Haridwar, August 28
Anti-dam and pro-dam activists appear to be heading for a showdown in the state.

Though activists involved in opposing hydel projects in Uttarakhand are heaving a sigh of relief with the scrapping of the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala hydroelectric project by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a sharp reaction against the decision has also surfaced.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank too had welcomed the Centre’s decision.

Even in Haridwar, where Prof Guru Das Aggarwal sat on an agitation against an Uttarkashi-based hydro project, many voices against the Centre’s step and the silent nod by the state government can be heard.

Several political parties, social organisations, labour organisations and even saints have come out in the open opposing the government’s move.

The Uttarakhand Rajya Andolankari Manch has condemned the decision on the Lohari project warning of a mass movement.

Statehood agitators have also decided to organise a mass awareness campaign to apprise the people about the benefits of hydro projects in the hill state.

These will usher in a wave of development in a short span of time after these projects become fully operational, they opined.

JB Pandey, statehood agitator and founder of Uttarakhand Kranti Manch, speaking to the Tribune said that a hunger strike and agitation would be held from Sunday in Haridwar by statehood agitators.

The Lohari Nagpala decision will close the doors of employment as well as development of the state which the statehood activists had envisaged, said Pandey.

Terming hydro projects as a pillar of development, former Uttarakhand Kranti Dal district chief Ajab Singh Chauhan said that the forces that have been opposing these projects were in clear violation of the trust that the people of Uttarakhand had on them.

“If the scrapping of such projects on opposition from a selected few goes on, then in the coming years, the revenue of the state will go down drastically.

“Only then will we come to know the value of such projects in this hill state which has limited employment and revenue sources,” said DK Pant of the UKD.

“Keeping in mind the geographical condition of Uttarakhand, the Central government should review its decision as it is unfair to shut down these projects because of some opposition.

“Scientific analysis, observation, environmentalists’ view point should also be taken into consideration on these projects.

“A hydel policy in the state is essential which keeps in mind the eco-geographical as well as economic-employment resources into consideration,” said Rajiv Shiv Puri, spokesman of the city Congress.

Some saints too have come out in the open criticising the anti-dam agitators for misusing the religious aspect in carrying forward their agitation.

Jai Ram Ashram chief and state Congress vice-president Brahmswaroop Brahmchari, in a letter to the Prime Minister, has urged for the immediate restarting of work at the Lohari Nagpala site.

Brahmswaroop said that in the name of faith, some people were using religion for their benefit.

This is unfair and the Central government should not bow under pressure from the saints, he said.

Uttarakhand Sangarsh Samiti convener Dheerendra Pratap termed the government’s decision as unfortunate as this would reverse the development wheel of the hill state.

Dehradun, August 28
Arabic calligraphy takes exalted forms when revealing the Almighty’s message as in the holy Quran.

Qurans engraved in gold and decorated with precious gemstones were on display at an exhibition titled “Holy Quran in the Mirror of Calligraphic Art” held today at Tasmia Holy Quran Library. Close to 500 holy books inked in black, blue and red on different materials were exhibited.

Part of Dr S Farooq’s personal collection, bequeathed to him by his father, the collection has grown over the years with people donating their personal copies.

From the smallest book weighing 1.75 gm, donated by MH Farooq of Puducherry, a single page holy book to the verses engraved on a globe and marble plaque, a marvel of fluidity and sensitive inflection attracted the attention of the visitors.

“We have a 333-year-old holy book belonging to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. I personally take interest in its preservation,” said Dr Farooq.

Recently, Mirza Beig, a Doonite donated the Quran from his collection, handed to him by his ancestors. The book too was exhibited.

Like other books, the Quran has been written on numerous surfaces. Initially written by hand on leaves and fabric, digitised and Braille versions of the holy Quran are also available nowadays.

The hallmark of the books on display is the veracity of the text that has remained the same, with no discrepancy whatsoever.

The Quran written in several international and Indian languages are also on display. A copy ensconced in a sandalwood box with unending fragrance filled the visitors with amazement.

Shedding light on calligraphy, Dr Farooq said that Arabic calligraphy is an art. “It began to be revered as paintings in the 16th century,” said Dr Farooq.

