSB,” said NA Bhararen Pitthoragarh SP.

The police which initiated this training has also formed a rescue cell to be dispatched in the time of a disaster anywhere in the district with the help of other departments. “We have asked local Army and paramilitary units like the ITBP and the SSB to form disaster cells in their units which could be coordinated by the Pitthoragarh police at the time of a disaster,” said the SP.

The Pitthoragarh police said more than 100 persons took part in the first face of the mock drill and the number of participants would be increased.

“The Uttarakhand governments has given equipment to be used at the time of a disaster but due to a lack of training and coordination among departments concerned, these equipment are lying idle,” said the SP, adding that after the beginning of this training, which will be followed by the Army and the ITBP units based in the district in every 15 days, these equipment might be used.

In another precautionary step during natural disaster like shooting stones and debris falling from above at work site, the Pitthoragarh District Magistrate has issued instructions to all departments to make it mandatory to use helmets during working hours if the worker is deputed at work sites. “We have asked the PWD, BRO and the NHPC specially instruct their works to use helmets during working hours on the roads or inside field or mines,” said the District Magistrate.

Dehradun, August 27
The conduct of mass love marriage on August 29 by the Uttarajya Navnirman Sena (UNS) has hit a roadblock. The administration does not seem to be in a mood to give permission for it.

The UNS in its protest against khap panchayats and honour killings is conducting the event to provide respite to lovers.

“Every good work is obstructed initially, but we will stick to our word,” the statement of Amit Jani, President of the UNS, exudes determination to protest against orthodox khaps.

While talking to The Tribune, Jani said, “Does anybody seek permission from the administration to get married? Then why is the administration raising questions on the marriages to be performed on August 29? We are not committing any misdeed, but are just uniting two adults in love.”

Many associations, along with the Shiv Sena and the Hariyana Navnirman Sena, have starting protesting against the conduct of mass love marriages.

The state president of the Hariyana Navnirman Sena has appealed to the administration not to give permission to the event as it would encourage the youth to indulge in love affairs.

"The mass marriage is on an all-India basis and we have already sent a fax to the district administration for assistance and cooperation. Some couples have reached Doon while the rest are expected to come by August 27. The arrangements are on and we are looking for a marriage hall at the EC Road," said Jani.

Refuting the statement of Amit Jani, District Magistrate Sachin Kurve said, "No sena or organisation has approached the administration for permission or assistance till now."

"If they come, we'll have to check whether all marriages are within the guidelines of the Hindu Marriage Act,” he said.

Dehradun, August 27
Election fever seems to have gripped the city. With college students union elections coming closer, the drama on campus has taken a leap.

Since morning, thousands of DAV College students from different groups gathered at the college.

They shouted slogans, sang songs and danced to the beat of drums as part of the campaigning process.

No scuffles between the two groups came into notice. The local police is all set to strictly monitor the elections with the SP (City) giving stern instructions to DAV College students to follow the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee on college poll.

Haridwar, August 27
In a view of strengthen its cadre base, student outfit Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has upped its latest membership drive at all the higher educational institutions and intermediate colleges.

Buoyed by the elections results in Maha Devi Kanya Pathshala in Dehradun and Vikas Nagar Mahavidyalaya, the Haridwar city unit too has geared itself for the upcoming elections in various colleges of the city.

In this regard, a meeting was held at the Devpura-situated ABVP office wherein emphasis was on the inclusion of as many new student members in the district so that in the upcoming elections, the frontal student organisation candidates get maximum number of votes.

ABVP’s state organisation secretary Ramesh Gadiya said the elections are nearing and they have to work for the students, particularly the freshers, as then only they will get to know them much better.

Elated over the twin college wins in Dehradun-Vikas Nagar, city coordinator Shiv Chaudhari said this has once again proved the popularity and working of the outfit.

Urging city unit executive as well as ordinary members to gear up for the upcoming elections, Chaudhari said this time they have to retain as well as win in those college unions where they suffered loss last time.

Dehradun, August 27
The Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Inter Section Quiz was held at Thimmaya auditorium here today. The quiz was based on seven rounds - current affairs, ecology and environment, sports, science and technology, audio, video and buzzer rounds.

Quiz masters were Rakhi Chamola, UP Dalvi, Balvir Chauhan, Negi and Neelam Sharma. The teams from the sections were as follows:

Pratap Section: Cadet captain Anshul Roy, cadet Akshat Raj, cadet Ashish Kapoor and cadet Mayank Dhama.

Ranjit Section: Cadet Arpit Sangwan, cadet Tabshir Ahmed Wani, cadet Manishankar Raj and cadet Sheshank Shekhar.

Shivaji Section: Cadet Guninder Deep Singh Sidhu, cadet Avinash Chetry, cadet Sheshank Dahiya and cadet Rajat.

Chandragupta Section: Cadet Arunabh Saxena, cadet Aditya Udupa, cadet Vishal Shaw, cadet Vivek Yadav.

The score after the last round declared Chandragupta Section as winner by 90 points followed by Pratap Section with 55 points, Shivaji Section with 45 points and Ranjit Section with 40 points.

The chief guest for the evening was RIMC Commandant Col Pankaj Kumaria. Lt Col R Nathawat, Wing Cmdr YS Panghal, Cmdr Somaditya Chakraborty and Maj SR Sahoo were also present in the event. Coordinators of the event were PK Sharma and TS Selven.

Mussoorie, August 27
Uttarakhand andolankaris from Mussoorie have demanded the inauguration of the memorial constructed at the Shaheed Sthal in Jhoola Ghar Mussoorie in remembrance of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the Uttarakhand agitation on September 2, 1994. More than eight persons lost their lives in the barbaric shooting by the police on the fateful day.