The first coloured Quran, having the assent of Afghan King Ameer Saheb Bahadur and printed in Ludhiana in 1908, is also part of the Tasmia Library.

The Quran is in 30 equal parts for its easy daily recitations. There are 114 surats (chapters) and 6,236 ayat (verses), containing 77,439 words made up 32,367 letters.

Haridwar, August 28
For long, farmers in Uttarakhand have been putting in efforts to breed high milk-yielding cows though with not much success. To make sure that milk production increases by bringing in foreign breeds of cows, various programmes are being run by the Central as well as state governments.

So from the Artificial Insemination (AI) Programme, Natural Breeding Programme, Deep Frozen Semen Production Programme, Fodder Development Programme to Life Stock Insurance Programme, efforts are on to make sure that farmers of the state have a good breed of cows which will help increase milk production.

Now the state is focusing on Sindhi cows, a rare foreign breed that is on the verge of extinction.

Via artificial embryo transfer technology and natural breeding of local cows and Sindhi buffaloes, the state Husbandry Department is trying to introduce and breed this species in all 13 districts of the state including the hilly regions.

Two districts - Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar - have been selected by the Central government as pilot project districts as they have the maximum density of high-yielding cross-bred cattle and buffaloes.

As Sindhi cows have a higher level of immunity, these have more chances of survival in cold weather conditions in hilly parts of Uttarakhand and commercially too, these are a more viable option than the local breed of cows.

A Sindhi cow produces about 12-15 kg of milk which is almost 3-4 times what a local cow produces.

The state government, through the Uttarakhand Pashudhan Vikas Board, is extending the facility of artificial insemination to farmers and cooperative societies in all veterinary hospitals and medical centres.

Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Prem Kumar, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Haridwar district, said that due to the high immunity level and better production capacity of milk, the Sindhi breed of cows is best suited for the state.

“The Red Sindhi species has been found better suited to cold weather conditions of the state as they have higher immunity level, tick resistance, disease resistance, fertility at cold temperature and no change in their milk production output,” said Dr Kumar.

Various centres are working on this aspect like the Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm situated in Kalsi, Dehradun, which was established in 1961.

Formed with the objective to provide purebred breeding males of the Red Sindhi and Jer Sindh crossbreeds for genetic upgrade of hill cattle, the farm has been catering to the need of the state immensely by the introduction and usage of these bulls for natural breeding.

The Embryo Transfer Centre, Lalkuan, Nainital district, is also producing elite calves of the purebred Jersey variety, helping farmers produce at least three times more milk than local cows.

In addition, a Deep Frozen Semen (DFS) Production Centre in Shyampur, Rishikesh, is also maintaining Red Sindhi, Sahiwal-Murrah breeds for production of DFS doses. These doses are widely distributed across the state and outside too.

Pradeep Kumar Sharma, a resident of Shakti Nagar in Haridwar who received four months of training at the training centre in Rishikesh, said that till date, he has inseminated thousands of cows and buffaloes.

He charges anywhere from Rs 100 to Rs 150 per artificial insemination from the livestock owner making his monthly income more than Rs 5,000.

If the project succeeds on a mass scale with more farmers breeding Sindhi cows, then milk could become a major employment and revenue generating avenue for the state which has limited resources at its disposal.

Milking a fortune

Dehradun, August 28
While students of DAV (PG) College hold the city on ransom by flouting the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee during the student union elections, their counterparts at MKP Girls (PG) College present the opposite side of the story.

While maintaining the decorum at the educational institute, the girls at MKP College have always abided by the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee. No loud form of canvassing, posters, leaflets or pamphlets can be seen in and outside the campus. The canvassing of the contesting candidates is in the form of word-of-mouth campaigning without creating a ruckus or encouraging hooliganism inside the campus.

The college also boasts of no malpractices during elections in their history ever. They do not offer any sort of bribery nor attract students for casting votes as done by their counterparts at DAV College, DBS PG College or SGRR PG College.

“You cannot witness a single poster on the walls of the college campus or any sort of illegal activities which means that the girls follow the guidelines set up by the Lyngdoh Committee. They conduct peaceful campaigns and fair election process. They are allowed to place only one banner in the college and hand-made posters on the walls,” said Dr Ritu Saxena, chief election officers of MKP Girls PG College.

However, several scuffles between the two parties have always been witnessed during the canvassing of the college elections, but the MKP have managed to remain untouched by this untowardness.

“The process of campaigning is done during the breaks of two classes or by calling up a small meeting at the auditorium on the permission of the chief election officer of the college and the principal,” said Ena Bahuguna, former president of the student union (2009-10) of MKP College.

“Every contesting candidate aims at the development and welfare of the college and its students. We have always received full support from the students, staff and party head and hope to get this year too,” asserted Ena.

Dehradun, August 28
In the fifth week of Ghummakkad Narain, The Travelling Children’s Literature Festival, French illustrator Judith Gueyfier at the Welham Girls School venue spoke of her experiences while undertaking illustration works for magazines and children’s books here today. She informed the students on techniques to get their imagination down on to the paper.

Referring to role of illustrator, Judith said the illustrator had to imagine the story in his mind in detail which followed the challenge to search for ways to connect to the children through the illustrations. She also admitted that there were very few books on illustration for children in India, thus guardians were forced to buy expensive foreign publications or local books that were poorly illustrated.

A number of Welham Girls students also drew sketches under the guidance of Judith. She also held a long interactive session with the students. Screening of Tintin at the school’s audio visual centre was a great hit with the hall packed to capacity to witness the show.

Judith was born in Nantes in 1981 and after her completing her studies, started working in magazines and children’s book publishing. Her graphic universe has been developed around travels and fed by African and Maghrebi literature. With great sensitivity, she uses those experiences to capture the emotions of the texts she illustrates. She has had several exhibitions of her paintings which are inspired by her travel sketchbooks. Sessions were also held at Kandoli Government School and Doon School later in the day.

The festival is a NIVESH and Himalayan Hub for Art, Culture and Heritage (HHACH) initiative, organised under the aegis of theUNESCO and was launched in Dehradun by Governor Margaret Alva.

Dehradun, August 28
Team iCARE, as part of its one-month “Plant for the Future Campaign”, celebrated Van Mahotsava with students of the Sai Grace Academy International, Raipur, on its premises here today.

The “Plant for the Future Campaign” is an ambitious project undertaken by iCARE which is basically a programme that will include participation from various schools, colleges, private institutions, government offices across the valley towards promoting low-carbon practice and sustainable lifestyles.

From July 28 onwards, iCARE has successfully conducted similar events with students of Sunrise Academy, Apollo International, Touchwood School, Kendriya Vidyalaya (BHEL and Haridwar), Shemrock School, Carman Dalanwala and Dehradun Hills Academy to name a few.

The Centre for Environment Education (CEE) is facilitating in creating responsible green citizens to promote low-carbon practices under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India and Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with civil society partners of the Small Grants Programme (SGP).

The project aims to plant more than 1,00,000 saplings, each locale specific, keeping the local biodiversity in view. More than 10,000 participants will be trained to adopt low-carbon practices in their daily lives with the participation from around 1,000 institutions in more than 70 cities across India.

The event saw active participation from the students of the academy, along with a few staff members. Different varieties of trees like gulmohur, kachnar, chandni, silver oak, kapoor, hibiscus, jatropa chandni etc were planted all around the school campus. In the end, it was estimated that close to 40 saplings were planted and about 40 erica palms were donated to the school.

Sai Grace Academy International Managing Director Samarjeet Singh was said, “People speak of a Green Doon, but iCARE puts these words into practice, more so since they are involving students and it doesn’t get any better than that. We take this opportunity to assure you full support in any such programme to be launched by your team in the near future”.

North Zone PR Head, iCARE, Pooja Bhatt, said, “I take this opportunity to thank the management of the academy for giving us a chance to work with their students. It was a delight for the entire team to see such enthusiastic and vibrant students and this is what truly motivates us to work harder each time around”.