Uttarakhand Andolankari Salahkar Parishad nominated members Gambhir Singh Chauhan and Anil Godiyal from Mussoorie demanded that the memorial should be dedicated to the people of the state at the earliest, preferably on September 2 as a mark of respect to the andolankaris.

Gambhir Singh Panwar and Anil Godiyal demanded that the police official who lost his life in the agitation on September 2, 2004, should also be included in the list of andolankaris as he was the only one official who was against the police firing and succumbed to the injury of the bullet fired by police personnel then.

Rajya Andolankari Parishad president Ravinder Jugran said more than 5,000 active agitators had been identified of which 155 had een earmarked and 100 more would be included in the list soon. He will be visiting the Shaheed Sthal to listen to the problems of the andolankaris and solve them at the spot.

Dehradun: Members of the Uttarakhand Andolankari Sanyukt Manch today gathered to discuss about the registration of all statehood agitators.

They decided all statehood agitators who had not been registered would soon get their identification, which would be done with the help ofthe Dehradun District Magistrate.

Manoj Dhayani, convener of the manch, said they would soon expose all those statehood agitators who got themselves registered with the help of fake certificates. 

Mussoorie, August 27
The residents of Mussoorie were delighted to see the blue sky after the week-long downpour and cloud cover over the town. The rare traces of sunshine basking over the mountains were greeted with cheers and housewives availed the opportunity to dry their clothes after a long wait.

Gushing water in one of the recharged springs on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road.

The incessant rains since last one week had dampened the spirits of the residents which were raised to certain extent today.

However the environmentalists have welcomed these heavy rains and are of the view that the water table which had depleted in past several years will again rise and assist in addressing the problem of drinking water in Mussoorie. The pleasing sight of the old springs gushing once again at several places in the town augurs well for the summer period.

The Galogi powerhouse was also churning out capacity power due to the increase in the water in the springs. The tourists on their way to Mussoorie from Dehradun were greeted with rare waterfalls that were witnessed several decades back. The tourists took time out on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road and enjoyed at waterfall. The tourists witnessed the occurrence of rainbow over the Mussoorie sky with awe and delight. A five-year-old from Delhi said this was her first sighting of the rainbow. The experts believe that this is the time to store the rainwater as much possible to increase the water table.

Villagers around the town are also glad with the bumper crop mainly corn this year but say that now the rain should stop so that they can pick it from the fields and dry them for sale in Mussoorie.

Mussoorie, August 27
More than 300 saplings of oak, cedar, etc. were planted at Douglas Hill near the Tehri Bypass road here under the aegis of the Alaknanda Mandakini Vikas Samiti in association with the Forest Department.

Several students, NSS workers and members of various social organisations joined in to resolve green Mussoorie and save the planet from global warming.

The chief guest, MLA Jot Singh Gunsola, while inaugurated the event said it was because of such resolve of the residents Mussoorie was green in comparison to other hill towns in the country.

The samiti has earlier planted more than 500 saplings in the ongoing drive to increase forest cover in the town. Jal Sansthan Executive Engineer DK Singh, Assistant Executive PB Bhat, city Congress president Bhagwan Singh Dhanai, Madhuri Nautiyal, Sashi Rawat, Bhopal Singh Chauhan, RD Naithani, Satish Dhandiyal, Forest Ranger SS Mandola, NP Dabral and others were also present on the occasion.

Dehradun, August 27
In neck-and-neck semifinal encounters, Carman School, Dalanwala, and Kendriya Vidalya (KV), Indian Military Academy (IMA), today managed to book the final berths in the District Level (Under-18) Football Tournament underway on the Pavilion Ground here.

In the first semifinal, Carman School beat North Point Children Academy, Garhi Cantt, 12-11 via sudden death. The match ended on a 1-1 draw in the stipulated time.

Ramola of Carman School drew the first blood in the 20th minute to give his team lead.

While in the second half, Anshul of the opposite team equalised in the 42nd minute to dash the hopes of Carman. After the two sides were locked at 1-1, the penalty shoots were played. But, the result could come only in the sudden death in which Carman defeated Children Acadmey 12-11.

Also, KV, IMA, had to use all its force to beat Carman School, Premnagar, 4-2 in the tie-breaker. So tough was the competition between the two sides that no goal came in despite several good attempts. After the goalless play in the allotted time, the penalty shootouts were played.

Sushant, Dinesh, Siddharth and Jitender found the target for the winning team while Muhtasim and Siddhant of Carman School, Premnagar, scored.

Dehradun, August 27
ITBP Dehradun sector got the better of ITBP Laddakh sector 12-8 to annex the title of the second Inter-Regional Handball Competition held on its campus, here today. The title was won by Laddakh last year.

The match saw tough competition between the two teams throughout the match. But Dehradun team faired bit better and that made the difference.

Chief Guest MC Bhatt, IG (Northern Frontier), ITBP, gave away prizes to the winning and the runner-up team during the prize distribution ceremony. GD Satpal of Laddakh was adjudged the best player of the championship.

After distributing the prizes, the chief guest congratulated the sportspersons for good sportsmen like behaviour and sacrifice.

He patted the first and second team for their good work and motivated other teams to do well next year.

Players in action at the Inter-School Basketball Tournament in Mussoorie on Friday.

Mussoorie, August 27
Inter-School Basketball tournament began with Oak Grove, Mussoorie Public School (MPS) and Mussoorie International School winning the matches today.

The tournament is organised under the aegis of the Mussoorie School Sport Association and more than five schools are participating in the tournament.

In today’s match in senior division Mussoorie International, Oak Grove and Mussoorie Public School registered wins on the first day.

In junior division Manav Bharti International, Oak Grove and Mussoorie Public School emerged victorious.

The Tournament was inaugurated by Mussoorie Public School Principal Mukesh Lal.

The semifinals and final will be held tomorrow.