Dehradun, August 28
One goal effort by Jitender led Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) Indian Military Academy (IMA) to annex the District-Level u-18 Football Tournament beating Carman School, Dalanw ala, 1-0 on the Pavilion Ground here today.

Jitender netted the golden goal in the 28th minute of the game. The contest remained tough with both sides making good moves. The first and the only success was achieved by KV (IMA) in the first half. With the second half barren, the KV (IMA) was decalred the winner.

Later, the winning and the runner-up teams were given prizes. The players were also given individual prizes.

Amar Bahadur Gurung, ex-international footballer, and Principal of Carman School, Dalanwala, were the chief guests on the occasions. 

Dehradun, August 28
Guru Nanak Inter-College Chukhuwala got the better of St Agnes 1-0 at the inaugural day of the Dhyan Chand Hockey Boys Tournament being organised by the District Sports Department here at MKP (PG) College.

Shiv Kumar of Guru Nanak College starred in the win scoring the lone goal in the 45th minute.

The second match which was to be played today had to be cancelled due to rain.

The organisers said the matches of girls will commence from tomorrow. Meanwhile, the organisers also informed that MKP College has won the District Nehru Hockey Tournament. 

Dehradun, August 28
Pine Hall School bagged the District Tae-kwon-do Championship which was organised by the Dehradun Sports Tae-kwon-do Academy at St Joseph Academy, here today. Pine Hall got eight gold medals to win the championship.

While St Joseph Academy with four golds and Kasiga School with two golds stood second and third, respectively. In the individual categories, Rajit Bisht of SGRR of Basant Vihar was declared best player. Mohit Bisht of DM Saini School walked away with best fighter award.

Gymnastics, yoga and breaking events were also played today. Shilpi Rawat, Vipula Anant, Anamika, RP Gupta, Rachit Bisht and Mohit Bisht participated in these events.

President Jagdish Rana, Secretary Gagan Garg and General secretary Sandeep Saini were present during the prize distribution ceremony.

Dehradun, August 28
Come September, the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board should have given permits to the 276 river rafters to resume their seasonal business of rafting in the 40-km stretch ranging from Rishikesh to Kaudiyala by now, but the department has not done it.

AK Singh, Deputy Director, UTDB, said the department was well aware that the rafters were losing over their bookings which they made months ago, but the department could not allow them to begin rafting when the river was tumultuous, given to the resumption of heavy monsoon these days.

But the rafters agitated against the arbitrariness of the department in deciding over the period to give permits. Pratha Pratam Saha, rafter from Rishikesh, said the department should have given the permits a month ago, leaving it to the rafters when to resume the activity.

"We are sure that the licences will not be given even by mid-September when the rafting business reaches its zenith and to go booming for the next nine months. It is the rafters who know when the water swells and when to discontinue their service. We will certainly not put tourists' lives, our lives and our business in peril by carrying out rafting waywardly in swelling waters,” they said.

Rohit Tayal, a Delhi-based rafter, said the department should distribute permits as per by schedule and could pick the option of allowing the rafters only when the water level came down satisfactorily. But Tayal too admitted that there should be no further delay on this compulsion any more as the entire process took four to six days in completing the formalities, which if undertaken during the season would cost dear to the rafters.

Anirudh Rawa, another rafter, said he had no idea when the government would give permit, though he believed it should be announced before mid-September. But he wanted the confirmation earlier to sound his clientele or customers who had earlier done their bookings in advance or keen to do so now.

The rafters are sitting over the dilemma till the UTDB reaches to a decision over the date. 

Dehradun, August 28
Colonel Brown School and Hilton School won their respective quarterfinals to enter the semifinals of the ninth Om Prakash Memorial Football Tournament, here today.

Col Brown beat ITITI Jhajra 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Col Brown boys gave a tough competition to the ITITI team throughout the game. Jhajra team could not do much to save itself from a defeat.

While Hilton School defeated Mussoorie Public School 3-2 in another quarterfinal match. It was an entertaining match as a good display of football skills was witnessed. Players of both the teams were well practiced and they entertained the spectators with their strong game.

Hilton School will face Col Brown in the first semifinal and host Carman School will play against Camran School, Dalanwala, in another semifinal which will be going to held on August 31.